Fashfest 2016 was a stunning display of the incredible talent in our little town...or city (depending who you ask!) and also spread across the country, with designers from Cooma, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane showing this year. Over the three nights I witnessed a brilliant level of of creativity from epic musical performances to bold design, fresh styling, outstanding hair and makeup and the power of well executed collaboration. Canberra’s fashion event of the year continues to grow and is truly something special for everyone involved.
Without going too in depth on the details (my detailed wrap ups can be up on Out In Canberra), here are the key moments and collections that absolutely wowed me....
CIT Showcase
White shirting is the biggest thing in fashion right now, as we move towards a classic, relaxed approach to style and step away from the quick trend cycle. The CIT Showcase was white shirting gone wild and it was amazing. The creativity was captivating and the unique use of volume, detail, silhouette and texture proved these students are going places.
Rebel Muse Presenting...
Asilio, Alice McCall, MLM & Hansel & Gretel
Styled to perfection, Alicia from Rebel Muse presented a curated collection of Asilio, Alice McCall, MLM and Hansel & Gretel beautifully. The hair and makeup was stunning and tied the collections together with divine innocence and lightness.
Hunter The Label
The build up to Hunter The Label has been notable, with the designer gaining extensiive media coverage over the weeks prior to Fashfest. The use of clean lines, 90's styling and crystal clear vision was telling of the pure talent behind Hunter The Label. It was divine.
Megan Cannings Designs
Megan Cannings Designs presented a vintage fantasy, with romantic dresses, silks, lace, ruffles and a soft colour palette consisting of dusty pink, black, beige and purple. The hair was teased and piled into intricate up do's while the makeup was dark and emotive, balancing out the 'pretty' with just enough edge. It was stylistically stunning.
Fleur and Felix
I was super excited to see this collection, having featured an interview with Bec and Jean-Baptiste on my blog a week prior to the show. Sydney based Fleur and Felix debuted their apparel collection at Fashfest and it was brilliant. Pared back creations and the use of clean lines to create streamlined volume made for a contemporary, strong and fresh collection. The neutral colour palette, oversized shapes and minimalist aesthetic were both wearable and conceptual. With their strong and raw artistic design style, these two are ones to watch.
Charly Thorn
Young Cooma designer, Charly Thorn earned herself a standing ovation with her incredible collection. Using gold with absolute class she strung together a range of inventive, fresh, impeccably structured creations. It was a complete showstopper and has undoubtedly titled her 'a star on the rise'. Watch this space!
VFP
The VFP show was the absolute winner of Fashfest 2016, worthy of a spot on national and even international runways. The couture-esque creations were intricately detailed, exceptionally constructed and visually breathtaking. Every element was precise, planned and deliberate - the unmistakable signs of a world class designer. This talented duo belong on the big stage and it's only a matter of time before we see VFP become a household name. It was beyond amazing!
It was incredibly inspiring to witness the sheer talent on display at Fashfest this year. There were many more ridiculously talented designers and performers I haven't included here due to space but truly, everyone this year did an amazing job and it was a privilege to see the creative forces of Canberra and around Australia come together so beautifully. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this event, you totally killed it!
Stay tuned for the 'My Style' report coming later today, detailing what I wore to each of the shows x