I have spent the past week living and breathing fashion. It is practically oozing from my pores and my head is a merry go round of shoes, shirts and skirts. From the very high-end designer product that is internationally acclaimed to the high street stores that serve the average Joe on a day-to-day basis – last week, I saw it all. The L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival takes place in March every year and is the largest consumer fashion festival in the world. The young, old, wealthy and skint flock to Melbourne to preview the coming Autumn/Winter fashion collections and drool over the stunning creations our clever designers have come up with. Not only did I stand in a puddle (of sweat) most of the week but I also gave up my day job to volunteer at the festival and experience what life is like behind the scenes.
As a fashionista without a platinum card, working with some of the most desirable fashion around is enough to make you want to hold up your local ATM with nothing more than a stiletto shoe and a fierce attitude. As covetable as our Aussie designer wares are, most of these garments are out of reach for you and I: garments we can only dream about even if we win the lottery. Designer Award winner Dion Lee, one of the most up and coming labels in Australian fashion, already sells garments for upwards of three figures and he is only just starting to make a name for himself. The established labels easily enter four figure territory and it doesn’t take long before a gorgeous designer outfit, shoes and accessories (as seen on the catwalk) is the same price as a house deposit or a small car.
I might not work in the fashion industry but I have a vested interest in it. I’m not about to be seen walking the streets of Melbourne in last seasons colours or tracksuit pants. It is still important to go to events in outfits that are on trend, with an injection of one’s own personality and in something that fits your budget. LMMF caters to this need as well; in 2010 it featured high street labels Forever New, Kookai and Review in Sidewalk Parades designed to show off affordable fashion and styling for the coming season.
But high street might still be out of your reach. What about Target? ‘Target?!?’ I hear you say. At an internationally acclaimed fashion event? Wait, perhaps this is some new label you haven’t heard of yet. Perhaps it is an upmarket men’s label, catering to the hunters of the world and featuring fur trimmed jackets and cargo pants. No, it’s not. I really mean Target, the red circle logo Target that you have grown up in, that you referred to as Tar-jay when you were a teen and that promises high fashion at low prices. Yes, that Target.
While I let you pick your jaw up off the floor, let me tell you a little about the Target show at this years’ LMFF. The Target Rocks Red Market has been an LMFF participant for a few years now, showcasing affordable fashion to the masses by hosting an event on the last weekend of the festival. With free entertainment, DJs, market stalls, food, styling workshops, a pop up shop and a high energy parade, the outdoor community event brings everyone from fashionistas to families, all keen to learn how they can look their best in this seasons’ trends at the best possible prices.
For the cost of a sleeve on a designer garment, Target puts together whole looks. They show you how it’s not about what you buy, but how you wear it, by taking a look at the coming trends and styling them to show just how easy it is to be fashionable on a budget. As a volunteer at this years Target Rocks Red Market, I was able to see looks being put together and check out the clothes on the rack and then on the models. After working with the designer gear for a week, I have to be honest and say the Target stuff wasn’t doing it for me on the rack. The instructions on how to dress the models were not nearly as complicated as the designer shows and perhaps I thought that meant they would be boring. I was wrong.
Stylist Virginia had created looks in four on trend categories for the season:
– hobo (all about layers)
– nautical (a bit preppy)
– night (something to dance in) and
– equestrian (corporate cool)
As the looks hit the runway, I imagine the crowd couldn’t believe what they were seeing. All of this – just from Target? As the models raced in and out of backstage area, throwing off garments and being redressed in the next look, I was put back in my box with the versatility of the clothes. Navy and white striped tops that were a feature of a nautical look easily translated to equestrian with a pair of black slacks and a blazer. Those same black slacks teamed with a sequined top were perfect for a night on the town. Dangly earrings from that look worked with the layers of hobo – where the navy and white striped top was dressed down with a white long sleeve tee, jeans and a wrap cardie. This circle of fashion went all afternoon. Boys weren’t forgotten either – jeans, hoodies and shirts could also be seen in all four on trend categories.
While the stylist had added some fun with sailor hats for the nautical theme and riding helmets for equestrian, the basics of fashion were all there for the audience to see. Basic fashion items, worn in a particular way, can create a designer look for a fraction of the cost of the real deal. If you are one of those ‘have to have designer’ fashionistas, why not choose one investment piece, like a coat or an amazing piece of jewellery, and save the rest of your pennies for a rainy day? Dress like a star at Target and you might just be able to afford a Dion Lee original one day.
Image credits: Brett Robson – Global Photographics
