![fashion](https://the-riotact.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/fashion.jpg)
With the buzz around Melbourne Fashion Week and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, one could be forgiven for thinking that Sydney and Melbourne are the places to be if you want to see the future of fashion in Australia.
But those in the know will beg to differ. Here in the nation’s capital we have a burgeoning fashion scene, as anyone who has sat at a Lonsdale St café surrounded by Canberra’s hipster elite can attest. And in case you missed it, our very own fashion event, FASHFEST, kicked off its inaugural season last year as part of Canberra’s centenary celebrations.
Over four nights we saw new and established designers send look after incredible look down the runway at the Canberra Airport location. The industrial look of the venue paired with the pumping music made for an electric atmosphere, and the sold out shows solidified our need for more events of this calibre.
Due to the popularity of last year’s event, Canberra fashionistas can breathe a sigh of relive knowing that FASHFEST will be returning in 2014. With less than a month to go until opening night, tickets are selling out fast and are available from fashfest.com.au.
But what does this mean for Canberra?
FASHFEST gives local fashion designers a place to promote their work in front of their key audience. Having this channel allows our most creative folk to remain in Canberra and contribute to the local fashion scene, rather than fleeing to Sydney or Melbourne with dreams of cracking these markets.
Graduating CIT students will also have the chance to showcase their work this year, giving them a fantastic opportunity to get their foot in the industry’s door and mingle with the most influential people in the business.
Additionally, Canberra models, hairstylists, makeup artists, photographers, musicians and bloggers are given a piece of the sartorial pie, working with FASHFEST organisers and designers to create a truly incredible experience for attendees to enjoy.
We need events like this to keep our creative Canberrans close to home. I’m all for supporting any event that will welcome even the kookiest of ensembles with open arms, and I for one am already planning what to wear.
FASHFEST will be held 30 April to 3 May 2014 at the Canberra International Airport. For more information visit fashfest.com.au.