Sydney is buzzing with excitement as the local and international fashion set descend on Redfern’s Carriageworks for another week of chic fashion and eye-opening creativity.
Ellery kicked things off on Sunday night with a theatrical presentation in their signature dramatic style featuring the exaggerated silhouettes, luxurious fabrics and high fashion elegance which has seen the label gain a cult following overseas. Veiled ballerinas added a Black Swan touch to proceedings with a confetti finale finishing off a suitably strong showing from the brand.
Ellery
Monday was the first proper day of shows and Australian raised, but New York based label Tome were the first show of the day. The speakers pumped out chilled music to match the relaxed but confident style of their spring/summer collection as models processed the runway in a series of fresh looks influenced by the season’s muse Sylvia Plath.
Flowing, feminine garments were balanced with more clean-line structured looks for a style that referenced the past but is inherently modern. Roomy culottes and trenches were key elements to this collection that also had a slightly masculine feel, with an emphasis on the details in the form of pleats and tie backs to emphasise the waist. Crystal-mesh dresses lifted the stakes to present a high level of glamour.
Tome
Strateas Carlucci were up next and showed a strong, structured collection to appeal to both sexes. It was a sophisticated range of sombre hues in over-sized silhouettes with dashes of cream, khaki and a bronze brocade to keep things interesting.
This collection was all about tailored suiting and coats with a seventies influence clear in the wide-legged trousers and longer coats which fell to the knee or below. Their second MBFWA show definitely had an international appeal with the wintry feel no doubt aimed at capturing the northern hemisphere market as well.
Strateas Carlucci
The beautiful international crystal brand Swarovski opted for a lovely sit down lunch to showcase their summer collection. Guests had the opportunity to get up close and see the dazzling new collection first-hand which was fantastic to observe the glittering details. The setting was opulent with divine flowers filling the room and making for a heavenly scent. The dessert platter contained a chocolate ring with gold dust for spectacular charm.
Swarovski continue to push boundaries that see them grow as a global leader in the crystal industry.
Swarovski
Savvy Sydneysiders Bec and Bridge have adapted their successful womenswear label to now include swimwear, which they debuted as part of their spring/summer collection. Taking the fashion set on a trip from the Amazonian jungle to dusky Morocco, their range featured warm hues of copper, burgundy and muted blues accented with gold to stunning effect.
Their signature body-con style with cut-out features lent itself nicely to relaxed separates, perfect party dresses and slightly skimpy swimwear with a seventies vibe. The knee-high strappy gladiator heels added to the sex appeal of the short hemlines and bronzed bodies on the runway.
Bec and Bridge
Sister duo Watson X Watson were up next and presented a gorgeous collection which went from softly bohemian to seductively chic. They opened with a sweet patchwork blanket look in hues of blue including floral prints and stripes accented with a silver thead, the look perfectly complemented the auburn hair of model of the moment Madison Stubbington.
The outfits that followed were relaxed and wearable with creams and blues making for a fresh, summery feel. The day to night aspect of the collection came into play as the looks changed into sleeker tailored pieces with sleeveless silk jackets and shimmery silver lace leading to a stunning finale outfit in the form of a flowing scarlet silk dress with delicate straps. The collection was perfectly complemented by dazzling Fielsol jewellery in silver which is from an upcoming collaboration with Watson X Watson.
Watson X Watson
Designer Johnny Schembri of By Johnny delivered a fun vibe to the catwalk with his futuristic eye for style. His modern direction created a dynamic mix of vibrant runway dresses with sleek feminine silhouettes. A bold use of colour with graphic prints captured a fresh spin for summer. Yet, consumers do not have to wait till summer to get their hands on a piece from the collection as there are already six pieces available at Myer in Australia. His stunning garments are definitely attention-seeking and not for the faint-hearted.
By Johnny
Channelling a modern-day shepherdess, macgraw presented a beautiful collection of feminine pieces with a quirky charm for their second outing at MBFWA. A special rosy-pink runway set the tone for a suitably sweet range which opened with cute collared monochromatic dresses and separates before mixing in stripes, plaids and hues of blue and pink.
The range had a sixties vibe with high collars adding a Victorian feel, heightened by the mostly lady-like skirt lengths. It’s clear that sister duo Tess and Beth were having great fun with this collection and their glittery pink and black t-bar shoes were definitely eye-catching and enhanced the fresh femininity of their range.
macgraw
At AJE the audience was transported back in time to an ancient monastery as models entered the catwalk in front of a huge alter lit by candles. Their collection was full of beautiful embellished and embroidered garments with old school charm. Sequined dresses made an impact and are sure to be seen on the red carpet with a fabulous mix of black and gold. There was also a street-wise appeal with the sleeveless belted trench coats a must-have look for summer.
AJE
Daniel Avakian delivered a modern, functional collection with sharp tailoring, featuring full-length garments that loosely draped for a relaxed style. Strapless summer tops with triangle sleeve holes were a hit trend on the runway. Bikinis also stole the show and he added sexy little triangle cropped jackets to create a new beachside cool. There was a solid colour palette of nude, black and white with an additional colour punch of lemon and navy to add interest.
Daniel Avakian
Get ready for a new spin on the popular sports luxe trend courtesy of Ashkar Line. Well-known Australian model Samantha Harris led the charge with a collection exploring urban cool. The garments oozed a relaxed sporty style that point to an ease of wearability. It was all in the detail with backless shirts, long flowing skirts over pants and slouchy tailoring that made this collection a stand-out. The stunning silks in gorgeous bright hues gave the dresses a beautiful flowing appeal.
Ashkar Line
Gary Bigeni has come a long way since he first showed on the MBFWA runway a decade ago, making his debut in the New Generation show in 2005. You could see the maturation in his style as his collection graced the runway with relaxed fits in crisp hues of white and blue replacing the crazy brights in more form-fitting styles that he used to be known for. Modern shirting was the order of the day with blue obi waist ties making for interesting accents while relaxed skirts and trousers moved fluidly to create interesting full shapes flowing down the runway.
Gary Bigeni
Closing the first day with an off-site show, Serpent and the Swan, transformed a warehouse space in St Peters into a blue-lit and dusty show space to present their androgynous collection. A beautiful performer clad in a long black velvet dress provided the live vocals for the show which echoed throughout the concrete space. The collection of mens and womenswear featured lots of monochromatic looks accented with mesh, fringing and black leather harnesses. The look was alternative but wearable with a shell motif featuring on t-shirts and lots of shirting for both sexes.
Serpent and the Swan
After a busy day of clever shows, it’s already clear that blues, whites and blacks will be popular this coming summer with the sleeveless jacket definitely trending on the runway so far too.
By Evelyn Ebrey and Craig Lawson
Imagery: MBFWA 15 Gallery