Colourful looks at Australian Fashion Week launch in Sydney
It was a relatively colourful start to open Australian Fashion Week in Sydney as bold looks and rainbows came out to brighten up the dreary day. See the photos.
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Sydney’s sartorial set descended upon Carriageworks in all their finery on Monday for the most anticipated event in Australia’s fashion calendar.
It was a relatively colourful affair for those in attendance — perhaps in hopes of brightening up Sydney’s dreary weather, which gave way to afternoon sunshine.
At fashion weeks across the globe, colour and trends are catalogued off the runway almost more so than on it. And so, content creators of all stripes primped and peacocked for the press pack on the asphalt, while editors, creatives, and models took in the shows.
Eddie Riley “Rainbow” told The Daily Telegraph she constructed an outfit around a pair of vintage Gucci platform sandals for her first Fashion Week.
“I always wear rainbow and contrast colours,” the former teacher turned lifestyle mum blogger said. “I’m just here to network and give it my all.”
Elouise Eftos “Australia’s first attractive comedian” opted for a two-piece skin-baring set by Sydney vintage re-designer Nevada Clothing. The flames and guitars trailing her legs may have looked more at home at the ARIA Awards but Eftos said: “I love the look because it’s bold. This is what Fashion Week’s about. Sometimes Australians play it too safe with their boring blazers. I want to see some more people having fun with it in the next four days.”
Model Jesinta Franklin, Heartbreak High actors Ayesha Madon and Will McDonald, Julie Bishop, and Swift Street actor Keiynan Lonsdale were among the crowds, with Lonsdale surreptitiously picking up unsecured Pandora rings from the ground that had fallen off his BELANCĒ suit lapels.
Suiting, a favourite of the local style set, was in abundance — both fitted and formal, and playfully louche when paired with bras, mesh, and boots.
Most guests embraced an elevated casual, layering sheer dresses with distressed denim, blazers over run club T-shirts and styling with bright-hued handbags, socks and stockings, and sunglasses.
A standout on day one was the Next Gen show of four designers pegged for big things.
Vogue Australia’s Francesca Wallace though praised the diverse offerings on show on day one of Pandora Australian Fashion Week, and particularly singled out the NextGen designers of Potirakis alongside Amy Lawrance, Emily Watson and House of Campbell.
“It was great to see the breadth of emerging designers on show, which is what Australian Fashion Week is all about, and what we do so well,” Wallace said.
“Particularly Amy Lawrance’s technical takes on delicate dresses, she is definitely one to watch.”
Some noted the stark contrast of Potirakis’ all-black streetwear brand that looked to be a nod to Balenciaga.
“The inspiration was the kind of criminals you’d see in a movie, street crime through to high class white collar crime,” Chris Potirakis said, adding of the police officer outfit: “It is a guy in a combat vest, but also could be considered a bad guy as well. Overall I guess you could say it is luxury streetwear.”
The Fashion Week fun will continue Tuesday with some of the big hitters of the industry showing, among them P.E. Nation, Liandra, Michael Lo Sordo and Mastani.
LIANDRA TO TURN HEADS AT AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK
Liandra Gaykamangu is going global.
After taking part in group shows for the past three years, her label Liandra will take centre stage as one of the most anticipated runway events of Australian Fashion Week.
“We’ve grown, we’ve evolved and we are having our own show,” Gaykamangu told The Daily Telegraph.
“This is us banging on our chest and letting everyone know that we are here, we’re proud and we are exactly where we should be for the age of the brand now.
“It felt like the right time to be able to come out of that cocoon of safety where you are with peers and in a group of safety and step out on your own.”
Gaykamangu started the brand out of Darwin just over six years ago and is ready now to take on the global market with her striking and colourful designs.
Initially, Liandra was a swimwear brand with Gaykamangu transitioning over the past 12 months to encompass everything from “the beach to the boardroom”.
Liandra, she said, is a brand for everyone.
“I am proudly an Aboriginal woman but I also see myself in the same calibre as some of our top Australian labels so that is what the goal is, to place the brand as proudly First Nations and seen internationally as an outstanding Australian brand.”
The push internationally will start in the United States and Canada. Jesinta Franklin fronted the brands most recent campaign.
“We are ready to grow our market share in Australia but also inch out because the opportunity we could have globally is an exciting opportunity to explore,” she said. “It would be naive of us not to expand our business and grow our reach beyond domestic borders when there is a whole global market out there we could be tapping into.”
The Telegraph caught up with Gaykamangu during pre show castings in Chippendale. The designer was extremely calm and relaxed despite the momentous moment ahead of her.
Pandora Australian Fashion Week will kick off on Monday with Liandra on the schedule for Tuesday at Carriageworks in Eveleigh.
“I am so calm,” Gaykamangu said. “I am not nervous in the quality or the execution of what we are trying to achieve on the day but of course it is a big moment for me and the brand.”
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