Rosemount Australian Fashion Week Kicks Off in Full Color
Color, color and more color. It was a festive beginning for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, which kicked off this week in Sydney.
Camilla, photo courtesy of AuLifestyle/MarieClaire
It’s a landmark year for the event, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this season. Set against the stunning backdrop of Sydney’s iconic Opera House, the event includes some of the best designers from Australia and the Asia Pacific. From May 3 to 7 designers will present their collections to press and buyers in 45 runway shows staged at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. In addition, 40 designers are showcased at The MCA Showrooms and The Westin Sydney Suites, and 50 accessories designers are on display in the Emerge area at the runway venue.
On opening day designers including Camilla, Seventh Wonderland and Ginger Smart presented collections with an array of spectacular color and dreamy supernatural themes for the Spring/Summer 2010/11 season. At Camilla, a Babylon-meets-Avatar theme showcased a high-voltage collection of caftans and kimonos in colorful animal, reptile and rainbow prints. Pineapple ice sculptures served as the backdrop for Seventh Wonderland’s dreamy 1930’s-inspired swimwear collection, which included kaleidoscopic digital prints decorated with hand-made macramé details. At Ginger Smart sophistication merged with an easy, chic attitude. Slouchy harem pants, tailored jackets, layers of ruffles and plenty of colorful prints collided in an effortless look for summer.
Soft icy pastels such as the pink and blue hues at Bassike were prevalent in many collections including Bec Bridge, where designers Becky Cooper and Bridget Yorston were inspired by an annual festival in India to create an ethereal mood for the season. Rebellious yet fashion-focused, Stolen Girlfriends Club presented its New Zealand brand of surf meets streetwear cool. The collection had a post-apocalyptic tribal theme with colorful animal printed denim, high-waisted panties, leggings, ethnic prints and a nod to athleticism. References to "Baywatch" and a T-shirt with the phrase “Escaped from Malibu California” gave a cheeky nod to SoCal surf style.
Along with its colorful side, Australia Fashion Week also proved it has its share of edge. New Zealand-based Zambesi presented a dark tonal collection that built on its relaxed meets sophisticated sensibility. Newcomer Chistopher Esber designed for the modern business woman creating a chic collection of menswear-inspired separates and shirt dresses in unusual fabrics such as leather and industrial gauze. And Aurelio Costarella added a dose of high glamour with his talisman-inspired collection. In shades of nude, shell pink, ochre and bronze, the collection was full of beautifully cut dresses accented with corsets and lingerie details. Stand outs included a gold sequin gown topped with a marabou jacket and an elaborate creation with miles of pleated ruffles that closed the show.
Bassike Spring/Summer 2010, photo courtesy of Bassike
Stolen Girlfriends Club Spring/Summer 2010, photo courtesy of The Vine
Aurelio Costarella Spring/Summer 2010, photo courtesy of AuLifestyle/Marie Claire
