The second half of fashion week brings some of the buzziest shows—notably
Dion Lee and
Josh Goot who are known at home as well as abroad as the new kings of Australian fashion. Both put on an impressive and memorable show for their adoring subjects, and their joint reign remains unchallenged.
Dion Lee has come back to the Sydney Opera House’s glass front foyer for his Spring show—and why wouldn’t he? Of all the images from last season, the ones of rows of models in pastel draped minidresses, framed by the soaring glass structure, are the most enduring. Local PR powerhouse
Holly Garber, in a navy Dion Lee dress and complicated-looking headset, directs seating with military precision, but can’t control the searing beams of morning sunshine assaulting the eyes of the front row on the lower level. Happily, I’m facing the other way. Models walk along the two levels and up and down the shallow stairs in stiff, short dresses with moulded shoulders and skirts—even bootleg trousers have strategic volume behind the ankle, like rounded alien shin-fins. Shoulders and hips appear through Lee’s signature cutouts, keeping things light and allowing natural movement. He’s added brightly coloured prints—one resembles a photograph of a sheet of crumpled metal foil. There are shiny black accents, and metallic ones. Makeup impresario
Napoleon Perdis has delivered wondrously illuminated skin that gives the sunlight some reflective competition. Flat
Camilla Skovgaard Grecian sandals quickly give way to vertiginous ones, and metal breastplates provide a layer of glimmering protection. At the end, the models line up like a resolved and very pretty army—if Lee continues this show format, these money shots will provide an interesting slideshow of his development as a designer.
Ellery is a fashion show more ridiculous than sublime. Held in a two-level gallery after a protracted schmoozy reception, it starts eons late, and even later for those of us on the lower level: after the pre-show music has been turned off, we hear clomping footsteps on the floor above for what seems like ten minutes before we actually see any clothes. Eventually the models emerge, two at a time, overly choreographed, turning to each other and back and then walking forward at a glacial pace. (There are only about 12 looks, total.) But
Kim Ellery’s signature look is dramatic in a fun way, often layered with light cottons and a thick, nubbly linen/silk shot with sheeny thread—the polished and put-together buyer next to me says the clothes sell very well. There is a pair of white layered outfits, then acid yellow, then pink. A spectacular pair of evening looks stand out, especially model
Julia Nobis in a heavily beaded silver tank with a feathery white skirt made of shredded pieces of gauzy fabric.
A cavernous concrete former car workshop in East Sydney with chairs around the edges sets a starkly beautiful scene for
Josh Goot’s nighttime show—though we have to walk up a
lot of steps to get to it. At show time the space goes pitch black, then fluorescent panels flicker on slowly, one by one. Models make their way around the lengths of runway in structured, voluminous knee-length dresses adorned with Goot’s famous colourful prints, which are more sophisticated than usual—there are vivid brushstrokes on white and what appears to be spray-spattered paint within a stencil of stripes. Colourful heels with contrasting straps and interesting shapes have tall, covered platforms. The afterparty upstairs is awash in Moet and Belvedere, and draws all of the week’s most colourful front-row characters, like MTV glamour-girl
Ruby Rose, who’s known for dating models like
Freja Behar Erichsen and
Catherine McNeil; the glossiest upper echelon editors from Australian
Vogue and
Harpers; and the omnipresent gaggle of international bloggers
Susie Bubble,
Tommy Ton and
Phil Oh of Streetpeeper. Goot himself mingles about, looking relaxed and relieved, as well he should.
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