Flinders Lane was once the thumping heart of a grinding, crazy, mischievous and, occasionally, glamorous industry – the rag trade. Jammed every day for much of last century with frock racks, gossiping rag traders and big dreams, Flinders Lane was home to an incredible community of immigrants and migrants. A community where everybody also knew everybody else's business, and that wasn't just clothes.

To this day many Melburnians have fond memories of this wonderful time in our history. Now Producers Julie Eckersley (Glitch, The Family Law) and Bethany Jones (Molly, The Unknown Patient) are developing a bold, stylised television series about the fashion world of Flinders Lane and the rich immigrant heart that beat within it.

To capture the true spirit and vibrancy of the time, the producers are inviting those who intimately know Flinders Lane to be part of the creative process. "We wanted to start our creative development with a public event that celebrates and acknowledges those who lived this history and what they contributed to Australia's fashion industry and our success as a multicultural nation,” says Eckersley.

This event is a free online public event looking at Melbourne fashion's unique history and the dreams and desires that drove some of Australia's early fashion entrepreneurs. The panel discussion will also include a fashion show of original pieces created in Flinders Lane.

This event features curated interviews from Lesley Sharon Rosenthal, author of "Schmattes: stories of fabulous frocks, funky fashion and Flinders Lane", Katherine Pakula whose father worked at Ada of California swimwear company in the early 1950s and Lux Lang & Co, Tom McEvoy, fashion anthropologist-specialist of 20th century Australian fashion and Jan Trott who worked for designer Elvie Hill. NB Prue Acton, ordinary included above as a panelist, sadly is no longer unable to attend.

This presentation is supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Grants.