The well-heeled crowd was awash with colour on Friday evening as LMFF devotees took over Melbourne’s Docklands precinct. L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s fifth designer runway for the season proved to be a celebration of all things bright and beautiful, featuring a handful of the country’s most iconic and directional designers.
Opening the show were Australia’s sartorial dream team, Sass & Bide. A collection rich with pops of neon tangerine and intricate embellishment naturally ensued, cementing Sarah Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton’s powerhouse status. Representing the strong, the beautiful and the obscure, sass & Bide’s Autumn/Winter 2013 collection is littered with geometric shift dresses, monochrome winter caping and, of course, endless metallic accents.
Ellery, in keeping with the metallic trend, presented a collection of true ‘day to night’ pieces- versatile and ultra-structured metallic dresses, power shouldered blazers and drop crotch trousers in a palette consisting primarily of monochromes and muted citrus hues.
The central colours of Karla Spetic’s AW13 collection were a feminine mix of powder pinks, oranges and baby blues, highlighted by the crispest of whites. The softness of lace skirts and dainty crop tops was countered by oversized coats in geometric stripes and high waisted trousers. An ox blood velvet jumpsuit payed homage to an era gone by.
Easton Pearson’s offerings were a feast for the eyes. The epitome of effortless style, the collection features forest green maxis, sheer printed separates and intricately beaded three-dimensional florals.
Christopher Esber’s AW13 collection was a festival highlight and a lesson in understated elegance. Reminiscent of the sheer panelling trend we saw from Preen’s SS12/13 showing late last year, the story included tailored midi skirts opaque to mid-thigh and sheer to below the knee, boxy slate tees paired with slouchy pants, high necks and the perfect little black dress.
Luxe leather reigned supreme for Bassike, with a collection that would have looked well at home in Andy Warhol’s factory. Boxy monochrome leather dresses, maroon leather pants and spliced leather jackets were intertwines with the label’s signature cotton tees, slouchy lounge wear and structured bombers. The label also delved into the world of print- a realm previously unexplored by the brand.
Closing the show was Arthur Galan AG with classic tailored outerwear in fawns, blacks and electric blues, transeasonal neutral basics and one phenomenal pair of black leather pants. L’Oreal Paris Designer Runway 5 was an impeccably executed display of style and structure.
Leave a Reply