It's a Wrap! Australian Fashion Week Highlights

A wrap up of the week that was for Little Hero designers....

From the opening show with futuristic androids led by Emma Balfour at Friedrich Gray, to disheveled sophisticated cuts on sleek ladies led by Myf Shepherd at Therese Rawsthorne, to psy-chic rriot girl sexiness celebrated with individuality of the wearer with Tokyo Pink in the mix at Antipodium, and finally to stylish grannies under the sea in the doilies and pearls, oysters and pearls spectacular including Sophie Ward, Tia and Tanja G at Romance Was Born; 2009 saw inspired collections translate into shows that highlighted strong signatures at every turn for this fantastic four!

Also, not to be missed was the appearance of Marsu Homme shoes in the Beat Poet, Friedrich Gray and Alpha 60 shows, and Matt Weston's collaborative jewellery range seen in the Therese Rawsthorne show.
The Make Believe for Antipodium collection of jewellery was a highlight too, these ladies are talent to watch.

This is Australian Fashion Week for 2009:


DAY FOUR - Thursday April 30, 2009 at 9am
ROMANCE WAS BORN
The Wharf Restaurant
Sydney Theatre Company

Spring Summer 2009-10
DOILIES AND PEARLS, OYSTERS AND SHELLS



Many a tear was shed following the stunning show from Romance Was Born, 'Doilies and Pearls, Oysters and Shells' the Spring Summer 09-10 collection. An early morning start was unexpectedly appropriate by the harbour as boats sailed past perfectly choreographed for the 'tribute show' from Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales recent winners of the prestigious Woolmark Designer Award.

Dollies and Pearls, Oysters and Shells pays homage to the treasures of the ocean spun with Grandma’s pearls of wisdom.

Romance Was Born open up nanna’s glory box worn by the tides of time to reveal long forgotten treasures and mysterious secrets - glorious old jewels, budgies in a cage, 4711, a fine bone china tea set with a mother-of-pearl glaze, delicately aged lace doilies and other assorted goodies from a bygone era.

The sea inspires tales spun from the antediluvian age before Atlantis sank to her briny resting place at the bottom of the ocean. We sail through time, when the mythical creatures of the seven seas were ruled by mighty Poseidon and his kingdom of Nereids. A time when the beautiful sea nymphs Aphrodite reigned supreme. Come and swim with Romance Was Born amidst iridescent jellyfish, sea horses, schools of fish and dancing electric eels… but beware, deep below the waves where shy oysters and ivory shells hide, a seaweed monster lurks…

The collection features a colour palette from a sea of lustrous blue rinses; from the palest pastel pinks, through to ice blue, soft lavender and mint with the allure of classic aquatic combinations of navy and cream. With nanna’s favorites, crotchet, embroidery and knitting feature heavily.

Doilies and Pearls, Oysters and Shells launches two new collaborations with Australian artists Patrick Doherty and Esme Timbery. Patrick Doherty has created artwork exclusively for the simply dubbed the Patrick print, which plays on imaginative scenes full of symbolic iconography. Esme Timbery is a celebrated shell artist and indigenous elder, one of the last to continue this family tradition. Esme has hand shelled twenty limited edition Romance Was Born shoes from RMK.

For the third season running, accessory designer Paul Bonomelli comes to the helm and has produced a range of accessories for this collection. Hand dyed rope pendants come in a delicate array of pastels featuring shell and pearl centrepieces tipped in gold. Necklaces and headbands are encrusted with pearls and shells delicately strung together in a brilliant random woven formations.

Come with Romance Was Born in celebration of our elders, traditions, family and the iridescent underworld...

SHOW CREDITS: Stylist - Jolyon Mason, Hair Director - Lores Giglio for Fudge, Make Up Director - Natasha Severino for M.A.C, Producer - Rachel Tuffery, Music Director - Jonny Seymour, Jewellery - Paul Bonomelli, Shoes - RMK customised by Esme Timbery and Romance Was Born, Production - PRONTO productions, Sponsorship - Leticia Dare and Little Hero, PR - Little Hero.

SPONSORS: Fudge, M.A.C, Westfield, Hair Power, Whisk & Pin, Creative Nail Design, Feltex Carpets, Grandiflora, Royal Albert, Jonathan Aston, Emma & Tom's, Hyams Beach, RMK, Ferrero Rocher.














