The TAFE-graduate recently showed as part of the Innovators show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia as the only menswear designer of the group, and put forward a collection which took on the athletic trend of the season with a simplistic approach. The real beauty of the garments was in the various fabrics — leather, mesh and bonded textiles — and the construction of the pieces. A simple bomber jacket in black, made of a bonded material with the appearance of neoprene, with almost all detailing concealed; a leather t-shirt, a lab-coat/hoodie hybrid — all fairly basic pieces, allowing for maximal layering and playing around with things.

Images provided by Yuliy Gershinsky.

Meg Gray

At Camilla

Bryanboy and Rumi Neely

Finale at Aurelio Costarella

April lookin' fine, as always.

At Dylan Cooper

Darren in an Elwood jacket he customised himself.

Model at By Johnny.

It’s always funny to see how people behave during fashion shows. I tend to giggle and laugh nervously, often due to the fact that I’ve just snuck in and got a front row seat next to some semi-famous celebrity, or I really need to pee (usually the first… okay, maybe the latter), but the majority of people are glued to their iPhones, only noticing the clothes when they’re waiting for Instagram to finish uploading them. To look like I’m one of those people (I’m not), who’s constantly glued to their phone (I’m not) and constantly Instagram-ing (I– okay, maybe I do), above you’ll find nine photos I’ve taken, then filtered through Instagram, regurgitated off the much-loved (and -abused) mobile application, for those who are too lazy to follow me (@mintmaison guys, it’s not that hard.)

The designer, Karen, is overflowing with ideas; to say she’s inspiring would be a serious understatement. Only a few months ago Karen told me she wanted to do “more for the world, something for charity,” and less than six months later she unveiled her latest ‘Poison Arrow’ collection, brimming with digital prints (hand-painted by Karen, then scanned and printed onto fabrics), at a World’s Greatest Morning Tea event which, unusually, took place at night. Guests were encouraged to make donations, all of which would go to the Cancer Council, to help fund research into curing cancer. What makes Karen so different to others is she commits to an idea and will always come through — and spectacularly, I might add.

The actual presentation of the collection was to an intimate group of Karen’s close friends and industry insiders, and included a show in which the latest collection was paraded by (mostly) the same girls Karen used at her last launch, and in her campaign. The event organiser was also a good friend of Karen’s, Christopher McLaren of A Series of Fortunate Events. Seeing an event, which was not unlike a gathering of friends for a party with a bit of fashion thrown in, was a well-appreciated break from the usual seriousness of the industry (MBFWA, I’m talking typing to you).

The collection itself sticks to Karen’s signature aesthetic: very wearable, feminine pieces with an edge. Silk returns as the tissu préféré and has been digitally printed with prints Karen painted herself (she seemed very pleased that night, that “you can see the brushstrokes!”) on mostly blazers, dresses and skirts in similar shapes to her last collection. The ‘Poison Arrow’ collection saw the Zipporra girl find her signature look, and continue to develop it through the introduction of new colours and prints into the collection — nothing over-the-top, but just enough to get you (read: me) excited.

I’ve told Karen (repeatedly, I might add) that, “As soon as I have more than $10, I’m getting you to make me an entire outfit!” While I can’t afford some Zipporra goodies (or anything more than a meal at McDonald’s, for that matter), it doesn’t mean you have to miss out. You’ll be able to shop the collection very soon here where the SS11 collection is currently being sold, or at Estate of Mind in Surry Hills.

Images provided by Zipporra.

Toni Maticevski is an artist, there’s no other way to put it. He’s skilled in his craft; his ability to design as well as turn a concept into a wearable — albeit slightly out there — garment is something many others in his field are unable to match, and his latest collection is proof of that. Toni has taken traditional construction techniques and fabrics, then combined them with more unconventional techniques and fabrics, to create a ten-look collection overflowing with “pure aesthetic.”

A concept of beauty in decay is evident, with textiles being torn apart then stitched together again to emphasise the deconstruction of the dresses, and this concept is pushed on by the designer’s “virtuosity with drape and fabric, silhouette and stitch.” Proportion and shape are played with, dirty browns are contrasted by refreshing whites and the covetable dresses whisper, not scream, gothic innocence.

Image courtesy of Toni Maticevski

Mel being the good blogger she is and taking photos of ~da pretty clothz~

One of my favourite things about being invited to press showings is being up close to the clothes, as creepy as that may sound, and just over a week ago, right before fashion week, I got to do just that at the Shopbop press day. Think Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone and more, crammed into one suite at the Establishment, then imagine transplanting a fourteen year old boy obsessed with clothes into that environment — the expression “kid in a candy store” comes to mind.

A big thanks to Torstar for inviting me.

There’s just something so great about sitting down, taking out the big boys (my name for my candles), lighting them and flicking through the pages of the latest copy of Russh. It’s when I’m looking through the pages of my dangerously tall stack of magazines that I find the most inspiration, whether it be to create, or just to keep my occupied on the treacherously long things we call weekends.

Image via MBFWA website

Headpieces by Philomena Kwok

When I noticed the word ‘collision’ printed in large, narrow capitals at Carl Kapp’s SS12 show, my first thought was “How very Prada of you, Carl.” Once the show began, with the sound of two cars, engines revving, speeding towards each other and colliding, I was sure of my guess. When the models began to walk out, to my surprise, there were no flame prints or street-style-perfect shoes, instead what I saw was a collection that bonded masculine and feminine cuts and silhouettes with lighter hues and rich tones, all condensed into one collection.

Flowing, feminine dresses à la Lanvin, with trains pulled up, pleated and sewn at the back of the neckline appeared like parachutes (fashionable, of course) in bright, exciting colours, but were contrasted by masculine blazers, much like those of Haider Ackermann’s collection of the same season, in moodier, richer shades of green and purple.

What I really found interesting were the headpieces, custom-made for Carl Kapp by Philomena Kwok; they really brought the concept of collision back to its literal meaning. Perspex fascinators, with wire bent around them looked as though they had just been in the middle of two cars crashing towards each other and, I must say they looked amazing, almost amazing enough to make me get one myself.