Models took to the catwalk on Tuesday night for the second official runway show at the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. Held at the Peninsula Central Pier on Melbourne’s Docklands, the show offered a bass-heavy, electronic soundtrack and colourful lighting ranging from strong blue to red washes. Models walked from one end of the very long catwalk and weaved around vertical strapping leaning against the runway.
Featuring some of Australia’s leading designers, the show included collections by Romance Was Born, Ellery, Friedrich Gray, Antipodium, Gary Bigeri, Arnsdorf, Dion Lee and Therese Rawsthorne.
The show opened with a striking long-sleeved red knit dress from Romance Was Born and boasted an interesting arrangement of gold embellishment across the front of the garment. The collection demonstrated an array of art-inspired prints and lots of detail on the sleeve from ruffles and reinforced shoulders to embellished and frilled varieties.
Ellery displayed a liking towards the one-shouldered style dress and presented a variety of colours in this design ranging from soft greys to a bright tangerine red. Dresses were generally super-short in this collection and were teamed with thigh-high black leather boots to complete the look.
Illustrating a very dark theme were designs by Friedrich Gray, with black playing a key role in each garment. The collection also leant towards a strong representation of ripped and worn styles, incorporating subtle hues of blue and grey against stark black pieces teamed with shredded tights and frayed hemming. An oversized grey knit jumper worn over skin-tight black pants suggested the relaxed style seen across this collection.
Antipodium impressed with a range of floaty fabrics in earthy tones and glittered garments playing on a contrast between a laid-back casual look with a touch of glamour. A notable outfit that demonstrated the effortless use of muted shades and free flowing fabric was a simple black tee with soft mushroom brown shorts, finished off with a cream jacket and a chunky pair of tan boots by Wittner.
A prominent focus on pale pinks and grey was evident in Gary Bigeni’s collection. Soft, body-hugging, lycra-type fabrics were a major focus for dresses that demonstrated a flattering fit. The closing garment was a simple but very elegant pale peach boat-neck dress with multiple layers of fabric on the back hem, creating a feminine silhouette.
Arnsdorf revealed a modern take on a sophisticated look, with structured tailoring and sleek lines throughout. Key colours used included a charcoal grey, dark tan and a couple splashes of crimson red. Fabrics ranged from knits, to velvet and sheer silks. A prominent piece was a bright red figure-hugging mini dress with drooping long sleeves.
Designer Award winner Dion Lee demonstrated a talent for meticulous tailoring, creative layering and interesting cut outs and tucks in fabrics. Incorporating a palette of black, grey, dark blue and lots of off-white and beige, the collection paid attention to the finer details as seen in pleats, ruching and layering of textured fabrics throughout. A stand out piece was a cut-out style dress in a combination of soft white and beige with silver strapping across the chest.
Therese Rawsthorne closed the show and displayed an assortment of colours and styles suggesting her capability to cater to a broad fashion taste. Generally, a lot of milky tones in grey, ivory and white were used in soft, delicate fabrics. A dark blue cloud print against white was applied to a puckered skirt and frilled dress, while lace detail was incorporated on other garments highlighting feminine detail. A key item was a bold sleeveless black dress with a racer back that accentuated the bell-shaped bottom half of the garment; a very elegant yet chic look for the winter wardrobe.
Image credits: Brett Robson – Global Photographics
