Stacey Gemmell Portfolio

1. Stacey
Gemmell
Portfolio

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Stacey Gemmell Biography
Appendix (1)
Ngiyaginya Aboriginal Festival
Fashion Program
Appendix (2)
Fantasea Runway Fashion Show
Appendix (3)
Charles Sturt University Event
Design, Coordination
Appendix (4)
Wiradjuri Christian Development
Ministries Community Work
Appendix (5)

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Appendix (1)
Stacey Gemmell
Born 2nd November 1985
I have had the best experience over the past ten years. I have worked alongside so many talented
people. Working with Florence Grant in 2004 is where all the dreams I had about fashion came alive.
I never thought that having a dream would be something so real and so possible; that it was doable
at every depth.
I was always told to dream big, focus on my dreams and every aspiration so that they would come
true. Not only have I done things I thought were never possible, but I have experienced so many
unbelievable experiences. I left school after finishing my HSC, and I was working with Community
Development Employment Program (C.D.E.P), which has now become Ganambarra Enterprises. I
was working on the front desk one day a week, while the other day I was involved in arts and crafts
activities including Jewellery making.
I attended several workshops at a shop called Beads on Gurwood here in Wagga, learning how to
put together several different jewellery pieces. I have always been interested in making things
involving fashion and the performing arts.
Ever since I can remember I have had a passion for music, singing and dance. This is something I am
still very passionate about to this day. I have sung in choirs, sung solo at several events, including
Eisteddfods and even at the Sydney Opera House.
Aunty Flo approached the C.D.E.P with an idea involving fashion. My ears pricked at the thought that
a training opportunity was being discussed involving fashion – my other passion I was stoked and
took up the opportunity of doing a placement through C.D.E.P to work with Aunty Flo in this area.
This was the start of a life changing experience for me.
First on the agenda was working in partnership alongside June Dally Watkins. This to me was so
exciting and unbelievable. June Dally Watkins; can you believe it! I knew Miss Watkins ran the
Business School for Ladies, and was also the first Australian model. This to me was big time.
The first show was underway. This was huge, I was a little nervous but more excited. The feelings I
had at this stage were amazing. It was the beginning of something so exciting; my future.
The show with Miss June Dally Watkins was an introduction and launch of the new fashion program
in conjunction with Yalbalingada which is an Indigenous Community Outreach Enterprise. Aunty Flo
brought the fashion program to Wagga, and I had the chance to be involved. I was ecstatic; this

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fashion show was a mix of community fashion businesses, and some talented local designers who
donated their clothing to be used for this event. Then I started to think more seriously about
fashion and what my interest was.
I came to the decision to start a course at TAFE doing Certificate IV in Fashion Design and Pattern
Making. This was a full time course over 12 months. This is where I met Christy Brooks who had
similar interests to me in this field. Christy and I decided to team up. We received a Wagga Wagga
City Council Crows Award grant to fund this show. This amazing show was based on land and water
and was my chance to start using my own designs, and incorporate them into the show. There were
still several community businesses on board donating clothing, but there was room on the cat walk
for my own personal designs.
I learnt a lot from TAFE, how to sew & make patterns fit. To me TAFE was a great investment in the
realisation of my dream. I learnt the correct way to do the things I imagined; I learnt so much.
I used to improvise when I was making things; I’d buy old clothes from second hand stores and
revamp them with my own style. But it was a lot easier to do things the right way, it meant less time
I had to unpicking and re sewing things. Christy and I had great ideas to match with the theme of
land and water.
We created some nice t-shirt designs, a couple of different dress designs, and some formal wear. We
auctioned off a formal dress and matching formal tie. The auction was a huge success. We sold the
dress and tie for nearly $300. I was so happy that someone in the audience actually wanted to pay
money for articles that Christy and I had made.
I still wanted to make something a little different, something using natural fibres. I decided to make
a dress kind of like a mini wedding dress made of feathers. A really great family friend owned an
ostrich farm and he donated the feathers I needed. I decided to stay with the original colours of the
feathers trying to keep it all natural and it turned out better than I expected. I was so proud and
happy with the finished product. I even shocked myself with the outcome of the dress.
The show was a hit. I had the chance to not only help with the fashion side of things, but I also got to
help with organising the event. I did the model search; I had to find people who were keen enough
to strut our stuff on the cat walk. I was on the prowl, and managed to find a few surprising parties
that were keen to model. I somehow convinced the Black Suns to model our clothing, which was
great. We had an all star cast. I arranged the practice times, fitting times, and rehearsals, all of which
turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected.
The show was a big hit. We were asked to take the show to many different functions and events
including Rotary and other Wagga businesses. After this event I said goodbye to Christie because she
decided to move away.
I was getting so much experience and a lot of head way. I finished my TAFE course and went on to
the next program.
This one was a little different from the others I had been involved in. We approached Mount Austin
High School with an idea to hold a production with the kids; a mix between a musical and a

