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Just weeks after graduating from the TAFE NSW Fashion Design Studio, 21-year-old Brighton-Le-Sands resident Zoe Markopoulos has launched her label, By Marko, on the Australian Fashion Week runway.

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The young designer was one of four graduates selected to showcase a 12-look collection at The Innovators runway show on May 13.

It is the very same platform that previously launched the careers of global Australian fashion heavyweights like Zimmermann, Dion Lee, and Romance Was Born.

For Ms Markopoulos, the opportunity to present alongside the nation's top talent was nothing short of a career-defining milestone. "It offers so much exposure and opportunity," she said. "From your first year at TAFE NSW, you watch the third-year students and aspire to be part of it."

Her standout collection explored themes of transformation and material reuse, featuring an unconventional blend of recycled copper, rope, and industrial materials sourced directly from her father's air conditioning business.

"One piece features draped rope with copper cord ends, similar to what you'd find in electrical wiring," Ms Markopoulos said. "In another look, I used heat-treated copper to create a mini dress with a distinct patina. I focused on the process of copper oxidising and patinating, using it as a literal interpretation of how things change over time."

Despite the industrial nature of her materials, the collection was designed with wearable joy in mind. "I want people to have fun in my garments," Ms Markopoulos said. "I tend to gravitate towards pieces with a lot of movement, like dresses with tassels. There's no better feeling than when a model tries something on and genuinely enjoys wearing it."

Now working as a casual design assistant at Zimmermann, the very brand whose footsteps she is following, Ms Markopoulos said her studies provided her with the technical foundation to succeed. "Learning the fundamentals is incredibly valuable because it gives you a strong foundation," she said. "TAFE NSW FDS is an amazing place to gain practical knowledge, and the teachers are fantastic."

The showcase, supported by Seamless and Redken, highlighted a new wave of emerging talent focused heavily on sustainability, craftsmanship, and innovation. Laura Washington, Co-Head Teacher of TAFE NSW FDS, said training in new technology, waste management, and sustainable production is embedded in the curriculum. "We're excited to see our graduates contribute to a fashion industry that is socially, ethically, environmentally, and economically accountable," she said.

Ms Markopoulos will undertake a 10-month residency in The Next Garde Fashion Incubator, which grants her dedicated studio space, industry mentoring, and access to advanced 3D fashion design software to continue developing her collections with minimal physical waste.