Julie Roulston brings Thread her diary from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. First up: Romance was Born, developed with access to Marvel Comics’ archive…
Julie Roulston brings Thread her diary from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. First up: Romance was Born…
The MBFWA Diaries Part 1
Finally the excitement hits!
We pass the waiting Romance was Born set as I’m escorted backstage by ghd’s Emma Lamkin, before the label’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia 2012 (MBFWA) opening show. After months of planning, a red-eye across the Tasman and a challenging morning hike in heels from the Overseas Passenger Terminal to Walsh Bay – I’ve arrived!
My next MBFWA is about to begin.
Below: The Romance was Born set is given a clean sweep before their show.
There’s already been a bit of negative press – wunderkinds Josh Goot and Dion Lee pulled out of the schedule what seemed like moments before kickoff. And a bit of positive – The Tent, Fashion Week’s big third venue, is back (take that, GFC!) Whitney Port from The Hills is on the schedule with her Whitney Eve label. Taylor Tomasi Hill from US Marie-Claire is styling Oroton…
No New Zealand designers are showing (unless you count NZ-born stylist-to-the-stars Johanna Johnson), and no major fashion print press make the trip, but there’s a decent kiwi contingent if you count online media and bloggers, journalists hosted by M.A.C, and hair/makeup stars Richard Kavanagh (Redken), Michael Beel (ghd) and Amber Dreadon (M.A.C).
On with the show! Romance was Born’s ‘Berserkergang – a State of Warrior Madness’ was developed with full and unprecedented access to Marvel Comics’ archives, and also pays homage to strong, independent women – Annie Lennox for one.
Hair in a custom shade of fiery orange is by ghd star Alan White and makeup is keyed by Natasha Severino for M.A.C.
Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales’ runway styles are bright and opulent and larger than life, a bit like WORLD at its most theatrical – divine to look at, harder to imagine on your own body.
Below: Tim Blanks interviewing backstage at Romance was Born.
I nip backstage to get some last photos and then sweet-talk a ride in one of the VIP Mercedes-Benz to which I know my status doesn’t entitle me. Sore feet after just the first show on the first day call for desperate measures. Next stop, the media centre, tragi-glamorous home for the next week…
Words and photos by Julie Roulston using Sony NEX
3 May 2012
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