Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia is firing on all proverbial cylinders. Two red carpet kings and one queen lead out the first spring/summer collections…
O CARLA
Peerless Aussie doyenne Carla Zampatti kicked off proceedings last night at runway headquarters, the cavernous Carriageworks venue in the Sydney suburb of Everleigh (a bugger of a place to get too and from, delegate folks; sort a limo or brace to schlepp for cabs).
Ms. Zampatti first dipped her toe into local fashion in 1965, making this her 50th year of cutting precisely balanced, perfectly weighted and unerringly, gobsmackingly elegant day and eveningwear with emphasis on feminine tailoring and the ripple and flow – the grace – of silken drape. Her spring collection is split – literally – between her classic way with grecian drifts in black, ivory, cobalt, chartreuse, red, and a charming flock of more youthful frocks in cobalt, cream and black.
Among the classics, slim panelled gowns were cut to reveal legs, modern flagged trousers and flares, teamed once in black silk with ivory cream sequin-banded silk top, cut to complement lean proportions. One micro cream mini skirt and bandeau bra top appeared under drifting georgette cape. Among the charmers were frocks with heavy guipure cut lace bodices. Another featured block-striped black organza bodice with wide girly shoulder straps. All finished with stiffly gathered organza skirts thickly layered to drop unevenly to ballerina-to-ankle hemlines.
HEY RAY
Perth red carpet purist Aurelio Costarella opened the week’s official Day One with a consummate show of his skill as a kinetic artist.
Aurelio Costarella
Wiggling tendrils of intense, sunset ombre marabou were spiked with lurex or metallic foil highlights to animate gowns in an opening segment worthy of Paris Couture Week.
Aurelio Costarella
Mr. Costarella already has the full attention of Australia’s A and Celeb-lists; with this wildly, wonderfully varied collection, he will engage a newer, perhaps younger demographic with equal respect for pretty quirks and glamour mo-derne.
SOOO ALEX
Alex Perry played out what he started last MBFW, drawing his classic, bombshell glamour down several notches to a more youthful, sportier aesthetic. It worked very nicely.
Alex Perry
Main photo, top, is also an Alex Perry, from his group of spangled skater skirts gathered and plumped with layered organza to bounce prettily on assymetric hemlines. Fashion does not get much better than this.
MBFWA’s lineup is loaded this year with promising newcomers as well as the guaranteed thrill-makers such as Toni Maticevski, Ellery, Christopher Esber et. al. Messers Costarella and Perry, and Ms. Zampatti, were an appropriate trinity to lead off the week, banner bearers for the bedrock skills on which good Australian fashion is founded, but also masters of adaptation, refreshing their aesthetic and plugging into younger demographics every handful of seasons. They’re top tier fashionistocrats; now on to the middle and newer tiers that constitute our wonderful local fashion tradition. Frocks on!
MBFWA is livestreaming here
#mbfwa
Janice Breen Burns, jbb@voxfrock.com.au with Terry Carruthers, info@voxfrock.com.au
