Wow, what a day!
[long long post below.. today I'll post throughout the day - forgive my long recap, tech malfunction yesterday! - also pics today I promise!]
Yesterday was the first day of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. This fashion industry event is held in Sydney and hosted at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on idyllic Circular Quay.
After registering and before Camilla and Marc opened the event I took a nosey around Circular Quay. The glamorous fashion set were a stark contrast to Sydney's suits bustling around the idyllic waterfront. It was pretty phenomenal catching some rays across the water from the Opera House 
It was pretty stellar hanging out watching Sydney’s working professionals rushing around contrasted with the international fashion community strutting their stuff full of confidence and poise. At 8am this morning it was already clear that it’s going to be a very glam week!
Quick recap of the day:
Camilla and Marc
I scored a very squished view of their spring summer collection but could sum it like this:
Gold, shoulders and exposed zips
It’s not a new trend and one that continued throughout today’s collections. Like I’ve said before re the London/Paris collections Margella did it first! Gareth Pugh any one? Still interesting and a current high fashion look. But when celebs are weaering it already is it still runway worthy? Interesting and quirky but not necessarily new.
Bec and Bridge
Had my first RAFW front row experience today at the Bec and Bridge show. The runway was two intersecting rows, mimicking the cross painted on the ground.
Best dressed feet!Tweet Decks were aflutter at this show with print journos still providing a noticeable presence amidst the whirl of social media delegates.
Shocking photo but you just have to see this knit - Juliet, this ones for you!A collection of contrasting silhouettes- skiny tight minis and dresses contrasted with chiffon dropped crotch pants. Metallic knits added delicious texture and fleshed out the collection. Although elegant and graceful the chiffon was a bit of a slippery hit with a few models tops slipping down/off the shoulders.
Ginger and Smart
I got to meet Vivvienne of Vivviene models at this show [lovely lady!] and sit with her crew and to my other side was the lovely Sarah of Frockaholics *:-) Ok, now the show:
The transition between inspiration (kites/fluidity/colour/space) was clear and literal - one model walked down the catwalk with a kite attached to her back showcasing the collections key prints. Colours were bold and sensual with the fluidity of shape translating through the graphic black and white prints.
Kinmono esq sleeves and racer bakc waist coats were a staple with my favourite piece a pair of magenta hammer pants!
Women's Ready to Wear #1 - Abessua, Annah Stretton, Dizingof, Pizzuto, Su Design
Annah Stretton was the first to grace the catwalks in this group show - and the first kiwi at this years RAFW - quite proud I was! Her Spring Summer collection entitled "The boy I left behind" was a mix of delicate tuilles in soft pinks, hot pinks, leather, chains, fingerless gloves, and tassles. Delicate with attitude - although some of the tule did make me think of Kate Sylvesters current range... Left with "Teenage Kicks run through the night" playing in my head!
Dizingof defintely had the most interesting runway show of the day. Two models come dancers gave a fiery introduction to the catwalk show with an interpretive dance fueled with angst and fiery girl power. As seems to be a running theme at these SS collections emphasised shoulders (capped and padded) added to this agile and angry story. My favourite fabrication was a delicious crusshed leatherete - I'll find photos asap!
Pizzuto sent Hepburnesq models clad in hats and glasses combo - stand out styling of the r2w show. At times it felt quite disjointed - a black and white theme then vast amounts of green with random pink sparkles made the colour story hard to read at times but delicious none the less.
Su Design was a very wearable collection without appearing plain or ordinary - still scouting pics~!
Annessia's show stared with voilin and harp music and set the scene for a delicious tea-party-esq theme. Short dresses with mountains of tuille support (that screamed Jess Changs's aw09 collection!) in cute pinks and lilacs made me want to buy asap! Short bell sleeves on some tailered jackets were also a fab hit. I also want her white ruffled cardie - delicate and delicious. Lots of tiered skirts supported buy tuille (and perhaps wire/boning?) brought many "oooo's" from the audience.
Arnsdorf - The salmon blouse in their first outfit seemed to GLOW! I still cant work it out.. combo of lighting and fibre type I think but it was utterly surreal. Geometric prints translated into colloured panels cut into ruffles. Sheer panels first emerged as a yoke on a chiffon shirt this soon translated throught the colllection with see through backs on other garments and cut outs in the range of LBD's.
Wayne Cooper - if you havnt heard already (and if you wern't following the twitter flutter) ran an hour behind shedule, it had to happen. Suspense defintely built during the wait and once inside the venue the glitteratzi and papperazi played their game. It was a show of High glamour and "dont mess with me" power. Disco lights a blazing and super sharp sassy lux fabrics gave a fluid and sensual experience while kicking ass - you don't want to mess with this girl! The boys were sharp and luxe fabrics translated into clean tailoring - interesting, quirky and very wearable.
Therese Rawstone - I loved the wall of lights that was created for the backdrop to the catwalk! A very clean and conservative collection made from a balanced selection of fabrics. Whites, salmons, deeper pinks, sparkly knits all with chanting music created a somewhat meditative mood.
Nicola Finetti - Polish artist Tamara De Lempicka was one of the inspiration points in this collection as was 1920's art Deco. The collection wasn't a literal reflection of this starting point but rather a delicious celebration of colour and shape. Quick rundown: Triangular shapes, exposed zips, a corset or two slipping down, cylindrical shapes and frills, Amanda Haxton esqe geometric panelling.
Great first day - off to Zimmerman now *:-)
(camera charged, phone charged, laptop ready... watchout!) xxx
