Former Glennie girl debuts at New York Fashion Week

FROM Toowoomba to the catwalks of New York, designer Caroline Fuss is making her debut at one of the fashion world's most prestigious events.

The talented 26-year-old has already received praise for her label Harare, launched for the first time on the opening day of New York Fashion Week.

In the midst of the week's excitement, Ms Fuss took some time out to talk about her humble beginnings in the Glennie School's home economics classroom and how she cracked one of the world's toughest industries.

"I was always interested in fashion but knew I wanted it as a career about the age of 16.

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"I knew New York was going to be a tricky place to live so I started study at East Sydney Tech.

"The choice was then to stay in Sydney or follow what I had always wanted to do - work for a fashion label in New York, so I did that.''

New York introduced her to the right people and opportunities but it wasn't until a trip to Guatemala that the collection Harare was born.

Ms Fuss returned to the city and established the company after collaborating with the artisans, a business model she said she would continue to follow with Harare.

"Guatemala inspired the whole company.

"The brand is print and colour based. I think there was less colour in New York, even in Sydney, than in Queensland."

Ms Fuss said being backstage at the New York show was surprisingly "chilled".

"There were a lot of Australians so maybe that had something to do with it."

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

• First held in 1943, to distract attention from French fashion during WWII.
• Held in February and September each year.
• International fashion collections shown to buyers, the press and the general public.
• One of four major fashion weeks in the world along with those in Paris, London and Milan.

HARARE

• Celebrate and preserve artisan culture around the globe.
• Aims to unify women who may seem worlds apart.
• Bold prints, colours and fabrics.
• Find her work at www.harareny.com.