Halfway through fashion week and this is the reality; feet are starting to hurt, people are tired and champagne hazes are becoming a permanent fixture. But the show must go on and Thursday night’s parade did, proving to be my favourite of the week thus far. Over ten designers were set to show on Thursday evening, parading a selection of wearable and affordable fashions for the Australian man and woman.
The catwalk had changed ever so slightly from the previous evenings’ parades, adding a wall of curtain from which models appeared and disappeared spontaneously. I heard this proved a nightmare for volunteers assigned to steaming the yards of fabric but they should know the effect was fabulous, with coloured and strobe lighting creating a visual feast behind the curtain.
LIFEwithBIRD opened the parade with six dresses, all variations of apricot and pink tones, lots of ruffles and trimmed with black. Lucy McIntosh again graced the runway and models wore shorts, trench coats and more digital prints. Digital prints have been heavily used this season and I definitely feel this is a trend to follow.
Girly favourite Alice McCall’s floral dresses gave me a Sound of Music vibe – a gorgeous fabric but perhaps better suited to curtains or the couch? Fabrics with interesting textures made up dresses, skirts and shorts. The playsuit in navy with cut-outs was very cute.
Boys finally got their moment in the sun at Leopold, with a nautical feel navy jacket with white trim. Casual looks with white pants have been big on men this year as have checked shirts, prominently in greens and blues.
Lucy McIntosh and 3 models then walked in elegant cocktail dresses – Lucy in cobalt blue with the others in green, turquoise and yellow – creating a lovely colour story for the show.
Bettina Liano also used apricot and ruffles, opening with a halter neck dress with a cut out section at the back, a clever use of tailoring. Variations of this dress with sleeves and as a top followed, together with the trademark denim. A final candy pink dress reminded me of a 60s nightie – lingerie dressing!
Seventies inspired Nevenka bought us long sleeve maxi dresses with beautiful prints and colours. Oranges, browns, golds and yellows were featured, paisleys and sheer fabrics while white maxi and mini dresses also took on the ‘nightie’ feel. A final dress, a white sundress with cut-outs, was a highlight.
Personal favourite Gorman did not disappoint with organic fabrics and 50s styles. The handmade flowers attached to garments gave them a country feel and contribute to the ‘handmade, organic’ quality of the label. A polka dot (of different sizes) dress with a cap sleeve and full skirt was my pick of the night. Fun, flirty and feminine.
While the lighting changed, Obus took to the runway with Lucy McIntosh in a grey pantsuit and turquoise top, teamed with a yellow clutch. The 70s trend continued with oranges, browns, pale denim, greens, khaki, turquoise and mustards. High praise for the blue dress with orange floral print – the perfect balance of 70s and today.
Arabella Ramsay followed where colour was also the order of the day. Yellows, greens, lemon, burgundy and navy synced beautifully to create a collection full of summer dresses with spring like patterns, before moving into embellished mini dresses, beaded eveningwear and a floor-length white lace dress, perfect for a beach or garden bride.
Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love was remixed for Manning Cartell, where my first impressions were the earrings, large moulded black plastic hoops by Alexandra Blak. The collection was more toned-down than the previous labels and was more black, white and silver, but did include a ‘paint splatter’ type print and a cornflower blue dress that was very pretty.
Nicolangela also used black and white, opening with a striped dress I may have to think about for the races. A dress featuring a ‘frill necked lizard’ collar was a steel blue-silver and was followed by Lucy McIntosh in a halter dress of the same colour. Pale pink and apricot continued before a finale dress in black with diamante accessory details led perfectly into the final designer for the evening.
Wayne Cooper might have had some personal issues in his life but it has not affected his ability to design beautiful dresses and eveningwear. The silver-blue trend was confirmed as four models walked in dresses of the same ilk with ruffles at the neck, waist and sides. A weak Turkish coffee strapless dress with full skirt followed by floor length evening dresses in classic black led into Lucy McIntosh wearing the final dress of the evening – a one shoulder floor length evening dress with ruffle across the top.
Thursday night trends were very different to the wonder that was Wednesday night but I think we can safely say apricot, together with lilac, will be big this spring and that anything not ruffled won’t be worth your time. Visit Mum’s wardrobe for some 70’s cast offs – you are looking for traditional colours to team with modern pieces, not tragic cast offs, and work your look with basics.
