La Vita Bella
Even those living under the most unfashionable rock know that Bella Hadid hit our shores earlier in the week. The Hadid name certainly unleashes some kind of hysteria, and Fashion Week was no exception. When the ‘it’ girl first stepped out from behind the curtain, there was a unanimous charge of mobile devices, you’ll be hard pressed finding anyone who attended the show without a row of blurred pics of the model. Such behaviour was mirrored again for the final walk with the rest of her model army (to Beyonce’s Formation, i.e. SLAY), to the point where the obligatory clapping disappeared and was replaced by a concordant flashing of iPhones and the like. The storm that ensued did wonders for the once-little Melbourne brand Misha Collection, who has now gained international recognition for their well thought-out, and executed Hadid hit.
Glitter Ponytails
The humble pony had a sparkly makeover, and we were left starry-eyed. REDKEN Hair Director Philip Barwick created a dazzling hair directive for the SWAROVSKI Show on Day 2 at MBFWA 2016, with locks encrusted in crystals. The gleaming ponytail was inspired by the brand’s crystal galaxy and certainly glistened under the bright lights of the runway. Whilst this one is best kept for the catwalk – think of the mess, eek! – editorially it was a showstopper (literally).
Dizzyingly High Dion
While it’s all about the farshun (fashion for the uneducated), it too becomes about the spectacle. Set, lighting and soundtrack play an enormous role in the overall plaudits, as the parade essentially becomes a production. Australia’s fashion wunderkid, Dion Lee, wandered away from Carriageworks, the home of MBFWA, and ventured high up in the sky for his Resort collection. Held on the rooftop terrace of the Bloomberg Headquarters – 28 floors up – Dion devotees were treated to a visual feast with the glistening city, Bridge and Opera House below. For Dion, it was a venue which somewhat reflected his collection, one “that really highlighted the focus on materiality”, with his reference points for the collection being “glass, surfaces and reflection”.
Nigel Stanislaus
What can we say? “Mr. Maybelline” as he’s affectionately known, is simply a hoot (and a most loveable one at that). Directing some of the week’s shiniest shows, including Maticevski, Misha Collection and By Johnny, the makeup maestro provided that much-needed pizzazz during the anarchic backstage tussle. With his already pre-conceived one-liners (“beauty with distortion” and “drunken lashes”), referring to his plate of makeup goodies as “Yum Cha” and droll, throw-away comments which made us giggle, he was a hit both creatively and personally.
Chain Reaction
There is nothing like a little controversy to kick off Fashion Week. Maticevski’s show had all the sculptural delights we came to fawn over, however he turned up the volume and added some sex. And S&M. Well, kind of. The bespoke jewellery made for the show by Ryan Storer set fashion tongues wagging; handcuffs got a haute makeover while girls were gagged with jewels. Up close, the pieces were works of art, whilst from afar, their decadence (and deviance) made for spectacular viewing.
The Doll House
When the fairy-floss doors flung open of Macgraw’s ‘Doll House’ it was a sweet sight for the eyes. Girls fleeted down the runway in confections of ivory lace, floral applique, tiers of ruffle, botanical prints and black bows tied around necks (a girly take on the choker). Even footwear was feminine, with candy coloured booties laden with floral jewels by Venice Jewellery. A welcome saccharine step away from the traditional brooding shows; the girls had a sweet spring in their step, and as an added bonus, were smiling.
