MONDAY 05.05.10
There's nothing like Rosemount Australian Fashion Week to remind you of your place at the bottom of the fashion food chain. I pick up my seating schedule and pretend not to care about all those Row Nose Bleed seats. Ego is sufficiently stroked however when I find my front row seat at Zambesi. The clothes are great, Zambesi-y; a contrast of tough and pretty, black mixed with neutrals, mesh and cool straw hats on the boys. Fifteen minutes in, I get distracted by Harper's Bazaar fashion editor Christine Centenera sitting opposite. How does she get her hair so perfectly tousled? I saw her outside before the show being photographed for a street style website wearing a Celine skirt and Balenciaga jacket. God I feel crumpled and frizzy. Back to the clothes. Will this show ever end?
Later I head to the Medina on Crown, otherwise known as Little New Zealand during RAFW. This year Kate Sylvester, Juliette Hogan, Kathryn Wilson, Twenty-seven Names and Sherie Muijs are there, as well as Stolen Girlfriends Club who are showing later. Eat cupcakes and drink wine with Juliette, Kathryn and Anjali and Rachel of Twenty-seven Names, then head to the show in an industrial warehouse. Feel a bit thrown when we realise there's only lolly water on offer. Yes, yes, it's all about the clothes, but this is an SGC show (and it's their fifth birthday); where are the alcohol-filled jam jars? The show features variations on collections past with an Aztec and crocodile print, surf and sports-inspired pieces and male models with backpacks leaking sand.
TUESDAY 06.05.10
Wake up feeling energised, so decide to walk to the 9am Camilla and Marc show. At 9am I realise I'm only half way there and start feeling panicked and very crumpled. It's at this moment I give up on glamour; no one here cares what I am wearing and my feet hurt. Out come the emergency flats - and they stay out all week.
The clothes are very Sydney; expensive looking clothes on rich looking girls with perfect ponytails. What is it about this city and perfect hair? The collection is desert-inspired; think neutral, sandy tones with injections of pastel. This proves to be the formula for many shows this week.
Next is New Zealand label Sabatini White who show a range of knit dresses and lingerie in neutral tones with injections of pastel (and some black). Later I head to Nicola Finetti (lots of gowns with lots of tulle) then Friedrich Gray (monochrome, cool mirrored sculpture backdrop) before heading to a New Zealand dinner organised by M.A.C. Talk to Anjali from Twenty-seven Names about their turn on America's Next Top Model which aired in the US last week; judge and Vogue contributor Andre Leon Talley described them as "fierce".
WEDNESDAY 07.05.10
Early backstage peek at the hair and makeup at Kate Sylvester. Half the models are made up as girls, the other half are boys; when the makeup artist uses the words Jane and Austen to describe the girls, I swoon. Wander into the dressing area where all the clothes are hung, and feel guilty when Kate walks in. Pretend to have seen nothing.
Head to the off-site Therese Rawsthorne show by hitching a ride with M.A.C and their VIP guest, who have a driver. So this is what it feels like to work at Vogue. All the fashion magazine teams have cars waiting after shows; something I could get used to.
The warehouse venue is massive and the clothes gorgeous; Rawsthorne's signature contrast of draped pieces with sophisticated tailoring. Myken Stewart from NZ Fashion Week comes up and tells us that the rumours aren't true: NZFW is going ahead. Er, what rumours? This is the first I've heard, but yes, great news, thanks for clearing that up.
Excited for Kate Sylvester, where the clothes are simple and sweet. I write a mental shopping list as each model walks past; I'll have the tan leather A-line skirt, loafers, fob chains, floral print shorts, pastel tiered dress, cable knit cardigan.
The show ends with a bride and "groom"; much is made of this and the fact that Ruby Rose is front row (she's engaged to model Catherine McNeil).
Later my mind is blown at Romance Was Born, who put on a mammoth production at the University of Sydney. Dimmed lights, incense, forest backdrop, theatrical clothes and a bold soundtrack of dinosaur noises and the Sydney Youth Orchestra combine to hype the crowd, the most animated I've seen all week. Silverchair's Daniel Johns is here; his model girlfriend Louise Van De Vorst comes out in a volcano dress. Those crazy RWB kids! They too end with a bride and groom, although their bride rides piggyback.
THURSDAY 08.05.10
Wake up late and miss Dion Lee. Vogue editor Kirstie Clements is quoted later as saying it was the show that "saved Fashion Week". I want to cry when I read this and see photos - it looked incredible. Apparently some in the front row were weeping. Go to Kirrily Johnston, which is beautiful with tribal touches. Spend the evening in my room at the Four Seasons working and watching the Glee Madonna special.
FRIDAY 09.05.10
Arnsdorf designer Jade Sarita Arnott starts off the final day with a strong show at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Simple structure in shades of bronze, camel and lilac, with a stunning crystal print. But my favourite part? The models looked happy! Some even smiled.
Can't handle the morning's swimwear shows, but go to Annah Stretton in the afternoon. It starts an hour and a half late, which probably contributed to the empty seats. The show has two parts; one dedicated to dresses that can be worn 10 ways and the other to her Stop the Slaughter collection. I'm expecting something gross and gimmicky but there's nothing, just gingham, prints, lingerie detailing and hair-covered horse figurines.
The final show is Ksubi's "comeback" and 10th birthday. Their shows are usually a nightmare to get into, but surprisingly easy tonight. The show is in a huge hall with circular seating and a big black plastic wrapped tent in the middle. An arty video plays, the lights flicker as if they're about to pop, the models exit from the tent and there is lots of denim. White, black, shredded, textured, blue and double denim.
The crowd nervously claps when the last model walks off and the lights go out. Ksubi founders Dan Single and George Gorrow come on screen holding a sign that says "Thank you". And Fashion Week is over.
The bar behind us opens and 10 minutes later Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday comes on and someone wheels out a giant cake in the shape of a rat (referencing their 2001 show which featured live rats). This only leads to one thing: food fight.
Happy 15th birthday Australian Fashion Week.
THE TRENDS
The key looks from RAFW
1. Nude tones and pastels
2. Sheer fabric
3. Leather
4. Prints
5. Tribal/nomadic and gang-inspired
6. Ponytails
7. Bike pants (no joke)
Zoe Walker flew to Sydney with Air New Zealand.
