BOARD MEMBERS - ARCHIVED 26.06.20
Aminata Conteh-Biger |
Amy Low |
Aminata Conteh-Biger is a UNHCR Special Representative and the driving force behind the Aminata Maternal Foundation, working with mothers in Sierra Leone. She is passionate about sharing her experience as a refugee woman, and is an advocate for the rights of women and global action to combat violence against women. She regularly addresses community groups, schools and the media. Aminata is also extremely passionate about fashion, having worked for David Lawrence for almost 10 years as store manager and then for the former fashion label of The Social Outfit's Vice Chair, Nina Maya. Over the past four years, Aminata’s story has been an intrinsic part of Ros Horin’s critically acclaimed theatre production, The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe. The play sold out in Sydney and London, and shared the real life experiences of refugee women and their stories of survival and humanity, human rights, laughter, and resilience. | Amy Low is a marketing specialist with over ten years in the fashion industry, working with retailers and wholesalers from brand concept through to product development, retail management and marketing. Amy currently holds the position of Marketing Manager to the global brand owner Saban, which oversees the fashion labels in their portfolio. Formerly a litigation lawyer, Amy left law to focus on growing and nurturing brands, helping them translate their creative vision into memorable customer experiences. She has worked in a marketing capacity with well-known Australian brands Myer, VB, R.M. Williams and Penfolds, gaining experience building brands and winning with customers in the digital era. |
Antonia Ruffell![]() |
David Hardie![]() |
Antonia is the CEO of Australian Philanthropic Services (APS), a not-for-profit organisation that inspires and supports effective philanthropy, and provides education for individuals and advisers. Before joining APS, she held senior roles with Perpetual, the Royal Agricultural Society Foundation, Mission Australia, The Prince’s Trust in the UK, and ING Australia. | Over a 30+ year career, David Hardie has worked in government, nonprofit and philanthropy organisations, most recently at the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and The Myer Foundation. David’s professional background is the government sector, holding managerial positions at Sydney Water Corporation from 1998 to 2007. He also has extensive volunteer experience in diverse roles, including telephone counselling, refugee settlement assistance and youth mentoring. David has a Bachelor of Business (Charles Sturt), Master of Policy Studies (UNSW) and Graduate Certificates in Environmental Policy (UNSW) and Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (QUT). He is a Director of Slingsby Holdings Pty Ltd, the Founder and Director of the Slingsby Foundation and the Chair of The Social Outfit. |
Jaana Quaintance-James |
Melissa Mangraviti |
Jaana Quaintance-James is the head of Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing at the ICONIC. In the business since December 2017 she is responsible for delivering the whole of business sustainability strategy. In her role she draws on 13 years’ experience in multi-category retail developing and implementing change programs that deliver sustainability and ethical sourcing objectives. With a strong expertise in internal and external stakeholder engagement, Jaana has deep knowledge of both the issues on the ground and how to drive form long lasting change.
Jaana has a Master of Arts in Organisations and Social Change from the City University of London specialising in Corporate Social Responsibility and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations & Social Policy from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. |
Melissa is a Senior Manager at EY in Accounting Compliance & Reporting. She was formerly the Corporate Finance Manager at Brookfield and a Client Manager in Deloitte's not for profit specialist group in NSW. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has over nine years experience working within audit and advisory in a diverse range of industries with a strong focus on the not for profit sector. |
Nina Maya |
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Nina is founder of the contemporary interior design firm, Nina Maya Interiors. She has had an extensive design career internationally whilst exploring her passion for philanthropy by holding several board directorships in the not for profit sector. Nina is a Trustee of the Sky Foundation, a member of the Philanthropy Australia New Generation of Giving Program and co-founder of 10x10 Philanthropy. Previously Nina was one of Australia’s most outstanding fashion designers having launched her ‘Nina Maya’ label in 2006.
