Rapidly drawing to a close in a blur of neon, florals and sequins, the fourth day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia started onsite with the first of two New Generation shows showcasing some of Australia’s brightest young talent.
Left to right: Collecting Pretty Boys, Elliatt, Kahlo
Making their MBFWA debut before a packed house were Collecting Pretty Boys, Elliatt, Kahlo, Kristi Rose and Tovah, who were the standout label of the five for their luxe sportswear in pretty pastels and acid brights.
Left to right – Kristi Rose,Tovah
Iconic artist and designer Jenny Kee showcased a spectacular presentation of crazy bright patterns, transforming the Box space into a woodland cove dotted with her signature colourfully printed scarves. Styled by the quirky team of Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales from Romance Was Born, who added their unique sense of fun and whimsy to Kee’s designs, with giant twig headdresses and clever styling bringing to life her voluminous layered garments.
Having built a loyal following over the past couple of years, swimwear label We are Handsome also made their MBFWA debut on a special leopard print runway, with a collection of bold digital prints which have become their signature. Wild animals, ocean creatures and birds featured on their flatteringly cut swimwear, which is guaranteed to be the centre of attention on any beach.
Showing offsite at the decadent Paspaley pearls store in Martin Place, Aje’s abandoned shipwreck themed range was a sparkly success. Mermaid inspired dresses, heavy on the sequins and embellishments had a dishevelled edge and appropriately fishtailed skirts, making for a collection full of strong statement dresses.
Left to right – Jenny Kee, We are Handsome, Aje
Impressing the assembled audience with their creative flair, The top graduates from Sydney’s TAFE fashion design course nick-named ‘The Innovators’ took to the runway with a display of exceptional talent, that also reinforced the week’s trends of neon brights, peplums, floral prints and lots of embellishments. Young designer Kaylene Milner was announced as the winner of a $15,000 scholarship to do an internship with Diane Von Furstenberg in New York for her modern collection.
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Adding some ethnic spice to the week’s shows, Indian designer Roopa Pemmaraju presented a collection of luxury resort wear full of bold aboriginal inspired prints. Gorgeous Australian model Samantha Harris opened the show in a flowing navy maxi dress and was following by a stunning well-tailored procession of vibrant prints, earthy tones and bright pops of blue, fuchsia and orange in lady-like silhouettes.
A beautiful explosion of billowing rainbow bright gowns, Carl Kapp’s dramatic collection made everyone sit up and take notice as it floated down the runway. His amazing evening wear complemented by sharply tailored day wear in suiting and chic dresses, the hair looked to be inspired by Rooney Mara’s edgy bob.
The last show of the day was Christopher Esber, who created a dramatic panelled mirror maze in the Box space. It was the perfect backdrop for his striking minimalist collection which featured cleverly cut modern garments in white, blue and black shades with a focus on texture and beautiful fabrics.
Left to right – Roopa Pemmaraju, Carl Kapp, Christopher Esber
As the week goes on it’s been great that the days are getting a little less busy as fashion week fatigue sets in. Although today was another fantastic day filled with blooming bright colours, lots of sparkle and more amazing gowns. Spring/Summer is certainly going to be a colourful one this year, it seems popular designers like Mary Katrantzou (famous for her love of prints) have had a big impact on the rest of the world, with prints on prints even more popular this year as well.
The final day of MBFWA opens with an offsite show by Suboo and closes with a party by Fernando Frisoni.
– Evelyn Ebrey
Photo Credit MBFWA Image Gallery