Shakking it with Cyber Barbarella

Shakuhachi took us for a wild ride through the galaxy to serve up one mean ass collection at this year’s fashion week. Designer Jessie White decided to merge the old with the new in her ‘Cyber Barbarella’ collection, taking 60s references and modernising it by giving it a cyber spin. The result? A big fun filled girly rave party where all the cool kids where invited and sequins rained from the rooftop.

This party wasn’t just for one type of girl either. It was a mash-up between the 90’s cool space age cadet girls, the badass metallic chicks from the wrong neighbourhood and their older sisters from the 60s channelling fun flirty florals and free love. Clothes were accessorised with sorbet transparent jewellery, floral frames, metallic backpacks and amazing, amazing over the knee gogo boots with a chunky platform. It was bright, colourful and everything you would hope for from this label. 

Phoenix's, Alien's and Clint Eastwood

Phoenix Keating is always one of the biggest highlights in my Fashion Week schedule, injecting a unique and imaginative collection amongst all the floral and digital prints. This year, Keating did not fail to deliver and definitely won the award for most interesting collection by displaying futuristic yet mid-century themed clothing.

Phoenix’s Spring/Summer collection, HUMANOID, recounts the out of this world love story between an alien and her love interest, Clint Eastwood, back in his ‘Dirty Harry’ days. Just like any good alien movie, she tries her best to assimilate into human culture by picking up the old west style she’s watched in countless Hollywood movies.

There were many references to 1940’s silhouettes with sharp lines, structured shoulders and pinched waists. Fitted pencil skirts, aerodynamic wraps and fringing flowed through the collection and were executed in a colour palate of metallic silvers, soft ivory and oatmeal.

Having had style icon Lady Gaga wear his designs during her impromptu performances in Sydney 2011, Phoenix Keating is definitely a label to watch. Phoenix Keating’s collection certainly re-vitalised many if not all attendees and reminded us of why we love this industry so much.

PS. Brownie points to Phoenix for using a model of colour in his collection! We need more black models!

Zambesi's return

<3 FUCK YEAH RUBY JEAN-WILSON

New Zealand label, Zambesi returned to the Australian Fashion Week lineup after a three year hiatus to show a stellar collection that melded unique textiles and textures together. Known for their ability to extend and continue their collections so they flow from one season to another, this S/S collection saw them being inspired by a sense of freedom being tempered with the idea of restraint.

Designers Elisabeth Findlay and Dayne Johnston's really pushed this collection forward with their interesting and diverse choices of fabrics such as taffeta, metallic lurex, lightweight nylon and green plaid. The beauty of the collection however was in the clever detailing in the clothes. There was  deconstructed mandarin collars, collarless blazers and swingy silhouettes that really demonstrated the designers skills in tailoring.

My favorite looks were definitely the first 6 all white outfits which perfectly reflected the fashion houses minimalistic aesthetics. These looks delved into clean lines which offered a cool, confident and modern approach to minimalism.

From Britten with Love

I was first introduced to the label, From Britten, at last years Fashion week where they were the standout collection in the group menswear show. Since then, the Melbourne label has jumped from success to success, opening up their Customer Store, winning the prestigious L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival designer awards 2013 and being the only sole menswear label to show at this years Mercedez Bens Fashion Week Australia.

Design duo Alexander and Tim Britten-Finschi take pride in their sublime tailoring and the ability to playfully adapt traditional menswear into contemporary designs. For this season, they were inspired by the transition between leaving high school and entering university life. They played upon the idea of how these late adolescence men have found a new confidence and their desire to appear older. Thus the collection included many oversized silhouettes, melding sportswear, a very youth orientated type of clothing and the more sophisticated and mature side of tailoring. 

When we first walked into the venue, we were introduced to a gigantic box pillar design in the middle of the runway. The set design by Jack Bedwani perfectly reflected the design aesthetic of the label: structured, boxy and full of clean lines. They had the models walk through the box installation which further drew parallels with their architecture ethos. 

It is no wonder that street fashion photographer Tommy Ton who has seen countless fashion shows announced From Britten as a promising talent. Now if they only stocked in Sydney...