Carla Zampatti and Ginger & Smart // Berta (part 2 Sydney’s favourite restaurants)
Zampatti headquarter’s garage , a grey industrial space , nicely juxtaposed with all the colour in this collection. Styled by the multitalented Michelle Jank the show started in a minimal fashion with simple body-con and slip dresses , then built up to wide leg trouser suits and romantic sweeping organza frocks in white ,royal blue,tangerine and red . There were a lot of dresses geared to the grown up woman: conservative simple shifts and simple black and white separates but the collection had a lot to offer to the younger market with it’s sculptural cocktail dresses and bright block coloured gowns that were sometimes offset by headpieces by Johnatan Howard from Hatmaker. My favourite part of the collection was it’s emphasis on the back ; bare backs and twists of fabric around the nape of the neck . Bumping into the ever handsome brothers Edgerton and Cremé de la Mer gift bags were the highlights off the runway.
Nash Edgerton, Joel Edgerton and Kirstie Clements
dark lips @ zampatti
In the evening I popped into Ginger & Smart‘s show titled Anon which was thankfully running really late. Held at the cavernous Blue hotel the runaway was impressively long and wide . Classical music played but the show was decidedly young and the emphasis was on boy meets girl and on fabrics and textures, typewriter fonts,pleated sheer fabrics,suiting and prints. Colours ranged from Rust with Hot Pink,Midnight Navy and shades of Grey. I will buy the cute leather shorts , acid yellow shirts, almost Teddy boy tapered pants with man style braces and the super cool silk and leather collars that came in a lot of colour/print combos and would make any t-shirt pop.
Nadine Duncan and Louise Van der vorst at Ginger& Smart
After all this fashion a girl needs a meal so I met some friends at Berta, which has quickly become one of my favourite Sydney restaurants. Tucked in a nondescript laneway in a quiet part of the city, this is one cracker of a place if you are looking for a real Italian flavour hit in a cool and understated setting. With a view over an inner city laneway Berta might not boast views to die for but it more than compensates for it with an ever changing menu and an emphasis on local,seasonal and often organic produce including good quality meats and poultry – Berta has never disappointed when it comes to taste.The directly imported italian wines are also delicious. You can even get a banquet menu and get surprises from the kitchen . One tip however – even if you think you are over-ordering , you are probably under-ordering ! Or maybe I just eat too much…
roast duck and figs
cuttlefish and vongole
