Australian Fashion Week

[Lena]

My fave from the first day is Akira, love his beaded tshirts (obviously influeneced from Prada-or vice versa) and the white peplos dress.
Enhjoy

High Gear on Aussie Fashion Week's First Night
By Jenny Bailly
Fashion Wire Daily Sydney May 5, 2003 - Day one of Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week began at 9am with serene clothes in a silent art gallery, but by nightfall the soundtrack was 50 Cent and the frocks were all flash.

Akira Isogawa's artfully draped, gathered and pintucked pieces were aptly showcased in the sky-lit space of the Art Gallery of New South Wales; the sage green and beige tones and intricate texture of the clothes even complemented the Anselm Keifer that hung on the wall. Gauzy chiffon tops and low-slung gypsy skirts were adorned with buttons and patchwork and often accessorized with tribal beaded belts.

The figure-concealing androgyny of Isogawa's aesthetic served him well in turning out his first men's pieces. Male and female models sported virtually the same wide-cut pants, some in sheer white, others tye-dyed. The designer's delicate touch works best for women though, and the billowy white backless gowns that closed the show will be strong contenders for the fashion world's next "Goddess" exhibition.

Justine.Taylor.Made also debuted men's looks, which also differed only slightly from the women's pieces in this "Tuxedo"-themed show. Designer Justine Taylor's diffusion line injected the typical suit with Asian twists, like calligraphy prints and cheongsam cuts, as well as '80s touches, such as batwing sleeves. The denims and polished twills were elegant in the women's versions and offered enough heft to masculinize the men's looks.

The rest of the day's designers were all about girls, girls, girls, as Leona Edmiston, Bettina Liano, Easton Pearson and sass & bide offered their versions of ultra-feminine frocks.

In the second show of her second comeback since her acrimonious split with business partner Peter Morrissey in 1997, Leona Edmiston (photos) has proven her diversity -- as long as you're looking for a dress. Georgette or jersey, halter or sheath, ruffled or ruched, the designer showed 43 dresses for spring/summer 2003. Before the dramatic open-air backdrop of the Sydney Harbor, this festive - if sometimes unfocused - parade of party dresses was utterly unfettered in its feminine frills. Some '80s spirit seeped out here as well, in the form of fluorescent knee socks paired with white pumps.

Bettina Liano took that theme even further with bubble skirts, leggings and ruffled minis in a collection she defines as "neo punk classique." This Melbourne-based designer built her business on figure-flattering denims that even Cameron Diaz loves, but her latest collection showcased little of this trademark, turning instead to skintight cut-out "Pretty Woman" mini-dresses reminiscent of the pre-Rodeo Drive Julia Roberts.

The Easton Pearson woman certainly wouldn't blend in on Hollywood Boulevard though, not in ballet flats and an intricately embroidered A-line wrap skirt. The design duo of Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson turned out their trademark ethnic-themed looks for spring, with brilliantly bold prints, mirror embellishes, raw-edge fabrics and most refreshing of all -- minis actually manageable for non-models, like Baz Luhrmann's wife Catherine Martin, who sat front-row.

Though sass& bide was one of the only Australian labels that many foreign buyers were familiar with going into the week (that's what a little "Sex and the City" placement will do), it won't necessarily be the one foremost in their minds on the way home. Designers Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke deemed the collection a fusion of the '20s and -- you guessed it -- the '80s, "where Josephine Baker hooks up with Blondie in a curious NYC time warp." That apparently translates to many of the ruched mini-dresses that had already made their way down other runways. But regardless, the high-energy show had no problem getting the packed house to party like it was their birthday.

scourse: WFD

 

[trean]

Thanks for that fashion update Lena,I can def. see Prada in Akira's designs too

 

[Eskimo]

So what does everyone think of Australian fashion in general?


Personally it does nothing for me; all of the ideas seem to be derived directly from their international counterparts.

That's my opinon, and I'm Australian myself.

 

[trean]

Some of it don't care at all for,but in Pradapoo's thread ,there are some cool designers wich look quite talented ,my fave is Gabriel Scarvelli .

 

[Lena]

i'm interested in Australian designers, they need some time to grow 'original' but i think they are doing an efford.

sass&bide seem to have started up in London just found this out

Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton are sass & bide, a fashion label which started in London's Portobello, but which is now based in New South Wales. Sass & bide's East Village jeans won them a huge following in Australia and now the rest of the world seems to have fallen in love with their easy, feminine glam trash pieces

their work can also be found in their site Sass & bide
I'm planing to post more on aussie fashion week as soon as fwd reports

my fave by far is AKIRA

 

[Lena]

At the second day of the Australian fashion week, people were talking about Wayne Cooper, here a review and some of his best pictures. His collection was not really breathtaking -for me- but I bet the show was a real spectacle

