The fight for a front row seat: Inside Sydney Fashion Week

Fashion editor Annabel Falco takes us behind the scenes at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week in Sydney, where she was surrounded by celeb gossip, big hair and limited food options.

Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW): five days of non-stop fashion, coffees, good backdrops, and even better people watching. From the vibrant staging and galvanising music through to the spectacular clothes (both on and off the runway), fashion week more than lived up to the notorious hype.

If you happened to miss out on a front row ticket (harder to secure than a sold-out pair of Balenciaga pumps), never fear, I’ve got you covered with a complete rundown of what you’ll be wearing, who you should be following and why next season’s styles will have your credit card at the ready.

Annabel Falco.

Day one kicked off with the Rebecca Vallance 10th Anniversary show, attracting an A-List crowd that included Camilla Franks, Terry Biviano and Sylvia Jeffreys.

Set to a musical backdrop of Deep Purple, the very best of the 80s strutted down the runway where sequins, big shoulders, smudged shadow, bejewelled earrings, neon boots and unruly hair had me wishing my own wasn’t so “done” (very last season apparently).

It seems the crowd also received the retro fashion memo with the likes of Jodi Gordon and other front rowers rocking big hair and stockings.

Jodi Gordon at AAFW. Picture: www.matrixpictures.com.au

Next on the fashion calendar was the Bondi Born presentation which involved a location change and an entertaining bus ride (I sat behind some gossip columnists and overheard my fair share of celebrity scandals).

The spectacular Circular Quay harbour backdrop set the tone for the afternoon with many front rowers re-dressing for the new occasion (Nadia Fairfax’s second outfit was a personal favourite).

Simple, sleek and chic; the Bondi Born show was full of elegant colour blocking and minimal styling with not an accessory in sight. Hot pink maxi dresses were styled with ballet buns and a worn-in red lip, making for a dramatic and Insta-worthy photo opportunity against the Opera House.

Nadia Faitfax at Bondi Born. Picture: www.matrixpictures.com.au

Alice McCall was next on the schedule, and it seemed every major influencer scored an invitation. The “show” started well before the official doors opened with a parade of outlandish outfits and posing on display at the famous Carriageworks entrance.

Social Media stars The Inspired Unemployed enjoyed the paparazzi frenzy – rocking pop-coloured crocs and bucket hats with the best of them.

After a lengthy 40-minute delay, the colourful crowd were treated to a worthy wait of 70s psychedelic influences.

I don’t know if it was the kaleidoscopic floor, hot pink lighting, ultra-mini dresses, velvet suiting, male models (in heels), feather bags or the Farrah Fawcett flicks, but the Alice McCall show was a fashion week highlight.

Anna Heinrich, Ksenija Lukich and Nikki Phillips at AAFW. Picture: www.matrixpictures.com.au

In an “art imitating life” style of performance, Ginger & Smart kicked things off with a well-dressed model jumping on stage to film the show via his phone.

Following his lead, the usual front rowers (Lana Wilkinson, Elliot Garnaut, Erin Holland and Anna Heinrich) lifted their trusty phones to film the opening model as she wafted down the futuristic runway.

Contrasting against the stark and new-age set, the clothes were soft, silky and sinuous where sorbet shades and tan sandals made for the perfect Summer 2022 outfit.

The fluid silhouettes, soft colour tones and pretty bow details were a lovely nod to femininity and the art of dressing up.

Jessica Mauboy at AAFW. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Seven Vittoria coffees and a protein ball later (my only other snack options were a boiled egg or kale salad – not much to be said about the Australian Fashion Week Snack Cart), the much-anticipated Oroton show was upon me, and the street-style content really upped the ante.

A sea of neutrals, the attendees were some of the best dressed I’d seen all week with the likes of Jessica Mauboy, Victoria Lee, and Jordan and Zac Stenmark bringing their beige best.

The show was a dreamy blend of “Little House on the Prairie” meets “That 70s Show” featuring muted prints, raffia handbags, leather pendants, chunky sandals and hair scarves.

The collection was understated but varied; cool yet unpretentious; simple but effective. I know my personal Spring/ Summer 2022 wardrobe will favour Oroton options however I’ll have to act quick as the rest of the fashion crowd seemed to mimic this sentiment.

Candice Warner and Erin Holland at AAFW. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The year’s Australian Fashion Week experience was a quieter one – we all missed our Victorian designers, models, make-up artists and fashionistas, and I couldn’t help but notice the lack of qualified Journalists and Fashion Editors in attendance.

It seems Covid’s mass magazine cull had a major impact on the guest list where social media stars were favoured and content was captured via phone and hashtags, not by discerning industry heavyweights and their glossy titles.

Such is life in 2021, consumers want their fashion updates fast and their images filtered. Front gate temperature checks and socially distanced seating are now as essential as lip gloss and double-sided tape.

Amid a Global Pandemic, the fashion world has stepped up to give us all a timely and much needed lift. Here’s to a Spring/ Summer filled with fabulous fashion options for all with AAFW proving we are well and truly ahead of the fashion game.