The excitable hordes waiting outside a massive warehouse at the edge of the Carriageworks property made it clear Toni Matcevski’s show was the hottest ticket in town at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
The dramatic show did not disappoint, featuring an expansive, highly technical collection that channeled a woman, “reflecting on a memory that is fading rapidly into a deep, dark sky.”
Music: The ambient, dystopian sound of static, whales, dolphins and birds was interrupted with a random hit of R’n’B mid-way through.
Hair: Slick buns fastened with black and white synthetic flowers.
Beauty: Fresh and barely there.
Key looks: An asymmetric metallic gold gown that reminded us of C-3PO and Daft Punk, which was essentially backless, with a coil of gold atop one shoulder, and a thigh-high slit to boot; a resplendent black ball gown with circular acetate embellishments on its front; off-the-shoulder, skin-tight column dresses with twists and folds of fabric diving in and around the body in monotone black and grey.
Overall feel: Mid-century avant-garde meets The Fifth Element. Maticevski’s trademark twists and drapes were in full-force, fashioned into voluminous dresses, coats and skirts in lustrous black, burnished gold and many shades of grey. Some models carried Lenovo tablets as clutches, turning the camera on the audience as they strode past. Whites were “asylum-clean; florals nostalgic and polka dots playful,” said the designer. 1950s silhouettes received high-octane 21st-century makeovers, but retained a sense of romance and smoldering allure. Each garment was spectacular. This is Australian fashion at its zenith.
Spotted: Gemma Ward, Mira Duma, Nicole Trunfio and Gary Clark Jr., Claudia Karvan, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Jessica Mauboy.
