Canberra models Jessica Tipping, and at back Angela Timani, Alice Downing and Samara Purnell before the catwalk at the opening night of Fashfest. Photo: Melissa Adams
In her centenary year, Canberra has been formal and fabulous, but the city has never been more frocked-up than at the opening of Fashfest.
A sell-out crowd of 400 of the city's best-dressed got ringside seats to see the first of four nights of eclectic collections by local designers worn by local models with hair and make-up styled by local talent.
Home-grown supermodel Anneliese Seubert, the face of Fashfest, made a luminous return to the catwalk following the birth of her daughter earlier this year.
She wore a strapless sequined gown with a full skirt of aqua tulle designed by Rockstars & Royalty.
The brainchild of Canberra ad executive Clinton Hutchinson and his wife Andrea, Fashfest's opening night was the culmination of months of trials, tribulations, teased hair and frayed tempers. "Absolutely this is the biggest thing we have ever worked on," Mr Hutchinson said.
But the pair were thrilled with the evening and a last-minute allocation of standing-room only saw another 100 tickets snaffled - a sure sign it is one of the must-see events in a centenary calendar packed with major happenings.
''We are pretty overwhelmed, it is a brilliant result," he said.
It's fair to say Fashfest - which brings Canberra's fashion scene into line with Sydney and Melbourne's Fashion Weeks - brought with it a heavy dose of wardrobe anxiety as ticket-holders obsessed over their outfits for weeks prior to Wednesday.
For aspiring fashion and design students Isabella Raco, 16, and Gabriella Gardullo, 17, the decision over what to wear proved far more intense than their Year 12 classes. And where their wallets would not stretch for something new - they borrowed items from friends to pull their looks together.
Centenary of Canberra creative director Robyn Archer was in awe of the exuberance and energy stemming from the crowd and catwalk. "If you took a photo of this scene right now and said 'this is Canberra' people wouldn't believe you, we've just come so far and we can see this event continuing on and evolving to become bigger and better in the years to come," she said.
HerCanberra blog editor Amanda Whitley said the event had been a coming of age for the city which had had an image problem and was often considered "just a boring public service town."
Ms Whitely said there was no doubt the interest was there to make it an annual event. Indeed a bevy of local fashion bloggers snapped, tweeted and Instagrammed their favourite looks from the moment the lights went up.
Prior to the models strutting their stuff, a montage of Canberra scenes from the 1960s and '70's played across three large LED screens. The images, which showed youthful Canberrans enjoying the Manuka Pool and resplendent in flares and tie-dye outside the ANU bar - were sourced from the National Film and Sound Archive and produced by By George and Zoo Advertising.
The live soundtrack for night one was provided by singer Xavier Dunn and DJ James Erskine of Shot Gun Cubs. The pair, ANU engineering undergraduates, joined forces in 2012 and had the front row's toes tapping to their electronica-meets-acoustic sound.
After the applause died down, the crowd made a swift exit from the chilly industrial setting of 3 Molonglo Drive at the Brindabella Business Park to warm up at the Tongue and Groove in the city where the champagne flowed until the early hours. Some standing room tickets are still available.
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