L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2011 in highlights: Part 2
The first 3 days of the 2011 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival were quite rich. The Festival lunched on Monday, 14 March, with an opening show Fashion Full Stop. On Tuesday, the Autumn 2011 Australian designer runway shows began and included, to name just a few, Carla Zampatti, Nina Maya, Rachel Gilbert, Sass&Bide, Ellery, etc. So here I am, lovelies, reporting to you on the best seen so far.
Nina Maya (image above) presented a well-structured strong collection in equestrian / dominatrix style. Jockey hats, tight racing leggings, over knee laced up boots, silk and jersey, mostly in black colour with inclusion of white and khaki. Androgynous sleek hair paired with smoky beige/violet eye bare lips makeup. The pinnacle of the collection was futuristic jockey costume in white with black inclusions optically altering the outfit’s silhouette. Another highlight was a transparent bra worn as a top whether it was a Lady Gaga influence or an attempt to sexualise slightly masculine collection.
Sass & Bide collection differed from the 2011 collection already shown at London Fashion week. The reason is obvious – different hemispheres. What gets offered up in the northern hemisphere won’t arrive in southern part of the world for another year. Thus London reveals something called Autumn 2011, while in Australia there is a collection of the same name that is in fact a completely different.
Nonetheless, Sass&Bide committed to their unique style of complex cuts and fabric draping, presented a collection in creamy peach and beige tones spiced up with some black, digital prints and metallic bronze. Draped silk jumpsuits and short tube dresses, cut aways, angles, leather and metal embellishments. Even though, I expected a little bit more from Sass&Bide, bold metallic accessories, belts and necklaces, added a distinctive edge to the collection.
Carla Zampatti began the show revealing, as always, elegant, structured yet flawless collection. This season, though, it was rather rock chic with loads of black and white, leather accessorised with bracelets with metal embellishments. The most astonishing were long dress in metallic greenish-bronze leather and short white fur jacket combined with tight silver pants. Polished waves hairstyle and strong eye makeup combined with burgundy lips complimented the look.
When Leona Edmiston began her show, the mood changed from rock chic to Helmet Newton-inspired wealthy widow. Black lace veils, lace, polished hair, dark red lips, and black sunglasses made the models older, albeit darkly glamorous as they slinked along in black back seamed stockings. Floral prints as well as black colour were predominant with rosary beads as accessories.
This year Romance Was Born went somehow low-key comparing to their previous collections of 2009 and 2010. With a few distinctively original designs, like this red skin tight ’circus gymnast’-style jumpsuit, Romance Was Born’ collection somehow echoed the one created by Leona Edmiston – dominance of floral prints and black color. Yet the mood was completely different, it was rather Cirque du Soleil inspired collection with its small mandarin hats, Chinese collars, sequins and sleek hairstyles.
My next report from Fashion week in Melbourne will be something quite exciting and completely different… Stay tuned! :)

Comments 10
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Beautiful clothes, all of them! Thank you for this lovely entry! :)
Love the Nina Maya pictures. I always love looking at collections from other fashion weeks. You always see amazing stuff.
Oh i can definately see some of these concepts infultrating my wardrobe
Bright Green Laces
Hey, great collections! I read your comment and i followed you ;D
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loving all the fierce make-up! great site :) xo
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You think? well i don´t know it´s great in the winter, but now it´s enough hahaha.. Want summer now :( hehe..
Great post!
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This is great!
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Great blog and style! Thanks for visiting :)
stoneandcloth
i really love that black one piece!