MELBOURNE: First came G'day LA; now a UK version of the Australian Government's overseas showcase is to kick off, with Melbourne fashion as a program highlight.
Forming a week long promotion of Australian industry and attractions, the first ever G'day UK will run from June 24 to 30 in London, with an exhibit of six Melbourne labels forming the key fashion component.
Outfits by Toni Maticevski, MaterialByProduct, Fool, S!X, Dhini and Gwendolynne will feature at a Victorian State Government sponsored dinner on Saturday June 27, as part of a showcase of Victorian food, wine, entertainment and lifestyle.
Exhibit curator, L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) director Karen Webster, said exposure to key media and opinion leaders in the UK was an important spin-off for both LMFF and designers. The festival would promote itself as a key Melbourne attraction while designers would be supported with promotional material and industry leads during and after the showcase.
"All the designers are at different stages. Dhini already has a presence in London, while MaterialByProduct is showing in Paris the following week, so it's doing a major European push. Neither Fool nor Gwendolynne have a presence in the UK yet, so this could be a major opportunity for them."
Fool designer Rowena Doolan said she welcomed the UK exposure afforded by such an event.
"I do womenswear and childrenswear, with a lot of knits and felted wools in bright colours. The clothes represent timeless style and are very winter-friendly so they'd work well in the UK market."
Webster said the labels had been carefully selected with chosen designers needing to display innovation and quality, as well as unique handwriting. "The thing about Victorian fashion is its diversity. A lot of people think of 'Melbourne black' but there's a very broad aesthetic range, which we think is represented by these designers. The labels also showcase an original design sensibility. We're very keen to ensure that they don't simply replicate global trends."
Fashion was central to promoting Victoria's overseas profile, she added.
"My feeling is that if Victoria tries to push the 'sun, sea and sand' image of Australia overseas, it will always come second place. What we can offer, particularly in Melbourne, is our culture and creativity - our food and wine, our great lifestyle, in which fashion plays such an important part."