Monthly Archives: September 2018

Meet the Murrumbateman Makers!

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The annual Murrumbateman Moving Feast is on again this weekend! From 29 – 30 September a number of Murrumbateman and Yass wineries will be serving up mains and desserts with a matching glass of their vino. You can tantalise your taste buds with this roving degustation of fine local wines and delicious tasting plates, and if it’s anything like last year, it will be fantastic—and crowded, so book now! Here’s a sample of what you can expect.

Eden Road Winery are offering a trio of Arancini with goat cheese and pesto, braised beef cheek with chilli jam, and wild mushrooms with feta, matched with 2015 Syrah or 2017 Pinot Noir. Indulge your senses with a triple choc brownie with home-made Baileys Ice Cream served with an East Lake sparkling or 2017 Canberra Riesling.

Yarrh Wines are serving up wood roasted butterflied leg of lamb with leeks in wine and walnut aillade, with a vegetarian option of roast sweet potato with chilli lemon sauce and mushrooms, paired with a 2017 Shiraz. For dessert taste test their famous pear and almond tart with a 2018 late harvest.

Dionysus Winery Who doesn’t love sliders followed by a salted caramel mousse! Dionysus have slow roasted pork belly with sriracha (hot chilli sauce) and slaw; and grilled haloumi, pickle, lettuce and Kewpie mayo, matched with their own Reisling. Followed by a rich salted caramel mousse made with Lindt chocolate and served with a dollop of salted caramel and cream—that’s got to be a winner! And comes beautifully matched with a Cab Sav.

Kerralee Vineyard was our favourite last year, and although much smaller than most of the others, family owned Kerralee is well worth a visit. Offering a Pot pie of beef slow cooked in Kerralee Merlot, topped with puff pastry, served with salad garnish, and comes with a wine of your choice. Their house-made cheesecake on a gluten free nut base topped with fresh seasonal fruit is totally yum! Matched with pinot noir rosé or my personal fave, their merlot rosé.

Delish slow-cooked beef pie 

But that’s not all … a total of 19 wineries are participating in the Moving Feast event, and you don’t have to just stick with one. You can choose your favourite main from one winery, and pop over to another for dessert. Savoury dishes are $25 and desserts are $20 and all come with the vino, and you get to keep your lovely Riedel wine glass worth $20. What are you waiting for?

Go to Murrumbateman Moving Feast to check out full details and book your tickets.

The new style of FASHFEST

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The FASHFEST folks have been quiet for a while but definitely not idle. It’s taken months of careful planning, but Canberra’s largest annual red-carpet event has just released its new style for 2018.

‘Change. It. Up.’ sums up what FASHFEST will roll out starting 19 October, with a prestigious launch show at the National Gallery of Australia. It’s a perfect fit. Beautiful fashion—gowns and glam cocktail attire to be precise—in a beautiful building surrounded by beautiful art. Does it get any better than that?

So what do the new ‘Change. It. Up.’ plans involve?

‘This year we’re hosting specialised shows in new venues, including iconic institutions and buildings of cultural and historic significance,’ says Clint Hutchinson, who co-founded FASHFEST with his wife Andrea, ‘These places are unique to Canberra and make the capital so special. We want guests to experience them in a new light.’

At the NGA, guests will view fashion never before seen in Canberra, by three designers selected for how their aesthetic fits with the NGA’s architecture. Models will grace the catwalk with bring to life collections by Hajar Gala Couture, Megan Cannings Designs and Charly Thorn Designs.

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Hajar Gala Couture, on the catwalk at FASHFEST 2017. Image: Jack Mohr

The same show will repeat twice at the NGA (same evening) and then the FASHFEST team will bunker down to finalise exciting plans for shows in December and February.

Hajar Gala, the principal designer behind Hajar Gala Couture, will present exquisitely detailed bridal and evening gowns, some of which she showed at Paris Fashion Week.  Hajar trained formally in the French couture method at the International Fashion Academy. In addition to her Canberra atelier, she has recently opened in Melbourne.

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Frills and more frills. Gown by Megan Cannings Design at FASHFEST 2017, National Convention Centre Canberra. Image: Doug Hall, Studio Vita

Fashion designer Megan Cannings, who has just returned from New York Fashion Week, will present pieces she put on the runway in the US. This is Megan’s third year at FASHFEST. Official event photography pushed out through social media was spotted by those behind NYFW and other major shows, and Megan was subsequently invited to showcase nationally and internationally.

‘FASHFEST is my favorite fashion show to participate in,’ says Megan. ‘The models are on the catwalk longer and the team behind the event is so professional and easy to work with.’

