Volume, Prints And Apocalyptic Bikers: Australian Designers At NYFW
The Australian showing at NYFW so far has been full of surprises, from a collection inspired by a tarot deck to the first sass & bide collection after its creators’ departure. But do shocks add up to great fashion?
Dion Lee‘s offering, which he said was directly inspired by the bleak streetscapes of Australian artist Jeffrey Smart, was industrial-chic: metal mesh was a strong component, as were straps and buckles. Many pieces had an element of the practical or utilitarian.
But the real winner wasn’t the tailoring, as you’d usually expect from a Dion Lee show – it was the details. The prints, which managed to be both artistically splashed and reminiscent of remote Australian roads, were gorgeous, and the chain-mesh edging on some of his LBDs were cult items waiting to happen.
Style.com called Lee’s models “a particularly glam, post-apocalyptic biker gang” – perhaps Lee’s work will be worn by Charlize Theron at the premiere of Australia-filmed epic Mad Max.
Elsewhere, sass & bide debuted its spring-summer collection, the first since Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke decided to bow out. But the reviews for the label’s new direction are running hot: Style.com called the collection “a compelling move for the brand”.
What was on show? A pretty limited colour palette with the emphasis on shapes, from Japanese kimono-style volume and knots to asymmetric fabric arrangements that wouldn’t look out of place in a Commes Des Garcons collection. It’s cutting-edge 90s Asian minimalism. We’ve come a long way from the Bondi Markets.
The final Aussie splash was made by Zimmermann, with a collection of floaty, 70s-inflected pieces inspired by a tarot deck. Nicky Zimmermann told the press that the range was drawn from the tarot cards of David Palladini, an American illustrator who’s strongly influenced by Art Nouveau.
The 70s infusion was obvious, with Studio 54-style sequinned fabric, jumpsuits and safari jackets, but the hippie-ish layering of laces and silks in asymmetrical tiered hemlines were definitely the statement pieces. Tarot made its mark too, particularly in the shoes, which featured astrological symbols in various different colours.
Unfortunately some critics weren’t so impressed by Zimmermann’s offerings. Women’s Wear Daily called bits of it “a bit too heavy and intricate,” and Style.com thought that “overall the message was a little unclear”. But the host of celebrity guests, including models Jessica Hart and Elyse Taylor and Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell, may not have cared too much – and might have been shopping for the red carpet.
Which of the Aussie offerings at NYFW did you like best?
Images: from left, Dion Lee, Zimmermann and sass & bide at NYFW S/S 2014; Zimmermann’s final walk.
