Fresh from international fashion runways, local designer Suzi Knezovic has returned home with a new wave of ambition.

She may be just 19, and five foot two but she’s sky-rocketing in the industry.

Nicole Keijzer reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Suzi was the youngest designer at Brisbane and New York’s Fashion Week.

But New York wasn’t all she’d hoped for.

Suzi Knezovic, Designer: “New York did show me a bit of its rough sides, there were a bit of challenges and sticky situations.”

Her Suzii K label draws inspiration from the likes of Valentino, but her methods are very home-grown.

Suzi Knezovic, Designer: “I’ve actually coffee stained my garments by myself, with natural coffee of course.”

Former teacher and fellow designer, Hilde Heim, says Suzi is a beacon of light.

Hilde Heim, Suzi’s Teacher/Designer: “I think she’s great, she’s doing it right, she’s doing hard work and yes she’s designing and making dresses, but she’s also communicating with people a lot.”

Suzi’s next big step is to stock her garments on James Street, where established labels like Aje, Zimmerman and Sass & Bide flourished.

Suzi says breaking into the industry wasn’t easy, and urges other emerging designers to work hard.

Nicole Keijzer, QUT News.