The 2015 Adelaide Fashion Festival presented by Mercedes-Benz Adelaide is kicking off today with a new facelift and a program glittering with new faces.

You might have noticed that the Adelaide Fashion Festival looks and feels a little different this year – that’s because it is.

In previous years, the festival has been run by the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters. This year, however, the State Government have taken control of the festival with the aim to catapult local fashion onto the world stage.

“Designers, the local industry and government have joined together to proudly showcase the best of South Australian fashion,” General Manager of Events South Australia, Hitaf Rasheed, says.

The festival, which began in 2008, has been a launching point of some of Adelaide’s most successful fashion designers, including Jamie Sortino, Melanie Flintoft (Australian Fashion Labels) and Paul Vasileff (Paolo Sebastian). Each year the festival debuts a talented crop of emerging designers, with this year’s festival following suit. However, what also makes this year all the more exciting is that this year, many successful, established South Australian designers and businesses are being welcomed into the festival.

Some popular first timers taking part in the festival this year are Tiff Manuell, Naomi Murrell and Sally Phillips – all of which are hugely popular both locally and nationally.

Tiff Manuell’s art and accessories have a cult following within the state, but the local designer will be debuting her first bespoke clothing collection in a standalone show.

Similarly, jewellery label, Naomi Murrell Designs, will join the festival for the first time showcasing their new Summer 2015/16 clothing collection, Soft Serve, at the Ready To Wear show.

“I feel very lucky to have been selected to present our clothing and jewellery on a runway for the first time,” Naomi Murrell says.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about the theatre of fashion and to contribute to the culture of design in this city.

“Everyone in our team works incredibly hard throughout the year to bring our creative vision to life, and it’s nice to have moments like these to stop and say, ‘Hey! Wow, we did this together and it’s pretty ace!’”

Established designer, Sally Phillips, has been a local favourite for years, but will showcase her label at the Adelaide Fashion Festival for the first time at the Sally Phillips Runway on Hindmarsh Square Thursday afternoon.

Sally says she’s thrilled that local fashion creatives are being presented on a platform that reaches national and international standards – a platform that celebrates designers for their hard work and dedication.

And whilst designers such as Naomi, Tiff and Sally have been killing it in Adelaide for a while now, new kids on the block Lexi Clothing and Acler will be showing their goods too.

Catherine Maglaris says her team at couture label Lexi Clothing is excited to show for the first time in their hometown, especially at a time when the festival is newly revamped.

Launched in July 2015, Acler (AKA Australian Fashion Labels Alumni Kathryn Forth and Julia Ritorto) will showcase at one of the festival’s most highly anticipated events, A Night of Fashion at the Art Gallery.

Kathryn says it is a privilege to be a part of such a beautiful event.

“We love that Acler’s designs will be showcased in a space occupied by some of the worlds greatest artistic influencers.”

Funny she should say that, because we at CityMag think that South Australia’s designers have the potential to become some of the world’s greatest fashion influencers.

Heck, we’ll say it. Some of them already are.