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performance. The school decided to come on board. We had Michelle Gemmell, the Aboriginal
Education Officer (A.E.O.) work with us on our team; she just so happens to be my Mum which was
great. I got to work with my mum on a project that, to be honest, scared me a little. Working with
kids was something I had never done before, and something I had not thought about. But, I was
ready to take on this new challenge. We had the help of a lot of people. We set up a team including
Joy Cornish Coordinator of the Black Suns, members of the Black Suns, Shane Atkinson the
Indigenous Council Worker, Michelle Gemmell, Aunty Flo, and Sue Hurst the drama teacher from
Mount Austin High. Words can’t describe what I learnt from Sue who is an amazing lady. She knew
what it took to make a production work. So, with the combined group we were ready for community
muldungalarna (working together). The show included puppetry, dancing, music, and acting.
RIVMED the local Aboriginal Health Clinic had the malbenjerr puppets on their way. These where
indigenous puppets used for health and awareness’ of abuse issues. They looked amazing and we
had the chance to incorporate these into the production. So we launched the mamemberra puppets
at community muldungalarna performance.
We asked the kids to write up scripts for the puppets and they did a lot of role plays. We also had
some very talented kids from the school band keen to be in the show, Sammy-Joe Charles, a local
Indigenous contemporary dancer, taught dance to interested students. Everything was set in place.
I approached my big brother Aaron Gemmell, a great graphic and sketch artist, to design a logo /
slogan for the show and something for everyone involved to take with them after the event. I chose
a t-shirt, something you could keep and always wear.
Everyone loved them. We got funding for the T-shirt from sponsors involved with community
muldungalarna. This was the only fashion aspect of this production and I was pleased to incorporate
it.
The NSW Governor Marie Bashier and the Mayor of Wagga Mr Kerry Pascoe came to this event. I
was a little nervous because this was actually my ‘coming out’ into the whole production process but
the kids reassured me there was nothing to be nervous about!
The show was a smash hit. I was so glad to have had the chance to be a part of it. I made bonds with
all the Mount Austin kids and I realised that working with kids really isn’t as hard as I thought would
be.
At this point I started to think about what I really wanted to do and what I could bring to the
community of Wagga. I felt I was ready to do something on my own. My placement with Aunty Flo
was about to finish and the C.D.E.P was closing down.
I had a lot of community support, family support, and support from former colleagues. I decided to
showcase my skills in my own fashion and performing arts show.
I applied for the Wagga Wagga City Council Crows Award again and was successful in my application.
I had plans for a fashion show called Fantasea to showcase swim wear and incorporate this with an
underwater theme. I adored the thought of mermaids, they have been my very favourite thing since
I was a child, so I decided to mix things up a bit and have live props on stage surrounding the cat

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walk. I had mermaids sitting on paper mach`e rocks that took me months to make but they looked
amazing. A colleague Amber Murray did a lot of body painting and body art and she used her talents
to transform these people into real live looking mermaids.
I thought it would have been hard to convince people to be on stage for the whole production in a
tail but you can never tell who else has ambitions to be the next ‘little mermaid’. I had the idea to
have a male mermaid on stage as well and Steve O’Neil a.k.a. ‘My Triton’ the other A.E.O of Mount
Austin High gladly raised his hand. I was thrilled that Steve was interested in supporting me in the
production.
I had a lot of community interest; not only to be a part of the show but also to support me through
the process. The scouting for models was fun, I was approaching strangers on the street to be
involved and I had friends who said they would love to help. Word of mouth was a great help.
I now had the props and the models but I needed the entertainment/performance side of things. I
approached a very good friend of mine, Bess, who is an extremely talented dancer and I asked her to
dance in the show. I asked if she knew anyone else who would be interested. I already had Sammy
Joe on board from the previous performance in community muldigilarna, but I needed someone
else. My plan was for 3 different style dancers. Bess had a friend interested who was a ballerina and
a teacher from Kooringal High School. It was perfect; Bess the contemporary, Sammy the hip hop
and Kristy the ballerina.
These girls worked really well together to organise some fantastic routines. Unfortunately Sammy
had to drop out of the performance for personal reasons and Kyli, another friend of mine who is a
great dancer gladly took her spot.
I was down town one day and I heard an amazing busker named Donald, so I asked him to be in the
show. Now I had my models, props and performers under way.
My Aunty Lorraine Web helped me with the sewing for the show. She came from Canberra and
worked with me for 4 straight weeks which was tough going but together we achieved it. Once the
swimmers and mermaids’ out fits were completed, it was time for promotion. With the assistance of
my cousin Channel Web; I hooked up with a fantastic graphic designer who designed all my posters
and tickets, which looked fantastic. Charles Sturt University printed them, and I got heaps of people
to distribute them for me in shops windows and by generic email. I approached the Daily Advertiser
who were glad to promote the show; I got so much coverage in the weeks leading up to the show.
There was a huge font page spread on Fantasea in the arts paper pullout which included a photo
shoot at Wagga Beach with one of my mermaids Sarah Ingram, who looked amazing.
The Capital Entertainment Centre was the venue for the show and they helped with advertising as
well. I had so much coverage, it was an incredible.
Other Wagga businesses came on board to support the show. Diva, the jewellery store, donated
jewellery for the models to wear and an independent jewellery maker also donated jewellery for the
show.

