Listen up all budding designers! Entries are now open for Fashion Less Waste 2011: the Australian Museum’s annual fashion design competition aimed at encouraging a more sustainable fashion industry. This year, entrants are invited to take inspiration from a theme launched in conjunction with the Museum’s upcoming exhibition birds of paradise: rituals of seduction.

In fitting with the comp’s sustainability mission, entrants need to design and make an outfit composed primarily of materials originally used for non-clothing purposes. Headwear is also encouraged – there will be an extra prize in each category for the best accessory hat. Ten finalists from each category (Secondary School and Open) will be selected to have their entries modelled at an Australian Museum fashion parade on May 19th, with winners’ pieces continuing on to be part of a display at Sydney’s Strand Arcade in June and the Australian Museum in July.

And what would a sustainable fashion comp be without Peppermint’s presence? Our own Kelley Sheenan and Matt Paroz will be judges on the museum panel, alongside Akira Isogawa of Akira, Louise Olsen of Dinosaur Designs and Robert Carroll of Strand Hatters. For more info and inspiration, head to the Museum’s website. Entries close 5pm 21st of April 2011. Make us proud!