Fashion Week Australia 2018: Day 2
Our first day on the ground was a blast, seeing Camilla and Marc’s 15th year show to kick off the week. The time difference is only two hours from Auckland to Sydney but hit us hard, and we fell asleep and then awoke at 5am in desperate need of cups of tea and coffee. Today was the first real full day of shows, featuring SWIM, Albus Lumen, Bianca Spender, Lee Mathews, Karla Spetic, Anna Quan, Thomas Puttick, Alice McCall, Double Rainbouu, and Michael Lo Sordo, as well as a backstage invitation from MAC cosmetics.
Monday’s outfit at MBFWA. Wearing Karen Walker eyewear, Issey Miyake, jacket by Trelise Cooper, bag Addison Road. Photo by @shotswithcarolin for @thestyledr, pictured below.
It’s pretty cool how you get your tickets for each day; they have an automated system called launchmetrics that scans your lanyard press pass and prints out your seat numbers.
Chatted to Karen Walker and we had a yoghurt break. She’s wearing all her own label, above.
We got our lockers at the Media Centre which was actually a godsend for all the goody bags and items you collect during the day.
First up, the group SWIM labels swimwear show.
The SWIM show showcased a variety of labels and the stand out for me was Camp Cove Swim, and DUSKII. It was also great to see curvy models on the runway, nice work SWIM.
Face Chart at MAC cosmetics backstage at Bianca Spender. We went backstage with MAC to meet Carol the key artist, and hear about the look for the beautiful show.
A sublime outfit by Bianca Spender billows behind the model as she walks among guests seated at fashion week. Such a luxe collection of wearable decadence. Even the venue is lovely in the old Carriageworks brick warehouses.
Above: Getty Images photos from Bianca Spender.
Lee Mathews
Held in the very pretty mezzanine space at Carriageworks, Resort ’19 is the most sustainable collection of established designer Lee Matthew’s to date, with newly appointed head designer Natalia Grzybowski.
To our kiwi eyes the first part of the show was reminiscent of NZ label Kowtow: strong neutrals in natural textures. A standout was a long tiered dress “sweeping the ground with river-like tiers.”
A new fabric EcooNyl, made from rescued nylon and discarded fishing nets! saw a debut Swim capsule – we liked it, fresh!
Beautiful ethically sourced silk prints emerged, followed by cute medium sized gingham (also seen at Karla Spectic – remember three times is a trend…seeing a lot of back interest across all the shows, too) – and finally fun hybrids of all both. Well done Lee Mathews, your sustainable is interesting and charming. – Julie Roulston. Photos by Getty Images.
The Suites
We wanted to meet the designers in The Suites area on site especially those who weren’t holding shows, so we could see the clothes up close and meet the designers. The Suites is such a great concept for these reasons.
Next: Offsite by bus to Bondi Beach, for Karla Spetic
A beautiful dewy face for models and pink flushed cheeks and fresh skin at Karla Spetic. (photo Megan Robinson backstage)
Above: Gingham and bubblewrap fabrications in the Karla Spetic show set in the Bondi Surf Life Club seemed to us to hold a theme of ocean conservation, featuring the recycle logo printed on fabric, and clear bubble wrap swathing models, and floating layers of palest blue organza.
ANNA QUAN RESORT ‘19 was full of pieces that women would want to wear – especially for me the halter style dresses with rope cords, and the long line blazer jackets. Cotton shirts were a key part of the line, which designer Quan says is inspired by the relaxed nature of dressing on vacation. There was a blend of both tailored suit pieces and feminine dresses in textured fabrics.
Julie Roulston in the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge wearing a silk kimono by Fraser Crowe, catching up over the day over Tempus Two wines.
Alice McCall was another highlight of the day.
We didn’t make it to Thomas Puttick, Double Rainbouu, and Michael Lo Sordo, as we headed home after Alice McCall. The sun is out, it’s a new day. Get dressed, see you there.
Below: the Daily Edited goody bag for media delegates, which we can have monogrammed onsite – what a nice touch.
Read Day 1 on Threadnz here.
Megan Robinson and Julie Roulston
14th May 2018
Photo credit: phone photos taken by Megan Robinson, runway imagery from Getty Images.