Tegan McAuley remembers thinking, the night she attended Fashfest last May, how Canberra truly has come into its own in the intriguing world of fashion.

The event was packed with guests hungry to see the quality and diversity of local design talent. The designers were trembling with excitement at having such a major platform for showcasing their work. The musicians were pumped and the media gathered to cover what was about to unfold.

After an amazing night, that exceeded her expectations, the wheels started churning and Tegan thought ‘What next? How can we give more access to this amazing talent and other independent designers?’ And so it was that Hustle&Scout was born.

Hustle&Scout is an ‘up market market’ that makes its appearance for the first time on Saturday 21 September at New Acton’s Nishi (4pm to 9pm). No fewer than 11 designers from Fashfest will be on hand with their latest creations, ready to talk direct to guests about their passion for fashion and the thinking behind their clothing. The focus is on ‘one-of-a-kind’ fashion and the designers from Fashfest will be joined by a handful of others selling quality vintage clothing, exquisite jewellery and some very fashionable accessories. All up, Hustle&Scout will have 22 stalls.

Also stylish is the space in which the twilight markets will be held. It is visually commanding, with a grand central staircase and warm re-purposed timber. Tegan settled on the space after hustling around town to scout for the perfect spot. ‘This isn’t a market that’s about grabbing a bargain,’ says Tegan. ‘This is more of an experience; more of an event.’

Designers had to apply to be part of Hustle&Scout and the final selection was challenging, with Tegan fiercely protecting the quality of product and aiming for incredible diversity. A fashion parade, featuring models from Haus Models, a new multi-channel agency pulled together by the core team that ran Fashfest—soon to be launched in Canberra—will top off the night.

Hustle&Scout  will showcase men’s and women’s fashion. Perpetually Five, a vibrant men’s fashion label designed around children’s drawings, will be at the twilight markets with its fun and smart, dressy and casual garments, as will Corr Blimey, which adopts a sculptural approach to streetwear. SZN’s collection features men’s and women’s wear with all garments created with scrap material designer Suzan Dlouhy collects.

Sustainable fashion is big, which is no surprise given its popularity here in the nation’s Canberra, inspired in part by the movement being incorporated into fashion design courses at CIT. Pure Pod, known internationally for its devotion to eco fashion, will be at Hustle&Scout, with clothing made from sustainable and eco textiles including merino wool, soya bean, bamboo, hemp, silk and linen. Gabrielle Everitt, of the label by the same name, will bring her uniquely elegant approach to women’s garments, created with natural materials, including lace and organic fibres, for a mix of textures. Assemblage Project, just opened in Braddon on Lonsdale Street, will showcase the work of Karen Lee, who uses scrap fabric as accents on clothing and to create one-off pieces, and 4 minutes 33, an innovative women’s wear label using design to communicate poetic expression.

Sovata’s (seen at right) newest pieces will intrigue those already keeping an eye out for something special to wear at Melbourne Cup. Sovata is a stunning race-wear and millinery line that looks ‘oh-so-glam’ but is truly comfortable. Andie Meredith’s pieces are timeless and also very feminine and easy to wear. Both Sovata and Andie Meredith aim for sustainable design practice and thoughtful fabric selection. And the wonderland of Wnd Lnd, with its doll-like pieces mixed with youth culture rebellion and streetwear edge, is sure to add a quirky element to the Hustle&Scout mix.

And last, but not least in the lineup of designers who launched collections at Fashfest, will be Rockstars and Royalty. Think total glam wedding dresses with exquisite detail for the confident bride who knows what she wants and dares to be different.

Tegan plans to run the Hustle&Scout  twilight markets quarterly. Stay tuned next week for our coverage of the markets’ vintage clothing, jewellery and accessories stalls!

the essentials

What: Hustle&Scout Twighlight Markets
When: 4pm to 9pm, Saturday 21 September
Where: Nishi, New Acton:
Web: www.hustleandscout.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hustleandscout