Hands up if you love a girls night out like us!! There’s no better time to round up your girl gang than now, because Melbourne Fashion Week kicks off this Friday and we have some tips on how you can make it a stylish affair…
We’re talking a fashion injection, sipping cocktails and enjoying some of this cities best bites (and views).
Girls Night Out
Fashion Week
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FASHION’S NIGHT OUT
SHOP TIL YOU DROP IN STYLE
Friday 1st September
Get the party started on opening night of Fashion Week with the Vogue American Express Fashion’s Night Out #VAEFNO
This is a one night only shopping celebration and is a must attend if you want to take advantage of exclusive offers from city retailers and pop-up experiences across the city. A fun spot to visit on the night will be the Millennial Pink Party, which is taking over Melbourne Central with a pastel-packed program of special offers and a curated celebration of the season’s hottest hue (including Pinkster Gin).
We recommend heading to the Invites Lounge in Bourke Street Mall if you’re an American Express card holder. Open from 5 – 10pm, you can enjoy a drink or bite to eat, get your hair touched up, or just kick back and enjoy the music in a beautiful setting. There is also priority access available for our Centurion Members. Simply show your eligible American Express Card at the door and prepare to be dazzled.
After you are all shopped out, walk (or train) to Little Bourke Street where you can settle into Melbourne’s only mini-golf and cocktail bar, Holey Moley, for some bevvies and laughs. Located a short stroll from Southern Cross station, Holey Moley is a must experience night out with the girls, so get yourself there.
Dress Code > Street Style
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SATURDAY SESH
EXHIBITION VISIT & COCKTAILS
Saturday 2nd September
The FashionMasters Student Designer Exhibition runs all day at Library at The Dock, but we suggest you meet the girls there around 2pm for an hour or two browsing the garments on display by students Alexia Brizuela, Sophie Rodriguez, Jade Dong and Lorraine Reeves. You’ll also be privy to exclusive multimedia footage, photographs, journals, experimental toiles and decorative techniques showcasing their creative processes.
After the Exhibition, take a short stroll to Collins Street and jump on a free tram into the city – get off at Swanston Street and walk one block to Flinders Street station. Look out past Platform 13 (down by the River) and you’ll see a funky alfresco dining space that has seemingly popped up out of nowhere. Say hello to The Arbory, an outdoor eatery and bar that has breathed new life into an unremarkable stretch of the Yarra River. The 150 metre long space of timber decking that connects the Southbank footbridge with Princes Bridge, is home to a kitchen and two bars, which are housed inside a seriously cool shipping container.
Grab a seat along the waterside and order yourselves an espresso martini to kick start the perfect Saturday girls night out!
Dress Code > Cocktail Hour
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ROOFTOP WINE + FASHION ON FILM
SEE MELBOURNE, DISCOVER JAPANESE CRAFTSMANSHIP
Sunday 3 September
Good Heavens Rooftop Bar is the place to be on a Sunday afternoon. Located amongst the cool-chic of Bourke Street (and conveniently right above their already said established restaurant Fancy Hanks), it’s the bar to take in a pretty outlook of the city and sip on wine, craft beer or a big selection of cocktails. We recommend the ‘Heavens to Betsy’… cheers!
After your rooftop session, head down to ACMI in Federation Square to catch a 7pm fashion film. Shining a much overdue light on one of fashion’s most enigmatic designers, Yohji Yamamoto: Dressmaker is a new documentary by Ngo The Chau, offering an intimate portrait of the life and work of Yohji Yamamoto, one of the most influential and enigmatic fashion designers of the last 40 years. The film sets out to discover and uncover the many layers of the man, delving into the fascinatingly complex life story of this iconic and visionary 74 year-old Japanese craftsman.
Be sure to wear some chic layers to take you from rooftop to cinema!
Dress Code > Layers of Melbourne
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CATWALK + COCKTAILS
TASTE THE FLAVOUR OF MELBOURNE CULTURE
Wednesday 6 September
Our pick of the catwalk shows at Melbourne Town Hall is Premium Runway 4, featuring new season collections by Carla Zampatti, Megan Park, Rachel Gilbert, Rebecca Vallance, Thurley and Yeojin Bae. Be the first to experience emerging spring/summer trends, against a historic backdrop to innovative, inspiring design from the country’s leading labels.
After the 6:30pm show (buy your tickets here by the way), head around the corner to Little Collins Street where you’ll discover one of our favourite new Bars. HANA Melbourne is THE place to enjoy raw seafood and cocktails with your girls. With a seriously cool tropical vibe and fresh flavours of Hawaii right here in Melbourne-town, you’ll love feasting in the gorgeous decor under the sparkling pink neon lights.
Dress Code > Cocktail Hour
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AUSTRALIAN FASHION FILM AWARDS
WITH A TOUCH OF UNDERGROUND GIN!
Thursday 7 September
Join filmmakers and fashion lovers for this exclusive MFW event held at iconic State Library Victoria. Have the ultimate girls night out enjoying the films, take home a fashion gift bag plus go in the draw to win exciting door prizes.
The Australian Fashion Film Awards (AFFA) presents the best Australian and international fashion films submitted for 2017. At the screening you will able to vote for your favourite film in the People’s Choice Award and go in the draw to take home exciting prizes. Previous AFFA winners have included films from Chanel, Gucci, Vogue and Sass & Bide. Tickets start from $29 including a gift bag, buy them here.
The awards wrap up around 8pm, so afterwards catch a tram down Swanston Street and jump off at the Collins Street corner. Walk down the block to Flinders Lane where you’ll find The Mill House, an underground Melbourne bar which has the best Veuve Cocktails in the city. There’re also shaking up Thursday nights with Gin Club. We’re talking exclusive cocktails, gin tasting, gin-paired canapés, and party vibes you will love. You can pick your poison from the top shelf gin menu featuring Fever Tree’s premium tonics for just $10.
Dress Code > Touch of Glam
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A NIGHT OF CELEBRATION
FAREWELL FASHION WEEK IN STYLE!
Friday 8 September
Tonight is the night to toast the end of a huge Fashion Week in the city. We recommend heading along to the final Premium Runway show at Melbourne Town Hall, closing MFW with a high-end showcase of some of Australia’s most revered labels including Bianca Spender, Dion Lee, Romance Was Born and Scanlan Theodore.
After the show, walk a couple of blocks to Exhibition Street (follow the sparkling lights) to Trunk Bar and Restaurant. Indulge in a Mediterranean inspired dinner, paired with delicious cocktails or share a bottle of wine. Trunk ticks every box for a girls night out, especially if you can sneak in a serve of their delicious pink pavlova (do it)!
Dress Code > Celebration Mode
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CLOSET RAID
Such a great blog posts and awesome tips. Trunk bar’s one of our personal favourites. Love the vibe around MFW. x
Emily Collie
Me too!
You’ll have to share any favourites at TRUNK?