Melbourne flings open more store doors, Spring Fashion Week 2014 tickets bookable now, black tie charity bash will wow, and two swank French brands hook up with the locals
SPRING SPRANG (Photograph; Monty Coles)
On Wednesday, City of Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle launched our 20th Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, August 30 to September 7, under a flowery arch on a glassy sunlight footbridge connecting two significant retail precincts; Melbourne Central and Emporium. The new MSFW ambassador Ashley Hart, is little sister of former ambassador, gap-toothed beauty Jess Hart and proved equally delightful and adept at bantering with the irrepressible Robert “I love Fashion” Doyle. This year’s programme of runways, films, live sites, arts, cultural and industry events was significantly expanded and tickets are now on sale HERE.
Ashley Hart, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week ambassador 2014, with lord mayor of Melbourne, Robert “I love fashion” Doyle.
O ROLAND
Sales of London based French designer Roland Mouret’s exclusive pod collection for Myer, racked on the International Designer floors in Melbourne and Sydney last week, are ticking over nicely thank you kindly. The eight-piece pod, priced from $650 to $3400 and initiated by The Woolmark Company, includes paintbox bright pink, blue, orange and green dresses and skirt/top/trouser sets featuring the marvellous Monsieur Mouret’s signature draping skills in slinky Australian Merino Wool.
www.rolandmouret.com
Roland Mouret’s paintbox brights in Australian Merino Wool, exclusive to Myer Sydney and Melbourne and www.rolandmouret.com
KNICKERS
French lingerie legend, Chantal Thomass’ boudoir collection inspired by the Roaring Twenties in Paris is an absolute cracker (examples pictured) and will be racked for the first time in David Jones’ Elizabeth Street, Sydney store in September. Meanwhile, luxury knicker lovers can access the genuinely lovely brand at White Ivy, Double Bay; Nocturnal, Leichhardt; Wild Orchid, Mosman and Kitty K in Hawksburn, Melbourne. www.chantalthomass.fr
Chantal Thomass will be racked at David Jones in September.
TA DA! #1
Melbourne’s vast new Topshop/Topman store opens this Friday, July 25 (that’s tomorrow in frockspeak) in the pumping Emporium complex. Watch Voxfrock’s facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds for snaps and pearls of frocky wisdom at this afternoon’s media walk-through and rack fossick. For an even earlier squiz at Topshop offerings, go here.
TA DA! #2
Ted Baker’s new store is also tipped to open within Emporium next Thursday, July 31, with a “Grand Opening Extravaganza” promised for shoppers. Meanwhile Ted Baker’s current stores at Chadstone and Little Collins Street hold clues (with terms and conditions to apply, natch) to a $1,000 shopping competition to dovetail with celebrations.
DRESS CODE: SWANK THANKS
The explosive revival of Black Tie and Formal dress codes continues with a twist. Melbourne City Mission fundraisers conjured Ascend into Darkness, a posh, multi-sensory celebration of art, culture and community for extravagantly dressed philanthropists. Canapes and several courses prepared by leading chef Ian Curley and dessert master Darren Purchese, will be served in the exotic mise en scene of South Melbourne’s Emerald House, Saturday August 23 from 6.15 pm to 12.30 am, with entertaining accompaniments. Tickets $600 are extremely limited so best get cracking to book here.
Compiled by Janice Breen Burns, jbb@voxfrock.com.au, with Terry Carruthers, intern@voxfrock.com.au and info@voxfrock.com.au
