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Charlie Kondos

Is Melbourne’s fashion landscape actually diverse?

Updated: Oct 22

Affectionately referred to as the “fashion capital of Australia” by locals, it’s hard to miss how intricately infused fashion is with the very fabric of Melbourne’s culture.


Among what Melbourne’s unique fashion landscape has to offer, this month marks the 30th iteration of Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW). 


The theme is “You’re Invited”. 


Melbourne-born musical artist G-Flip will be the first non-binary ambassador for the milestone event which MFW says will celebrate the city’s “diverse and thriving” fashion scene.


But for some, this message has raised questions surrounding size inclusivity in the industry both on the runway and in garment production, as well as the diversity of clothing design from Melbourne fashion creators. 


So, is Melbourne’s fashion landscape actually that diverse?


The Swanston Gazette spoke to RMIT Fashion Design student James McKerracher, whose graduate collection Bleuú FW/24 will be featured in this year’s student runway showcase.  


Look 04 for Bleuú FW/24 showcase (Credit: @jamesmckerracher/Instagram)

McKerracher described the current state of Melbourne’s fashion scene as “young and undefined,” identifying one of the city’s main strengths as “having a diverse range of cultural backgrounds all in the one place”.  


“Diversity is what makes the Melbourne fashion scene relevant and exciting,” said McKerracher. 


“Without it, expression through dress would become more limited, creating a less exciting place.”


Similar feedback has been given in numerous publications covering these events over the years, claiming Melburnians have a knack for maintaining their distinct and varied style through outfits.


In a recent interview for Broadsheet, co-founders of Australian fashion label Kloke Adam Coombes and Amy Gallagher responded with “diverse” when asked to describe Melbourne fashion in one word.


Similarly, a 2021 article for PopSugar described Melbourne Fashion Week’s Rialto Melbourne Dining Runway as “ the most diverse runway [they had] ever seen,” noting how inclusivity around model sizing, ethnicity representation, and sustainability was showcased in the designs. 


Whilst McKerracher agreed that “modelling and casting in Melbourne is pretty inclusive,” the 22-year-old said, “size ranges [are] pretty limited because it is not very lucrative”.


“This means most people who vary from the mean, need tailors to accommodate for their differences.”  


Earlier this year, Vogue Australia released their first ever Size Inclusivity Report for Australian Fashion Week, which calculated the proportion of looks seen on straight, mid and plus size models.


Of the 1,209 looks presented by 38 different designers, the report found 1.1 per cent of models were plus-size (AU 18+), 8.7 per cent mid-size (AU 10-16), and 90.2 per cent straight-size (AU 4-8). 


Vogue 2024 AFW Size Inclusivity Report (Credit: Vogue)

In an interview responding to the report, Australian womenswear label House of Campbell’s Creative Director Abby Potter said, “Creating a diverse runway requires grading samples before production, which can add costs and shorten development timelines”.  


“It's understandable that some brands feel they can’t afford these extra expenses, leading to fewer mid and plus-size models on the runway.”


For brands to better serve a diverse audience, McKerracher recommended that “larger seam allowances” should be left during clothing production.


This would “allow for a wider capacity for alterations,” Mckerracher said. 


Another aspect of Melbourne’s fashion scene the 22-year-old reflected on needing improvement is menswear, which McKerracher said is “generally pretty poorly done and often uninteresting”.


This concept formed a part of his upcoming 4-part menswear collection, which he described as a reflection on “the simultaneous loss of integrity in artisanal tailoring, and in the modern day wearer of suiting”.


“Most of the time, the more exciting menswear leans toward a more feminine silhouette. This shows a lack of creativity in the masculine silhouette.”


Events like this month’s milestone Melbourne Fashion Week celebrates how far the city’s fashion scene has come, whilst proving there is a long way to go to actually diversify Melbourne’s fashion landscape.  


MFW will run from October 21 to October 27.


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