The youngest designer to ever participate in FASHFEST is Charly Thorn from Cooma, who was just 17 when she presented her first collection at the event. The collection included a stunning piece worn by super model Anneliese Seubert. The audience stood and gave Charly a massive round of applause.

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Charly Thorn’s resort wear collection, FASHFEST 2017. Image: Doug Hall, Studio Vita

Last year, Charly focused on resort wear at FASHFEST and this year it’s cocktail glam. Charly has also showcased internationally since her initial involvement in FASHFEST.

‘FASHFEST’s model has always been to change things up periodically to keep fashion fans coming back for more,’ says Andrea. ‘We loved being at the Canberra Airport all rugged up in winter in a small industrial space and we loved the glamour and magic of being at the National Convention Centre Canberra. Now it’s time to change it up once more.’

For exclusive updates and special offers, sign up to FASHFEST’s newsletter: www.fashfest.com.au Tickets on sale soon.

Credit top image: Co-founders of FASHFEST, Clint and Andrea Hutchinson.

Eco luxe with ease

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Who would have thought fashion would be a fit for a business sustainability expo?

It’s actually perfect.

FASHFEST is hitting the stage at the free Actsmart Business Sustainability Expo on 13 September with local fashion designer Bronwynne Jones, of label Thunder Thighs, and eco-stylist Faye De Lanty, from Salvos, to present an eco-chic fashion segment of recycled, reused and reimagined garments.

At the Expo, Bronwynne will show many ways to wear her Infinities scarves, which she creates by sewing together four men’s silk ties she uncovers trawling through op shops.

‘Each is unique and they’re fabulous because men’s ties can have amazing colours and patterns which inspire each Infinite,’ says the designer. Bronwynne, who works out of her studio at M16 Gallery, will also demonstrate other garments she has created from pre-loved ties and other op shop finds, including an elegant skirt and a dress made entirely from tie waste.

Salvos will reimagine and upcycle individual pieces into new garments, demonstrating eco luxe with ease. They’ll also host a short fashion show, including two green looks—in colour and kind to the environment—they put on the catwalk at their inaugural appearance at FASHFEST last year.

‘Fashion is the second most toxic industry in the world,’ says Faye. ‘I don’t love what it does to our planet and so decided to spend my life reusing and reducing our fashion footprint. Second hand never has to mean second best.’

Thunder Thighs also hit the FASHFEST catwalk for the first time in 2017. Bronwynne showcased a new collection but teased the audience by accessorising garments with a steampunk bent, using items sourced from op-shops to create hats and jewellery. Bronwynne also makes custom-made bespoke bustle jackets, designed with second-hand garments and waste fabric from her studio floor.

‘It’s much easier than you think to get imaginative with individual pieces,’ says Bronwynne. ‘People shouldn’t shy away from giving it a go.’

Faye works with Salvos to promote the value (to people’s hip pockets and the planet) of op shopping. ‘I regularly find big brand names and some quality and interesting vintage pieces,’ says Faye. ‘It’s the best way to shop. I’m truly obsessed.’

At the Actsmart Business Sustainability Expo, Salvos will showcase other items made from pre-loved garments, including lamp shades, a seat and a stool.

‘This is FASHFEST’s second year at the Expo,’ says co-founder Andrea Hutchinson. ‘While not all designers in the fashion industry practice sustainability, we’ve always showcased some who do, either through upcycling pre-loved garments or by practising sustainable design.’

The Actsmart Business Sustainability Expo is Canberra’s largest of its kind. The 2018 OzHarvest Celebrity Chef Cook-off will see Darren Perryman from Pialligo Estate take on David Young from Temporada to see who can make the most delish dish with surplus food rescued from cafes and restaurants.

Thirty-seven exhibitors will be at the Expo to talk all things sustainable, including the latest technologies in waste, water and energy with experts.

The free Actsmart Business Sustainability Expo runs from 10am to 5pm, Thursday 13 September, at Southern Cross Club, Woden.

What you need to know:

FASHFEST, Thunder Thighs and Salvos event        10.00am to 10.45am

OzHarvest celebrity cookoff                                        2.30pm to 3.15pm

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Eco-stylist Faye De Lanty from Salvos

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Faye De Lanty’s philosophy: ‘Second hand never has to mean second best.’

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Bronwynne Jones of Thunder Thighs creates using new and pre-loved materials.

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Fashion designer Bronwynne Jones created this outfit in part using pre-loved men’s ties. Credit: Sparkling Weddings, NGA