Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2013

Overview

Winter can breed a very scary version of ourselves. For months we sport a wayward side ponytail and we wear the 'private time' tracksuit pants. Time and time again, we huddle over the flickering old gas heater and tell ourselves it's much too cold for dinner and drinks. The rigmarole of getting skinny jeans on over two pairs of woollen tights is rarely worth the reward.

Spring, however — spring is the time for fluro footwear and decorative paper pineapples; it is the season of champagne and sequins, and trying to not get champagne on sequined dresses. It is the season of fashion.

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week has ushered in this beautiful season for the past 19 years, and this time around it is proving to be no disappointment.

Of course, there are the obligatory runway shows — the ones that inevitably leave you thinking 'Yeah, I could so pull off that look'. But there are also a huge number of special events that cover more than just the catwalk.

The work of Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck will be on special exhibition for Dream the World Awake at RMIT Design Hub; the iconic designers of Gorman are teaming up with installation artist Kit Webster to transform Fort Delta into an "electric wonderland"; and Melbourne Town Hall will be showcasing the work of our best local designers for the duration of the festival.

There are some more hands-on events too. Get started in the industry with a sewing workshop, put your best foot forward with a shoe-making intensive, or come hash it all out with a talk about fashion in pop culture.

I know winter is hard to give up. There's going to be a serious lack of mulled wine, and yes — the tracksuit pants will be put away. But there's a whole new world out there. It's a world with sun, models, and pop-up markets from local designers. I think we'll be okay.