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2016 Melbourne Fashion Festival To Celebrate 20 Years On Trend

03 December 2015

Australia’s most exciting fashion talent will converge on Melbourne in March for the 2016 Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley today joined the Melbourne Fashion Festival team at Melbourne Museum for the first glimpse into the 20th Festival program – a milestone for Australia’s largest and longest running consumer-facing fashion event.

New initiatives for the anniversary year include a runway hub in the Melbourne Museum Precinct, the inaugural ‘Discovery Runway’ series championing young independent Victorian designers and a major exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria celebrating 200 years of Australian fashion.

The festival will showcase more than 100 established and emerging Australian fashion designers, including Victorian labels STRATEAS.CARLUCCI, Scanlan Theodore and Thurley.

The festival’s cultural program will celebrate the influence of fashion on art, design, film and contemporary culture, including a ‘Fashion on Film’ series at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and a Fashion Writing Series that will see emerging writers, bloggers and commentators mentored by industry leaders from marie claire, i-D and Voxfrock.

The festival will also support those working in the fashion, design and broader creative industries with a business events program headlined by Italian fashion entrepreneur and Diesel co-founder Renzo Rosso.

Last year, almost 400,000 people took part in the festival, including style leaders and visitors from across Australia and beyond.

Further details of festival guests and participating designers will be released in January 2016.

The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival will run from 7-13 March 2016. For program details, visit vamff.com.au

Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley

“Fashion is a key driver of Victoria’s creative industries, bolstering the cultural and economic fabric of our state.”

“The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival is unique in that it celebrates all aspects of the sector, from designers to retailers and consumers.”

“The Andrews Labor Government is proud to be part of this 20th anniversary event, celebrating a great success story and positioning the festival, and the industry, for the future.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren

"The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival is a shot in the arm for our economy, bringing visitors to Victoria from right across the globe, supporting businesses and driving job growth.”

"Our long list of great events is unrivalled, and the Melbourne Fashion Festival holds a special place on our calendar."

Reviewed 10 February 2021

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