t was the second-last night of LMFF on Wednesday and with two runway shows filled to capacity, the city’s thirst for fashion showed no sign of abating.

Runway 6, presented by Madison, was first up and focused on sleek, modern and often minimalist looks. Daywear, often neglected throughout the festival, was out in force, although evening and cocktail pieces still made an appearance. Alice McCall’s collection started with washed out printed pieces paired with scalloped-neckline blouses, before morphing towards the night with laser cut detailing and black, sheer embellished dresses. Alice’s sister Bridget’s label LIFEwithBIRD was up next, showing its perfectly pitched classics with a twist. The wool trench with leather sleeves was a standout as was the easy cool of the leopard and more abstract prints.

Bassike’s elevated take on wardrobe essentials was, as always, understated and desirable. Their easy take on the classic ladies tuxedo was cropped at the ankle and perfectly slouched. Lisa Ho’s signature use of print was on display in her collection, with florals and tiger prints. But the standout was an interesting geometric design, particularly on a pair of silk pants, teamed with a bright blue blazer.

Morrison’s looks were perhaps a little too basic; the leather pants and dresses paired with knitwear were nothing new. Flannel’s flower print and patchwork leather pieces were missteps, but the ruffled pieces towards the end added some interest. Kirrily Johnston’s earthy palette and draped dresses weren’t revolutionary, but the designer’s ability to intuit what her customer wants is undeniable. The final burgundy looks exuded an easy sophistication.

Harper’s Bazaar presented the final L’Oreal Paris Runway for the week and highlighted the more glamorous side of Australian fashion. There were no surprises from Collette Dinnigan, but that’s how we like her – embracing her signature lace, embroidery and ladylike silhouettes. Alex Perry similarly did his thing, sending out short and tight cocktail frocks with some gowns thrown in for good measure. Not really our cup of tea, but sure to please his dedicated band of followers.

Unsurprisingly, we have more than a soft spot for Toni Maticevski, who showed pieces from his current Maticevski collection. The first ruffle-detailed looks were compelling and the evening looks of a slashed-at-the-hip skirt paired with a textured sleeve top and a great take on the ever-present sheer black dress showcased the impeccable work of this perfection-seeking designer.

Rachel Gilbert was all about the sequined cocktail dress, in varying shades of coral and nude. Perth’s Aurelio Costarella was in a Black Swan mood, sending out an all black collection with feather and lace details on his immaculately constructed cocktail dresses and evening gowns. camilla and marc were similarly focused on party-wear; everything was short and figure accentuating. Scanlan & Theodore made a rare runway appearance to close the show with a collection that somehow made both sequins and velvet look desirable. The mix of textures and fabrics worked in their favour as they showed the sexier side of Melbourne’s ubiquitous Scanlan girl.

lmff.com.au