Models Lily Burke from Mona Lisa and Alanah Brand from the VAC Cube Shop at the La Trobe Visual Arts Centre ahead of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Picture: JIM ALDERSEY
FOR the first time the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival will hold events outside the capital city.
Bendigo, along with Geelong and Mildura, will host events linked to the festival this month.
On March 22 the event at Bendigo’s La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre will screen footage from the festival’s launch plus a selection from the inaugural Fashion Film Series.
The sold-out event will also feature a fashion parade with local stores Mona Lisa, The Styling Bird, Shop 12, Robe and The Meadow showing the latest looks.
VAC events co-ordinator Gail McNaulty said she first got the call from organisers about hosting an event last year. “It is very exciting,” she said. “People have been enthusiastic about it, the tickets have sold out really quickly.”
Ms McNaulty said it was great to see organisers reward Bendigo with a fashion event.
“Bendigo is known for art and having a great gallery and now having a fashion event, it is a lovely add-on,” she said.
Bendigo Art Gallery director Karen Quinlan will also take part in the event, talking about fashion within the context of the museum.
The Fashion Film Series aims to support the growing fashion film industry and celebrate home-grown talent. The top six films will be screened on Federation Square’s big screens throughout the event as well as at regional centres like Bendigo.
L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival chief executive Graeme Lewsey said they were thrilled to launch the Fashion Film Series in a regional city.
“Maximising the reach and the influence of Australian designers and creative talents is at the forefront of everything we do at the festival,” he said.