DAY TWO - Tuesday April 28, 2009 at 5pm
ANTIPODIUM
The OPT

Spring Summer 2009-10
TOTALLY TAROT



Antipodium delivered another zeitgeisty collection of contemporary classics, fighting global uncertainty with a little tongue-in-cheek mysticism, a tough, tenacious Riot Grrrl spirit, and effortless Brit cool.
Totally Tarot with gauzy dhoti pants and bell trims, a ‘90s tapestry fabric, bright splashes of fuchsia, sun bleached denim and a woodland print by New York artist Matthew Lutz-Kinnoy. A delicate vintage-tinged Tarot print swamp dress and woodland culottes contrast with wet-look waxed cotton minis and the cultish oversized Poncho Hontas with cropped sleeves and skater hood. The mutable Karma Sutra dress is an Antipodium future classic – with a versatility that can take you from office to speakeasy in one quick hoik. Antipodium’s aesthetic has always been to produce unique, beautiful pieces that are ultra-wearable,
versatile and unselfconsciously sexy. SOYA award winning designer Geoffrey J. Finch has distilled his own brand of laid-back chic, taking typically capricious steals from pop culture that always feel fresh
and relevant.

Anchored in east London style, Totally Tarot’s nod to ‘90s Riot Grrrl sensibility lends a boyish, empowered feel to the collection with the Bang-One-Out bodysuit with its scalloped neckline, and the chic mud-proof festival macs. The long, lean and perfectly shaped Well Hung Jacket is a signpost to Finch’s whimsical humour. Totally Tarot is subtle and feminine, tough and knowing - underlining the individuality of its wearer. In a global environment where a unique point of difference is essential, and increasingly rare, designers have to be bold, brave and, like Antipodium, have a rather large set of (crystal) balls.

The show celebrated individuality of the wearer with the inclusion of real girls including Tokyo Pink, Ariel, KeeKee, Alexia, Skarlett and Sophia. Antipodium worked with Levi's to customise pieces that were encorporated into 9 looks for the show. They also worked with Make Believe for Antipodium on a collaborative jewellery collection - the first to be sold into Australia from Make Believe.

Notes for editors: Antipodium has rapidly attracted an obsessive international fan base that includes Kate Moss, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Beth Ditto, Alexa Chung, Sia, Juliette Lewis, Lou Hayter, Coco Sumner,Little Boots, Valentine Fillol-Cordier and Ladyhawke.

SHOW CREDITS: Show Production - Ali Newling and Natalie Jane Miller at Alias, Styling - Ryan Lobo at Look, Make Up - Linda Jeffreys at The Artist Group for M.A.C., Hair - Jon Pulitano at Headcase Hair for GHD, Casting - Natalie Jane Miller, Music Direction - Viva L'Amour, Animation - Karl Maier, Jewellery - This is Make Believe for Antipodium, PR - Little Hero, Sponsorship - Leticia Dare & Little Hero.

SPONSORS: Lev's, Moxie. GHD, M.A.C, Westfield, Chadwick Models, Diva, Make Believe












DAY ONE - Monday April 27, 2009 at 6pm
THERESE RAWSTHORNE
The Cargo Theatre

Spring Summer 2009/10
THE TEMPTRESS



Opened by Myf Shepherd in her first show of the week, Therese Rawsthorne delivered a tight collection with 'The Temptress.'

‘Delilah, Cleopatra, Salome were all powerful women who knew how to use their sexual power for their own ends. These classic icons epitomised modernity ahead of their time. Underneath their cool exteriors hides complexity and conflict. ‘The Temptress’ explores this delicate balance of vulnerability and devil-may-care attitude. Strong masculine silhouettes and romantic, disheveled cuts are sophisticated and sensual with luxurious detailing. Fabrications are focused on the natural luxury of silk, cotton and linen. This season sees the release of our first capsule collection of knitwear and a collaborative jewellery range with Matt Weston, inspired by the precious, battered metals of Byzantine era ornamentation.’ –Therese Rawsthorne

SHOW CREDITS: Stylist – Tamila Purvis, Hair Director - Jon Pulitano for GHD, Make Up Director - Linda Jeffreys for M.A.C, Producer - Rachel Tuffery, Music Director – Jonny Seymour, Stylist Assistant – Grace Atkinson, Set Design – Katie Sharrock, Jewellery – Matt Weston for Therese Rawsthorne, Shoes - RMK, Production - PRONTO Productions, PR - Little Hero

SPONSORS: GHD, M.A.C, Westfield, RMK, Publisher Textiles, Artwise Amazing Paper, Ferrero Rocher, Emma & Tom’s.









