A team of entrepreneurs who led the viral ‘Stop Shein’ pop-up petition in Western Australia last year are now launching Perth’s first dedicated Circular Fashion Festival at Yagan Square in October.
The four Perth business owners who took on Shein last year include The Curated Wardrobe founder Hazel Law, Kura Studio founders Serena Pangestu and Anika Kalotay and sustainable fashion advocate Heidy Sands.
Law and Sands join Charlie Smith and Elsa Durward to launch this year's festival.
According to the group, the Circular Fashion Festival is a free event to promote sustainability through runways, panels and exhibitions, set to run over two days on October 10 and 11.
“My team and I were inspired to create Perth’s first Circular Fashion Festival after gaining thousands of signatures for the Stop Shein pop-up petition last year,” festival co-founder Law said. “We recognised the need for a dedicated space for Perth’s circular fashion community to connect, shine, and grow.
“We’re so excited to celebrate the talent of WA’s designers, stylists, models and creatives, and to prove that sustainability and style can absolutely go hand in hand. Our program has something for everyone, from immersive runway shows, to panels from industry leaders, pre-loved markets and live entertainment.”
Alongside the runways and panels, festival goers will be invited to roll up their sleeves for ‘The Great Global Mend’, one of the largest synchronised mending events in the country. In collaboration with 11 councils across Perth, residents can bring damaged clothing and repair it using FabPatch. This will be hosted by Perth drag queens.
Various runways will feature circular designers and pre-loved fashion, worn by models from Blaklist Agency. The agency has also been part of Australian Fashion Week, with some models reportedly featuring on the pages of Vogue.
The event will also include a textile weigh station and a Shop the Runway boutique.
In the lead-up to the festival, a Circular Fashion Exhibition will take place at Bankwest Place in Raine Square from September 1 to 28.
WA textile artist Cassie Jo Davis will present her medieval style textile art exhibition at a pop-up exhibition at Raine Square from October 1 to 12. The exhibition will also feature artist talks and industry networking events.
Attendees are encouraged to register via the Circular Fashion Festival website.