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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The fabulous Fern! We heart this make from the wonderful Trixie Johnston of @WithLoveTrixie:
"I’m chuffed to have collaborated with @PeppermintMagazine to bring you my version of the #PeppermintFernPleatedPants ✨
Featuring a wide leg fit with pleated front, slash pockets and a nifty centre back invisible zip. I really enjoyed the way this pattern is drafted to fit, which means a lot coming from a mum navigating postpartum curves. It’s tailored yet comfortable and hugs me in all the right places without any additional fit adjustments.
I also want to give a massive shout to the Fern’s sewing partners @Sohmo_Au for sending me a cookie tin of quality sewing goodies that I used throughout the project and @IndyBindyFabrics fabrics who provided the most incredible black cotton Sashiko-ori fabric. This fabric was made on a custom loom that weaves in a traditional sashiko (decorative running stitch pattern) and it’s a texture unlike anything I’ve sewn before.�
Details: �
• Size G – No mods. (I selected the size based off my waist measurements) Note: Size ranges from A-P (!!!)
• Fern Pleated Pants Pattern, SOHMO tools and Fabric were gifted however, Peppermint magazine’s ‘Pay what you can’ model provides such amazing patterns at a sustainable, affordable cost.
• Matching top is a modified version of The Carol Top from @SummerHaus_ (size 10)"
#PeppermintPatterns #IndyBindyFabrics #Sohmo #MeMade
“When people get old, they die. This art form is like a plant. You may think it has died, but nurture it, and it will come back to life. It lives on through generations.”
These words by Gami, an artisan who helped revive the lost tradition of Lambadi embroidery, speaks to the wisdom that Meanjin/Brisbane photographer Melanie Hinds (@WithThePeaches) experienced during her visit to Sittilingi village in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, India, in 2023. Melanie went there to document how the once-nomadic Lambadi tribe are reviving their traditional embroidery craftsmanship and transforming their community through the @PorgaiArtisans Association’s artists’ residency.
Her photos became part of the ‘Stitching Stories’ exhibition at the India Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA24) Program hosted in Fremantle: an intimate portrait of the women empowered both economically and socially by the initiative, and their captivating work. Gaelle Beech of @TheAnjelmsProject also helped make this exhibition a reality.
Nothing goes to waste in their craft, says Melanie, with even the smallest fabric scraps transformed into toys for children or woven into ropes for beds. “Through their intricate hand-stitched work, these women are preserving a centuries-old craft.”
Discover the beauty in our ‘Pride of place’ feature in Issue 64, at stockists now.
#PeppermintMagazine #PorgaiArtisans #LambadiEmbroidery #Craft #TraditionalEmbroidery
West End inside and out!
How fabulous is this make from Lisa of @SunnySewsEveryday using the West End Jacket pattern (created in collab with Camille @CamiMadePatterns) for both a shirt AND jacket! 👏🏼
“Now have a Westend shirt to wear with my Westend jacket. I just can’t get enough of this pattern. I went down two sizes and used a brushed cotton from Pound Fabrics.”
Grab this gorgeous gender-neutral pattern from our website now!
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintWestEndJacket #JacketPattern #MeMade
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
At @Life_Instyle, the focus is firmly on curating things that support real life: objects made to be lived with, loved, and returned to day after day. From tactile materials and emotional utility to Australian-made craftsmanship and slower, more considered production, the trends emerging may not be loud, but you can bet they’re lasting.
Ahead of their Sydney showcase this February, we asked Life Instyle’s Exhibition Director Nina Vidale to share her take on the values, ideas and rituals shaping the year to come, and the brands leading the way with care for people, planet and the creative process.
Read more about the top ethical design trends, and why values-led design (be it sustainability, craftsmanship, longevity, Australian-made) are resonating so strongly right now at the link in bio!
✨️ Life Instyle Sydney/Eora Country
📅 14-17 February 2026
📍 ICC, Darling Harbour
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #EthicalShopping #DesignTrends
Has the Peppermint Acacia A-line Skirt made it to your sewing list yet? It`s perfect for summer, and is great layered over tights for the cooler days. Lengthen it, or wear it short – you do you!🪡
Did you know if you buy the digital version of Issue 63, you`ll nab the digital pattern for free? And the printed version comes with the print issue of 63... winning all round.
Made in collaboration with our friends at @WeftAndWarpFabrics, our version of the Acacia A-line Skirt pattern was sewn using the Tollerton 100% cotton 9oz denim. We added contrast top stitching using Gutermann Professional Jeans Thread in Dark Gold 1970 for that classic look.
Head to the link in bio to nab this pattern now – or grab it free with Issue 63!🪡
Images: @KelleySheenan
Model: @LoveStepha
Artwork: @MelanieShmelanie at North Lakes Library
Fabric: Denim from @WeftAndWarpFabrics
#PeppermintAcaciaAlineSkirt #PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintPatterns #MeMade #WeftAndWarpFabrics
