A celebration of Australian designers, The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival is back for 2018.
The Festival presents the country’s largest consumer fashion event including world-class runway shows featuring Australia’s established and emerging designers, beauty workshops, retail events, industry seminars, forums and live entertainment.
We’ve put together a list of all the ethical and sustainable fashion shows and events you won’t want to miss. Keep scrolling for all the details.
Future Chaos X Future Wild
Each collection Coco and Max create is limited edition and ethically manufactured in Melbourne. Blurring the line between art and fashion, this exhibition will be used to introduce the public to the brand’s ethos of design, slow fashion and fair local trade.
When: Thursday 1st March – Tuesday 13th March
Where: Brunswick Street Gallery – Level 1 & 2, 322 Brunswick St Fitzroy VIC 3065
Cost: Free
Fashion Startup Lounge – By Mili
- Panel discussion showcasing emerging fashion tech startups, featuring four entrepreneurs who are looking to impact shopping online whilst incorporating sustainable ethics.
- A talk with two supremely successful fashion startups which are making inroads internationally and imposing core sustainability pillars – all within the first two years of business.
When: 1st-2nd March 6pm
Where: WeWork – 152 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Cost: $10 – Tickets here
Curated Pop-Up
A pop up fashion store in collaboration with the Australian Fashion Council, featuring emerging Autsralian fashion designers. Meet the labels, connect with their stories and of course, shop their incredible ranges.
When: Monday 5th March – Saturday 11th March – 5:30pm to 11:30pm
Where: Royal Exhibition Building 9 Nicholson St Carlton VIC 3053
Cost: Free
Additional pop ups will be happening in Collingwood, Brisbane and Sydney. Details here.
Fashion as a force for good
By creating a new and innovative way for retailers to give back and engage their customers with every purchase, i=Change has created a new funding stream for best-practice NGO’s, focused on women and girls’ empowerment.
Come learn from founder, Jeremy Meltzer, about why he started this powerful tech platform. Hear from the brands on why they’ve committed to using fashion as a force for good, and the results.
When: Wednesday 7th March
Where: details to come, updates can be found here.
Cost: Free
Sustainability in design
In this panel event, some of Australia’s brightest design talents discuss how sustainability informs and shapes their design and manufacturing processes, the importance of quality, and the value of local production.
Panelists include Vanessa Katsanevakis (Sussex Taps), Lia-Bell King (Worn Store), Holly Ryan (Holly Ryan Jewellery), Gemma Cahill (Arnsdorf), mediator: Jess Blanch – Editor in Chief, Russh Magazine.
When: Thursday 8th March – 6pm
Where: The Establishment Studios – 23 Grattan St Prahran VIC 3181
Cost: $26 – Buy tickets here.
Nobody Denim Laundry Tour
Nobody Denim believes fashion innovation and ethics go hand in hand. For the first-time in its 19-year history, Nobody Denim invites visitors to walk its vertically integrated factory floor and experience where its iconic jeans are washed, dyed, distressed and more.
Hosted by founder John Condilis and wash developer Sara Fletcher, the intimate tours will take place in Nobody Denim’s family built Denim Laundry, the home of its innovation, action and experimentation.
When: Saturday 17th March – 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Where: Nobody Denim 71 Leicester Street Fitzroy VIC 3065
Cost: Free – RSVP required
Fashion Shows
International Designer Showcase 1 – Tuesday March 6th – 5:00pm
Designers
- Arsndorf
- ABCH
- Kalaurie
Melbourne Labels Going Global. All manufactured ethically with sustainable business practices.
International Designer Showcase 2 – Tuesday March 6th – 6:00pm
Nobody Denim, Ethical Clothing Australia accredited and every ethical fashionistas favourites jeans brand.
Runway 1 – Tuesday 6th March – 7:30pm
Designers
- Bassike – Sustainable manufacturing and organic cotton basics
- Scanlon Theodore – Ethical Clothing Australia accredited
- Victoria & Woods – Ethical Clothing Australia accredited
Runway 2 – Tuesday 6th March – 9:00pm
Designers
- Arnsdorf – Small scale production and locally manufactured. They use natural materials and ‘eco fabrics’ such as cotton, linen, hemp and wool.
Runway 3 – Wednesday 7th March – 7:30pm
Designers
- Manning Cartell – Ethical Clothing Australia accredited
Runway 5 – Thursday 8th March – 7:30pm
Designers
- Misha Collection – Ethical Clothing Australia accredited
- Sass and Bide – Ethical Fashion Initiative partner
- Thurley – Ethical Clothing Australia accredited
- Kate Sylvester – Member of the Sustainable Business Network and ambassador for the Child Labor Free initiative
Virgin Australia Grand Showcase – Thursday 8th March – 9:00pm
Ethical Clothing Australia accredited Ginger & Smart will show their A/W18 collection.
“This collection takes influence from technology exploring the tension between future and nature and the magic created by the balance of these contrasts. Expect graphic line work and futuristic florals and textural 3-dimensional fabrics.”
Global Indigenous Runway – Friday 9th March – 8:00pm
“The Global Indigenous Runway 2018 will present high end fashion by Indigenous designers from the outback of Australia to the shores of New Zealand and Pacific, and the Rocky Mountains of Canada.”
Runway 6 – Saturday 10th March – 7:30pm
Designers
- Lois Hazel – One of our favourites, Lois makes every piece in her Melbourne studio
- Nice Martin – Ethically made in Indonesia using natural fabrics such as linen and cotton
- Kaliver – Made to order and working towards zero waste
Recycled Designer Runway – Thursday 15th March – 6-9pm
“With designer clothing pieces donated every day to their network of over 160 shops, the South Melbourne Red Cross Shop will be showcasing a Designer Fashion Runway in store featuring pre-loved designer pieces. There will be discount opportunities on the night for those who wish to purchase anything from the runway or store, with all funds raised going towards supporting the everyday work of Red Cross.”
Rhama – Friday 16th March – 8:00pm
“Rahma the Label endeavours to create contemporary and trans-seasonal collections. All pieces are designed in Australia and produced in Ethiopia, with a focus on ethical textile development by artisans.”
