Against the rustic open-face brick of Sydney’s old railway, the wild, theatrical and kooky played out. The bigger the better for some; with flares out in full force, voluminous tops, denim and big bell sleeves. Print, colour and texture was is abundance, yet for some, it was all about understated cool – black, white and sleek.
Frayed Denim
Say goodbye to the scissors, ripped denim is on its way out, as clean baby blues with slightly frayed hems stand tall. Hemlines were abbreviated, cropped just enough to put your best foot forward in a fancy shoe, while waists were high and retro. Think ‘mum’ jeans with a modern twist, but be warned, these aren’t typically the sexiest of style, so steer clear for date night. Fashion is not always as glamorous as it seems.
Fancy Footwear
If fashion week was the old lady, then the shoe she lived in was Gucci. The well-heeled folk of Sydney were indeed well-heeled, with many (read: seriously, a lot) strutting around in Gucci shoes. The Princetown slipper is not going anywhere, with variations in black, red and shiny, shiny gold, the embroidered lace-up bootie made its fair share of appearances, whilst the mule was bedazzled by way of metallic, studs, spikes and sequins – enough to make Cinderalla quiver in her glass slippers. If it wasn’t Gucci, it was fanciful; with jacquard, crystals, and offbeat heels. But if there’s one sartorial investment you make all year, make it Gucci on your feet.
Layering
The true style sisters have been doing it for years, but layering was out in full fashionable force. The Queen of le layer, Miss Zhang, went all out with layer upon layer of designer garb, whilst others opted for just a singular piece. The common denominator was a starchy white shirt, or white t-shirt, which were strategically worn under just about everything.
Matchy Matchy
Nothing says fashion like a matching set. Twin-sets were everywhere; from editing royalty like Kellie Hush in the Frow, to junior assistants at their first fashion week, the memo for matching two-pieces certainly went out. Either floaty and sheer, punchy and bright or simple and striking, a matching ensemble always looks polished (because two is better than one anyway).
Statement Prints
For the sartorially savvy, monochrome is usually the colour code du jour, however it was a kaleidoscopic explosion of colour and print outside Carriageworks. Whimsy was played out on frocks, tops, skirts and accessories; be it graphic prints, folksy fabric, tapestry floral, appliqué fauna, rich paisley, linear geometrics, neon sequins – statement print was ubiquitous.
Volume
The bigger the better on the streets (and too on the runway), as the volume trend is still big (get it?). Whilst tapered trousers are also in vogue, wide-leg, flared and culottes made their way on pins, whilst up top, it was exaggerated. Billowing and swirling, there was room to move for some, whilst others were synched everywhere but a sleeve or shoulder. Oversized was also omnipresent, as the boyish take on fashion continues.
Flare It
To add any fashion cred to an outfit, simply flare it. Lending itself to the resurgent trend of the 70s, flares are forever (well, at least for the moment). The flare was by far the most popular pant of the festival, and in all its manifestations, maintained chic and supremely cool. Most bared black, but some ventured into ivory territory, whilst others played with bell-bottomed prints – a true fashionista maneuver.
