TPFF: Flannel and Art of Fashion
Flannel
Marking its 10th anniversary as one of WA’s most coveted labels, ‘Flannel’ was set to be one of the favourite instalments at this year’s Telstra Perth Fashion Festival – and indeed it was.
The show opened with the familiar swift strums of Stevie Nick’s ‘Edge of Seventeen’, setting the tone for the show. Models glided down the steps of the Art Gallery of WA and circulated through a crowd seated in the round below, before striking a pose at the end of the runway.
The models’ make up was kept to a natural minimum, with dewy, bronzed glows maintaining the label’s youthful and nostalgic theme for the show. A variety of textures came down the catwalk, from silk slip dresses to beaded and fringed-leather Navajo-style pieces. Flannel designer, Kristy Lawrence, put a contemporary spin on the 1970s inspired pieces with metallic additions and limiting the colours to modern neutrals such as black, white, silver and cream, providing appeal for those in search of wardrobe staples.
The models’ flat slides paired with breezy maxi dresses or bell sleeved linen shirts and matching shorts would have no doubt had all show-goers lusting after warmer days, especially given the chilly temperature of the evening.
All in all, Flannel delivered its Boho-chic finest and showcased items we will certainly be spying on the streets of Perth this summer.
Art of Fashion: Closing Show
Boasted as showcasing a host of local and international designers’ most avant-garde creations, ‘The Art of Fashion’ was indeed a curation of the finest. Held at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, models followed a similar path to those of the Flannel show, circling the upper gallery before heading down the stairs and onto the runway.
An orchestra ensemble accompanied two singers from the West Australian Opera, Katja Webb and Ileana Rinaldi, who sang familiar opera classics such as The Flower Duet from Leo Delibes’ ‘Lakmé’. This added a graceful air to models’ procession down the runway, and enhanced the Romantic-era looks that dominated the show.
Personally, I thought the cohesion of the show could have been unfortunately compromised by the fact that there were a number of designers showcasing a variety of different styles and interpretations of the ‘Art of Fashion’. However, upon refection, there was no better way to represent the ‘Art of Fashion’ than to show the sheer diversity of what that could truly mean.
Each look that came down the runway had their own couture-esque elements, which particularly put a spin on looks from designers known in Perth for their ready-to-wear collections. For example, Morrison, who donned beaded body jewellery over a ruffle-layered burgundy maxi-dress, and Empire Rose, whose popular drop-crotch pant was reworked entirely with mutlicoloured sequins (and a matching sequined cape for that matter). Telstra Perth Fashion Festival classics such as Zhivago and Steph Audino did not disappoint, with their intricate gowns having show-goers in awe.
The show also featured creations from designer Mischka Aoki, who was recently in the spotlight for dressing pop-culture royalty, (Queen) Beyonce’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter for the VMAs last month.
Finally, and I suspect for those who had any lingering doubts about the level of craftsmanship showcased on this runway, an entirely floral – literally, flowers only – gown consisting of bold red and pink hues stole the show, which in turn truly demonstrated the art that exists in fashion.