Dyspnea’s Resort 2018 show involved a cruise on Sydney Harbour. Image courtesy of Getty Images.
All too quickly the last day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia shows rolled around with eight remaining presentations left on the schedule. After a colourful few days full of ruffles, sequins and all kind of prints, Day Four served up some brilliant shows which reinforced the trends of the week with high highlights including VMajor, Mariam Seddiq, Akira, Dyspnea, Akira and Romance Was Born.
Ten Pieces
The iconic Icebegs Pool in Bondi provided the stunning backdrop for the fifth collection by Ten Pieces titled Vertical Stripes 41 -50. The unisex label intends the pieces to be mixed and matched so you can wear one piece or 10, it was also a collaboration with Woolmark Company. The collection has a strong influence of modern day punk mixed with streetwear and featured clean lines in the key colours of black, white and bold red for a strong colour kick. Stand out styles included the white long hanging hoodies with black zips for a contrasting effect.
Raffles International Showcase Warrawut (left), Nara (centre), Carley Rose the Label (right)
The Raffles International Showcase saw seven talented emerging designers from Raffles College of Design and Commerce send ten ready-to-wear pieces each down the runway. Ashleigh Kwong, Carley Rose The Label, Ènve, Nara, Occupants, Warrawut and Whatev were the labels chosen to represent Raffles and each delivered their own unique style with a clear vision for their collections. One of the standouts was Nara whose womenswear pieces were inspired by the hippy American culture with design elements based on 1940s geometric cuts and detailing. Strong tailoring, neon brights and clever use of denim made this a collection to remember. Warrawut also impressed with a menswear collection influenced by French colonial architecture that felt cohesive and contemporary. The delicately beaded and very colourful collection of Carley Rose the Label was also noteworthy for its beautiful take on ethical womenswear.
Mariam Seddiq
Mariam Seddiq mixed contemporary sportwear with high fashion for an elegant monochromatic collection accented with pale pink. Her style incorporated architecture and art to deliver a strong design direction evident throughout the collection. Black abstract illustrations added a compelling layer to the pieces while Swarovski crystals heightened the glamorous evening looks. The collection ran the gamut of relaxed daywear in sporty styles to carefully constructed eveningwear that cleverly referenced sportswear in a refined way. Gorgeous full skirts and mini dresses were oh so covetable and the overall collection had a confident and sophisticated feel.
Vmajor
Vmajor came over from China to showcase their collection at MBFWA with designers Victor Zhu’s and Nicole Lin’s relaxed range a perfect match for the laid-back but chic Australian aesthetic. Their contemporary womenswear collection included lots of texture with fringing, tassels and frayed edges featuring on cleverly tailored dresses, wide-legged pants and shirting. Soft colours mixed with blues and olive worked beautifully on semi-sheer looks and helped the casually elegant feel of the collection.
Dyspnea
Their ain’t no party like a boat party and the Dyspnea crew took the fashion set out for a jaunt on the harbour to showcase their Resort collection. The brand is definitely for bold girls who love to stand out and Dyspnea delivered a fun, vibrant collection full of quirky ideas in pastel hues with pops of crimson and black. Loads of sheer looks meant this was not a range for the faint-hearted while a 90s club kid influence came across with all the tops and dresses accented with marabou and mesh.
Akira
Akira Isogawa’s eponymous brand has been evolving over the past couple of seasons into more androgynous looks that toy with sportwear influences. His Resort 2018 collection was a masterful range of strong pieces that demonstrated gender fluidity with the male and female looks mostly interchangeable hence the collection title “Duality”. Bold colours, stripes and abstract prints featured on relaxed pieces in contemporary silhouettes. Striped socks, baseball caps, JBL Everest headphones and Nike shoes enhanced the sporty feel while Japanese motifs, charming floral prints, sequins and appliqué details referenced the artistic aesthetic Akira has long been known for.
Strateas.Carlucci
There 90s vibes were strong at Strateas.Carlucci’s Resort 2018 show with designers Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci sending a collection full of PVC, plaid, denim and velvet down the runway. Boxy, over-sized shapes in everything from suiting to trenches were tied at the waist with cut-out details and ruching on shirts and dresses adding femininity. Denim was worn baggy with skater chains for a true 90s look while exaggerated sleeves and contemporary silhouettes kept things modern.
Romance Was Born
You can always count on Romance Was Born to produce a theatrical show that is memorable and engaging so they were the perfect choice to close the last day of shows in their own inimitable style. Titled Electro Orchid their Resort 2018 collection was a fringed, sequin-covered, tulle-infested delight with colourful look after colourful look taking to the eerily lit and orchid festooned runway. Unicorn horns, rainbow dresses and layers of frills add a sense of fun and frivolity that perfectly encapsulated the brand’s signature style. They even closed with an ethereal but somewhat creepy bride who had a Miss Havisham inspired feel before designers Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett delivered their bow to a crescendo of disco music.
Images courtesy of Stefan Gosatti/Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.