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AMBASSADOR
Carla ZampattiCarla Zampatti is a beloved fashion icon, building one of Australia’s most successful and internationally recognised fashion houses since her first collection in 1965. Carla now has over 30 boutiques and concept stores around Australia. |
CONTRIBUTORS
Andrea ShawAndrea Shaw is a multidisciplinary artist who designed a textile print for our 2016 summer collection, The Social Outfit World. Drawing from her studies in landscape architecture and textile design, strong relationships between colour, pattern, surface and space inform her practice.p Andrea’s practice is varied and she experiments with textiles, wood, paper, vinyl and different paint mediums. Her expressive artworks investigate ideas of travel, movement and mapping. She lives and works in Torquay, Victoria. |
Bianca SpenderBianca Spender is forging a reputation for intriguing modern clothes with a fiercely independent attitude. Her collections are known to mix structure with fluidity, resulting in looks both sophisticated yet spirited. Intelligent pieces often draped from a single piece of cloth are an important source of inspiration. Of paramount importance to Bianca in the design process is finding a sense of balance. With references ranging from art to music to historical dress Bianca seeks a new modernity. A lifetime's exposure to the fashion industry and mentoring from her mother, acclaimed designer Carla Zampatti, encouraged Bianca to pursue fashion. Study in Sydney and three years of internships in Paris fortified her ambition to have her own label. |
BrosisBrosis are a Sydney-based film studio who directed our first short fashion film, The Social Outfit World. Believing in the power of telling meaningful stories through film, their vision is to create beautiful, emotionally engaging content that will speak universal ideas, reminding people of their connectedness with each other and the world we live in. |
Byron SpencerByron is a Sydney-based photographer who shot our 2015 campaign, The Social Outfit Spirit. His body of work spans fashion photography, art and film, and has its origins in the styles and eccentricities of the world around him. His highly visual and playful style has lent imagery to publications such as Vogue Italia, Dazed and Confused, i-D Magazine, Milk, Nylon, Oyster, Yen, Grazia, and Vogue Australia. |
Chris GaulChris Gaul studied Visual Communication Design and International Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney and at Yunnan Normal University, Kunming. His work integrates philosophies and methods from art and design to explore the potential for creating moments of contemplation and curiosity in everyday life. In addition to exhibiting his work in group and solo exhibitions he also curates exhibitions, writes and lectures on art and design and teaches in the UTS School of Design in Sydney and Hong Kong. |
Clare PressClare Press is the presenter of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast and Australian VOGUE's Sustainability Editor-at-Large. A passionate advocate for ethical fashion, she is Australia's go-to journalist on the subject, and sits on the Australian advisory board of Fashion Revolution. Clare is the author of three books: The Dressing Table, Wardrobe Crisis, How We Went From Sunday Best to Fast Fashion, and Rise & Resist. |
David Ajak AjangDavid Ajak Ajang was the inaugural Chair of The Social Outfit. He stepped down from the Board in December 2015, having been involved in the organisation’s development since late 2012.
Ajak has worked professionally with the refugee and migrant communities in different capacities since 2003. He is currently the Communities in Cultural Transitions Project Officer at the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS). |
DragstarDragstar is a much-loved Newtown fashion label who collaborated with us on a textile print for our Colour Chameleon collection in 2014.
Launched in the mid nineties, the hands on approach of the label's founder and designer, Celia Morris, extends to every aspect of the Dragstar brand. Local production and creating garments that will stand the test of time is Dragstar’s design ethos, with a range that is unique and full of custom fabrics and original cuts. |
Eloise RappEloise Rapp is a Sydney based artist and designer who consults with us on design projects and marketing. Her work in textile and graphic design explores the synergy between the natural and built world through refined combinations of digital and hand-rendered techniques. Her style plays on unusual colour schemes, evocative patterns and sublime textures. She has worked in design studios and educational institutions in Sydney, Melbourne and Tokyo, and is currently a casual academic at UTS School of Design. She has worked with Ken Done, Vantan Design Institute, The Old Clare Hotel, WGSN, L’Officiel Magazine and Art & About. |
Georgia BlackieGeorgia Blackie is a photographer and artist who has worked closely with us on several campaigns including e-commerce, lookbooks and event coverage. Her photography reflects the strong influence of her home in Sydney's Blue Mountains, where weather, scent and the seasons come into force. Georgia's work has appeared in RUSSH, Pages Digital, Broadsheet, NYLON (US), Oyster and Pitch-Present, and she has been featured in Frankie Magazine, ALAS Journal, Broadsheet Sydney and MTNS MADE. |
Ginger & SmartGinger & Smart designs for spirited women whose distinctive style is an expression of their individuality. A sense of cool confidence and discovery underpins the luxury contemporary design aesthetic of the brand, which seeks to combine the polished and the playful aspects of a woman. Founded in 2002 by Sydney-based sisters Alexandra and Genevieve Smart, the inspiration to establish the business came from the desire to combine family talent to build a strong fashion-lifestyle brand. Ginger & Smart has 9 dynamic stores that showcase the essence of the brand to their discerning customers. The label is placed with carefully selected stores throughout the world and is available in over 40 boutiques in Australia. |
Grace McQuiltenGrace McQuilten is the founding CEO and current board member of The Social Studio in Melbourne, the sister organisation to The Social Outfit. She is a Lecturer in Art History and Theory at RMIT University. Her background is in the arts as an art historian and curator interested in contemporary art and design and community development. Grace is an advisor to Twich Women's Sewing Collective (Dandenong) and a board member for the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand. |
Jackie Ruddock
Jackie Ruddock was the founding CEO of The Social Outfit from 2012 to March 2019. She has worked professionally within the charity sector for 12+ years, and in the social entrepreneurship sector for 7+ years in Australia. Jackie is a project manager and researcher in the fields of education, health, communications, multiculturalism and sexuality/gender. Jackie previously held senior management roles at The School for Social Entrepreneurs, FAR Social Enterprise, and Streetwize Communications. She has also worked as a Research Associate at the Journalism and Media Research Centre, University of NSW, at the Twenty10 Association and Family Planning NSW. Jackie was awarded her Masters of Philosophy in Gender & Cultural Studies in 2011, and holds Honours in Education as well as qualifying as a NSW high school teacher.
