Melbourne became the most stylish place in the country last week during Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and The Plus Ones got amongst it. We watched runways filled with dresses and shoes, got our makeup done (well, Ruki did), and enjoyed ogling all the fashionistas in attendance.
Runway Three: Embellishment
Pounding music, gorgeous models, stunning designs — Runway Three at the Melbourne Town Hall was the place to be the Thursday during MSFW. A glass of bubbles in hand, I was treated to a gorgeous lineup of designers: Akira, Arthur Galan Ag, Calibre, Christine, Jayson Brunsdon, Megan Park, Nevenka, Nicola Finetti, Thurley, and Yeojin Bae. The best part was how each designer was prefaced by a different musician, showcasing world music. The show opened with a traditional Chinese instrument and continued with everything from an accordion to a drum. It made it that much more special.
My seatmates — Stacy of tee&fame, and Sarah from Sarah Tulle — and I gasped and commented with each new designer. My standout favourite? The silver cut-outs by Thurley. If I ever need to walk a red carpet, I’m going to seek out one of their dresses. -Theresa
Fashion Connect
Spice Market played host to the OC Communications team’s vision for Fashion Connect, a fashion night out. The space was, as ever, immaculate. As I descended the stairs and panned right, a table of decadent peach martinis were laid out in front of my eyes. Sweet, glorious jesus! This was going to be a good night. Photographers were out in full force, GADO and Sapphire Studios were on hand to make us look glam (I won’t lie, I did have some makeup done…but shied away from the suggestion of peach eye shadow), and the talented Bonnie Anderson got the crowd grooving. Tickets for the night were $40 which, in my opinion, was a fantastic deal. -Ruki
Windsor Smith Runway Show
Put ‘shoes’ and ‘free’ into the same sentence and crowds will come flocking, and that they did at Windsor Smith’s MSFW runway on Friday night. Even the standing spots filled as the lights dimmed and electro beats silenced the buzzing room.
The show flowed between theatrical and conventional; from break-dancing male models re-arranging the runway props, to a quick costume change into top hats and canes.
As for the shoes themselves, the new collection kept its ‘something for everyone’ theme with classics such as the Grecian sandal and strappy stiletto, to platform slides and sneakers. The brand also heightened its homage to the nineties with chunky boots, sandals and heels worn by midriff clad models.
It’s easy to say I walked away trying to figuring out how I would afford my new summer shoe collection. -Ruby
Ruby Brown is a freelance journalist who left sunny Byron Bay for the big smoke (Melbourne) four years ago and now happily calls this cultural hub home.
Melbourne’s designers showcased world-class fashion set amidst historic buildings and nightclubs. We truly enjoyed our first experience at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and can’t wait until next year for another dose of runway glamour.
-Theresa, Ruki, and Ruby