The cool blue gloom of a fish tank was the latest offbeat location added by Melbourne Fashion Week to its list of radical runways. Voxfrock rookie journalist Gabriela Caeli Sumampow and rookie photographer Andy Tran joined the intrigued crowd….(Main photo: Grace Lillian Lee)
When was the last time you visited an aquarium? How about for a fashion show? In a Melbourne Fashion Week first, a runway featuring eight sustainability-focussed labels was staged in the watery depths of SEA LIFE Aquarium with the audience seated around a giant tank filled with corals on one floor and a green tropical setting on another.
“I really like how creative fashion shows are getting in (their) location,” said Tatiana Angulo from her perch next to the coral tank, “I think the city has a lot to offer in that sense.”
Tatiana was there with business partner Adriana Ferraro, her co-founder of Cosmetics by Tatiana. Both were impressed by how wearable the collections were, how relatable the location and how symbolic the aquarium’s connection to the environments the sustainable labels on show were taking steps to protect.
SISTER STUDIOS opened the show with a versatile take on their retro-like style, from dreamy, flowy dresses to pastel patchwork and bandana prints.
SZN showed monochrome and geometric patterns; an absolute contrast from its camouflage-centric collection last year.
Gorman was typically summery, a sunkissed, bright palette and combination of geometric and fluid patterns.
Celebrated indiginous designer Grace Lillian Lee‘s collection came from her Fashion Capsule at Southgate, one of eight dotted around the city during Melbourne Fashion Week: summer dresses, swimwear and sun visors.
ELK’s Collector range featured bold, statement accessories as fresh and vibrant as their tropical setting.
REMUSE’s Pre-Solstice collection was hand-dyed and earth-inspired.
búl featured brave patterns and a classic take on blazers and puffed sleeve dresses in its El Hierro collection. Arnsdorf closed the show with the return of low-waisted pants and soft, neutral patterns .
Meet the rookies
“Gabriela Caeli Sumampow (above) recently graduated a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) from RMIT. She was born and raised in Indonesia and aspires to work across multimedia journalism and content creation in the fields of culture, entertainment and lifestyle. This is Gabriela’s first turn on The Voxfrock Rookie Crew.
