The maxim says “Things get better with age”, and that’s certainly true for the Ekka, which is currently celebrating it’s 139th year.The extensive redevelopment programme of the showgrounds is coming ever closer to completion and the venue is looking increasing elegant with the whole event feeling much easier to navigate again.
This year’s show displays the ever increasing sophistication and broader appeal that has been evident over the past few years and we were lucky enough to secure front-row seats to the always fabulous Natural Fibres Fashion Parade.
The parade itself is enjoying a milestone of it’s own this year, with Brisbane fashion legend Lindsay Bennett celebrating his 25th year of directing Australia’s longest running free public fashion parade.
We attended on the second day of the show and it was wonderful to see crowds queueing to grab seats, ample evidence of a passion for fashion in Brisbane.
The catwalk show opened with a creative, informative and highly enjoyable history reel that took the audience on a brief history of the Ekka, before the opening segment, a stunning retrospective of designs from leading couturiers involved in the parades over the past 25 years.
This year’s show was a true catwalk event, with exquisite choreography and bubbly, vivacious models who were clearly enjoying the experience. The highly polished parade featured a unique mix of emerging talent and iconic brands, with stunning outfits and millinery for every conceivable occasion.
A spectacular, high-split gown with see-through red lace bodice and flowing skirt from the always edgy George Wu was one of my favourite pieces from the current collections on show.
The grace and feminity of the Darb Couture bridal gown in the retrospective segment showed the timeless elegance of Brad Webb’s creations and why he’s one of Brisbane’s leading couturiers.
You really don’t want to miss out on this show and if you haven’t been yet, you’ve still got time to get along and enjoy this wonderful spectacle before the Ekka closes on Sunday 14th August.
Retrospective Gowns from the past 25 years included: Keri Craig, Anthony Leigh Dower, Grbac, Maiocchi, Tengdahl, Paul Hunt, Darb Couture, Pia du Pradal, Cotton Wool, Sacha Drake, Bora and George Wu.
The parade included fashions from Sacha Drake, White Label Noba, Hunt + Kelly, Maiocchi, Bags by Louenhide, TAFE Queensland Brisbane, QUT Fashion School, Tengdahl, The Irma J Smith House of Fashion, Pia du Pradal, Darb Couture, George Wu and Paul Hunt.
Production Credits:
Executive Producer – Lindsay Bennett
Parade Stylist – Kimberley Gardner
Choreographer – Bernadette Bagley
Lighting & Audio – Microhire
Projection Screens – Microhire
Set Design – Iceworks Design
Hair Stylists – CorCorz Hair
Video Production – TPD Media
Stage – Corporate Stage Solutions
Last Saturday our friends at 
It may not have had Jennifer Hawkins walking for Myer, but for us here at The Wedding Alley, this show was the big ticket item of the week. Brad’s stunning collection for Darb at The Brisbane Arcade Group Show had whetted our appetite and we were hungry for more from some of Brisbane’s very best couture designers.
As it reaches it’s 10th anniversary, MBFF keeps getting bigger and better every time. I have to admit I wasn’t sure about the switch from the CBD to the RNA showgrounds when it was first announced. However, this year’s venue, the John Reid Pavillion, may turn out to be the smartest move the festival has made. The location in a quieter part of the city means your arrival feels more like an exclusive European experience – you have arrived somewhere special for something unique, and the genial hosts and the avenue of gleaming Mercedes certainly helps to set the perfect tone. Once inside, Lindsay Bennett and his team have created a simply phenomenal set of flowing spaces within the cavernous, industrial environs of the building. There is ample space to mingle, and the provision of two media wall’s, one manned by the official photographers, the other available for selfies is a big plus. The photowalls are simply stunning this year and help transform the space, whilst the fashion bar had plenty of counterspace and never felt busy despite the full-house crowd. The VIP space was elegant, with plenty of break-out space and the right mix of seating and standing space to permit mingling or more serious business negotiations.
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