PA/32/13 7 October 2013
Australian fashion debut at Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week
The second edition of Australia’s cultural festival Oz Fest is set to open with a dazzling Australian design showcase at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Spring Summer 2013 in Delhi on 9 October. The show will be presented in collaboration with an Australian social enterprise Artisans of Fashion (AOF) and the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).
Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr Patrick Suckling, said “We are bringing contemporary Australian fashion to India in this season of Oz Fest. The time is right to turbo-charge collaboration and exchange between Australian and Indian designers.”
The centrepiece for the Australian fashion showcase will be a runway show, an international first. The avant garde duo Romance Was Born’s Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales will unveil their latest collection which includes a few pieces showcasing the best of Varanasi’s famous brocade work, and their humour-filled, edgy, artistic ideas.
“RWB are collaborating with Varanasi silk weavers to create pieces through which we hope to promote the extraordinary silk brocade weaving in a contemporary context,” said Caroline Poiner, the founder of Artisans of Fashion.
By raising the profile of such artist to artist collaborations, Artisans of Fashion is fostering links between Indian craftspeople and international haute couture.
Romance was Born designer duo said “We are really excited to come to India to showcase our collection DREAM ON as a part of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. We are passionate about craftsmanship and want to learn more about the ancient techniques in India which could inspire future collections.”
Cricket icon Brett Lee is also adding something unique to the cause of the craftspeople by officially unveiling The Brett Lee Six Stitcher Limited Edition Scarf Collection, Woolmark-certified 100 per cent Australian Merino wool scarves hand-loomed by the Panchachuli Women Weavers in the Himalayas.
Brett Lee said “I was keen to be part of this collaboration with Artisans of Fashion and the Panchachuli Women Weavers with the Woolmark Company. I saw this as a great opportunity to create a brand that would resonate in India and provide a platform than can be leveraged for the greater good.”
Mr Sunil Sethi, President FDCI said, “I’m delighted that the Australian High Commission has associated with the FDCI for WIFW SS 2014. It is heartening to observe that Australia is taking the initiative to promote the cause of Indian handloom and weavers in a big way in their country. I welcome the two Australian designers to this edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week and look forward to a memorable show.”
Also on display will be a photographic exhibition ‘Yatra: a photographic journey’ documenting the work of Artisans of Fashion and collaborations between Australian designers and Indian artisans.