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Awards night set to grow

By Bridie Byrne

21st July 2009 11:05:19 AM

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In fashion … Galvin Park Secondary College student Kellyanne Grenville,

WYNDHAM’S capital fashion event is about to strut its way to international heights.

Fashion Awards Australia co-ordinator Heather Marcus will travel to Kuala Lumpur for a week long visit on Thursday to find new ideas to showcase on the awards runway.

She was invited to the Kuala Lumpur International Fashion Merchandising Exhibition managed by Myer Events International.

A designer was also approached to be a judge and students were invited to show off their creations.

But, due to the swine flu outbreak, the event was postponed until January.

Despite the pandemic, Heather’s international hopes were not sidelined and she will still meet the organisers.

“The fashion awards are growing and we thought we would just go and look at other big events that are being held,” she said.

“They had very big entertainment, they were raising money and had exhibitions from all around the world.

“There is a lot of learning and growing to do before we come as big as these events.”

Heather will also get a taste for their fashion materials.

“It’s important to get out of your own backyard because it gives me a better understanding of the fabrics available for the students and the designers,” she said.

A teacher from St Albans Secondary College collected 22 kilos of material and 16 kilos of trim for the student’s designs on a recent visit to Indonesia and Malaysia.

Heather said Fashion Awards Australia had already become one of the biggest such events in Victoria.

“Designers don’t have the opportunity to get out and showcase their wonderful work,” she said.

“We are not looking for off-the-rack garments; we are looking for beautifully designed, beautifully made, one-off couture designers.

“We are now sitting there poised to grow bigger.”

The event, set up for secondary colleges in Wyndham, now has schools from across the state including Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Fashion Awards Australia is a major event for all Secondary and TAFE colleges, and open designers in Australia.

All entries close on 31 July. The event will take place on 28 August at the Wyndham Leisure and Events Centre.

For details contact 9741 5146.