Inaugurated in 1996 by Australian Fashion Innovators Pty Ltd (member of The Lock Group of companies headed by Simon P. Lock), Mercedes Australian Fashion Week is Australia's premier fashion event showcasing the work of Australia's top fashion designers before local and international buyers and media. Simon Lock's intention was to place Australian fashion on the international fashion week circuit alongside London, Milan, Paris and New York. The core of the event is the designer collection shows and exhibition which have attracted new markets for the designers and developed a more critical platform from which to analyse Australian fashion. Since 1997 designers from the Asia-Pacific region have also been invited to participate in the parades and exhibition. An accompanying festival program allows the general public to take part in exhibitions and events associated with fashion week.

A variety of designers ranging from the avant-garde to classic present their collections in individual and group parades most of which are held on site at Fox Studios. Mercedes Australian Fashion Week has been instrumental in promoting and professionalising the Australian fashion industry through the high standard of presentation and the increasingly critical eye of the fashion media who present daily reports on the event. In addition the presence of international media and buyers has ensured Australian fashion is viewed in the context of international design, discouraging copyists and encouraging original and independent designers. The opening of the market to international boutiques has allowed limited production, independent designers to flourish.

The Mercedes Australian Fashion Week archive comprises videotapes of all the individual designer and group parades, 35 mm colour transparencies of each designer's range on the catwalk, delegate package as well as media coverage from both electronic and print media. It documents the organisation, production and marketing of Australia's major fashion event and forms an important record of the work of Australia's top fashion designers. The images and media reportage put into context the current state of Australian fashion design from both a local and international perspective providing a platform from which Australian fashion can be analysed.

The archive was compiled by Simon P.Lock and Australian Fashion Innovators the organising body for Mercedes Australian Fashion Week. (Simon P. Lock is the founder and Managing Director of Mercedes Australian Fashion Week). The company employs a team of professionals to design, film and photograph the event.

The archive was compiled by Simon Lock and his team at Australian Fashion Innovators, the organising body for Mercedes Australian Fashion Week.

The video footage and photographs are used for recording and promoting the event to sponsors, media and buyers.

After the various components of the archive are no longer needed for promotional purposes the archive is brought together and donated to the Powerhouse Museum. This is an ongoing program with the archive from each year's event being donated to the museum.



1997-1998

The video footage and 35 mm slides are used by national and international buyers after the shows to record items of interest for their retail outlets. They are also used by national and international media to report on Mercedes Australian Fashion Week. As a whole the transparencies and videos record the event and the designers work in detail.

The transparencies and slides are used by Australian Fashion Innovators to document and promote the next years event.
The archive was put together by Australian Fashion Innovators for donation to the Powerhouse Museum as a record of Australia's premier fashion event.

Archive, Mercedes Australian Fashion Week 1997, videos/ transparencies/ bound reports/ delegate package/ delegate bag, paper/ plastic/ film, designed made and used by Australian Fashion Innovators and media and designers involved in Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, Australia, 1997-1998

Made: Australian Fashion Innnovators; Sydney, New South Wales; 1997 - 1998

2001/82/1

1997 - 1998