Australian Fashion Week 2017: Designer details, show schedule, ticket info

Australian Fashion Week 2017 will kick off on May 14 with designer Dion Lee showcasing his works on the runway. Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, the event is less than a week away, and the excitement is already kicking in. This year’s Australian Fashion Week will showcase the works of over 50 designers across five days.

This year's show will see the return of designer Kym Ellery, who will celebrate her tenth anniversary with the event's airline partner Etihad Airways. According to a press release from the designer, the reception will be hosted by Ellery on May 17 and will feature a throwback at the brand’s most picturesque looks from the last decade of the fashion week.

There are also new designers who will showcase their works at the Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week 2017. Let's take a look at some of them. Designer Anna Hoang will make her debut solo show after taking part in 2016's group NewGen show. She has been in the fashion world for more than four years but decided to take her own time to present a show of her own.

“It’s also easier to fill a room full of people if they know who you are,” Hoang told The Australian, speaking about her decision to go solo at the event after a couple of years. She is already succeeding as a designer in about 15 stores worldwide, including those in Japan, Taiwan, New York and Paris. Hoang hopes that the show will catapult her to further global success.

Yousef Akbar, a Saudi-Arabia born designer, has a masters degree in logistics on his resume but left everything to pursue a career in fashion. The 32-year-old will make his debut at the event but he is already designing clothes for various celebrities like Chrissy Teigen, Jessica Mauboy, Kimbra, Kelly Rowland and Kelly Osbourne. Other designers who will make their debut at the fashion week are 23-year-old Thomas Puttick and Hansen & Gretel.

Puttick is only 23 but has his intentions clear when it comes to designing clothes. His label focuses on 30-plus people, and he is also trying to be as eco-friendly as he can. “We reduce airfreight wherever possible, all our packaging and swing tags are made from recycled and recyclable paper,” said Puttick, who studied at the University of Technology Sydney alongside designer Christopher Esbel.

The Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week (May 14 to May 19) 2017 will show seasonal collections from various designers from Australian and Asia Pacific. The show has helped the careers of many Australian designers such as Lisa Ho, Alex Perry, Zimmermann, Toni Maticevski, Collette Dinnigan, Leona Edmiston, J'Aton Couture, Ericaamerica, Easton Pearson and Gwendolynne. Tickets for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia 2017 are available at Ticketmaster here.