Dear Diane and Shaded Viewers,
The beacon of giant-supernatural-disco light of Australian design, Romance Was Born, have collaborated with Perth-based visual artist, Rebecca Baumann, for their fashion week offering this season.
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Design duo, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett, have never once compromised their extravagant aesthetic nor their established roots in Sydney in order 'to make it overseas'. They do what they do with honesty, integrity and fun. Likewise, Baumann has become known for her playful and intelligent use of colour as often the focus on her installations. Together they have created REFLECTED GLORY, an energetic interplay of coloured light created through the installations of Baumann and recreated through the exuberant surfaces of the Romance Was Born garments. It's a space of suspended mannequins covered in iridescent sequins, jewels and perspex, surrounded by coloured lights and reflective surfaces; each representing a moment of joyful ceremony, be it a 'Sweet 16', New Year's Eve, or Mardi Gras.
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Examining the clothes as a RTW collection would be unfitting as they're mostly unwearable, even for the most daring Romance Was Born devotee [there's a full accompanying collection anyway], and the gallery context cannot be ignored. On the other hand, I can't see it purely as an art exhibition as this is an event in place of a runway show that opened during fashion week, and without the hand of a curator.
I think it just needs to be taken for what it is; a refreshing and positive fashion presentation.
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The exhibition is showing until May 11 at Carriageworks in Sydney. Images courtesy of Little Hero.
http://romancewasborn.com/ http://rebeccabaumann.com/
Happy Friday,
Sophie