Sydney May 7, 2003 - Wayne Cooper's fashion show Tuesday night kept the emphasis heavily on the show. The 700 revelers that packed Walsh Bay's Wharf 3 were treated to a spectacle complete with pumping music, flashing spotlights, an enormous disco ball, and a deluge of foil confetti. A huge video screen projected the model's faces up close and personal as they strutted their stuff and occasionally flashed up phrases like, "The Most Important Lesson I've Learnt - Not to Trust Good-Looking People."But the smoke and mirrors (and literally, there was stage smoke and the catwalk was mirrored ) distracted from the fact that we'd seen this all before. Shimmering silver mini-dresses with low, low cowl necks and backs, Pepto-pink chiffon baby dolls, and Pucci print halters were characterized as "a little bit Boogie Nights, a little bit Scarface" in the program notes. "A little bit derivative," added one U.S. buyer. As one buyer from Tokyo said of the diffusion Wayne line that the designer showed last night, "I wish he'd put as much thought into the clothes as he put into the presentation." Yet the crowd still went wild as Cooper took his bow, plucking his young daughter up from the front row, and the fuchsia paillette minis and turquoise cowl halters will undoubtedly sell well among lithe-figured Sydneysiders with a love for the nightlife.

from : FWD

 

[trean]

I really like some of those pieces,got to remember that name..thx Lena

 

[mrrene]

The second from the left Leona Edmiston has a very nice color combination.

 

[Lena]

i've got much more to post on Aussie FW (including SARS masks and Gabriel Scarvelli new pictures) but it has to wait for a few hours ...

 

[Lena]

Here it comes, theatrical shows seem much more important for Australian designers than real collections
I admit that Gabriel did not impress me this time around. have a look though

Sydney May 7, 2003 - Gabriel Scarvelli and Terry Biviano were billed as the hottest tickets at Australian Fashion Week. Conveniently for the fashion flock, they joined forces to show back-to-back Wednesday night and stage the event that has already been hailed as the week’s standout – and there’s still a day left.

Scarvelli took the stage first, sending out Popstars (Aussie “American Idol”) winner Sophie Monk, in a boned corset minidress with a tiered ruffle skirt, one of several looks that highlighted an hourglass female form. An entirely sheer black dress was cinched with a laced corset cummerbund and a ‘50s Brigitte Bardot style bathing suit hugged the hips.

The collection of party pieces also included a stunning silver-spangled flapper dress and a white satin minidress with sequined car-wash fringes that swirled around the skirt. Satin pants were paired with a sheer camisole or exquisitely beaded tunic. Plucked from East Sydney TAFE fashion studio by Collette Dinnigan five years ago for his incredible beading skills, Scarvelli, now 24, has since lent those skills to Peter Morrissey and Alex Perry.

Though this was his first AFW show, Scarvelli’s work was present last year; he designed the lingerie that the models wore to present Terry Biviano’s debut shoe collection.

Once known only as the arm candy of TV star beau Alex Dimitriades shock: a greek guy), Biviano’s name is now invariably followed with, “Australia’s answer to Manolo Blahnik.” And her vertiginous stilettos are so sexy that even Blahnik devotee Carrie Bradshaw may change camps. The designer has already taken orders for four pairs for the actress’s “Sex and the City” wardrobe. The show’s stylists have incidentally also snatched up Scarvelli’s collection.

This time around spectators were treated to a true fashion circus – a “shoe de soleil,” as Luhrmann said from his front row perch -- complete with a contortionist hanging from the ceiling and a parade of horses. And that was just the beginning. A dramatic routine featured models in voluminous black hoopskirts, lifted to reveal their red satin ribbon-laced stilettos, and the finale was complete with body paint and feathers.

from: FWD

 

[Lena]

here comes Terry B. we are talking serious spectacle, love the girls on the white horse and the trapeze act as for the shoes, i wish i could see more of those they really get lost amid the theatrical extravaganza

 

[Lena]

SARS masks seem to be the new accessory while it is cashing in virus protection, designers' egos and clients' unsatiable signature statue syndrome

Sydney May 8, 2003 - We've seen the pictures of Hong Kong residents LV-logoed face masks. There was even the bride who wore a white mask to match her wedding gown this week. But at Australian Fashion Week, this SARS-fueled trend has actually taken to the catwalk.

In a group show with four other Hong Kong designers, Dorian Ho (photo) sent models down the runway wearing beaded masks that picked up the patterns in their intricately adorned dresses. Ho said he started doing the hand-beaded masks in response to customers complaints that the medical necessity was ruining their ensembles." They retail for a reasonable $40 because" says Ho, "I have many designs" you'll need different masks to go with different dresses.

When he's home in Hong Kong, Ho himself wears a custom-made mask, with his name studded on it in pink rhinestones.

