BY SCOTT CUNNINGHAM

THE L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival heated up as graduate designers from across the country showcased their collections on the runway.

Fashion industry elites headed down to the Central Pier at Docklands to be surprised by the innovative concepts of emerging designers.

Graduate designer, Celene Bridge, from Curtin University believed student designers have a creative edge.

“Some graduate designers are coming up with some of the most exciting new designs and as they aren’t designing for consumers yet, so they don’t hold back on their best ideas,” she said.

Jennifer Nebel, also a Curtin graduate, was excited to take part in one of Australia’s most coveted fashion events.

“It is an internationally renowned event and the kind of exposure it gets you is almost unmeasurable,” she said.

Twelve designers were selected to take part in the fashion event, sponsored by commercial label Sportsgirl.

Sportsgirl believed the event helped emerging designers to develop their careers in the industry.

“It is our belief the Australian fashion industry and specifically the retail environment will only become healthier through such initiatives,” a Sportsgirl spokesperson said.

Jennifer Nebel appreciates the interest in emerging designers and believed the event helped to generate buzz for her label, White3.

“It’s good for emerging designers because it puts your work out there and people become familiar with what you do and your practice,” she said.

Entrants were selected based on the quality and individuality of their designs and were selected by industry professionals.

A record 70 graduates submitted a capsule folio that was narrowed down to just 12 participants.

The Perth fashion scene

Jennifer Nebel and Celene Bridge said the opportunities back home in Perth weren’t the same.

“[In Melbourne] you’ve got buyers internationally, you’ve got the reputation of a L’Oreal Melbourne fashion festival, it’s an internationally renowned event,” Jennifer Nebel said.

According to Celene Bridge, the Perth fashion industry lacks resources for emerging designers.

“I think there are more opportunities in Melbourne, but there are also more people competing for them,” she said.

“Melbourne is more established than Perth is in terms of fashion.

“There are more job opportunities, more fabric stores and better facilities.”