Well-known fashion observer Guy Trebay, who writes for TheNew York Times, recently bewailed the return of the 1980s, “that benighted erawith displays of big shoulder, saturated neon colours, wedge hairdos, poufskirts, shredded fishnets, oversize jackets and metal mesh”. If you’re theflamboyant type, don’t let Trebay put you off. The 1980s - which themselveswere influenced by 1940s fashion - were a time when people could be larger thanlife if they wanted to be, and could play with colours, hairstyles and shoes.
It was also a time when women were asserting their power, bydressing boldly. So the bold colours that appeared on the catwalks at therecent Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival could be seen as a refreshing contrastto all the drabness that’s been around of late. Anyway, purples, blues, freshgreens, orange and bright pink are flattering for many complexions.
But if you can’t see yourself sporting an electric purplejacket inspired by an air-borne kite, never fear, because elegant, timelessdresses in neutral colours are also going to be big in Sydney this Spring andSummer. To help navigate the maze, WHERE Magazine consulted a topfashion stylist. Maia Liakos has made a name for herself working withcelebrities like P!nk, Jared Leto and Eric Bana, as well as with major brandslike Tag Heuer and Qantas. She has condensed the upcoming fashion trends intothe following categories: floral prints; tribal and animal prints; pastels,neutral colours and splashes of bright colours; and jackets with ‘statement’shoulders (which suggests that Guy Trebay got it right whenhe said that big shoulders were back). It’s all quitedifferent from the last couple of years – but that doesn’t mean you have tothrow everything out and start again.“Rather than wearing a trend head to toe,” Maia advises,“wear one or two pieces influenced by that trend to complement your ownwardrobe. For example, you can add a jacket with bold shoulders and a cinchedwaist to your own outfit of jeans and heels for a modern take on the 1940slook.” Or if the 1940s look is not for you, “you can accessorise your outfitwith tribal and animal printed accessories. Louis Vuitton have some greattribal bangles, necklaces and heels currently in store.”Her ‘must have’ list to put in your wardrobe for Spring andSummer includes:
A jacket withbold or ‘statement’ shoulders
Tribalaccessories
Distresseddenim
Gladiatorsandals
A femininejumpsuit
A brightlycoloured one-piece swimsuit.
Also expect to see plenty of dresses to choose from, becausethere were dresses aplenty at the Sydney Fashion Festival: mini dresses, maxidresses, shift dresses, wrap dresses, sleeveless dresses, cocktail dresses andendless variations on the little black dress. One dress designer that particularlycaught the eye of the fashion press was Jayson Brunsdon, whose clothes are areaction against the shoulder padded, tightly corseted look of the moment: “Ithink it’s just wrong that women think they need to look like that to be infashion at the moment. To me it’s ugly and vulgar,” he told The Australian.What he offers instead are shirt-dresses, trench coats and sun dresses, createdof flowing silks in neutral colours like blonde, ivory and cream.
Another name that’s worth watching is Magdalena Velevska, adesigner who recently started her own line after working for many topAustralian labels. “Her designs are beautiful and though partially vintageinspired, extremely modern and easy to wear,” says Maia. Her range kicks offwith artfully draped knit fabric skirts and dresses; the dominant tones areneutrals and browns, but occasionally livened by purples and blues.
For accessories, Maia suggests watching out for two up andcoming designers, who have created an accessory line called ‘2 by Lyn & Tony’.They “hand make every piece, with some pieces taking up to 20 hours to completeand they use such interesting materials like kangaroo leather and colouredwool, to create neck and wrist pieces that are wearable works of art”.
Just as important as knowing who makes the best clothes isknowing where to shop. If you’re short of time, the easiest way to sample thebiggest range of Australian designers at once is to visit either David Jones orMyer department store. David Jones offers more Australian haute couture,including clothes from major Australian designers like Collette Dinnigan,Ginger and Smart, Akira Isogawa and Alex Perry. Myer is a much better bet forteenagers and younger, less cashed up women, although it also stocks its fairshare of high-end designers, including icon Carla Zampatti, who designers forthe elegant older woman.
If you’re interested in high-end fashion from both local andinternational names, then a stop at The Corner Shop is in order. Owner andex-model Belinda Seper has built an international reputation as a buyer with anexceptional eye.
Also worth visiting is Zimmermann, whose ‘BittersweetNightshade’ collection of ready-to-wear clothes made such a big impression onthe catwalk this year. Their swimwear is coveted by those in the know, beingboth beautiful and comfortable to wear. For those who can wear classicallyfeminine pieces, Maia suggests Fleur Wood, who stocks “beautiful lace and silkpieces in pastel colours and floral prints. For the young and edgier female, agreat boutique to visit is Pretty Dog in Newtown.” As well as stocking cuttingedge labels like Karen Walker, Romance Was Born, Tina Kalivas and Natasha,“Tanya the owner is so friendly and helpful.”
As to what to wear in Sydney: althoughinternational visitors often think of Sydney as a casual city, that’s aperception that only lasts as long as it takes for the plane to land. Laidback, yes, but Sydney is a major metropolitan city, where style is as importantas anywhere else. So beachwear on the beach and everything else… while drapedaround a cocktail or sparkling wine, of course.
Visit:
www.louisvuitton.com
www.zimmermannwear.com
www.carlazampatti.com
www.alexperry.com.au
www.collettedinnigan.com.au
www.gingerandsmart.com