L’Oreal Melb Fashion Fest
- Words by Kelley Sheenan
It’s LMFF time again and we are very excited to see the usual Melbourne black being slowly replaced by green. There are several great events designed to lighten those stiletto footprints on the catwalk – check out our pick of the eco-inspired events in the Cultural Program below…
The Spirit of the Black Dress – March 12-21, 12-6pm
Venue: The Trust, 405 Flinders Lane
The Spirit of the Black Dress (pictured above) is a fashion photography and textile exhibition that showcases ten emerging Australian sustainable fashion designers. The event is run by a group of independent recent graduates from different backgrounds committed to raising the profile of sustainable fashion and increasing international appreciation for Australian design. The young designers highlighted are chosen by a panel of industry experts from amongst the best in Australia. We believe they are the start of a vibrant fashion community that privileges discourses of fashion excellence paired with strong environmental and social principles.
Wear It – March 18-27
Venue: Stockroom, 98 Piper Street, Kyneton
Emma Grace and Ellie Mücke invite you to be inspired by their approach to making new from old. In response to the largely un-sustainable fashion industry the Wearit exhibition and workshops aim to facilitate a shift in the way that we consume fashion. The workshops invite participants to bring along broken or un-loved jewellery and shirts to re-create into something new. Wearit is an opportunity to re-connect with community and a forum to share skills and exchange ideas. Wearit aims to provoke a mental and physical shift away from a ‘throw-away culture’ and shows how wearing the consequences of this shift can be truly inspirational.
Thread Den Sewing Workshops – March 1-31
Venue: Thread Den 433 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Thread Den gets to the heart of the fashion industry in Melbourne with an inspiring variety of classes presented by Melbourne designers. Start with the very basics or jump straight into patternmaking, fashion illustration and complicated construction techniques. Join the Thread Den designers in one class or more this March and continue your sewing and design adventure. Now is your chance to find out what all the Thread Den fuss is about. Classes are presented in short sessions in the evenings and on weekends. Many classes include exclusive Thread Den patterns with just the right amount of vintage nostalgia.
Wardrobe Wonderland Panel Discussion: Is Fashion Sustainable? March 22 6pm
Venue: Honey Bar, 345 Claredon Street
How is what we wear impacting the world around us? What social problems does the fashion industry contribute to? How does the global economy impact on our local fashion industry? As levels of disposable income and consumption increase, what impacts can we expect to see? Are these what we want to see? What can be done to change them? At this event, attendees will witness and contribute to a panel discussion on the sustainability of fashion – the social, environmental and financial issues of every lifecycle stage of a garment. The discussion will stimulate thinking on subverting accepted norms, behaviour change, innovation, taking a slower approach to fashion and long term planning.
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“My piece of advice for makers and designers? Run your own race… make sure your key decisions stay anchored in your brand’s core beliefs.”
- Bec Bligh
Quick show of hands: who’s opened a water bottle expecting a refreshing sip… and instead been greeted by the unmistakable whiff of uh-oh?
Because for something that follows us everywhere (desk, car, hikes, yoga…), the humble drink bottle is strangely prone to becoming a science experiment. Hard-to-clean corners and gaskets. Mystery smells. Bec Bligh and her husband Tim know it well. A six-month sailing trip along the Queensland coast left them with a lifetime of memories and one stubborn annoyance: mouldy water bottles they couldn’t properly clean.
So they did something about it.
Enter @EverVessel. Thoughtfully designed borosilicate glass and stainless steel bottles that keep things beautifully simple: durable materials, wide openings, easy-to-clean parts and none of the techy gimmicks that tend to age badly. Turns out simplicity, done well, is pretty powerful stuff. (Their many design awards agree!)
And lately they’ve added a little extra delight: the Artist Series, where creatives like Paola Castro, Ben Miners and Martin Thompson transform these everyday companions into tiny travelling artworks. There are more colabs in the works, too: hydration, but make it joyful! 🎨💧
We chatted with Bec about the sailing trip that started it all, the philosophy behind Ever Vessel, and why the most sustainable product is often just the one you keep using.
Tap the link in our bio to read the full conversation. 🚰
#EverVessel #ReusableWaterBottle
Pull up a chair… there’s room at this table!
For the first time, Feast for Freedom is bringing people together for a spectacular long-table dinner as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
A Longer Table is exactly what it sounds like: one beautiful shared table inside the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1), piled with generous dishes inspired by this year’s hero cooks, Noha and Nige.
From 6 to 9pm on Wednesday, 25 March, this is what you can expect:
🍽 A three-course shared feast
🍷 Matched drinks
🎶 Live entertainment
✨ A room full of good humans
Your ticket doesn’t just buy you a delicious dinner. It supports the ASRC’s vital work and helps create a fairer future for people seeking asylum.
Seats are limited, and long tables have a way of filling up quickly – head to @MelbFoodAndWine’s website to book now: feastforfreedom.org.au/mfwf
#FeastForFreedom #MelbourneFoodAndWineFestival #LongTableDinner #FoodForChange
Sew versatile! 🪡
Another great make from Lisa from @SunnySewsEveryday:
My #PeppermintWaratahWrapDress is finished and I’m so proud of it. It has been designed not to flap open and flash your pants in the wind, so I feel confident it will be a great wheelchair or standing dress in English weather.
#PeppermintPatterns #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
Frame your face with the Peppermint Bucket Hat!
Stay safe and stylish in the sun with your very own self-sewn and self-drafted wide-brimmed bucket hat. This beginner-friendly sew is perfect for a sunny day. Get out your pencils – this pattern is created using equations and maths!
This DIY project was featured in Issue 53 and now you can access it for the lovely low price of only $5.
Sun-safe chic is always in style. ☀️
Find it via the link in our bio!
Photos: @KelleySheenan
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintBucketHat #BucketHat #BucketHatPattern #DIY
✨ INSTANT CLASSIC ✨
The Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with a few special details based on the ever-stylish shift shape – the perfect dress you need in your wardrobe right now!
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from our lovely sewing partner @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Location: @ShareTheDignityAustralia
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
It’s time to Feast!
Some recipes travel a long way before they land on your table to delight your taste buds. This year’s Feast for Freedom invites us to gather our friends, cook something delectable and raise funds for the incredible work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1) while we’re at it.
The 2026 Feast features recipes shared by two remarkable cooks: Noha, who brought the flavours of Palestine with her when she arrived in Australia, and Nige, a Sri-Lankan Tamil cook whose journey with food began in the most unexpected of places.
You can host your own Feast up until 30 April – simply register online and get planning! Host a dinner, organise a workplace lunch, or gather your community… However you do it, the idea is simple: cook, connect and celebrate the cultures and stories that shape Australia.
Want to find out more? Head to the link in bio to meet Noha and Nige, learn more about their stories, and discover a delicious recipe to try.
#FeastForFreedom #PeppermintMagazine #FoodForGood #ASRC
