My Expertise
Fashion and Textile Design
Garment Patternmaking
Clothing Sizing in Australia
Fashion and Textile Design Processes
Garment and Textile Design for Health and Wellbeing
Machine-knitted Textiles
Interdisciplinary Design
Circular Design in Fashion
Industry Practices
Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Textile and fashion design, Sustainable design, Design practice and methodsSEO tags
Biography
Alana Clifton-Cunningham is a leading educator and academic in fashion and textile design, renowned for her innovative and sustainability-driven approach to design education. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she creates hands-on, experiential learning environments that blend traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies such as digital patternmaking and 3D garment sampling.
Alana has designed and delivered...view more
Alana Clifton-Cunningham is a leading educator and academic in fashion and textile design, renowned for her innovative and sustainability-driven approach to design education. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she creates hands-on, experiential learning environments that blend traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies such as digital patternmaking and 3D garment sampling.
Alana has designed and delivered impactful curricula across undergraduate and postgraduate programs and has led cross-disciplinary teams in developing studio-based learning that integrates industry relevance with global sustainability goals. She has also led international global studios, including immersive programs in India, where students collaborate with artisans to explore cultural textile practices and sustainable design in context.
Her extensive industry network—including partnerships with major fashion labels—brings real-world insight into the classroom, equipping students to thrive in contemporary design practice.
Grounded in circular economy principles, Alana’s research explores scalable models for textile remanufacturing, clothing waste reduction, and sustainable workwear systems. She is involved in an ARC Linkage project Redesigning Clothing Waste Using a Circular Design Framework, collaborating with national stakeholders to reshape the future of garment production. She also maintains an active interest in clothing sizing issues and standards in Australia, advocating for more inclusive and evidence-based approaches to fit and body diversity in the fashion industry.
Her commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion underpins her leadership and teaching, making her a strong advocate for more accessible and responsible design futures. Alana combines visionary thinking with practical expertise, preparing the next generation of fashion and textile designers to lead with creativity, care, and impact.
My Grants
2024 | Redesigning Clothing Waste Using a Circular Design Framework - LP230200929 $220,473K
2024 | Department of Community and Justice - $17,900
2024 | Education Focussed Community of Practice (PVCESE) - $2,500
2023 | Department of Community and Justice - $15,900
2023 | Education Focussed Community of Practice (PVCESE) - $6,995
2017 | AbbVie Pharmaceutical Pty Ltd, HS Support Garments: Chief Investigator - $35,000
2018 | UTS, DAB Faculty Funding: Garment Pattern Library - $2,500
2012-2018 | New Colombo Plan Funding (DFAT-2012, 2016, 2019, 2021) - $80,000+
My Qualifications
2021 | UNSW - Learn to Lead: Progress Needs Resilient Leaders
2019 | UTS - Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Transdisciplinary Learning
2008 | UNSW (COFA) - Master of Design (Hons) Research, Supervisor Liz Williamson
2002 | UTS - Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning
2001 | TAFE - Diploma of Marketing Management
1993 | UTS - Bachelor of Design (Hons) (Fashion and Textile Design)
My Research Activities
Funded Projects
2024 | Redesigning Clothing Waste Using a Circular Design Framework - LP230200929.
Books and Publications
2022 | Clifton-Cunningham and Heffer, Book chapter ‘Crossing the Cultural Aisle: from Australia to India Transforming Studio Learning through Artisan Textile Workshops’ in Crossing the Aisle: Multi- and Interdisciplinary Collaborations in Education: Research, Models of Collaborative Teaching, and Sources of Inspiration (ISBN 9781789386349, Intellect Publishers).
2019 | Clifton et al. UIIN conference ‘Transdisciplinary learning: Transformative collaborations between students, industry, academia and communities’ UTS.
2018 | Clifton-Cunningham, A, Craft Research Journal ‘MAAS, Out of Hand’, (ISSN: 20404689).
2018 | Clifton-Cunningham, A, ‘A brief history of briefs – and how technology is transforming underpants’ in The Conversation (70,000+ reads).
2013 | Knitwear Design, Carol Brown, Lawrence King Publishers (ISBN 978-1780670584).
Exhibitions and NTO
2021 | Second Look, Barometer Gallery, Paddington. 2021 Sydney Design Week (Invited artist)
2020 | Wangaratta Petites. 3 works of 52 selected (Finalist)
2018 | Seoul International Fashion Art Biennale (South Korea – Guest international artist)
2017 | Seed Stitch Collective: Wonderment, Gaffa Gallery (Group exhibition)
2017 | Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award 2017 (Peer-reviewed national textile exhibition: 3 June-6 August 2017)
2016 | Seoul International Fashion Art Biennale (South Korea – Guest international artist)
2016 | Seed Stitch Collective: Light, Barometer Gallery, Paddington (Group exhibition)
2016 | Meroogal Women’s Art Prize 2016, Meroogal (Sydney Living Museums), Nowra (Finalist)
2016 | Out of Hand: Materialising the Digital, MAAS, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney (Selected artist)
2016 | Seed Stitch: Inaugural Contemporary Textile Exhibition, Warringah Creative Space, Warringah,NSW (Peer-reviewed)
2015 | Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award – (Peer-reviewed national textile exhibition: 13 June-26 July 2015)
2014 | 2nd Tamworth Textile Triennial (Peer-reviewed national textile exhibition) - National tour
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
Fashion and Textile Design
The Fashion and Textile Design Process
Garment and textile Design for Health and Wellbeing
Machine knitted Textiles
Garment Patternmaking
Interdisciplinary Design
Circular Design in Fashion
Industry Practices
My Engagement
2024 | South Australian Government, Department for Education, Uniform Project - Advisory panel.
2024 | Honeysuckle Innovation Labs in Newcastle - industry participation at the NSW Smart Sensing Textile Waste recovery workshop.
2023 | Journal of Textile Design Research and Practice - Guest reviewer.
2023 | Port Stephens Art Prize – Textile Art Prize Judge.
2022 | Workwear Garments and Perceptions Around the Circular Economy - recruitment and interviewing suitable national manufacturing specialists working in various sectors of the garment manufacturing industry. Collaborative workshop with Professor Jacqueline Cramer, Chair of the Holland Circular Hotspot (Former Minister for the Environment) and national industry specialists.
2022 | Addressing Clothing Production Waste: A Textile Remanufacture Framework for Local Designers and Producers - recruitment and interviewing suitable national manufacturing specialists working in various sectors of the garment manufacturing industry (HC No: HC200236).
2022 | CSIRO/UNSW Threads + Opportunities: Science engineering sustainable fibres, for closing the loop in Australia Symposium/Student Pitchathon - Organising member.
2015-2019 | Sydney Living Museums (SLM)-Site Manager for Sydney Open annual event.
2010 | Leading Expert Witness: Spruson and Ferguson IP Lawyers: Speedo alleges infringement of an Australia Innovation Patent.
Location
Map reference
Map reference (Google map)