The Fashion Melbourne Festival of 2018 is normally annually occurring mid-to-late March. It is presented by a not-for-profit organization supporting and connecting the Australian Fashion Industry. This year, the festival took place March 1st through the 18th. The 2018 Fashion Melbourne Festival was located this year at the Royal Exhibition building.
Also located at the Royal Exhibition Building was The Plaza, Melbourne’s most spirited party which is also the Festival Hub. This event is free which means you do not need a ticket to attend. In 2018 this event was from March 5th through the 10th.
Tickets begin going on sale first thing the beginning of the year on January 11th. Tickets can be purchased either online, over the phone or in person. There are ticket bundles which the 2018 bundles include Runway 1 and 2, Runway 3 and 4, Runway 5 and the Virgin Australia Grand Showcase; also the NGS and GW Menswear Runway. There is also a 10% discount for groups that have 6 or more on appropriate runways. For the festival itself, people of all ages can attend, including those under the age of 18; though all those under the age of 18 must have an adult accompanying them.
Another way to get a discount on the ticket price is through the student offer. Being a student, you can save 30% off all the VAMFF produced runway shows. The standard ticket being $59, with the special student discount the ticket price jumps down to $39. However, this offer is only for rows D to F. The festival also fully supports the Companion Card Scheme.
The Fashion Melbourne Festival also does not allow fur at the festival. All items will be containing fake or faux fur. The festival also accepts volunteers which people can apply online. Applications for designers to be included in the show begin in August and end November on the website. Currently registration is being accepted for the 2019 festival.
The whole festival’s purpose is to showcase established as well as up and coming designers, beauty work shops, industry seminars, retail events and state-of-the-art production. People are able to shop the runways according to the number of runway. Each item has the price listed right on the website as well with the option to buy it now.
Each runway showcases different designers and items. They are easily distinguished by the number of the runway or by the name of the runway. During the festival and in between runways, people are free to explore the Australia’s fashion capital. With the most iconic sights in Melbourne and Victoria just a short ride away, people are able to take in the sights and be back in time for the next show.
The city centre is also divided in to little pocket like sections to make it easier to explore. There is an abundance of bars, restaurants and art down each lane. For the budget concious, Bourke and Collins streets are meant for people of any budget. There are creative outlets as well in the Flinders Quarter. For those who are looking more for art, the St Kilda Road has galleries, gardens, and also neighbors Yarra Precinct. If people prefer waterside views, many enjoy the boatload at the Docklands.
As for the festival, a list of the designers and speakers can be found right on the site in alphebetical order. When a designer is selected, the history of the designer is shown. Prior to the runways, people can brush up on their designer history to help them decide which fashion line or designer they would most be interested in seeing. The descriptions go in to the detail of how many countries their brand is stocked in as well as which runway they will appear on.
The Melbourne Festival is for art and fashion lovers. It comes around once a year so if people miss their chance to go, there is always the following year. Every year the shows bring in more and different rising designers to showcase their work. This is a great opportunity for not only the fans of art and fashion, but also for the designers out there looking to get their brand seen. The surrounding area also accommodates for everyone’s tastes as well whether it be scenery or shopping, there’s something for everyone.
