Australian Fashion Week 2011: The verdict
May 14th 2011 04:51
The cold autumn winds may have us Aussie folk reaching for our coats and scarves right now but rest assured that in just a few months' time, the warm weather will be back again... and with it, an exciting series of new fashion trends that are just itching to be added to our summer wardrobes. Last week gave us the chance to see just what those trends might be: some were obvious, others not so, while others were strongly influenced by what we've already seen on the international stage. Curious? Read on for my personal verdict on what key styles Australian Fashion Week gave us for the 2011/12 Spring/Summer season.
Every designer who showed their collections at RAFW has his or her own signature style, so of course there will always be considerable diversity in the looks seen from show to show - and we wouldn't want it any other way! But from within this diversity always emerges some common themes that, over the course of a few months, filter their way down from fashion elite to high street. They're the looks that we see displayed in every decent lifestyle magazine come October (and every upmarket cafe and nightspot come December) and naturally they're the ones we want to know about NOW.
From the Australian Fashion Week 2011 runways I've identified five key looks in particular that have the legs to last well into next year, and they are 1970s styling, masculine tailoring, colour blocking, all white, and the still unbelievably popular one shoulder dress.
1970s style.
The retro flag has been well and truly handed over to the decade of flares, flower children and flowing hair, both on our local shores and overseas. Seventies styling was a prominent theme of the Spring/Summer shows of several international fashion houses last year (including those of Marc Jacobs, Emilio Pucci and Chloe) and has already been embraced as a key look for the northern hemisphere summer by Hollywood's brightest young things (such as the reigning Queen of Boho herself, Miss Vanessa Hudgens).
Back home we saw plenty of seventies action unfolding on the RAFW catwalks too, with jumpsuits, flared trousers, halter necklines, crochet bikinis and detailing, pussybow blouses, bold geometric prints, florals, and platform sandals all making themselves known as key elements of the 1970s revival.
Masculine tailoring.
Another RAFW trend that has taken its cues from overseas shows, masculine tailoring was a feature of several local designers' collections including those of Bianca Spender, Dion Lee, and Josh Goot. Minimalistic yet highly structured, this trend is one that can be tricky to work into your everyday summer wardrobe, but that's not to say it can't be done (check out this article if you need some ideas and inspiration).
The beauty of male-inspired garb is that it works trans-seasonally, is comfortable and practical, and yet remains bang on trend for 2011. What's not to love about that?
Colour blocking.
It was Raf Simons for Jil Sander whose 2011 Spring/Summer show really took the trend for colour blocking to new heights, and six months later it's all over the Australian runways too. Unabashed colours ranging from the primary to the jewel-toned to the acidic were everywhere at RAFW 2011, making a welcome departure from the subdued and (let's be frank here) painfully dull neutrals of seasons past.
Alex Perry and Lisa Ho both made an impact with their vibrantly coloured goddess-length gowns, while Bianca Spender, Karla Spetic and several other local designers worked with contrasting separates. Regardless of the garment's form (and, it seems, the choice of colour itself!) the message was clear that colour blocking is set to be a major trend for the warmer months ahead. Just keep the lines clean and simple, and you really can't go wrong.
All white.
If there was one trend at RAFW 2011 that was even more prevalent than colour blocking, then all white dressing would be it. While it would seem, on first inspection, that donning an outfit completely devoid of colour would be the polar opposite of the colour blocking trend, in actuality the two are not so far apart when it comes to overall impact. To wear all white is to show a confidence in oneself that can't be matched by wearing pastels or prints - it's bold, it's no-nonsense, and right now it happens to be bang on trend.
For me it was the crisp, futuristic whites of Gail Sorronda and the youthful icy tones of Friend of Mine that held the most appeal, but with such an enormous array of all white looks on this year's runways there was something there to suit just about everyone. Extra points went to the local designers whose shoes and accessories were all white too - as is so often the case in fashion, it's the combination of small details that creates the biggest visual impact.
The one shoulder dress.
It's been more than two years since the one shoulder dress first made its comeback to the front lines of fashion, and yet it remains as popular as ever on catwalks and red carpets around the world. A number of local designers featured one shoulder dresses as part of their Spring/Summer 2011/12 collections at RAFW so we can expect to see even more of this flattering and feminine style once the mercury rises once again.
So there you have it for the key trends of Australian Fashion Week 2011 - obviously that's just the tip of the iceberg but it should give you some idea of what to expect when it comes to creating your summer wardrobe later this year. As always, keep in mind that true style is all about maintaining a sense of individuality and wearing what really appeals to you, so if you don't like a particular trend, then there's no reason why you should have to wear it - the ever-changing world of fashion exists purely to give you new ideas and inspiration in creating a look that is uniquely yours.
If you want to know how accurate this writer's verdicts are in terms of predicting upcoming trends, check out the RAFW verdict from 2010 here, and the 2009 one here. I hope you enjoyed this year's Australian Fashion Week posts, and that you continue to visit my little blog every now and then for all things fascinating in the world of fashion and personal style.
The hottest trends of RAFW 2011 - defined.
