Fashion Week only swings around once a year in Australia so come May everyone in the industry is lining up their outfits, pillaging pr agencies, last minute online shopping, loaning from friends and otherwise spending solid quality time in front of the mirror.

Dear reader; I wanted to be one of these people but I was doing the MBFWA review story for vogue.com.au in the lead up and hence was too overwhelmed with existing loans,countless emails and shoot production to think street style.When Monday came around and I had no outfit, I sent some emails and my assistant to pick up a few things from a couple of ravaged pr offices that now looked like supermarkets before Hurricane Irma hit ; barren and sparse.

First world problems these may be but one needs to get through the week clothed and my preference is a tad more fabric than what Bella Hadid wears on the Cannes red carpet 😉

Even though many Australian heavyweights didn't show this year, there were many highlights to the week so I decided to do a little photo diary - I want you to see all the fun that was to be had ! Sadly, I'm not posting all the shows I went to- some of them I just didn't get great pictures at - sometimes the lights are too low and the models move too fast.

 

DAY 1: Camilla & Marc started off the week with a bang, all cool tailoring, oversized jackets, shoulder pads, ruffles, off the shoulder dresses and skirts over pants. There were so many things to love here, all I can say is: send separates guys!

The Camilla & Marc stage was this amazing outback-ey looking set that every single person tried to get a photo in after the show. Here's me, semi soaked still cause it was pouring outside, elbowing my way to a quiet corner with the help of Yan Yan Chan who took these photos for me (thanks Jan ; )).

Wearing Rebecca Valance skirt and bustier, Balmain Top, La Perla bra, Gucci bag, Zimmermann shoes and a vintage Versace jacket

DAY 2 :Monday was a busy day, so what better way to start it but by wearing head to toe pink and matching it to a double shot flat white in a Dion Lee Vittoria cup ? Wearing Dion Lee top and pants, Michael Lo Sordo jacket, Fendi bag, Charlotte Olympia shoes, Balenciaga earring and vintage Balenciaga sunglasses

I loved the Bianca Spender show; all oversized, feminine suits and flowing, sensual silks. Well tailored and flattering with a sustainable bend, I can't wait to wear some of those slinky silk dresses over wide legged pants

En route to the Alice McCall show  (Alice Mccall pants, Ginger and Smart top, Gucci shoes, YSL bag and Matteau bikini top )

If Alice Mccall had a girl she were making clothes for it would be a fun party girl with vintage sensibilities. Some of her dresses and shorts used to be so short they'd make my eyes water ( cause I didn't have the guts to expose so much of my pins ) so I'm loving how some of the hemlines are longer this season and there are amazing maxi gowns in the fray too. Lace detailing and lamé dresses never hurt the party girl either, let's face it

My mates Mikey & Toby over at Double Rainbow did an amazing job growing their hawaiian shirt label into a veritable style reference of their own. This show was pure festival summer incarnated with mesh tops, prints galore, tracksuit combos, clever t-shirts and beach shorts we all need once the heatwave hits. Big love to Sarah Starkey who styled this show to perfection, within the restricted confines of the Landsdowne hotel non the less.


It was 9 pm when the Double Rainbuu show finished so I rushed to the intimate dinner Michael Lo Sordo was hosting at the city institution that is Bambini Trust. I had to make a swift change into a Michael Lo Sordo look in the car, across the road from a packed bus stop which was as hilariously awkward as you can imagine. The girls and I were all Lo Sordo brides that night- Sunny Vandervelde took this fun snap of us in front of the restaurant before we all settled to a gorgeous candlelit dinner. Thanks Michael and MCM pr for this wonderful night!

DAY 3 When you're dressed so farshion but you wish you were wearing a bikini and diving in!

Wearing Undone Project pants, Jill Sander t-shirt from Net-a-Porter, Zimmermann shoes, Dinosaur designs earrings and bracelet, From St Xavier clutch and Double Rainbuu x Le Specs sunglasses 

The Emilia Wickstead x Matches Fashion was a pure delight. Not only was it held at the spectacular Wylie's baths which I'd never been to before but the weather was incredible, the clothes lovely, the atmosphere magical, the champagne cold and the appetisers delicious. Can every show be like this? I wanted to twirl in these pretty dresses and dive into some long gone Riviera pool whilst wearing a pink swim cap. This show evoked so many feels that I escaped through a portal to another time. When the show finished, I still didn't want to leave because the reality was wonderful too.

Snakeskin, lamé, 70s, gingham, sheer...the Hansen & Gretel show had all the trends. All I can say is: I'm coming for you head to toe snakeskin print, don't even bother hiding cause I'll find you!

I had some time to rush home and get changed for the Romance Was born show ( wearing Romance Was Born, Gianvitto Rossi from Net-a-porter shoes, Reliquia earrings )

Hello lamé, hello slinky goddesses, hello prints, ruffles and the joy of seeing creativity unbridled - Romance Was Born show is always such an unmissable event on the week's calendar. This year, the underbelly of Hubert's was transformed into a Parisian salon where models twirled between tables and enchanted us with ruffles, lace and batwings.

