Yes folks, more horses! The Easton Pearson show was at Champions, the Australian Racing Museum. Here we have a quirky exhibit, including some horse-&-jocky-matching-outfit-photography-from-around-the-world by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Lucky for me that some of the PR companies in Melbourne are so out of it that they invite VIPs from half-way across the world to attend but try to give them standing allocations. Poor things. This trooper did a bee-line for the exit and found aforementioned fun exhibit downstairs instead. Yee Haaaw!
And these vinyl would-be jocky get-ups are by Felicity Rose Harding.
Nicola Finetti was next. A few nice items, price competitive as it may be. Ghosts of "Albert Prada" or his siamese twin "Miuccia Elbaz" however kept me from applauding with abandon.
The 3 pm group show was particularly painful, most of the internationals there because of a tip-off for Hannah McNicol, who has returned to Australia with Costume National on her CV. As separates, there were many nice pieces for a buyer to make a concise story out of for a boutique but the overall image, wow factor could’ve been kicked up a few gears. And those awful stockings… Still, probably the only ‘young’ designer on the calendar that was worth seeing. Well, except the other show I was gloriously asked to wait for outside – indefinitely. More on that later though…
Then my Patty brought me to the drinking den, AKA Tina Kalivas’ presentation, styled a ‘book launch’ after a fabric book with photo prints that was her catalogue. Very nice indeed. Bold, London – Kalivas apparently spent some time in McQueen’s studio before her own line.
A soft blur photo of Wayne Cooper’s ‘comeback’ with a casual range which was the intro to his eveningwear that floated out to the harmonizing of "Blue Velvet". I think Cooper’s got some nice ideas for eveningwear and total image but the fabrication was a compromise I couldn’t get past I’m afraid.
Loads of work back at the Crown Towers hotel room where my room is periodically invaded by the alien light of UFOs communicating to massive torches on the Yarra waterfront. Zzzzzzz… Aaargh!!! Zzzzzzzzz…
DAY 2 of the shows
Once again, amateur PR for what remains very much a peripheral event in both Australia and the bigger picture doesn’t have the foresight to give her designer the opportunity to have his collection introduced to highly useful people. Shame I missed your show Josh Goot. Patty said it was excellent.
On deadline all day so could only do one show. Mad that I missed Mad Cortes as its current collection in the sweet shop Alice Euphemia (great selection of local jewellery like Wolfgang & Vincent) was quite worthwhile. Saw Caravan just before mounting a retail expedition around town. Caravan consists of 2 Aussie girls living on the Pakistan/Afghan border taking the rich embellishments of the region and melding them with soft tailoring and comfy East-meets-West wraps/robes.
Chatted with a fixture at shows Down Under who I took to 2 years ago in New Zealand, Maria van Vlijmen Short. It appears she’s got a monopoly on quality fashion retailing in Western Australia.
Patty and I took a quick tally of the showroom and found Romance Was Born, in full OTT bloom.
Rochelle Stone’s Near-East inspired jewellery was also an eye-catcher.
Then Patty made a new friend…
The papparazzi were all over them.
Then a blaze of retail was in store – store after store. Apologies for the pun. Harrold’s is for the dapper Merbournian suit in need of some pizzzazzzz and a dose of sensitivity through sheeesheee colognes.
Le Louvre was naturally the highlight. When my MAFW host Sarah Rabia and I stumbled in the frothy salon, owner Georgina was previewing Stephen Jones hats to a colourful lady. Amelia is the shop’s new muse and we had some fun playing impromptu dress-up. Like everyone else in town, she’s planning her outfit at the races on the weekend.
What a lovely break from Collins street retail. The best international brands are tucked away in the shop’s cupboards that Georgina & Amelia sift through making a custom selection for clients. Georgina’s mother Lillian Whiteman began the shop some 80 years ago – that’s lengthy heritage history in a greenhorn nation like Australia. Le Louvre= 10 out of 10
Marais was next on the list and we met another lovely lady, Ivon Surjowijono, the head buyer. Marais shares many of the same brands that Diptrics distributes – Blaak, Bless etc. It’s Melbourne’s answer to quality avant-garde. If it weren’t for crossing the Melbourne Marais, I wouldn’t have even seen the only designer who has excited me on this entire trip: Maticevski. There’s a draped black long coat of his that spoke my name. If only my wallet spoke the same language…
Toni Matcevski, I left a message for you on your sales agent’s phone. Contact me on youngrobb@hotmail.com. I’m interested to introduce you to our company in Tokyo.
Signing off at the break of dawn. It’s nearly day 3 now and my car’s picking me up in a few hours. Panic-pack and press on to the airport. Melbourne-Auckland; Auckland-Los Angeles; Los Angeles-London. Christos, I’m coming!!!!!
RY
