Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia: Trends you need to know
FROM weird wetsuit material to midriffs and gelato coloured clothes. Here’s what had everyone talking at this week’s fashion extravaganza. But would you wear any of them?
WITH the nights growing colder and the days getting shorter, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Spring/Summer 2015 is a very long way away and so the fanfare that’s surrounded Sydney’s Carriageworks over the past five days is pretty useless.
But if you bear in mind that fashion weeks are run primarily for buyers who have to choose next season’s clothes before next season arrives, it all starts to make a little more sense. These weeks really should be all about the fashion - and controversy about skinny models aside, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SS14/15 was no different.
So if you want to stay ahead of the fash pack — and if you want to know what to hang on to before your seasonal wardrobe clean-out — these are the trends that you’ll be wearing come Summer next year:
1. Neoprene - aka wetsuit material
That funny, rubbery, wetsuit-type material you never knew the name of is hanging around for a little while longer. This fabric - neoprene - is good because it holds its shape regardless of what you’re doing. Look for it primarily in skirt and dress form for SS/15 — Toni Maticevski nailed it.
2, Embellishments - aka anything shiny or furry
Sequins, diamontes, embroidery, pompoms, tassels — if you can find it in your sewing cupboard, you can put it on your clothing. Look to brands like Aurelio Costarella, Biance Spender and Betty Tran to see how it’s done.
3. Pastels - aka gelato colours
While the runway did reveal some pops of bright colour, pastels are back in a big way for SS/15. Purples, greens and blues were the standout colours, as seen in the Hayley Elsaesser and Alice McCall collections.
4. Prints - aka any graphics that clash
If you’re wanting something fun next summer, you can find it in print form. We Are Handsome, Romance Was Born, Duvenage, Emma Mulholland and Desert Designs are flying the highest flags for this trend.
5. Skin - aka the respectable kind of sexy
Whether it’s a peek of a shoulder blade or a slither of sheer fabric, flashes of skin will still be in in 2015. You’d better keep up those stomach crunches during winter — the midriff is here to stay, as evidenced by a myriad of skirt/pant/top combos parading themselves down the runway. Also cementing its position in your wardrobe is the cut-out, seen on tops and dresses alike and done best [read: most tastefully] by Biance Spender, Alex Perry, Carla Zampatti and Alice McCall.
6. Masculine - aka comfort with a twist
The masculine trend is firmly digging its heels in, but for SS/15 it has a bit of a flirty feel. Polkadots and frills meet structured blazers, buttoned shirts, high waisted pants and brogues — MacGraw and Christopher Esber have re-imagined this trend best.
7. Monochrome - aka anything in black and white
I’m almost loathe to put this one down as a trend, as black and white is always ‘in’ — and Spring Summer 14/15 is no exception. Look to Carla Zampatti, Strateas.Carlucci and Bec and Bridge for inspiration.
The week at a glance...
If there’s one word to describe this year’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, it’s this one: Diverse.
From the models on the runway to the clothes on display, the Spring Summer 2015 collections were a mishmash of culture and design, culminating in a quintessentially Australian fashion week.
The fashion fair played host to Lan Yu, who became the first ever Chinese fashion designer to show at MBFWA; an impressive art installation collaboration between Bianca Spender and Gabrielle Lester for the 19th Biennale of Sydney, compete with xylaphones and low-lighting; and several anniversary shows for the likes of Gallani and Alice McCall. Tomorrow, Indigenous Fashion Week kicks off at Sydney’s Town Hall, and on the weekend, Carriageworks will support the first ever Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Weekend Edition, which is open to the public.
From experienced designers to the new kids on the block, the week showcased a huge range of Australian talent. Desert Designs, Leroy Nguyen and Hayley Elsaesser made their MBFWA debut, alongside some promising new talent showcased in the upbeat New Generation show. On the flip-side, sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann were awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate, a peer-voted award which honours those whose careers have promoted the Australian fashion industry.
Highlights for the week no doubt included We Are Handsome’s off-site, energetic show with pythons to boot; Carla Zampatti’s monochromatic 14/15 collection which opened the week in style; and Alex Perry’s aspirational and expertly put together 14/15 collection. Alice McCall’s Cruise 14/15 show was a spectacle in every sense of the word, masterfully pieced together with music by Jonny Powell and featuring everything from confetti to sculptures suspended from the ceiling.
What do you think of the trends? Tell us on twitter @newscomauHQ
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