Mel K Designs at Fashion Week
New looks for this season have debuted at Australian Fashion Week, however, it’s not just the big designers who are showcasing their latest collections but also a lucky Edith Cowan University student, Melissa Kitson.
A third year fashion student, Kitson is one of just 25 up and coming designers selected, from all over Australia, to showcase their collections at the 2008 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.
This year’s fashion week took place in Sydney from April 28 to May 2 and attracted some of the biggest names in fashion. Kitson’s designs known as Mel K Designs were a part of a new addition to the event called Emerge @ The Source which focuses on representing new designers.
"It was definitely a success, I made so many new connections and got a lot of insight into the industry," said Kitson.
After only a month's notice before the event Mel K Designs featured a contemporary jewellery collection including three different collection styles; Chandeleir, Noir and Ring-a-ding-Bling. Kitson’s love of vintage and unique items is definitely evident in her collections.
"All of my pieces focus on a new look, something you haven’t seen before and something that stands out and becomes the feature of an outfit."
Mel K Designs was launched in 2004 when the Western Australian boutique, Elle brought some of her pieces. At that moment Kitson realised that jewellery making could be a prospective venture.
Since then her hobby has turned into a business having had several different WA stockists and now a place at the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.
Mel K Design’s are currently exclusively stocked at Varga Girl, a Perth-based boutique, but Kitson said she is looking at expanding with both other designers and on her own.
"I hope to align myself with an emerging fashion designer preferably from WA so we can do collaborative shows in the future."
Kitson has been creating and designing for a long time and that is why she chose Fashion as her major at university, however opted for a minor in Journalism, saying reporting on the latest trends, wouldn’t be so bad either.
For now however Kitson says she wants to first complete her Contemporary Fashion degree at Edith Cowan University before expanding Mel K Designs.
She added though: "One day I hope to come back to Perth rich and famous."
