THE LAST LIGHTS HAVE WINKED OFF OVER VAMFF 2015 BUT, ARE THE VOXFROCKERS DONE WITH ONE OF THE SLICKEST – AND CERTAINLY THE LONGEST – MELBOURNE FASHION FESTIVALS ON RECORD? HELL NO! YOUR DAILY DOSE – DAY NINE – OF VAMFF BEGINS WITH THIS TRIPLE TREAT OF REVIEWS FROM YESTERDAY’S BEST SHOWS. CLICK BACK LATER FOR RECORD OF OUR VISIT TO VAMFF SPECIAL GUEST, INDONESIAN DESIGNER, PATRICK OWENS’ INTRIGUING COLLECTION. TOMORROW, IN OUR ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY LAST BLAST OF VAMFF 2015, WE’LL ALSO PIN UP THE BEST SHOTS BY OUR VOXFROCK/RMIT ROOKIE PHOTOGRAPHY CREW AND WE’LL PICK AND LIST THIS YEAR’S VOXFROCKAWARD WINNERS, INCLUDING BEST SHOW, BEST FROCK, BEST QUOTE, FAUX-EST PAS ETCETERA ETCETERA ETCETERA. SEE YOU THEN….
WORDS: SIMONE POOLE, DANIEL HUMPHREYS
PHOTOS: LUCAS DAWSON
TARGET RUNWAY. REVIEW: SIMONE POOLE (VOXFROCK ROOKIE WRITER CREW)
Jessica Mauboy kicked off Target’s show with a performance and her own fashion line; a bohemian vibe with lots of pattern, fringing and loose silhouettes. Womenswear then broadened into something for everyone, from mix and match ensembles, to leather, lace and knitwear. Vastly different to the colour blocking we’ve seen recently, Target’s palette returned to basics of pink and grey, blue and white, and orange and grey. Sportswoman and television personality Giaan Rooney’s collection, Giaan by Spaulding, was chic and sporty enough to get even the unmotivated, motivated! Menswear included button-up shirts under V-neck sweaters and structured coats and the kind of easy-to-layer pieces in a neutral palette that any man could style. Danii Minogue‘s Petites collection oozed attitude in a perfect mix of leather and lace, as well as classic styles such as an over-sized shirtdress and tweed jacket.
FUTURE RUNWAY, PRESENTED BY SPOTLIGHT. REVIEW: SIMONE POOLE
The sheer creativity and skills of these young, secondary school designers is admirable. Albert Jalipot, for example, showed concepts I haven’t seen before including a boxy, high-neck wool shirt over a sheer, floor-skimming dress. It sounds odd, but it worked. A royal blue dress-and-pant by My Nguyen was also a standout with beautiful shape and flow. Phoebe Markoulis showed three on-trend navy and white ensembles that could as easily be worn on fashion’s elite front row. Small details set this designer apart from the others, such as her jewelled chains and choice of back buttons. The unique vision of Binh Phung made for an excellent presentation, in particular a black sequined dress. The quality of materials was second to none and black neck pieces a nice touch, pulling the outfits together without being OTT.
VAMFF GRAND FINALE BY ROMANCE WAS BORN. REVIEW: DANIEL HUMPHREYS
Breathtaking, lost for words, speechless. That’s how brilliant VAMFF’s Grand Finale was starring Romance Was Born and their Bush Magic runway extravaganza. On entering the National Gallery of Victoria‘s Great Hall we were transported into the magical world of May Gibbs’ Snuggle Pot and Cuddlepie with characters in costumes from the Australian Ballet archives. National Living Pleasures Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales’ playful elegance never fails to impress and in this instance, completely overwhelmed, not by nostalgia alone but the sheer awesomeness of the entire presentation and the loving tribute they accomplished. Gumnut Baby chic popped out from the most unexpected places: a floor length sequined and blossom-embellished gown, nestled among native foliage prints, in leather-sleeved varsity jackets and sporty school looks with air mesh and neoprene. A gold filigree button produced by iconic designer Hall Ludlow and sourced from the NGV’s fashion and textile collection, was a recurrent motif, underpinning the range with nostalgic style and sincerity. The verdict was unanimous from the crowd: the spectacle we just witnessed will most certainly go down as a glittering highlight in Australia’s cultural history.
