Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Will Support Steven Kahlil at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will support Australian Designer Steven Kahlil's Grand Showcase runway at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival with a live orchestral performance this Friday 7 March at 8.30pm.

The Grand Showcase: Steven Khalil – the only solo show in the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival's Premium Runway Series – will showcase the sumptuous and bespoke gowns of the renowned Steven Kahlil, alongside the live MSO performance. This landmark event brings together two iconic Melbourne cultural institutions to create an opulent artistic experience for festival-goers.

Leaning into the fashion theme, Stephen Newton (double bass) will be wearing clothing designed from the MSO's 2024 'Fashion Capsule' project by students from RMIT's Fashion and Textiles Industry Placement Project course, which includes students from the Bachelor of Fashion Design Honours and Masters of Fashion Design.

RMIT Fashion Design students were tasked with creating a fashion capsule for MSO musicians that fits their specific performance needs, creates a sense of consistency across a mix of ages, shapes and genders - while also being flexible enough to allow each musician to express their individuality with their own wardrobe.

The capsule needed to have a strong Melbourne identity and be sustainable - the designs beautiful, unique, distinctive and of a high quality, yet functional, durable, ethical and unisex.

MSO Director of Brand & Communications Jayde Walker said: “The partnerships between the MSO, PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival and RMIT will bear fruit on the Festival's Premium Runway this Friday, joining together in a stunning, contemporary and multisensory experience that will thrill music and fashion lovers.

“We are especially delighted that musician Stephen Newton will wear RMIT student-designed clothing that delivers a strong modern visual of the Orchestra, showcasing the diverse, dynamic mix of music and musicians who represent both the present and the future of classical music.”

During the Grand Showcase: Steven Khalil runway, the MSO ensemble will perform music from English alt-rock band Keane (Somewhere only we know), English electronic music group Clean Bandit (Rather Be) and global superstar Taylor Swift (Wildest dreams).