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Kate BeynonHong Kong-born, Melbourne-based contemporary artist Kate Beynon works in various media, exploring ideas of mixed cultural identity, storytelling Participating in over 120 exhibitions and projects in Australia and internationally, Kate’s work is held in many collections and is represented by Sutton Gallery, Melbourne and Milani Gallery, Brisbane.
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Ken DoneKen Done is one of Australia's most loved and celebrated artists. We were very lucky to collaborate with Ken on a textile print for our debut Colour Chameleon collection in 2014 Ken's first solo exhibition was held in Sydney in 1980. Since then, he has held over 50 one-man shows, including major exhibitions in Australia, Europe, Japan and the USA. His work has been described as the most original style to come out of Australia, and his paintings are in collections throughout the world. |
Kirsten LeeKirsten Lee lectures in Fashion at UTS, Ethical Textiles for Masters at UNSW Art & Design, and guest lectures in Ethical Fashion. She is a Committee Member for Fashion Revolution AUS NZ and in the midst of conducting her thesis research in Ethical Fashion Education at RMIT. She has worked as a textile and fashion designer in the Fashion Industry for many years for both large scale and small labels. She is also a yoga teacher & believes the theory & practice of conscious living and mindfulness can be applied to fashion design, in terms of its impact both socially and environmentally. |
Linda JacksonLinda Jackson is an iconic fashion designer and artist who we were fortunate to collaborate with on a textile print for our debut Colour Chameleon collection in 2014. Linda has played a fundamental role in the development of a distinctly Australian approach to fashion design. As both an artist and designer, she devised unique forms of clothing that evolved beyond the sphere of seasonal trends, defying the limits of Western fashion by drawing on an eclectic mix of influences from India, Africa, Asia and Australia. |
Peter Simon Phillips
Peter is a freelance stylist and creative director who is one of our key creative advisors, applying his fashion & styling direction on all of our 2015 and 2016 projects.
Working across print and motion campaigns, editorial, portrait, celebrity, runway and costume, his diverse list of clients ranges from Hermes and Romance was Born to Westfield and the Sydney Dance Company. Peter has worked as the senior fashion editor at InStyle Magazine as well as the fashion editor at Grazia Australia.
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Rebecca HuntleyDr Rebecca Huntley is one of Australia's foremost researchers on social trends. She is the author of numerous books, and was a feature writer for Australian Vogue, a columnist for BRW and the presenter of Drive on a Friday on Radio National. She is on the Artistic Advisory Board of the Bell Shakespeare Company, an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Social Sciences at The University of New South Wales and a board member of The Whitlam Institute. |
Rob HaggettRob Haggett is a Management Consultant in Ernst & Young’s Advisory Services practice, based in Sydney. His industry experience covers the finance, international aid and development, government, non-profit (NGO) and entertainment sectors. He has worked in the UK, Australia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal and Fiji. |
Romance Was BornRomance Was Born is an inspirational contemporary Australian fashion house fusing together a unique story telling vision with design prowess. Renowned duo Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales are known for their ability to transform any theme or inspiration into a glimmering chimerical fashion paradise full of wonderment. Artistic collaboration is an integral part of design for Romance Was Born, who choose to collaborate with artists or brands that share their creative passion and are dedicated to their own process, seeing them collaborate with Disney, Marvel, Lego, May Gibbs, Linda Jackson, Jenny Kee, the Sydney Theatre Company and the National Gallery of Victoria. |
VERSUSVERSUS are a creative video content studio founded by director collective Tanya Babic, Brad Jarrett, and Jason Sukadana. They're a team of video creatives who work with agencies and brands to conceptualise and create films for the modern world; whether that means 3 seconds, 3 minutes or 3 episodes. Their combined background in live-action and post-production means they create exceptional visual experiences and engaging stories of any scale, from branded content to TV commercials and everything in between. |
Zeny EdwardsZeny Edwards is an architectural historian and acknowledged author, biographer, and curator. Zeny served in various lead roles: as president of the National Trust of Australia (NSW); chair of UN Women Australia NSW Chapter, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women; and as founding trustee of Women’s Plans Foundation, a charitable trust which advocates a family planning component for all overseas aid programs in the Asia Pacific Region. She was a committee member of the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project (ACT) and joined the United Nations Association of Australia in 2013 and retired her position as Director of the UNAA Peace Program in 2018. Zeny is a member of the management committee of the Australian Council for Human Rights Education, a goodwill ambassador of the Institute for Economics and Peace, and a member of the organising committee of the 3rd Advancing Community Cohesion Conference at Western Sydney University to be held in February 2020. |