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I had the professional Capital Entertainment photographer take shots on the night and Daniel
Pender from Becca Video Productions was there to film the night. I had a professional DJ Dane
Simpson, provide the best mix of new music. The lighting for the show was fantastic. Two male
ushers dressed in short shorts and a ton of glitter; they did a fantastic job getting everyone to their
tables.
The night was so exciting, with everyone involved extremely pumped!
The feeling was so amazing; the show ran smoothly without any hic ups. I was relieved and so
satisfied. The appraisal and applause from the crowd was huge and the models felt like they could
walk on water. The show was so fantastic. When I was younger I never expected that I could actually
bring my dreams to the surface, to be able to express my own style in this way; it was an amazing
feeling. I can’t explain how happy and over the moon I was with the finished product. After the
success of the show I decided this is what I wanted to do.
I’m now in the process of starting up my own business Princess Productions fashion and events, and
Pretty as a Princess hair and beauty. I also plan to bring out my own fashion range called Stacey
Anne.
So look out for my next production, it’s coming up soon and this will be the launch of my business
enterprise.
Hope to see you there.
Stacey Anne Gemmell

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Appendix (2)
Ngiyaginya Aboriginal Festival - Mount Austin High School
Adina Vincent
“Since the Ngiyaginya Festival Adina has been
offered a modelling contract”

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Appendix (3)
Daily Advertiser
“Designer, Director and Producer Stacey-Anne Gemmell will be hosting the talent-packed event
‘FantaSea’ highlighting the outstanding skills and ability of local fashion and swimwear designers, artists,
hairdressers, models, body and makeup artists, musicians and other performers.
This is Stacey-Anne’s third outing as Designer-Director, following hot on the heels of the ‘Community
Maldhaanygilanha’ (‘Community Working Together’, In Stacey and Wagga Wagga’s native Wiradjuri
language) in November 2006 at Wagga Wagga’s Civic Theatre, which featured the talents of local
Indigenous performers and Stacey’s 2005 debut: a sell-out fashion show featuring The Black Suns, her
family and many Mount Austin High School friends as models.
Stacey has been mentored by local Wagga Wagga identity and Indigenous media pioneer Ms Flo Grant,
who has supported and nurtured Stacey’s training for many years. Ms Grant has also introduced Stacey
to several fashion, media and political identities, among them Miss June Dally-Watkins, who has often
praised Stacey’s talent and drive and Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AC-CBO, Governor of
NSW, who opened the Community Maldhaanygilanha performance and may also be attending Fantasea.”
Kathleen Adams
“Has continued her modelling career
and has appeared in the Wagga Wagga
Warehouse groups new Winter
Commercial Add”

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Appendix (4)
DESIGN
CSU Charles Sturt University
Graphic Design/ Event Coordination
Catherine Maxwell - Testimonial
“Two Words LOVE IT
Love the colours, the design … everything
… thankyou!!!”

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Appendix (5)
Patricia Nikki - Testimonial
“Since the time I modelled for you I have
more confidence in the way I look and feel, I
never thought I would have done such a
thing but now I couldn’t be any more proud
of myself”
Community
Fashion Show
Rotary &
Wiradjuri
Christian
Development
Ministries
Civic theatre
Wagga Wagga