When you buy a piece from Illuminate, you’re buying a piece of Canberra. Not just because the fashion designer behind local label Zilpah tart creates all her pieces here, but because the patterns are based around photos of three of our much-loved national institutions.

Radiance Dress – National Film and Sound Archive print

You must look closely at the patterns before it clicks, but that’s all part of the fun, says Yumi Morrissey, and Illuminate reflects what happens to the capital after dark.

The inspiration for Zilpah tart’s new autumn/winter 2017 collection came from an image Yumi took of the Torsional Wave at Questacon at Enlighten a few years back. She immediately saw a pattern in her head, using the electric blue coloured light that was projected onto the sculpture.

Cross-front Dress in Questacon Lucent Blue print

Yumi manipulates her images on the computer to create a pattern, which is then digitally printed onto fabric. Patterns resulting from two other national institutions—the National Museum of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archives—are also part of Illuminate, with Yumi loving the bright orange entry wall at the museum and the vibrant rainbow colours projected onto the archives.

The garments Yumi has designed with her exclusive new patterns include her top sellers such as the T-shirt Dress and Cross Front Dress, but this time she has also introduced a line-up of skirts, tops and a spunky steel jacket made from metallic silver double knit stretch fabric. Her highly popular and easy-to-wear loop scarves are also available.

Steel jacket with dress in National Museum of Australia print

Illuminate isn’t the first collection to celebrate Canberra’s national icons. Yumi made waves in 2015 when she launched the Warrior collection at FASHFEST, with patterns based around Parliament House. She’s also launched collections around images she’s captured of other aspects of our beautiful capital, including Civic Fountain, Balloon Spectacular, glorious sunsets, vibrant autumn leaves, cherry blossoms and more. Have some fun and check out the fabric prints section of Yumi’s website, which displays all original photos, resulting patterns and garments made with the patterns. It’s fascinating!

Loop scarf in Coloured Light print

Zilpah tart has showcased at FASHFEST three times and is already thinking well ahead to 2017 where she’ll launch her spring/summer collection.

She’s also super busy getting ready to showcase Illuminate on the catwalk at the CARDIF Collective Fashion Alley show, to be held 8 April, Highgate Lane, Kingston. This charity event will also showcase autumn/winter collections by Hunter the Label, Fujinella, Hoon and Thunder Thighs.  For more information, including on tickets: www.cardifcollective.com.au

National Film and Sound Archive image

Photo Credits: Model @tiza590, MUA @katiesaarikko, Photography Yumi Morrissey, Zilpah tart