Jennifer Lamiraqui

"The helmets were representative of the rebels and disorder in "A Clockwork Orange" while I used metallic sheens as these can make women look beautiful."

Avakian, who studied fashion in Italy and London, admitted his shift from tow truck driver to designer might seem rather odd but he put it down to one half of his Armenian family being panelbeaters and the other half dressmakers.

Feminine tailored shorts, silky satin tops and colorful flowing gowns appeared on the catwalk courtesy of Lisa Ho, who is worn by the likes of Jennifer Lopez while fashion house Zimmermann offered short summer dresses in floral patterns with folds and pleats.

Paris-based Michelle Jank presented a collection inspired by her work in India while Nicole Finetti's thigh-high dresses vied for attention with front-row celebrities such as actresses Mischa Barton and Miranda Otto and singer Danni Minogue.

Simon Lock, who founded Australian Fashion Week in 1995 but sold it to New York-based sports, lifestyle and marketing company IMG in 2005, said the increased number of celebrities in attendance was part of the event's growth.