In a quiet unassuming office building in Melbourne’s CBD there is a visionary at work. Karen Webster, now in her fifth and final year as Director of L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival, is putting the finishing touches on what is sure to be the biggest and best festival yet. Since Karen’s appointment, the Festival has close to doubled in size and has gained a new level of support from corporate sponsors, the Victorian Government and the Melbourne public.

The festival is now in its third year at its new home in the Docklands. Karen says the fashion going population of Melbourne have overcome any initial hesitation surrounding the move and the gorgeous setting had become the envy of interstate visitors. The festival takes up prime position on the water with Melbourne’s CBD as the backdrop. It sees Docklands’ Central Pier become a “hub for fashion” for one week in March with the best of the best new and established Australian designers featured in nightly Runway shows as well as big screen displays, the Westfield Bar and the L’Oréal Paris Powder Room where you can have a free makeover and collect the much coveted goodie bag. Beyond this, the festival’s Cultural Program has now expanded to include more than 100 events in and around the city and throughout Regional Victoria.

As well as a comprehensive program for the fashion going public, this year’s industry events are also impressive. The Business Seminar, Herald Sun Marketing Breakfast and Designer Forum provide invaluable advice for designers seeking their break into the industry. These workshops as well as exposure to International Guests including Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa, former Executive Vice President of Hermes, Christian Blankaert as well as MyWardrobe.com CEO Sarah Curran mean that this year’s festival will be a "money can’t buy" opportunity for many young designers.

For Karen (and many in the know), the highlight of the Festival is the Sportsgirl sponsored Metamorphosis where final year fashion students from across the country present their degree collections to members of the fashion industry, the media and the public. In a time where we now have access to global luxury designers on our doorstep thanks to the internet and the new Chadstone Luxury Complex, Karen is proud to see an emerging generation of designers whose comprehensive understanding of design, attention to detail and focus on quality ensure that we are well positioned to flourish in a competitive global market and secure the future of our local industry.

A key event on the Australian Fashion Calendar, the Woolmark Designer Award, has kick-started the careers of many of Australia’s biggest names in fashion. Previous winners Josh Goot, Toni Maticevski, Yeojin Bae, Frederich Gray and last year’s winner Romance Was Born have all taken out Australian Fashion’s Most Prized Fashion Award and have seen their careers blossom. Many an eye will be on this year’s Award Ceremony to see who will be the next one to watch.

One thing is for sure; with Karen Webster as the local fashion industry’s gatekeeper, it is in good hands.