Lisa Ho, Alex Perry named for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Models showcase designs by Lisa Ho on the catwalk during the Fashion Week Australia Review presented by Marie Claire as part of Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival Sydney 2012 at Town Hall on August 24, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Source: Supplied HOME grown fashion talent like Alex Perry, Lisa Ho, Romance Was Born, Aurelio Costarello, Camilla and Jayson Brunsdon have signed up to be part of the 18th Australian Fashion Week in April. Australian designers can spend well over $100,000 to produce a memorable fashion week show, hoping it will sway influential media and buyers to fall in love with their brand. And in the current, volatile fashion market, any kind of outlay has to be worth the fiscal effort. With the Spring/Summer Collection shows being an invitation-only event, the fussing over front row placements is beginning in earnest as many designers start firming up promotional and PR support, just so their message doesn't get lost in the rush. Other Australian names opting for a runway twirl this year include Ginger & Smart, Manning Cartel, Alice McCall, We Are Handsome, Bec & Bridge and Michael Lo Sordo. With new dates - the week starts on April 8, the day after the Logie awards - and a new venue in Sydney, "Carriageworks," the week is planning on embracing fashion, art and culture with varied programs running off the catwalk too. "IMG Fashion is thrilled with the exciting new additions and upgrades made possible by the move of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia to Carriageworks," said Jarrad Clark, Director of Global Production, IMG Fashion Events and Properties. By pioneering original digital innovations, and building on the success of previous seasons, we continue to provide an internationally recognized platform for Australian designers, ensuring increased exposure to a worldwide audience. The new event venue, which was formerly at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, will house three showrooms with world-class facilities including a traditional runway space that will work alongside multi-purpose spaces called The Box and The Theatre. This year, there will be a purpose built onsite photo studio, which will mean designers can shoot their "look books" immediately following their show. The new approach will also go beyond the new event space, with global social media channels planning on streaming shows and front row action directly to the world within seconds of it taking place. This year, naming partner Mercedes-Benz is joined by the NSW Government through tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW as well as Maybelline New York, DHL, Redken, Pullman Hotels, oOh!, City of Sydney, Carriageworks, Peroni, Tempus Two, Acqua Panna and Fresh Catering. Twitter: @melissahoyer