The 10th annual Mercedes Australian Fashion Week kicked off at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on Sydney Harbour yesterday. The five-day event will present collections of over 100 Australian and the Asia Pacific's designers to international buyers, media and key industry players.
Among the first designers to unveil their creations were recognized Lisa Ho who set the hippy de luxe mood with the 70's elements, and Japanese born Akira Isogawa who have been participating in MAFW since 1996 and this time teamed up with the Sydney Dance Company to showcase his Spring/Summer 2006 collection.
"It is unusual, I've certainly never done anything like this before," Isogawa told The Age after the show.
"I had no idea how the audience was going to take it, so I was quite nervous.
"But I was very glad and grateful it went off well."
Other designers to present their work over the coming days will include Alex Perry, Nicola Finetti, Willow, Fashionassassin and Zimmerman.
Vogue presents an exhibition - 10 years of MAFW by Robert Rosen - which has already been published and will be cover mounted on the June issue of the magazine.
Th celebrate its 10-year-old partnership with the Australian fashion industry, Mercedes-Benz announced a series of recognition awards as part of the MAFW's exclusive Closing Party. The awards categories will include Best Show, This Year's Model and Best Emerging Designer, the lucky winner of which will drive away with the newest model of Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
“The industry is to be commended for its ongoing growth. The line-up of emerging designers and rising stars will ensure this is a week of celebration; not to mention the number of exciting new initiatives being staged specifically to recognise this milestone including the exclusive A-Class MAFW Awards, which we are delighted to stage on closing night,” said Gavin Allen, Senior Executive, Marketing and Communications Director for Mercedes Car Group.
Among the celebrity guests was Mick Jagger's daughter Jade Jagger, 34-year-old model and jewellery designer, who arrived at designer Charlie Brown's Princess Charlotte show with her boyfriend, Dan Williams.