GAYLENE MCCAW

Gaylene is the Founder and Director of CAFA and takes a hands-on role teaching across all subjects areas. Gaylene studied fashion at the Paris American Academy and has a law degree and accountancy qualification. She is uniquely positioned to teach both the creative and business aspects of fashion. Gaylene has extensive experience in fashion design, garment construction, fashion retailing and strategic business management. Her special interests are couture sewing and draping.

DEBORAH STAPLES

Debbie has 10 years’ industry experience. She started in retail as a fashion store manager, and then trained in bespoke fashion design. She has worked as a pattern designer, finisher and grader, Having managed workrooms for start-up designers, she has an extensive knowledge of the business requirements for small enterprises. Debbie specialises in tailoring and is an expert at prototyping and sampling garments.

MEREDITH PATERSON

Placing in the Top 10 for her HSC Textiles & Design major work. Starting out studying a Bachelor of Science, Meredith followed her heart and has undertaken a Diploma of Fashion Design. With experience in wedding dress design and construction, Meredith now works for a luxury brand, as well working on a couture embroidery exhibition. She’s known for her exquisite couture hand sewing techniques and especially enjoys mentoring our HSC students.

JOSHUA TON | TAILORING CONSULTANT

Joshua currently exports high-end tailored apparel to Asia (he was previously at Bespoke Bijan, a renowned Savile row bespoke tailoring atelier in Sydney). Josh’s passion for his vocation brought him to teaching to promote this wonderful craft to a wider audience. Joshua cuts, makes and fits suits for individual clients using traditional hand tailoring techniques.