Fashion bunnies of Melbourne, rejoice – for Fashion Torque returns to brighten your month! Today industry icons Jenny Bannister and Philip Boon re-launched their popular fashion chat show at new it-venue Hasti Bala (think Bali Hai, but with Richard Attenborough and Julian Clary as key design influences). All Ruby Assembly fans and Fashion Torquers can rest assured – this year will be better than ever!

‘Scuse the lack of shooz! I thought this clashy-bright mix would wake me up for a Monday media launch.

Hasti Bala is new to The Carlton, and officially opens on the 25th of February. Funnily enough, it’s also the new location for Fashion Torque -which will be replete with a mic’ed stage and more audience interaction than ever. The space is magic, with acid-tripping leopard print wall paper – and most literally an elephant in the room.

Lisa Teh of Couturing posed alongside the elephant in the room.

This year, Fashion Torque will be held on the last Wednesday evening of each month at 7pm. Jenny and Philip hope that the city-central location will allow a broader forum, with greater inclusion of fashion students and industry members. Sponsored by Acqua Panna, Fashion Torque 2012 will continue to be a panel-based show – but we’re likely to see some performance thrown into the mix this year too. Some of themes of discussion for Fashion Torque this year include:

  • Fashion Torque Recommends
  • Fashion Torque Fans
  • Fashion Torque Debates – a formal debate structure to hash out key issues of the industry
  • Fashion Torque Community – highlighting and engaging creatives
  • Fashion Torque Films – chewing over the details of films which are iconically fashion

Happy little Fashion Torquers Irish Rivera of StyleZilla and Frank and Helen of Ciccone Cosmetics.

So come one, come all to the first Fashion Torque of 2012 – Wednesday 29th February at 7pm. Panellists will include Sarah Gale of The Iconic, JC of Madam Virtue & Co., Sarah Willcocks of Style Melbourne and Anthony Capon of a.concept.