Saturdays Independent Runway, supported by Network Ten, was to be the last of the parades for L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. After a week of frocks, shocks and some fabulous fashion, the independent runway for up-and-coming and semi-established designers was to be a highlight of the week, placed somewhere between the official runway shows and the student showcase.
I took the opportunity to dress to the nine’s with a long dress, big hair and bold make up – a trend it seemed I copied from the catwalk before I even saw it. Channel Ten celebs were out in force; Video Hits’ Fuzzy and Neighbours boys Sam Clarke, Matthew Werkmeister and Jordan Smith while the Nervo twins rocked the room before the show.
Karen Webster spoke to everyone who stopped to congratulate her on another successful festival, her fifth and final go round. Karen really has bought the festival into the international spotlight, making LMFF the biggest consumer festival in the world, a massive achievement she should be very proud of.
And so the lights went down for the final time and the parade began with Alistair Trung designs. Fur coats cut like they should have adorned the floor straight from the animals back were actually quite nice (animal cruelty if applicable aside). Some models wore flat shoes (one of the only ones all week!) while draped jersey dresses in muted greys with halter and cowl necklines were divine. Males wore heavy black layers.
Thanh’s cute knits and cutaway dresses with drills were again featured in greys, overly long sleeves presented as warm and inviting, single shoulders continued the trend.
Designer Award nominee Lui Hon began with menswear and also featured fur coats tailored like rugs for the floor. Hooded jackets and harem pants were an odd combination that seemed to work before he ventured into womenswear with knit dresses that had cowl necks to the side. The leather layered wrap top belted with a velvet skirt was a highlight.
Magdalena Velevska used matte metallic for a grey dress with feature shoulders and just as I was beginning to think I had woken up in the early minutes of the Wizard of Oz with all this black and grey, acrid yellow pants and jackets appeared, then tangerine orange dresses in different styles including one shoulder and oversized shoulders. A brilliant jade blue dress with one shoulder completed her collection.
I had clearly woken up in Oz when Fool took to the runway – no black to be seen, and I LOVED it. Working with the colour spectrum yellow was paraded first, followed by red, hot pink, plum, blue, green and lime. Unusual head veils joined dresses with cut out circles and lots of layers. The collection was big, bold and brave, and futuristic in is simplicity by using such primary colours.
A hard act to follow, House of Baulch accessories dressed models in see through skin tight body suits to best highlight oversized neckpieces, headdresses and earrings. Black and gold were used heavily, a gold ladder necklace hanging to the waist and black fan earrings my favourites. This crazy collection was one of the most exciting yet.
Recent GPO tenant Alexi Freeman bought back print dresses in cream and black with matching leggings and coats. His jade green pussy bow blouse and dress are on my wish list, while the geometric prints and staple black coat were also good.
Men’s label Papillion showed clean cut blazers teamed with skinny jeans. The cut of the blazer had short lapels and high buttons, an unusual but interesting angle. Braces were seen, not for the first time this week, and skinny ties.
Daniela Orlando created georgous tarten style coats in purple and red, more leather was seen in dresses and thigh high boots while fur appeared again on sleeves of a jacket. Charming corporate white shirts and high waisted mini’s were very wearable for the office.
Of Cabbage and Kings has an extraordinary name but their collection was rather simple. Black and white striped shirts, printed halter dresses, a blue satin halter dress and more one shouldered dresses. The one shoulder dress trend scares me – I remember wearing that when I was 17!
KUWAII, featured in last years Spirit of the Black Dress competition, presented gorgeous 20s styling and patterns, prints and headscarfs, but did stick with a palette of blacks and grey with some olive green.
Pink leather waistcoats at Kylie Hawkes were popular, teamed with basic black top and grey pants. A grey military coat with pink embellishments rather than gold was divine and these colours continued through her collection. Silver shorts and a taupe and cream knit a highlight.
I love the name of the label, Who am eye, and I loved their collection. Grungy menswear with three quarter pants, army green jackets and black hoodies were great and the cream pants and shirt combo with army green jacket made me wish for a boy of my own to dress!
Label Above opened with a gorgeous open backed steel blue dress and continued with this colour and tan. The two tone shirt was unusual but seemed to work and a suit in taupe was perfect for your next business meeting.
Final designer Melanie Bower sashayed down the runway in cute print dresses, slate blue dresses with cut out side features, simple grey skirts and black on black layers. I felt the parade had come full circle from the black and grey of Kansas, to the wonderful colours of Oz and back to Kansas; Melbourne; back in black and safe and sound.
It doesn’t matter what anyone says – Black will always be the new black in Melbourne. I hope you have enjoyed the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion festival as much as I have.
