An editor’s guide to PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s Independent Program
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
Runways, talks, workshops and more.
PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival is approaching, and with it comes the opportunity to attend some particularly exciting fashion events. 2024 marks the Festival’s 28th year, making it the longest-running consumer fashion event in Australia. This year there’s even more to take in, with the Festival now running for two weeks from February 24 to March 9.
As always the program, this year packed with over 100 events, is a celebration of fashion, arts and ideas and will showcase the best that Melbourne has to offer. As the Editor of Fashion Journal, I’ve had the good fortune to attend many iterations of the Festival over the years. But a consistent highlight for me is its Independent Program.
For more style inspiration, head to our Fashion section.
With thought-provoking panel talks, innovative runways and workshops where you can do everything from make your own hat to learn how to repair all the clothes in your ‘to mend’ pile, there’s something for every fashion lover on the lineup.
As an official media partner of PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival, over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing the stories of designers, stylists and writers as they prepare for one of the biggest weeks of their year. But for now, I’m here to help you navigate this year’s Independent Program with ease. Below, I’ve rounded up my standouts.
Runways
F.A.T. (Fabulous and Trendy) Plus Size Runway
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The F.A.T (Fabulous and Trendy) Plus Size Runway is back for another year, after debuting at last year’s Festival. The runway showcases size-inclusive Australian brands on size 16+ models, and aims to “break barriers within the fashion industry and change the way people see fat bodies”.
Find out more here.
MIC04 Runway
Mushrooms and fashion might not be the most obvious bedfellows, but a new wave of designers are utilising them to create biomaterials, in particular leather alternatives. One such label is Australia’s Remuse, returning to this year’s Festival with the sixth instalment of its annual mycology-inspired series. Alongside a selection of collaborators, Remuse will immerse audiences in a world where the answers to our waste issues can be found through a greater understanding of the funghi kingdom.
Find out more here.
Silver Threads and Golden Needles Runway
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Melbourne designer Amy Lawrance (who we’ve profiled before here) is presenting an intimate runway at The Abbotsford Convent’s Oratory. Showcasing a collection of dresses that have each been designed, patterned and sewn in Melbourne by Amy, it will be a slow-paced and considerate showcase. Models will move unhurriedly through the space, giving attendees a chance to take in the silver threads and translucent silks that feature in the collection. Set to a dreamy soundtrack by Australian musician Rainbow Chan, this runway is not to be missed.
Find out more here.
Wasteworlds: Beyond Ethical Consumption
Wasteworlds: Beyond Ethical Consumption features not only a runway but also avant-garde art and talks and performances on the impact of fast fashion. The runway component will showcase wearable art from local designer Moosedoll and the Fast Fashun art collective. If you’re looking to consciously uncouple from fast fashion and embrace a more ethical approach to fashion, this one’s definitely worth checking out.
Find out more here.
Talks
The Art of Preloved Designer Fashion and Styling With Love It Longer
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Whether you’re a preloved designer fashion aficionado or want to learn more about sourcing and styling these special pieces, you’re sure to take something useful away from this talk. Mattia Hunter and Giulia Ferrari are the Co-owners of the designer reseller business Love It Longer and they have a wealth of knowledge on sourcing, styling and building a preloved but expertly curated wardrobe. The two will host a live panel discussion and fashion parade in the Kent Room at The Johnston Collection where they’ll demonstrate how they style and dress their clients entirely in preloved designer fashion.
Find out more here.
Office Wear
If you’re like me, you’ll have had many mornings where attempting to pull together an office-appropriate outfit feels unfathomably difficult. Fusing dress codes with personal style is no easy feat, and in recent years our concept of ‘work-appropriate’ clothing has changed considerably. This is something Office Wear, a panel discussion exploring the ever-evolving workplace fashion standards, will explore.
Moderated by Lucianne Tonti, the Fashion Editor of The Saturday Paper, the panel will feature Melbourne fashion designer Erik Yvon, RMIT Lecturer in the School of Fashion and Textiles, Harriette Richards, and Thomas Riley, the Founding Partner of P. Johnson tailor and clothier.
Find out more here.
Workshops and events
Trashie x FJ Clothing Exchange
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Have you got a pile of clothes you’ve been meaning to list on Depop or take to a consignment store but just never get around to doing it? Fret not – Trashie Clothing Exchange is back with a vengeance for this year’s Festival.
Presented by Fashion Journal (that’s us!) this special edition of Trashie will feature a panel discussion where our very own Assistant Editor, Izzy Wight, will speak with Trashie’s Co-Founders, Katie and Angela Di Fabrizio, about all things circular fashion. Come join us with your fashion pieces that no longer serve you and exchange them for pre-loved beauties.
Find out more here.
Fashion Fix Lab
The dreaded ‘to mend’ pile most of us have in our wardrobes doesn’t need to just sit around collecting dust – you can take your garments to RMIT University’s Fashion Fix Lab for mending or alteration at this year’s Festival. This workshop is all about equipping attendees with a host of repair techniques, with all levels of experience welcomed. The repairs completed at the workshop will also be documented for RMIT’s Fashion Fix research project, with the aim of creating a database of mending information that will improve the durability and longevity of our clothing.
Find out more here.
A Plus Market
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A Plus Market is heading back to Coburg Town Hall for its first market of 2024. The market offers a much-needed space for plus-size people to buy and sell preloved clothes from a range of size-inclusive brands. Run by and for plus-size people, there’ll also be a selection of snacks and clothing from local labels, as well as jewellery and art.
Find out more here.
A Gentler Way To Colour Cloth
Ever thought about dying your clothes? If so, you should add the A Gentler Way to Colour Cloth workshop to your calendar. Australian Tapestry Workshop Artist in Residence Phong Chi Lai is set to host a practical workshop that will teach you how to use natural dyes at home. You’ll experiment with a variety of ways to dye clothes using readily accessible food waste and natural colourings, among other things. This is your chance to transform that neglected silk slip dress or T-shirt into something you actually want to wear.
Find out more here.
To explore the full PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival program, head here.
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