RUNWAY. RAFW RETROSPECTIVE.
2010 marks the 15th anniversary of Australian Fashion Week. Founded by fashion visionary and marketing guru Simon Lock in 1996, the event has grown from a boutique show with a handful of designers to now being a shining star on the global fashion week circuit.
In 1996, the Australian ragtrade was a highly sensitive, manufacturing-based industry that was crumbling in the wake of lowered import tariffs and competition from Asia. Lock’s idea of an Australian fashion week based on a group of designers that the world had never heard of was laughed at by many naysayers. And as for his claim that the international buyers and key media would eventually factor Australian Fashion Week into their regular course of New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks – well that was just preposterous! Not only was Australian fashion a long way from Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdale's; much of it appeared to be copied from their racks.
The first Mercedes Australian Fashion Week happened with just 13 designers. “It was hugely successful and a huge disaster at the same time,” Lock said back then. “When we all came together and looked at each other after four days at Fox Studios, everyone said, ‘Well you know what, we can do this if we come together. This is pretty powerful stuff.’”
Determined to prove to the world that Australian fashion was a focus of design, creativity and innovation, Lock and his team rode the highs and the lows, the criticism and the applause, and with each year, the event continued to grow. Several local operators now lay claim to a solid international part of their business thanks to the exposure and sales generated by Australian Fashion Week - a number that has grown considerably from lone designer Collette Dinnigan in 1996. Now retail centres and department stores are exploding with Australian designers and their outfits are proudly sported by high profile personalities all around the world.
In 2005, Mercedes Australian Fashion Week and its parent company Australian Fashion Innovators were purchased by the New York-based International Management Group. The benefits of being part of the IMG stable were obvious - not only could the AFW tap into increased marketing budgets that would help bolster the event’s position as the Asia Pacific region’s number one fashion trade event, but it would also open up synergies for Australians who were seeking to participate at other IMG fashion events, including New York and LA fashion week in the US, plus Milan and London fashion weeks in Europe.
From 2006 a new breed of sponsors came on board to lend their support to Australian Fashion Week – now known as RAFW thanks to wine multinational and major sponsor Rosemount. M.A.C. Cosmetics officially lend their makeup artistry, as do the hair fashionistas at Redken 5th Avenue NYC. The Redken team are well known fixtures on the global fashion week circuit, marrying its best hair fashion stylists with a bevy of leading designers on the catwalks of the world’s fashion capitals.
On these runway pages, culture takes a backwards glance at some of the more memorable moments from Australian Fashion Week, plus we ask a few of our favourite hair and makeup artists for their personal highlights.
Happy Anniversary RAFW – you’ve come a long way baby!
Best Hair & Makeup
Michelle Jank 2000, 2001 & 2008 // It was not just her designs that wowed the crowds, but with makeup by Dotti and hair by maestros Nicholas Jurnjack and Brent Lawler that was sometimes crimped and one time pink all over, the consequences were bound to be spectacular. Noni Smith continued the tradition in 2008 with once again, stunning results.
M.A.C Chinese Dress and Black & White Opening Parties 2009 // Amazing body art and makeup by team M.A.C – taking graphic monochrome to a new level.
Konstantina Mittas 2009 // Jon Pullitano’s Grace Jones inspired flat top with crimped texture definitely turned heads on the runway and the big gold leaf eyes by M.A.C makeup director Vanessa Katama took the look to another futuristic level.
Romance Was Born 2009 // One of the hits of the week, the Romance Was Born madness was taken under the sea and up a notch or ten thanks to the creativity of makeup artist Natasha Severino and hairstylist Lores Giglio.
Willow 2009 // Beautiful hair by Renya Xydis and her team was complemented by the brilliance of makeup artist Linda Jefferyes, combining flawless skin and delicate feathers on the models’ faces. So beautiful.
Sarina Suriano 2005 & 2006 // Couture jewellery designer Suriano’s first show incorporated huge hair disks created by innovative avant garde stylist Brad Ngata. The next year Ngata played designer himself and created a couture outfit made from hair to accompany the jeweled masterpieces, with hair to match, a look that echoed McQueen himself.
Kirrily Johnston 2008 & 2009 // Slick and juicy wet hair with a high gloss, wrapped elegantly around the neck, brilliantly executed by Renya Xydis. And the previous year, Liz Kelsch starts the big eyebrow phenomenon… delicate yet strong, ethereal but oh so powerful.
Most Memorable Shows
Michelle Jank 2000 // The star of Fashion Week in 2000 wowed everyone with her intricate and breathtaking gowns pieced together with vintage lace and jewellery. A real work of art.