It hasn't been necessary during his week in Sydney of course, and Ho has been relieved that buyers haven't shied away from his booth at The Source, the exhibition space at AFW's harbour venue. "I have a health certificate, but no one's asked for it. I was surprised. I was afraid no one would come to this area" the 31-year-old said. Ho's stall is grouped with those of four other Hong Kong designers: Spy, Pacino Wan, fait a main, and Baboon.

Not only have attendees stopped by to check out Ho's romantic chiffon creations, patterned with beads, embroidery and sequins, but they've snatched them up. Kuwait's Villa Moda placed a big order the day after his show, and at Sunday night's Logies in Melbourne (Australia's Emmys) several television stars will be wearing his gowns.

"We're going after Nicole Kidman next" Ho warns.

Certainly not a crazy idea. Ho's dresses are often compared to those of Australian designer Collette Dinnigan, whom the Oscar winner has worn on many occasions.

from: FWD

 

[trean]

Gabriel Scarvelli is no good at that collection

Thanks for the pics Lena

 

[Spacemiu]

Nice pics

lv sars masks?

 

[PradaP]

im bored with australian fashion

 

[Lena]

of course PradaP...
French people are bored with French fashion, Italians are bored with Italian fashion.. its only normal

plus Australian fashion does need some more time to evolve into something fresh and original (imo)

 

[Lena]

Not sure what's wrong with Aussie fashion week, but the much talked about greek-australian rising star Tina Kalivas' collection failed to impress me. Even though the following report speaks of Jeremy Scott influence, to me she seems more close to the McQueen-Sophia Kokosalaki spirit.
Tina also seems to be a bit full of herself, i wonder why??

"A lot of my experience is in costume design and I wanted to explore that side as well," Kalivas said of the unexpected creations backstage after the show. "While I have all these people here I might as well go further and get my costume skills out there." Wearing a white leather strapless hip-length bustier with a tinier version of a rainbow tulle rosette as a bustle, the petite brunette added, "And I also just wanted to make it fun" 

Anyway, here comes the review and some pictures from her almost ugly show (make up, hair and my-god those poses made me )

Sydney May 9, 2003 - Tina Kalivas jolted Sydney fashionistas out of their final-day-of-fashion-week stupor with her creative and cohesive presentation Thursday afternoon.

The collection, only her third, continued to play with the space-age aesthetic she showed last fall in Melbourne, but toned down the Jeremy Scott-style Star Trek vibe in favor of equally artfully constructed, but infinitely more wearable, pieces.

After eight years in London, where she most notably worked as a pattern cutter for Alexander McQueen, 30-year-old Kalivas returned to Australia only a year ago to launch her own label. Touted as the one-to-watch last season, her collection was praised for its inventiveness, but criticized for its theatricality.

This season there is the pencil skirt with wings protruding from the hips, and a denim skirt with 3-D yoke details, but most of the silhouettes remain smooth and sleek. After the show's opening series of denim and jersey looks, the crowd aahh-ed when a bright white dress, accented with bold primary color quilted inserts and trims, made an entrance. Still conceptual, yet feminine and fun, its round cutout back fell into a full skirt.

Kalivas' evening looks included stunning satin dresses with moon-shaped inserts and cord details, and a floor-length silk gown in a black and white graphic pattern. Signature leather pieces, like a tailored gold leather jacket with side cutouts and a draped chiffon and leather top, will be produced only as made-to-order. There might not be many takers though for a black, red and yellow leather corset and mini that was impressive in its construction, but unfortunately reminiscent of a NASCAR racer's jacket.

The collection was called Bioluminescence, a scientific term that refers to the ability of certain oceanic organisms to extract their own light. Though the entire collection had an under-the-sea subtext, with its piped curved seams and serpentine appliquιs, its title didn't hit home until the surprise finale. Accompanied by a soundtrack of bubbling water, a model emerged in a black mini dress, her head swathed in yellow tulle, and glowed under a black light at the top of the runway before taking her walk.

from: fwd

 

[Spacemiu]

I love that stuff! so cool.

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by Spacemiu@May 12th, 2003 - 6:36 am
I love that stuff! so cool.

spacemiu, even though its not my style i'm honestly glad someone loves something out of Aussie Fashion week

 

[Lena]

round up for Australian Fashion Week with Peter Morrissey's collection, quite influenced by Tom Ford's style, but (imo) one of the best we've seen from Australia this season.

. After last season's drop-waist jersey dresses, the designer brought the emphasis back up to the waist -- whether in a belted silver swing trench, black corset or wrap jersey gown. The women topped their glamazon looks with high French twists and a pair of Morrissey aviators.

The various Morrissey accessories were in fact some of the standouts on the runway. Silver lizard and snake brooches were pinned on many ensembles, and bags ranged from a metallic "boomerang" shoulder version to a black evening clutch.

One of the only designers of the week to finish his parade with a string of evening looks, Morrissey turned to the palette of the Great Barrier Reef in his peacock blue, fuchsia and red silk satin gowns.

from FWD