MELBOURNE: Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) looks set for its biggest year yet with organisers revealing event sponsorship is up 500 per cent on previous years.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle revealed the extent of the event's growth at its official launch on August 2.
“This year Melbourne Spring Fashion Week will be action packed with more free events, with more local designers, more style and more event partners than ever before. Event sponsorship for this year is five times that of previous years which shows just how much this event has grown," Doyle said.
Among the new inclusions on the MSFW schedule is the daily Lunch Series. To be hosted in Melbourne's City Square, the lunchtime activities will focus on “accessible fashion for all Melbournians” and will canvas topics such as 'Beach Beauty' and 'It's a Man's World'.
MSFW's hallmark event, the Designer Series, will make a return and will feature collections by both established and up-and-coming designers. Well-known names hitting the runway include Akira, Thurley, Yeojin Bae, Alpha 60 and Arnsdorf, while young labels presenting for the first time include Lime Drop and Trimapee.
Also making a return in 2010 is the Business Breakfast Series. Presented by the Victorian government, the series is themed 'The Good Book of Retail' and will feature discussions on topics including 'Melbourne as a customer service city' and 'Caring is the latest fashion statement'.
The MSFW RMIT Student Series will showcase work from emerging fashion talent, while the David Jones 2010 Spring Racewear Preview, Myer Spring Summer 10/11 Workshop with Jennifer Hawkins, Melbourne’s GPO Style Studios and ACMI Fashion Icons on Film will also be incorporated into the MSFF program.
The face of this year's festival is Lucy McIntosh, who will open and close the Designer Series runway shows. The ambassador for the 2010 festival is television presenter, former model and Milk & Honey capsule range designer, Ruby Rose.
MSFW will be held from 30 August to 5 September 2010. The week long event is coordinated by the City of Melbourne.