Oscar de la Renta’s beautiful bride and flower girls on the MBFWA runway. Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images.
The final day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia arrived all too quickly, but the event had saved some spectacular new talent and one pretty amazing ending for the sixth day of shows, with fabled New York fashion house, Oscar de la Renta, closing the week.
Next Generation designers Anna Quan (left), Holystone (centre) and Kaliver (right).
First up was the St George Next Generation show which is designed to launch a new generation of fashion designers into the spotlight by showcasing their creativity on the widely watched fashion week runway. Kaliver, shone brightly on the runway with a beautiful collection of stunning, playful designs for women. They also brought the glamour with lace mesh tops and gowns in pastel hues of nude, pink and purple. A dog print with some wearing glasses was a fun idea and would sure to be adored by animal lovers. Leather head-to-toe is how this label rolls – introducing Holystone. Renee Sealey is the designer behind the brand and creates full leather looks with a sense of mystery. Leather jackets, dresses and even a red bikini were featured in her collection. Third Form were also a standout for their sleek, modern collection which was minimalist and sophisticated. Labels Anna Quan, Jason Hewitt and Monster Alphabets also impressed the crowd with their designs.
House of Cannon
Each House of Cannon collection is inspired by a different city around the world and for Resort 2017 they chose Detroit, which was the home of America’s automotive industry until the global financial crisis left it in ruin. A car motif featured heavily in the collection and was also printed down the centre of the runway in rainbow hues which matched some of the relaxed fit dresses and separates paraded upon it. Focussing on digital prints, House of Cannon’s offering was colourful and confident with dandelions and astronauts also featuring on the layered looks for men and women.
Frederick Jenkyn (left), Jessica Van (centre) and Ipsen (right) from The Innovators show.
The Innovators show is presented by Sydney’s Fashion Design Studio and showcased the talents of seven of it’s top students who all presented different perspectives and styles of fashion. Frederick Jenkyn’s juxtaposition of textiles caught our eye with his clever use of pleating and fringing making for strong looks. Jessica Van’s creative use of natural fibres made for some striking daywear and evening looks that were beautifully tailored. Ipsen brought theatrics to the runway that were Lady Gaga worthy with exaggerated fringing, body stockings and face masks making for some dramatic looks. Kakopieros also went the dramatic route with BDSM accessories and spikes making for some truly fierce fashion. Ahman Taufik, Mandem and Oxblood also drew applause for their inventive collections too.
Robert Kennedy Fiji (left), Rachel Fairfax Designs (centre) and Jo Kilda (right) at the Pacific Resort show.
Pacific design was in limelight as five designers showcased a mix of street through to evening wear on the runway. First up, Model Citizen delivered a fierce collection for men and women. Key pieces included fleecy streetwear and hoodies with zipped detail. Rachel Fairfax Designs presented a lovely evening wear collection of dresses and frocks. The floor length lace designs popped in the hue of luscious red and they’re sure to turn heads. Robert Kennedy Fiji showcased a beautiful resort collection of asymmetrical dresses, flowing tops and shorts that would look perfect by the pool or on the beach. There was a lovely Fijian print that tied the collection nicely. Large shell necklaces and flowered headpieces added that extra pop. Jo Kilda went for lacey, feminine designs while Marika Deku went for monochromatic metallics and striped looks.
De La Motte (left), Gemma Saccasan (centre) and Chaddie (right) from the Raffles show.
Raffles College of Design and Commerce sent seven of their brightest emerging designers to wow the guests at MBFWA. Chaddie had a sleek collection by rising fashion star Chad Nguyen. He designs for women combining traditional couture techniques with modern wearability. He featured long-lined jackets, pant suits and floor length figure-hugging dresses. Gemma Saccasan showcased a beautiful collection titled ‘The Garden Which Speaks Of Happiness’. The silhouettes were feminine and sophisticated with pastel hues adding a touch of class. Lovely hand painted prints made sure her designs stand out. De La Motte designs for both sexes but since menswear has been a bit thin on the ground at MBFWA, it was great to see some fresh ideas for the guys. Her hand-painted prints that were splashed on white shirts and pants made for eye-catching results. This was the artwork of Australian artist and her mother Gillian de la Motte. Designs by Iva Pfeiffer, Leah Williams, Jraa Code and Queency Yustiawan also made an impression on the runway.
Oscar de la Renta
MBFWA scored quite a fashion coup this year with iconic New York brand, Oscar de la Renta, arriving via Etihad Airways to deliver their summer collection to close the week. Established in 1965, the fashion house is hugely influential and was showing on the the Sydney runway for the first time to a packed house of fashion fans. Designer Peter Copping had created a sublime collection of gorgeous pieces which included daywear and eveningwear in flattering feminine silhouettes with delicate beading and exquisite embellishments. Classic Oscar de la Renta shapes with matching footwear and accessories took to the runway in a rainbow of winsome hues with florals a strong feature in the range. We couldn’t get enough of the sumptuous gowns which were no doubt the most glamorous garments of the week and as is the old couture tradition the show closed with a radiant bride accompanied by two adorable flower girls. It was a truly glorious collection of covetable pieces and a show that would have had even the most hardened fashion critics sighing with delight at the beauty of it all. A divine end to a fabulous week of fashion.
By Evelyn Ebrey & Craig Lawson.
Photos by Graham Denholm, Stefan Gosatti, Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.