Think of Australia and you think of the sun and surfers and beach-haired babes. But the fast rising potential of the fashion industry is changing the dynamics of the business as Aussie designers show a different side to the world during the current season of their first ever Cruise shows for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia.
House of Cannon Cruise 2017
The first-of-its-kind cruise collections at the Australian fashion week had a distinctly international flavour, reflecting the need now for Australian designers to look beyond their own shores to establish viable businesses. The mood of the fashion scene in Sydney right now is compelled with minimalist high-end fabrics, refined tailoring, and androgynous shapes that attracted editors and influencers from all around the world including new markets such as South Africa, Singapore, India and Germany. With Australian e-commerce way ahead of its time spearheaded by multi-brand regional sites such as BNKR, David Jones, The Iconic, to name a few, and as the arrival of global fast fashion chains continues, smart designers are creating trans-seasonal ranges that appeal to shoppers in the Middle East and overseas.
Oscar de la Renta Cruise 2017
From New York favourites such as Dion Lee, Cynthia Rowley and Tome making a homecoming to brand new designers like Anna Quan and Georgia Alice making their mark, Sydney has got plenty to offer. The highlight of the week was Oscar de la Renta’s colourful array of cocktail dresses and gowns with delicate details making their debut off-shores as the closing act for the Australian fashion week. The iconic brand presented their Cruise collection for the Australian audiences for the first time ever, with model Shanina Shaik opening the show in a bright poppy fil coupe embroidered skirt, crepe blouse and tweed blazer; proving the country’s position as a gateway for high fashion and luxury clothing.
Dion Lee Cruise 2017
The Middle Eastern customers like colour, vibrancy and drama with sequins and billowing chiffons. We spotted exciting warm-weather appropriate, and red carpet ready gowns on the runways of designers like Akira, House of Cannon and Steven Khalil, which, lucky for us, are all available to purchase online. We’re taking note of the new kid on the block, Georgia Currie, the namesake behind Georgia Alice whose ruffled off-the-shoulder silk top spawned a million imitations in Sydney, and earned her the title of the “new Ellery”. Overall, the vibe of the whirlwind fashion presentations was urban sexy with lots of personality.
