Building a fashion collection is much like constructing a home – and creative director Christopher Horne is in the middle of both in the lead up to this year’s parade.
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Mr Horne is overseeing the AWI [Australian Wool Innovation] Fashion Parade for the Campbell Town Show this Saturday, while concurrently managing renovations at his Trevallyn home.
This is the 20th year he has directed the fashion event for Campbell Town Show, giving Mr Horne an opportunity to think about how the role came about.
Campbell Town Show’s fashion parades started in the 1980s and were originally organised by a committee and supported by the Australian Wool Corporation.
Midlands Agricultural Association president Georgina Wallace and the the show committee invited Mr Horne to become involved in the parades in the late 1990s, and the rest is very fashionable history.
He enjoys choreographing the parade around raw fleeces displayed in Campbell Town’s sheep pavilion, but Mr Horne said he was initially surprised at what he saw when he arrived 20 years ago.
“I came over [from Melbourne] and said ‘strewth, it’s the biggest tin shed I’ve ever seen’,” Mr Horne said.
However, he looked beyond the ‘shed’ to see the potential.
“The clothes speak for themselves. The parade is about wool growers and Tasmania’s industry,” he said.
This year’s parade features a mix of textures, fabrics and colours to showcase wool.
“It’s really giving people more options from their own wardrobe – and adding to it.”
The 2018 AWI Fashion Parade features garments from Australian Wool Innovation, Ross Wool Centre, Little Peeps Fleece, Coco Blue, Kachoo and Jan Dineen.
“All the designers integrate different textures and fabrics into the wool,” Mr Horne said.
“Jan makes stories with clothes and this year she is telling the story of Tasmania’s first settlers and animals.”
The AWI Fashion Parade will be held on Saturday at 10.45am and 2.30pm in the Ross Wool Arena.
Campbell Town Show runs on Friday and Saturday at Campbell Town Showground and this year marks the event’s 180th birthday.
Gates open at 7.30am each morning and close at 5pm, with tickets available at the gate.
Visit www.campbelltownshow.com.au for more information.
Johanna Baker-Dowdell
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
