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LASplash.com: Style and Fashion Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2008 Review - Looking Back at the Strongest Australian Fashion Week Yet By Rebecca Burstein Rosemount Australian Fashion Week was a bigger success than ever in its 13th year, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The event, usually regarded as the prime fashion event in Australia, attracted unprecedented worldwide attention this time around. It is frequently being referred to all over the internet as the strongest Australian Fashion Week yet. From April 28th – May 2nd 2008, international presence was booming in the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney, Australia where Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) took place. Models, media and buyers from all over the world eagerly came together for the highly anticipated week produced by IMG Fashion.
About two weeks before RAFW’s start date this past April, RAFW officials decided to comply with Vogue Australia Editor Kristie Clements’ call for models to be a minimum age of 16. This industry policy change for RAFW was an important step in reducing concern about the appropriate age for runway models from the industry and community. The RAFW has been slowly gathering global recognition over the past decade, but interest really took off this year. It is the first time that such a large number of international models were flown in specifically for fashion week by IMG Models. According to Cosmoworlds Trade Industry Information Services, this year’s RAFW hosted the strongest array of global buyers ever to watch the runaways. IMG Fashion and Austrade, the agency hosting the buyers, believe that the international attention will greatly benefit the Australian fashion industry at large. Participating designers must be invited by the RAFW’s official Advisory Board, which boasts high profile industry leaders from Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire and InStyle. Along with well-known designer brands such as Alex Perry and Lisa Ho, RAFW is also known for enabling up-and-coming designers to be spotted by the international buyers coming from USA, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, Ireland, Russia, Singapore, Indonesia and United Arab Emirates.
Joining the international buyers were journalists from all ends of the globe, including our very own Style and Fashion Editor Lisa Martinez. Lisa was mesmerized during the fashion shows of Alex Perry, Camilla & Marc, Kirrily Johnston, Konstantina Mittas, Lee Matthews, Lisa Ho, Michelle Jank, Nicola Finetti, Sretsis and Zimmerman. Lisa writes that the Alex Perry show was arguably the most enthusiastically awaited show of the week. She applauds his ability to make the jungle and animal prints appear elegant and sexy and predicts that there will be no escaping the fashion-savvy hunters who will without a doubt try to capture Alex Perry’s items next spring.
Check out her review of the Alex Perry Spring 2009 Collection here. The Camilla & Marc show highlighted looks that were “ effortlessly elegant with an interesting twist,” writes Lisa. The collection was a successful balance between “ feminine detailing” and “ masculine tailoring”. It is obvious that this brother and sister duo compliment each other, as sharp edges were paired with a female playfulness to Lisa’s delight.
Check out Lisa's review of the Camilla & Marc Spring 2009 Collection here. Lisa notes that the inspiration of the Kirrily Johnston show was merging the East and West as one. Lisa points out “ circular dresses,” “ drapery techniques” and the use of metallic accessories. She also describes that the aim of this collection is “to blend culture and lifestyle.”
Check out Lisa's review of the Kirrily Johnston Spring 2009 Collection here. The Konstantina Mittas Spring 2009 Collection calls for an “individual spirit” and “ daring sense of style,” writes Lisa. She was absolutely blown away by this show, walking away with a handful of designs that she calls ingenious. Including “ winged dresses and nestling skirts,” Lisa believes this line is incredibly provocative and dramatic.
Check out Lisa's review of the Konstantina Mittas Spring 2009 Collection here. Lisa points out that juxtaposition was a common theme during fashion week, and the Lee Matthews show was no exception. The designer paired sheer chiffons with cargo paints, and as Lisa describes, nicely “ weaving modernity with antiquity.” An adventurous spirit was impressively captured, and the line is ideal for a customer who longs to be feminine but not too girly.
Check out Lisa's review of the Lee Matthews Spring 2009 Collection here. A Lisa Ho fan from years ago, our journalist Lisa writes that designer Lisa Ho excelled at allowing everyday pieces to be doubly useful in evening apparel. The line consisted of swimwear, separates and gowns. Lisa also notes that the designer’s use of prints were the prettiest of the week, toying with mystery and romance and using light fabrics such as satin and lace.
Check out Lisa's review of the Lisa Ho Spring 2009 Collection here. Day one of the RAFW ended with Michelle Jank’s collection and a multimedia presentation playing behind the runway. Lisa calls this collection " traffic-stopping" and was super impressed by the suspended motion video backdrop. Lisa enjoyed how the designer never ceases to push industry boundaries while using a palette of black, white and grey. Lisa Ho even told our Lisa that she credits her inspiration to living in Paris as well as a “ Hitchcokian theme.”
Check out Lisa's review of the Michelle Jank Spring 2009 Collection here. Lisa writes that Nicola Finetti used everything from origami folds to neon brights, reminding the world of his reputation as a cutting-edge designer. His line featured an array of colors, “ clever design details and accents” and Lisa called it one of the biggest collections of Fashion Week.
Check out Lisa's review of the Nicola Finetti Spring 2009 Collection here. During the Sretsis fashion show, Lisa felt like she was in a fantasy world. Real and imagined animals including owls and unicorns pop up often in the prints and accessories of the collection. Lisa enjoyed the collection as this designing sister trio displayed a line of “ soft silhouettes with panoramic animal landscapes.”
Check out Lisa's review of the Sretsis Spring 2009 Collection here. The Zimmerman line uncovered looks filled with pastel hues and 60s bohemian flair. Lisa calls the “Zimmerman girl undeniably flirty, unabashedly cool, and unapologetically feminine.” She reveals that the designer sisters used colors that were reminiscent of the sky, touching on “ dusk, dawn, twilight, and sunshine.” One will enjoy the easy, breezy feel of this collection.
Check out Lisa's review of the Zimmerman Spring 2009 Collection here. A glance through Lisa’s pictures and descriptive words about RAFW is guaranteed to make you as excited as Lisa is for next year’s event, which is scheduled to occur during April-May 2009 in the Sydney Harbour. For more information on this year’s Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, please visit http://www.rafw.com.au/ To see all of Lisa Martinez's articles click here. Images courtesy of Dawn Hiller Published Jul 8, 2008 © Copyright 2003-2004 by LA Splash.com |
