Last week not only welcomed the beginning of Spring but also Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. Whilst the weather gods did not bless us with much sunshine we were blessed with some amazing fashion to look forward to this Spring/Summer.
I attended quite a few events and shows during the festival, all of which were professionally run and some even free! One of my favourite things to do at fashion events is actually watch what others are wearing, off the catwalk. What I saw was a lot of black (no surprises here, this is Melbourne) big heels, big shoulders, black opaques, blazers and fringes! This was an overwhelming trend I noticed at the runway shows- brunettes with long, straight hair and a blunt fringe. I’ve tried the blunt fringe numerous times because I love this look, but I’ve realised that to keep your fringe that straight and that perfect requires too much diligence (and my cowlick doesn’t help matters).
And now to the trends on the catwalk. There were a lot of neutrals or ‘nudes’ as they are being called ( cream, blus h, apricot, beige, shell, ivory) in the form of evening gowns, cocktail dresses, draped blouses, jackets and shoes. Most neutrals were worn head to toe, including the amazing peach suit by Yeojin Bae, seen below.
One trend that I have to say I was relieved to see make a return, was the knee length skirt and dress. For a few seasons now it seems that hems have just got shorter and shorter, and for anyone over 25 (well, maybe 30 if you’re lucky) this has ruled out a lot of fabulous, bare legged fashion. Designs by Collette Dinnigan, Thurley, Arthur Galan, Lisa Ho and Nevenka all displayed a welcome return to the knee length.
Prints were popular, mainly in silk, as was lace and details such as sequins, embroidery and beading. I attended a Designer Style Studio event at Melbourne’s GPO with Cheryl Cartell from Aussie label Manning Cartell. Cheryl spoke about the inspiration behind the prints used in her designs. She actually takes the images from artwork she purchases around the world- and this SS10’s collection is inspired by the art deco era and Spanish tales of romance.
The look is still tapered and lean for the blokes, with simple tailoring by Arthur Galan and Wayne Cooper. Tailored knee length shorts were popular, as were fitted cardigans and button down white shirts. Men’s catwalk fashion is always a bit extreme compared with what the typical Aussie male would wear, but then I guess you can argue the same for women’s.
So what were my favourite looks of the week? Well if I had the most glamorous occasion to attend (like the Oscars for example) I would choose this beautiful layered silk gown by Aurelio Costarella. But for more practical, and let’s face it, realistic purposes, this white shirt and maxi skirt combo from Lisa Ho gets the nod.
The wonderful thing about fashion is that even though events such as MSFW showcase what the designers are doing, we know that it won’t be long until we can all grab our hands on such styles at the chain and department stores, without breaking the budget. Designers may be responsible for creating what’s in fashion but thankfully we can rely on cheaper labels to interpret these styles at a price, and size, that is more favourable to most of us.
All images courtesy of www.fashionising.com and www.stylemelbourne.com
Category: MSFW, Summer Fashion
