Some of Australia's most creative, up-and-coming fashion designers provided plenty of wow factor at the Independence runway show at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival.

By ELLEN HILL

Innovation, creativity and artistic autonomy were the messages paraded on this year’s Independence runway, with the 2015 Virgin Melbourne Fashion Festival event producing some brave designs.

Independence, presented by Oyster fashion and beauty magazine, features edgy creations from Australian designers Strateas.Carlucci, Celeste Tesoriero, Elissa McGowan, Salasai, Dress Up, Emma Mulholland and the winner of the 2015 Tiffany & Co National Designer Award, Pageant.

The showcase opened with an explosion of the didgeridoo, as Strateas.Carlucci delivered a powerful collection with striking contrasts. Layered white silk flowed alongside Strateas.Carlucci's signature sharp cut, coupled with leather, bulky zips, head-to-toe black and bold metal jewellery.

Celeste Tesoriero showcased a playful, Australian-inspired collection complete with fleece koalas woven into chunky knits, woollen vests, Ugg boot-like footwear and fuzzy hats. More wearable parts in the collection included simple, high fashion silhouettes, bold prints and natural fabrics. It was an eclectic mix that made it a visually pleasing, but slightly perplexing, collection.

Emma Mulholland was a standout on the night, even though the collection continued the quirky theme. Pants, dresses and jackets were covered in fluoro sequins, extravagant fur and check, tartan and leopard prints. Australia’s pink and white galah was found among sequins, sparkles, and soft pink leather, which featured throughout the collection.

Pageant brought a contrast to galahs and embellishment, captivating with biker-inspired sleek designs, well suited to a confident woman who dresses to impress. Motorbike helmets concealed the heads of slender models, while grid patterns, skin-tight latex, and pink leather completed a very cool collection.

Independence provides a platform for emerging designers to showcase work to an eager crowd, while it emphasises design that is innovative and autonomous. The chosen theme of freedom was a neat fit, and designers selected songs with a "freedom" theme to send their designs down the runway.

George Michael blared in a closing act where each designer sent two models holding hands for a final run to support marriage equality. The line-up at Independence didn’t disappoint, presenting an array of homegrown talent, and a political message the audience applauded.