FASHFEST 2015: a new look

Posted on 22 March, 2015

New hair and makeup directors on board for FASHFEST 2015

Translating a fashion designer’s vision through hair and makeup requires so much more than a bit of lippy and hair product. It requires clear direction, hours of planning, a strong sense of creativity and last, but not least, a massive dose of artistic precision.

The newly appointed makeup and hair directors of FASHFEST 2015, can hardly contain their excitement at being part of the four-day, red-carpet fashion event.

Darren Jones (above at right), the new Director of Hair, will work closely with Craig Rhodes (above at left), the new Creative Director of Hair, and Diana Cheetham (above, centre), the new Director of Makeup, to translate the fashion designer’s dreams into reality.

The team has a big challenge ahead of them, especially with FASHFEST catapulting the event to a whole other level in 2015. And today, they’re already working closely together on the major photo being underway at the National Convention Centre for the event’s official program.

‘We’re excited with the new mix of talent,’ says Clint Hutchinson, co-founder of the event. ‘Each year we set out to get bigger and better and to stretch as far forward as we can. That includes with all elements of the show, and there are many of them, including hair and makeup.’

Darren is the Director of THE hairdressing, a salon he opened in 1999. He has nearly 30 years of industry experience under his belt and is a highly respected industry educator, having written and presented a series of courses called ‘aesthetics’. Through the courses, Darren shares his approach to cutting women’s hair in a more natural way.

Darren says he’s thrilled to be part of FASHFEST. ‘I love that we have this event in Canberra,’ he says. ‘I love that it’s not just a replica of the fashion parades held in other major cities. As great as those parades are, FASHFEST has always had a different bent. And I love the opportunity to work with the huge team of talented Canberrans who “give their all” to making it happen.’

As the big kahuna director of hair, Darren’s goal is to bring systems, structures and tightly-knit teams together to execute FASHFEST’s hair vision. ‘It’s my role to tap into my contacts, get the right people on board and get them all moving in the right direction,’ says Darren. ‘And problem solving, when problem solving is needed.’

‘Getting enough quality hairdressers signed up who understand the vision and are willing to implement that vision will be a strong focus,’ says Darren. ‘The team will continually need to support the fashion designers. What goes on the catwalk is something the designers must be happy with, we must be happy with as hair professionals, FASHFEST must happy with as an organisation and guests must be happy with. Everything has to align.’

Craig, who opened Smitten Hairdressing in Tuggeranong—a five-star Gold Foundation member of the Australian Hairdressing Council—eight years ago, is in charge of creative execution. He’s been in the industry for 15 years in Canberra, and has experience gleaned from a couple of overseas stints as well. He has lent his talent to New York Fashion Week and Sydney Fashion Week, stying hair behind the scenes of various fashion shows, and he brings his experience back to Canberra.

‘I really enjoy Canberra and am settled here with my family,’ says Craig. ‘The next logical move, some would argue, would be for me to go to a bigger city to expand my career but I don’t want to. I travel to Sydney quite a bit and that’s rewarding. FASHFEST gives me the opportunity to work with a major fashion event here at home.’

With more than 30 designers showcasing over four nights, getting the hair ‘just so’ at FASHFEST is a massive logistical challenge. The same applies to makeup, says Diana Cheetham.

As the new Director of Makeup, Diana brings to the FASHFEST team extensive work in the industry. In addition to being a freelance makeup artist, Diana teaches part-time at the CMA Training Group (makeup) and Capital Hairdressing Academy and Regional Training (hair). She’s been a makeup artist with FASHFEST since the inaugural show and last year worked on the makeup for Belinda Riding, the Face of FASHFEST 2014.

‘FASHFEST is the only event in Canberra where makeup artists have full creativity and get to work with such a large number and diverse range of other stylists, designers and creative talent, including from the Canberra Institute of Technology. Nothing else offers this opportunity on such a large-scale,’ says Diana. ‘Most fashion shows do a simple look and stick to it. FASHFEST wants makeup artists to shine. It wants to take the audience to another level with a theatrical element.’

Diana will assemble a team of approximately 30 makeup artists, including students studying in the industry.

While a logistics challenge, in some ways coordinating teams and working with large numbers of makeup artists is all in a day’s work says Diana. ‘When teaching at CMA, I work with up to 20 students every day,’ she says. ‘It’s still a massive responsibility, though. The aim is to mix the teams well and ensure consistency of experience and talent across all makeup tables backstage. My life will be a bit easier given that I know or have met most of the students who have applied for FASHFEST this year.’

Clint says to stay fresh, FASHFEST needs a continual injection of new talent and this new team of directors is starting from a high benchmark. ‘New faces bring new ideas,’ Clint says, ‘and if FASHFEST stands for anything, it’s new ideas.’

The former directors of hair and makeup, Wayne Friend and Karen Mathias, have left FASHFEST after two years for personal and family reasons.