In just a few short weeks, Australian Fashion will launch 2010 with a grand festival down south, where both Melbourne and interstate designers mingle, present their collections and show this country just how to throw a party. L’oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival opens Monday, March 15th and Tangent will be in on the action, sending breaking news from the Festival’s home at Central Pier, Docklands.

From what we can expect, this is going to be a great year, and to start the ball rolling we’ll feature the best  of the best over the coming weeks before the lights go down and exit number 1 hits the runway.

Of Cabbages and Kings

Perth-born Tane Andrews and Kira Goody are the team behind the imaginative label Of Cabbages and Kings. Here we can expect great things from a duo with only a couple of collections under their belts. The silhouettes are unpredictable, with a tone of artistry very rarely seen from emerging talent. The pair will present at the Festival’s Independent Runway Program on Saturday, March 20th at 8pm.

Ellery

I once had the pleasure of sharing white chocolate chai lattes in Double Bay with the funloving talent Kym Ellery. Her collections are always balancing on the edge of artistic expression and playfulness. We can expect something fabulous come Tuesday, March 16th at the Loréal Paris Runway 2 at 6:30pm.

Tina Kalivas

One of my own personal-favourites and one of those designers who blurs the lines between fashion and costume, Tina Kalivas’ talent is limitless. Each collection thematic and original, described in her own words as bold, graphic, tailored and organic with a sense of other worldliness. We’ll see her collection showing on Friday, March 19th at 6:30pm for Loréal Paris Runway 7.

That’s not all folks!