What is FASHFEST + Whim Takes You Backstage

Last weekend, from the 15th - 17th May, Whim was in Canberra to attend a very special fashion event - FASHFEST! The inspiring video above truly captures the aim of the annual showcase, so we suggest you hit 'play' before reading on ;)

If you haven't heard of FASHFEST before, you'll certainly want to add this special occasion to your radar. FASHFEST is a 4-day runway event which showcases an extremely talented and diverse group of emerging designers based in Canberra. This year's event, however, extended its limelight to also include interstate and international fashion designers.

Although we only attended two of the four shows (on Friday night and Saturday night), we can safely say that FASHFEST was an amazing experience and like nothing we had witnessed in-person so far! (We'll be taking an in-depth look at both the Friday and Saturday night shows in separate blog features over the next two days - Hooray!)

FASHFEST is the biggest annual fashion event held in Canberra and this year's show took place at Canberra’s iconic National Convention Centre, a Platinum event partner, to accommodate the biggest show yet.

The event's website further explains: "FASHFEST 2015 is not just an event. It is a total fashion experience, from the moment you approach the venue until your last sip of champagne. Its vision is to take guests to places they would not ordinarily go in Canberra and show them what they would not ordinarily see. It promises excitement, and delivers with spine-tingling effect."

Whim was also given a little backstage tour upon arriving on our very first night, so without further ado, here's a peek at some of the behind-the-scenes action from Friday night's show!

Naturally, the atmosphere backstage was buzzing with both excitement and anticipation and it was hard not to pick up on this electric vibe. Being able to witness some of the tedious work that goes on behind the scenes, such as hair and make-up, really emphasised just how much dedication, determination and effort goes into each and every runway show.

There was a wide array of hairstyles and make-up looks on the models, further showcasing the talent and expertise of the professionals working backstage to really bring each look to life - We think they all did a fantastic job!

Stay tuned over the next two days as we delve deeper into the Cartographer showcase from Friday night, as well as the Engineer showcase which wrapped up the 4-day runway event. In the mean time, you can find out more information about FASHFEST here or follow their work over on Facebook and Instagram. Enjoy!