Great Southern fashionista's dream comes true

The inaugural Great Southern Fashion Festival will be officially launched tomorrow and excitement is building for a feature designer parade at Albany Town Hall on Friday night.

Albany is hosting the region’s first dedicated fashion festival, bringing WA designers and models together in an exhibition of style and sass that lasts until Saturday.

Organiser Tricia Denton said the five-day event had been a personal dream and gave models and designers a platform to launch their careers.

“What prompted me to do it was that one of my models, Tegan Ridgway, became the face of the South West Fashion Festival last year,” she said.

“I thought to myself I’ve got the models, I’ve been in business a long time and I can pull it off.”

Wednesday’s event launch is sold out and retail clothing stores in Albany have embraced the chance to take part in the festival.

Seven designers will parade their handiwork at the Town Hall on Friday night, including industry newcomer and former Albany resident Lauren Reynolds, who has just launched her own label Blue Gecko.

Student designs from Polytechnic West will also be on show.

Ruth Willmer, 18, will be the face of the Great Southern Fashion Festival after winning a competition for the role in May.

Ms Willmer has enjoyed a quick rise in the modelling world, being snapped up by Perth-based Vivien’s Model Management earlier this year.

She has a busy week ahead, modelling in every fashion parade scheduled over the next five days.