The frills, the cocktail bar - and the elevator emergency

Manning Cartell cut the backs out of almost every look, in a glittering show held beneath the Harbour Bridge at Milson’s point, the Opera House shining in the background. Shining too were the label’s sequins, in a deep-fried yellow that shouldn’t have worked but really did – you’re going to want their standout cropped sweatshirts and tank dresses.

A backless number would have helped keep you cool had you been one of the unlucky fashionistas trapped in a lift for 40 minutes after the Christopher Esber show. One of them was Richard Wilkins’ son Christian, who made the experience into a Snapchat event. Esber’s clothes were actually wonderful – if you could manage to climb the stairs to the hot yoga studio where his presentation was held. Yes you read that right: a hot yoga studio.

Next big things Macgraw made everyone smile with a delicious show, full of smiling models with pretty, bouncy hair in super-fun prints (a ladybug!) and lots of lace and ruffles. Their pink boots were the icing on a very appealing cake.

All these flirty backless numbers, and cheerful ruffles speak of a new energy in Australian fashion that feels right for our climate, and general approach to getting dressed.

Alice McCall wrote the book on that. She closed the day with a rollicking fashion party of the type we used to have back in the day. The cocktail bar was three-deep, and models lolled about in a series of kitschy installations that were frequently invaded by guests, including super blogger Mimi Elashiry, actress Emma Lung, Paris It girl Catherine Baba, fashion illustrator Kerrie Hess and MTV presenter Carissa Walford. “That’s how I wanted it to be,” said McCall, taking her place on a gold velvet sofa flanked by girls in her flirty lace playsuits, pretending to talk on a pineapple yellow phone.