Backstage At Melbourne Fashion Festival 2025 With Top Hair & Makeup Artists

Go backstage with Viva beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti as she surveys the hottest looks at this year’s Melbourne Fashion Festival.

In its 31st year, the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival was a vibrant celebration of the edgy and eclectic. The event marked three decades of championing the Australian fashion industry, since it first began in 1994.

Across 15 days, from February 22 to March 8, the festival programme included more than 100 events. This spanned exhibitions, talks, workshops, and runway shows every evening.

As the country’s largest consumer fashion event, Melbourne Fashion Festival seeks to shine a light on Australia’s established and emerging designers, with a view to celebrating the diversity and creativity of the local fashion landscape.

This year’s festivities were held inside the iconic Royal Exhibition Building and its surrounds, a Unesco World Heritage-listed building known for its intricate 19th century architecture and well-manicured gardens.

Across the week, hair and makeup maestros hustled to create runway-ready hair and commanding makeup looks. Viva beauty editor Ash Cometti joined them behind the scenes to find out how to get the looks and the products they used to create them. Read on for her backstage diary.

Backstage with Lara Srokowski, beauty director for Lancome

Show Schedule: Opening Night Runway, National Designer Award x David Jones, Steven Khalil and more.

Models relaxed in bean bags, eating dinner, and hair and makeup teams casually chatted in between applying the final touches.

I’d questioned whether I’d just arrived at the right time, hair and makeup mostly done, but Lancome beauty director Lara Srokowski assured me it had been quiet the entire time.

“It’s been quite calm backstage tonight, but we’re ready for the chaos of the week,” she tells me, adding she and the Lancome team are working on 10 shows throughout the week, with 30 models apiece.

A suite of skincare in full view, including the Renergie H.C.F Triple Serum and newly reimagined Genefique Ultimate which is now housed in a refillable bottle.

“Tonight we’re all about the Lancome signature skin, which is the perfect look for the opening runway show,” Lara says. “We’ve created our beautiful skin using Genefique Ultimate and Renergie H.C.F Triple Serum. To capture the luminosity of the skin we’ve actually mixed a little bit of the Genefique Ultimate in with foundation for that second skin finish.”

Leaning in to that clean girl aesthetic, Lara adds that some models’ skin didn’t call for foundation, so instead the team pinpointed with concealer and kept the rest of the skin fresh. In lieu of blush, Lara worked with Lancome Lip Idole on the cheeks as blush and on lips for a monochromatic look. Powder was noticeably absent, too, to ensure skin appeared healthy and hydrated.

“The look was more about really embodying the model’s natural beauty. We wanted to make sure the makeup was complimentary to the clothing so we wanted to elevate that with clean girl look. This is the most natural look of the week, it’s very signature for Lancôme,” Lara says.

Healthy, hydrated skin and fresh foundation finishes would continue through the week, Lara says, but with a few statement elements thrown in.

This includes a twist on a classic feline flick, as seen at the National Designer Award x David Jones show, where eyeliner was traced along the lower waterline before flicking up towards the temples.

At Steven Khalil, it was all about elevated beautiful winged liner, while wine-stained lips reigned at the Glam Up runway show, and orange-toned eyes and ombre lips spanning plum, red and nude.

Lara’s makeup trend predictions for autumn

“I’m scared to say it but the 90s brow. The skinny brows are coming back in a major way. Even on the last show they wanted us to block out natural brows and draw a skinny brow back on. There’s a lot of 90s inspiration still. One trend I’m really loving is that barely-there lash look. It’s about a more defined lash but with less mascara, which is where Lancome Lash Idole is really good, or even a brown mascara.”

Backstage with Kelly Manu, editorial hairstylist

Show Schedule: Back in Blak and Menswear Edit

Auckland-based editorial hairstylist and L’Oreal Professionnel artist Kelly Manu brought her same effervescent energy backstage when directing the hair looks for the two shows held tonight.

It was the second time Kelly attended the MFF, after making her debut in 2024 where she directed hair for the National Designer Awards x David Jones show, as well as working backstage for the week with the L’Oreal Professionnel education team. She’s also flexed her expertise backstage during four seasons of New York Fashion Week.

“Prior to 2020, I had worked on four seasons of NYFW, and while there was a little break after that, it’s been amazing to get back into it with Paris Fashion Week in 2023 and now Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2024 and 2025,” Kelly says.

This year, she directed hair looks for both the Back in Blak and Menswear Edit, an honour she says wasn’t lost on her. “It’s such an achievement to direct shows internationally, and I felt proud and inspired to be a part of it. Being in Australia with such a fantastic support team really makes the whole experience feel even more special,” she says.

“What I love most about working backstage at runway shows is the energy and collaboration that happens in such a fast-paced environment. It’s always so exciting to see everything come together, especially knowing how much work goes into creating the final look. Honestly, it’s my happy place – there’s nothing like the buzz and adrenaline rush of being backstage!”

It was all about textured hair at Back in Blak, a welcome return to a more natural, lived-in look than the sleek locks from years prior. Everything from curly afros to natural ringlets or S-bend waves were visible on the runway. “It’s all about showcasing natural textures and having fun with it,” Kelly says.

Products used were tailored to suit hair types, with Kelly adding: “To pump up the hydration for our curly girls, we’ll be using L’Oreal Professionnel Siren Waves and Liss Control Serum to keep the hair soft and defined.”

“Some models will have messy top knots with a few micro braids, which is very cool Gen Z vibes, and to achieve that lived-in tousled look, we’ll use L’Oreal Professionnel Morning After Dust,” she says.

“For the Menswear Edit, the vibe is all about that iconic Britpop look – think the Gallaghers, Ian Brown, and Damon Albarn,” Kelly says.

“The hair is brushed forward with lots of texture and a slightly shaggy mod vibe. We’ll be dampening the hair down with L’Oreal Professionnel Beach Waves to encourage the natural curl, then finishing it off with a bit of L’Oreal Professionnel Air Fix. Using our hands to blow dry, we’ll create cool little flick-outs and texture, giving it that effortless, edgy look.”

Kelly’s backstage survival guide

A hot tip for budding hairstylists

Keen to work backstage? Kelly shares her hot take on what to expect when you’re new to the scene.

“I’d recommend focusing on building both your speed and versatility. The more adaptable you are with different hair types and styles, the more valuable you’ll be backstage. But honestly, the key to succeeding is having a great attitude and a willingness to jump in. Your first few shows will likely involve tasks like handing up pins or assisting, which is a great opportunity to get a feel for the flow of the environment. Don’t expect to touch the hair on your first go - use that time to learn the ropes, observe, and connect with other hairstylists. Being a strong assistant is incredibly valuable, and trust me, most people don’t realise just how important that role is!”