From Turramurra to the Thames

Mark riding the tube in London.

Walking in the shadows of fashion icons like John Galliano and Stella McCartney, Turramurra designer Mark Liu is currently studying at St Martin's College in London, a school with a reputation for breeding designers of distinction.

Studying at a design school that has produced icons like the London double-decker bus, the stage and costumes for Phantom of the Opera and styled the ever-imitable James Bond, Mark is confident that his talent will be fostered at St Martin's.

"St Martin's College has a world famous reputation and produces designs of extraordinary calibre," Mark says. "To take on the large projects they give us, designing becomes an all consuming lifestyle where you become obsessed with your work. So far I really enjoy it here and am almost addicted to this high paced creative environment."

In 2006 alone, Mark has done an internship with the well-established Miss Selfridge label as well as working with the Ghost label at London Fashion Week. Prior to that, Mark's highly sought after knowledge of silk-screening saw him restoring vintage textiles for Florence Broadhurst and reproducing textiles for the likes of Akira Isogawa, Zimmerman and Tsubi.

While Mark's resume reads like a fashion intern's dream, he aims to put all his experience and study into his own fashion vision with the label he started, Stique.

"My designs combine traditional techniques with new textile technologies and materials to tell a story or express a concept through fashion," Mark says. "Part of my collection uses hi-tech textiles that change colour and print to tell a narrative, express an idea or and emotion through each garment."

As well as designing clothes that tell a story, Mark's position on the cutting edge of the fashion industry has seen him design clothes that; "challenge the fashion production process by creating environmentally sustainable garments," According to Mark. "These use a laser cutting technique I have developed which creates garments with no waste."

In what has been a rapid rise from the streets of Turramurra and the halls of UTS to one of the most prestigious design schools in the world, Mark Liu looks to be well placed to continue on his journey towards being one of the next big names in fashion.