On a day when blue was the most talked about colour in the country, the cobalt closing segment at the Help from the Underground fashion event on Wednesday night was a fashion statement not a political one.
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The blue segment that closed the second annual charity show, which raised funds and awareness for St Vincent de Paul in the ACT, was inspired by the Blue Door service.
The St Vincent de Paul Blue Door drop-in centre at Ainslie Village provides accommodation, meals and support to more than 2000 Canberrans living on low incomes and was at risk of losing its funding when organisers Clinton and Andrea Hutchinson were planning Help from the Underground 2013.
The couple, who were the creative force behind Fashfest, Canberra's first fashion week event in May, rallied a team of local designers, stylists, hairdressers, make-up artists and fashion bloggers to ensure the Blue Door stayed open for those who needed it.
More than 670 people made their way to an underground car park in Kingston, which was converted into a catwalk, soup kitchen and pop-up store.
While sipping on mulled wine and curried pumpkin and coconut soup from Public Bar, guests shopped up a storm at the Canberra bloggers Op Shop, which was bursting with wares sourced from St Vincent de Paul stores from around Canberra and sold by bloggers including Red Magpie, Opshoppers and Closet Voyage.
Backstage, a group of local designers put the finishing touches to their individual recycled fashion showcases.
''My collection is like 'Clueless meets grandma','' wnd.lnd designer Zoe Brown said of her six looks that were fashioned from vintage floral blouses, an Alannah Hill mesh dress and metallic accessories she found while rummaging through the St Vincent de Paul warehouse.
Shoulder pads not seen since the days of Dynasty, a Geisha outfit made from a chef's jacket and headwear created out of teddy bears were some of the looks that drew applause.
Far from ''daggy'' and outdated, the show was a procession of what one would expect to see fashion ''It'' girls Rita Ora or Cara Delevingne rocking on the streets of Camden Town.
Help from the Underground producer and Canberra Institute of Fashion senior lecturer Steven Wright said these type of events prepared young designers for the real world of fashion.
''We're not producing fashion designers for today, we're producing the designers of the future. Every one of them has a head for business, they can style, design, you name it and it's stuff like this that helps them hone their skills,'' he said.
Director of Special Work for St Vincent de Paul Shannon Pickles was impressed with the community and creative spirit behind the event, which aimed to raise about $36,000.
''I am usually presenting speeches in front of government bodies so this is such a refreshing initiative. It not only raises vital funds but engages young people so they are aware of the plight of the homeless,'' he said.
''Fifty per cent of homeless people in the area are 25 and under so it's so wonderful to have a cross section of students, young professionals and corporate types all pitching in.''
