Written by Asirah Abdul Kadir
Have you been scrolling past all the Milan and Paris Fashion Week content, wishing you were sitting front row at those runways? I know I have, but with an incredibly small follower count and a lack of a ‘face card’, I’m afraid my name was never considered for an invite. We know how notoriously exclusive and (oft-times) elitist the fashion industry can be, with people like you and me having the heavy velvet curtains shut on us every time we try to sneak a peek.
The members of the South Australian Fashion Industry Association (SAFIA) wants to change that by presenting their ‘Exclusively Inclusive‘ South Australian Fashion Weekend – a whole weekend dedicated to celebrating South Australia’s diverse fashion brands and community.
Oh, and guess what? We’re all invited!
According to Helen Jansson, chair of SAFIA, SA Fashion Weekend aims to be the first consumer driven and sustainable fashion event that welcomes every South Australian to take a seat at their runway shows. It’ll be inclusive with a mix of local designers, including Ngarrindjeri, Ngadjuri, Narungga, and Wirangu artist, Sonya Rankine, parading their latest collection, ‘Laken Mara’, which will be worn by culturally diverse models of all body types and genders. Tickets for the weekend will also be more accessible, with prices starting from $50.
Image supplied by South Australian Fasion Industry Association (SAFIA)
For the first time, the younger demographic will be the focus, as noted by Stacey Pallaras, SAFIA board member and founder of Cocktail Revolution. An event like this will give students the opportunity to have a taste of what it’s like to be involved in the industry, and to connect with industry leaders and creatives who will be sure to attend the runways.
Not only do employers from the industry rely on fashion students to work for them – making students some of the biggest mobilisers of SA’s fashion industry – but we are also driving the sustainability movement, which is why SAFIA is determined to make the event accessible to students like you and me.
Image supplied by South Australian Fasion Industry Association (SAFIA)
The details:
From Friday the 24th to Sunday the 26th of March, four runway shows will take place at the newly completed Festival Plaza @ Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Road, with the first show on Friday evening being the Black Dress Runway.
Saturday is going to be jam-packed with 3 runway shows taking place – ‘EMERGE’, ‘SUSTAIN’, and ‘MOMENT’.
EMERGE will feature SA’s newest designer brands and open the stage to TAFE SA students who will be showcasing their quirky and unique works. Ethical, sustainable, and local brands will be taking the spotlight at the SUSTAIN show, and the evening will close with SA’s most loved and recognised brands (Acler, C/meo Collective, Sunset Lover to name a few) showing off their latest collections at MOMENT. Selected interstate brands will be making an appearance on the runway too.
On Sunday, shop till you drop at their South Australian Designer Showcase with various creatives sharing and selling their fashion, footwear, accessories, beauty, and lifestyle products from 10am until 4pm at the Festival Plaza.
Food trucks, bars, DJs, and photographers will be there too, so pick out an outfit that’ll guarantee you an evening of dancing, eating, and looking glamorous!
Image supplied by South Australian Fasion Industry Association (SAFIA)
What we’re excited for:
The clothes, of course! On Dit spoke to Abby Potter, House of Campbell founder and creative director, who believes that sustainability and inclusivity are of equal importance to her brand. Only 1-2 samples are produced throughout their development phase through in-house 3-D technology, effectively minimising their waste and carbon footprint while also ensuring that their pieces can be tested on women of different body shapes and sizes before production. Ultimately, Abby aims to design fun investment pieces that her customers will pass down from one generation to the next.
Known for their couture techniques and fine craftsmanship, House of Campbell will be presenting their latest ready-to-wear collection,‘Sister’, inspired by the bonds of sisterhood. “What we wanted to do is reclaim pink in this collection”, so expect joyful and over the top pieces ranging from day dresses to party dresses and tailored pieces that are sure to give you a kick of dopamine!
We’re also looking forward to supporting our friends from TAFE SA (Advanced Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising), who will be showcasing some of the pieces they’ve been designing over the past year!
For more information on SA Fashion Weekend click here and to purchase your tickets click here. We can’t wait to see you show up in a jaw dropping outfit that could make even Miranda Priestly smile.
Edit: carbon offset has been changed to carbon footprint
On Dit 