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What to wear on Monday morning? Scarlet puffed sleeves, a red sequinned pencil skirt and suede stilettos shaped like flames – if you’re model/influencer Tanja Gacic on the first official day of MBFWA.
Seated next to her at the Alice McCall show was Kate Waterhouse in gold sandals carrying her Gucci ‘Dionysus’ bag. Mimi Elashiry somehow managed to pull off hotpants with thigh-high shiny purple boots. The artist Mary Shackman arrived in turquoise nail polish and a psychedelic Romance Was Born bomber jacket. There was leopard print, sparkle and strapless lace – before we even got to the runway. Well, this is fashion week, darlings. Go hard, or go home.
So what about the clothes? McCall’s beautiful show, titled Bon Bon, was a candy-whipped confection of Marie Antoinette-ish fabulousness, with the designer’s signature rock edge. Her work is never merely sweet. “I was inspired this season by 1980s brocades and ostrich feathers, kind of subversive debutante!” said McCall backstage – herself wearing a tiny blush lurex mini dress. Time check? Not quite 10am.
Glitter by day… Why not? Life’s too short not to shine.
At Bianca Spender, there was a more sheen, albeit coming from a subtler place.
She started off this season looking at the work of 1970s photographer Sarah Moon, and the was something of Moon’s slightly blurred romantic melancholia in Spender’s diaphanous silks.
God, this woman knows how to cut a dress, but her tailoring was also on point. Fantastic coats pulled in at all the right places, slouchy pants, exaggerated pleats. Dinosaur Designs did the jewellery. Effortless is a word we overuse in Fashion Land but that’s how Spender’s vision came across. Every look was spot on.
Newcomer Thomas Puttick also went the silk route, with a slouchy take on pyjama dressing. The show was a collaboration with the White Ribbon campaign, and the set was decked with white orchids and giant paper ribbons. Impressive stuff.
Steven Khalil is known for his red carpet gowns, and celebrity fans (model Nicole Trunfio was a recent Khalil bridal) so we expect his f’row was packed with OTT outfits, a full 60 minutes before the official cocktail hour.
Monday is the new Friday.