 

Clockwise from left: Jessica Gomez, Yan Yan Chan, Anna Plunket and Luke Sales with a performer,model holding the RWB book, yummy dinner ,Isabella Manfredi dancing on tabletops

As if the beautiful clothes weren't enough, guests were presented with a delicious 3 course sit down dinner and drag queen singers that ravished the captive audience with vintage hits. The night also served as a launch for RWB's incredible retrospective book - if you love fashion, buy this book as it's sure to be iconic ( and whilst you're page turning, play a little find Tanja game- there are a few pictures in there from my modelling days ) The fun didn't stop there- after the show, some of us stayed on for a nightcap and danced on tabletops ( i'm looking at you Isabella Manfredi ; ))

DAY4: One of the highlights was the Christopher Esber show today, with it's impeccable detailing and painstakingly beautiful beaded knits. I wanted so many items from this show. Worn as a look , these were strong pieces but equally important; any one of them would elevate plain old t-shirts or jeans to new heights. I also had a deadline today so I spent most of my day just editing : (


Wearing Zimmermann pants, Michael Lo Sordo top, Gucci Belt, Byfar x Net-a-Porter sandals, YSL bag from Net-a-Porter, vintage necklaces and jacket, Reliquia earrings

Day5: Nothing like the joy of arriving to the Ten Pieces show at Icebergs and finding my girl Lindy Klim was seated next to me. Love an early morning catch up! ( Wearing vintage top, Fendi sunglasses, Lindy wearing Rama Voyage and Dion Lee)

Maurice Terzini and his partner Lucy did such a great job with this collection. Modern, fresh,androgynous and wearable, the clothes were as cool as the show was fast paced and to the point, a bit like mr Terzini himself. Bonus points for casting some of the coolest characters around who promptly started a dance off on the balcony when the show ended.
The evening saw the ethereal Akira show and the tribal inspired Camilla show, followed by Russh magazine's dance party extravaganza ..needless to say the weekend in bed was heaven sent!

Thanks so much to all the designers, models, hair and make up artists, pr and my fellow journalist and bloggers for making this MBFWA such a hoot

Australian fashion continued to carve its own path on the world stage at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) with our designers covering everything from swim to denim, ready-to-wear and high-gloss evening wear.

Dion Lee opened the week with a spectacular show at the foreground of the Opera House, wowing with his unique mix of high tech craft, interesting tailoring and modern swim whilst simultaneously launching the kind of menswear any man would love.I was excited about Alice McCall’s foray into glam rock with a Hollywood starlet edge, Bec & Bridge’s return to rock 'n' roll party dresses, Akira’s soft yet modern collection, Double Rainbouu’s signature look, Michael Lo Sordo’s dramatic silks and hipbone detailing, Christopher Esber’s mix of irreverent cool and great tailoring, Vale denim’s pastels, the ever amazing Ellery fashion code…and the list goes on! Special kudos goes to this year’s casting which included older women, street kids and ordinary people, making shows diverse and fun to watch.

I was privileged to borrow clothes from five designers prior to fashion week to bring you this story. It is always difficult to pry items away from designers so close to their big event, but also incredibly exciting to shoot the pictures whilst getting a sneak peek into their collections.
Without further ado here is my review of five designers …


Wearing: Yousef Akbar dress, Gucci heels from Farfetch, Christian Louboutin bag

Yousef Akbar is a young designer making a name on the world scene designing daring clothes favoured by the likes of Chrissy Teigen, Kelly Osbourne and Jessica Mauboy. Yousef has his own way of mixing avant-garde with eveningwear and I’m excited to see what this fresh designer does next. I especially loved his foray into sequin and feather this season.


Wearing: MacGraw top, skirt and shoes

MacGraw is a label I have been following for a while for their vintage-brought-to-the-21st-century-sensibility. For this collection they seemed to veer far into the past, mixing Edwardian times with the 60s, 70s and 80s, with puffed sleeves, high collars, checks, prints and ruffled skirts that young Madonna would’ve adored.



Wearing 10 Pieces

Ten Pieces showed their collection at Icebergs's dining room and bar, with the pretty views juxtaposing the tough streetwear collection on show. A mainly black and white series of easy to wear pieces showed designer Maurice Terzini’s penchant for avant-garde yet relaxed clothes that are sure to be a hit with the cool kids. For this story we shot a different side to this label, influenced by Terzini’s partner Lucy Hinckfuss who is bringing in a soft and feminine hue as a polar opposite to the label’s aesthetic. Hinckfuss has said: “ Ten Pieces is an androgynous label so we decided that there should be more variations and the kind of clothes that appeal to women. These will be available alongside our other pieces online.”


Wearing: KitX, vintage Balenciaga heels, YSL sunglasses from Farfetch

KITX is one of my favourite brands showing at MBFWA. I am not sure if it is Kit Willow’s infectious enthusiasm at bringing top-notch quality to ecologically responsible manufacturing, or the fact that she always uses beautiful fabrics that she makeshifts into addictively interesting staples . This season, Kit continued her reign as the tailoring queen, mixing it with sensuous silks , sexy draping, colour blocking and grown up relaxed chic.


Wearing: Romance Was Born dress, Gianvitto Rossi boots, vintage hat

Romance Was Born closed MBFWA in a spectacle of a Studio 54 extravaganza. High drama and theatrics always make Romance Was Born’s shows eagerly anticipated and this year did not disappoint. The audience tapped their feet to the beat and swooned over amazing specifics (each girl had different hair and make up! There was a dance sequence! Nude models were body painted by artist Del Kathryn Barton!). Underneath all the glitz, however, certain things stand, such as the incredible attention to detail. The codes that Romance Was Born has built over the years have been re-invisioned through cool denim, oversized sleeves and beading. Lush ruffles have joined oversized feather jackets, along with rainbow fringing and colourful suiting.

Styled and Photographed by Tanja Gacic
Hair and Make up by Claire Thomson using Oribe hair products
Model: Nathalie Nyren from Chic Model Management
Assisting by Eleni George
This post originally appeared on vogue.com.au here!

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