Akira Isogawa 2008 // Incredible hair and makeup and stunning use of colour from the humble designer brought a tear to many eyes for its sheer beauty.
Terry Biviano 2003 // Horses, trapeze artists and to-die-for shoes made this spectacular show one of the most talked about for years.
Willow 2009 // Ethereal models suspended in swings by the waterfront mansion Carthona at Darling Point – breathtaking location, beautiful makeup, fabulous evening.
Ksubi 2001 // When it comes to shock factor, the boys from Ksubi (or Tsubi as the brand was known back then) always gave the crowds something to talk about. This year, models took to the runway nursing live rats, many of which discarded their model minders and jumped into the horrified audience. Another show not to be forgotten.
Tigerlily 2001 // For model and former squeeze of James Packer, Jodhi Meares, it wasn’t enough to wow the crowds with her tiny bikinis on Amazonian models. The real star of the show? Not sure if it was supermodel Kristy Hinze or the giant python she wore around her neck that was at one stage getting a little too close for comfort.
Easton Pearson 2008 // Brisbane-based duo Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson showed just why they are one of our most successful exports. It’s been a meteoric rise since their debut in Paris in 1998 and this stunningly beautiful collection in all it’s tropical coloured glory was a big hit with the fashionistas.
Morrissey Edmiston 1996 // Peter Morrissey and Leona Edmiston were design partners back in the nineties – he the rock star and she the Audrey Hepburn of the fashion industry. Together their clothes were a huge hit and their Fashion Week debut was sexy, international and helped Australia flick off the cultural cringe that we’d been forced to inherit for way too long.
Alannah Hill 2000 // When all the other shows featured models with no facial expressions or personality, Alannah Hill bucked the trend with her girly revues exploding with fun and riotous colour and prints. Her upbeat style and zany character was a breath of fresh air.
Ksubi 2003 // Those shock jocks were at it again, this time with a show that saw their models walking the plank – straight into the middle of Sydney Harbour in freezing cold conditions. Another stunt that had everyone talking.
Collette Dinnigan 1997 // One of our first big international designers, Collette’s garments were exquisitely beautiful and her shows were terribly exclusive and sophisticated. She celebrated her upcoming Paris debut with an intimate soiree at The Dome complete with French champagne and seductively clad models. Stunning.
Best Newcomer Debuts
Dion Lee 2009 // The pressure was on for this highly acclaimed young designer, but he delivered brilliantly with a show held early one Monday morning at a Kings Cross underground carpark. Lee’s sharp tailoring and geometry was a big hit – FWD called his debut the best new launch in the world of any young designer.
Romance was Born 2008 & 2009 // Heralded by fashion deities including John Galliano, mad design collective Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales turned the fashion world on its head with their debut show, the John Hughes inspired Weird Science collection, which was a zany blend of spandex, pipe cleaners, eccentricity and humour. They followed it up this year by going under the sea, creating characters like Mermaid Slut and Iced Vo Vo in an ode to Neptune that was the highlight of the fashion week.
Something Else 2006 // Another mad moment in Fashion Week history, where guests were invited to an installation of a giant doll house.
Josh Goot 2007 // Sophisticated shall we say ‘sportswear’ from this designer brought oohs and aahs from media and buyers alike and saw him head to the UK to show at London Fashion Week. Watch this space.
Michael Azzolini 2005 // Azzolini’s superluxe swimwear soon became an underground phenomenon amongst fashion conscious sun worshippers, who loved the sexy, razor-sharp silhouettes.
Akira Isogawa 1996 // One of the country’s most celebrated designers, Isogawa has shown at Fashion Week in Australia every year since his debut in 1996 and every year in Paris since 1998. His shows are always anticipated and applauded and he has received many accolades, even his own commemorative postage stamp from Australia Post in 2005.
Sass & Bide 2001 // Sassy design duo Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton caused a fashion frenzy with their unique take on denim and every fashionista whose butt was worth wiggling sported at least one pair of S&B skinny jeans with a cut that made many a man salivate.
Toni Maticevski 2002 // Hauntingly beautiful couture-style eveningwear from this designer never dates. He shows in Sydney and New York to much acclaim and transports refreshing classical models into modern statements. His bio describes his designs as ‘clothes born of emotion for an emotional response…making the cold warm and the lost beautiful.’
Konstantina Mittas 2008 // Ripe with sophistication and a true international flair, this designer’s debut was described as one of the best avant-garde shows of fashion week, with hair and makeup to match and a simplistic vibe where the old world meets the future.