DAY ZERO - Sunday April 26, 2009 at 7pm
FRIEDRICH GRAY
UTS Atrium Building

Trans Season 2
TRANSGRESSION



The continuum of the Friedrich Gray character is here.

Ben Pollitt of Friedrich Gray presented his Trans Season 2 collection on the eve of Australian Fashion Week. The off schedule show was opened by nineties model Emma Balfour (currently on the cover of i-D magazine) at the University of Sydney's Atrium building, where media, buyers, industry and guests of the designer filled out the space and the rafters to welcome Pollitt's 8th collection appropriately titled 'Transgression.'

trans×gres×sion [trans-gresh-uh n] - An art form that aims to overstep the boundaries of convention. Exploring the limits of subversion, eroticism and counterculture, redefining the rules in the process.

Inspirations for the collection were drawn from the David Lynch Film ‘Dune’. In particular, Lynch’s unique artistic ability to use each frame to create emotionally charged scenes through the use of negative space, shadow lighting and the absence and presence of the body. The architecture of Zaha Hadid, designer of the Phaeno Centre in Germany, influenced Pollitt to push the boundaries of modern design with a focus on visual line geometry.
'Transgression' resumes the androgynous narrative of the Friedrich Gray brand, using long silhouettes and mixing luxurious fabrics with washed and treated leathers. This season envisions a move away from the conventional constructs of traditional seasonal palettes. Colour is instead injected into the collection through the inclusion of saturated film colours and prints – green, yellow, orange, blue and red. Washed green leather and dusty whites dramatically set off the dark pieces. The twist on the recognisable minimalist colour palette and a strong focus on the touch and feel of the super soft fabrics and textures create a line that is distinctly Friedrich Gray. Draped and clean elegant feminine lines see a stronger push towards women's wear this season while the Men are still well catered for with the dark aesthetic Friedrich Gray has become known for.

Luxurious leather jackets and the new season’s print (a collaboration between Pollitt and contemporary artist Scrapwall), which literally documents their conversations over previous seasons onto fabric. Think Positive Designer Prints in Sydney digitally printed onto Australian Merino Wool (using technology that is unique to Friedrich Gray in Australia) and also seen on silk georgette. These patterns are featured prominently throughout the body of the collection as design inserts and engineered placements to compliment the cut and drape of the garment.

A Limited Edition digital print dress called “House Atreides” offers a limited run of only 20. This dress was worn by prominent, iconic model Emma Balfour. Friedrich Gray also teamed with MOMO Design for the pivotal point of the show with their sleek modern helmet designs (see attached image). The show gave attendees a glimpse into the futuristic journey to Geidi Prime, as the protagonist Friedrich Gray. From the beginnings atop the mountain into the darkness of wild swamps, towards the light of the morning and into the futuristic vision of the world we live in.

SHOW CREDITS: Producer - Rachel Tuffery, Hair Director - Jon Pulitano for GHD, Make Up Director - Natasha Severino for Make-Up Store, Skin Care – Declaré Switzerland, Nails – Creative Nail Design, Women’s Shoes – Peep Toe and Zu customised by Friedrich Gray, Men’s Shoes – Marsu Homme, Helmets – Momo Design, Production - PRONTO Productions, Music Direction - Jono Ma and Adam Drage, PR - Little Hero, Sponsorship - Leticia Dare and Little Hero

SPONSORS: Declaré Switzerland, MOMO Design, GHD, Westfield, ROCK Energy Drinks, Think Positive Designer Prints, The Make Up Store, Creative Nail Design, IKU Whole Food, ABSOLUT Vodka, Emma & Tom’s, Smiggle, Marsu Homme, Peep Toe Shoes, Zu











Team Little Hero finishes the week off at Romance Was Born...
L to R: Rae Begley, Tanya Pont, Dane Shinton & Sophie Kahl