Every designer who showed their collections at RAFW has his or her own signature style, so of course there will always be considerable diversity in the looks seen from show to show - and we wouldn't want it any other way! But from within this diversity always emerges some common themes that, over the course of a few months, filter their way down from fashion elite to high street. They're the looks that we see displayed in every decent lifestyle magazine come October (and every upmarket cafe and nightspot come December) and naturally they're the ones we want to know about NOW.
From the Australian Fashion Week 2011 runways I've identified five key looks in particular that have the legs to last well into next year, and they are 1970s styling, masculine tailoring, colour blocking, all white, and the still unbelievably popular one shoulder dress.
I'm living in the 70s... (From L-R) Poppy Lissiman, Karen Neilsen, and Wonders Cease
1970s style.
The retro flag has been well and truly handed over to the decade of flares, flower children and flowing hair, both on our local shores and overseas. Seventies styling was a prominent theme of the Spring/Summer shows of several international fashion houses last year (including those of Marc Jacobs, Emilio Pucci and Chloe) and has already been embraced as a key look for the northern hemisphere summer by Hollywood's brightest young things (such as the reigning Queen of Boho herself, Miss Vanessa Hudgens).
Back home we saw plenty of seventies action unfolding on the RAFW catwalks too, with jumpsuits, flared trousers, halter necklines, crochet bikinis and detailing, pussybow blouses, bold geometric prints, florals, and platform sandals all making themselves known as key elements of the 1970s revival.
Let's hear it for the boys... (From L-R) Arj Selvam, Dion Lee, and Morrison
Masculine tailoring.
Another RAFW trend that has taken its cues from overseas shows, masculine tailoring was a feature of several local designers' collections including those of Bianca Spender, Dion Lee, and Josh Goot. Minimalistic yet highly structured, this trend is one that can be tricky to work into your everyday summer wardrobe, but that's not to say it can't be done (check out this article if you need some ideas and inspiration).
The beauty of male-inspired garb is that it works trans-seasonally, is comfortable and practical, and yet remains bang on trend for 2011. What's not to love about that?
Colour me fabulous... (From L-R) Josh Goot, Bianca Spender, Magdalena Velevska, and Karla Spetic
Colour blocking.
It was Raf Simons for Jil Sander whose 2011 Spring/Summer show really took the trend for colour blocking to new heights, and six months later it's all over the Australian runways too. Unabashed colours ranging from the primary to the jewel-toned to the acidic were everywhere at RAFW 2011, making a welcome departure from the subdued and (let's be frank here) painfully dull neutrals of seasons past.
Alex Perry and Lisa Ho both made an impact with their vibrantly coloured goddess-length gowns, while Bianca Spender, Karla Spetic and several other local designers worked with contrasting separates. Regardless of the garment's form (and, it seems, the choice of colour itself!) the message was clear that colour blocking is set to be a major trend for the warmer months ahead. Just keep the lines clean and simple, and you really can't go wrong.
It's all white... (From L-R) Fernando Frissoni, Friend of Mine, and Michael Lo Sordo
All white.
If there was one trend at RAFW 2011 that was even more prevalent than colour blocking, then all white dressing would be it. While it would seem, on first inspection, that donning an outfit completely devoid of colour would be the polar opposite of the colour blocking trend, in actuality the two are not so far apart when it comes to overall impact. To wear all white is to show a confidence in oneself that can't be matched by wearing pastels or prints - it's bold, it's no-nonsense, and right now it happens to be bang on trend.
For me it was the crisp, futuristic whites of Gail Sorronda and the youthful icy tones of Friend of Mine that held the most appeal, but with such an enormous array of all white looks on this year's runways there was something there to suit just about everyone. Extra points went to the local designers whose shoes and accessories were all white too - as is so often the case in fashion, it's the combination of small details that creates the biggest visual impact.
The single shoulder soldiers on! (From L-R) Toni Maticevski, Mok Theorem, White Suede, and Sally Koeswanto
The one shoulder dress.
It's been more than two years since the one shoulder dress first made its comeback to the front lines of fashion, and yet it remains as popular as ever on catwalks and red carpets around the world. A number of local designers featured one shoulder dresses as part of their Spring/Summer 2011/12 collections at RAFW so we can expect to see even more of this flattering and feminine style once the mercury rises once again.
So there you have it for the key trends of Australian Fashion Week 2011 - obviously that's just the tip of the iceberg but it should give you some idea of what to expect when it comes to creating your summer wardrobe later this year. As always, keep in mind that true style is all about maintaining a sense of individuality and wearing what really appeals to you, so if you don't like a particular trend, then there's no reason why you should have to wear it - the ever-changing world of fashion exists purely to give you new ideas and inspiration in creating a look that is uniquely yours.
If you want to know how accurate this writer's verdicts are in terms of predicting upcoming trends, check out the RAFW verdict from 2010 here, and the 2009 one here. I hope you enjoyed this year's Australian Fashion Week posts, and that you continue to visit my little blog every now and then for all things fascinating in the world of fashion and personal style.
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