MUCH MORE THAN JUST RESORT WEAR

By Sharmin Musca, Personal Stylist on July 25, 2017 in Arts

It’s funny that whenever the mercury dips below the high teens, my mind starts planning an island holiday. But who doesn’t enjoy the chance to break free from your everyday life and mundane wardrobe, and fill a suitcase with summery clothes that make you feel like you’re on holiday just packing them?

It’s a no-brainer then that Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) has harnessed the universal appeal of resort wear and made it the focus of the most recent Australian Fashion Week in May. Resort wear has become the money-spinner of the fashion industry – year round there’s someone buying it before jetting off to chase an endless summer, allowing local and international retailers to hang the trans-seasonal pieces on racks for longer.

And just as planning a holiday can almost be as much fun as actually going on it, so too can planning your holiday outfits. I mentally packed my suitcase at MBFWA’s vacation ready swim show. Inspired by the vintage boho-vibe, into my suitcase went a hand crocheted bikini in olive and matching thigh high lace-up sandals by Tacoola, as well as a stunning hand-crocheted white dress by She Made Me.

That said, MBFWA is about much more than just resortwear, and from the collections on show I spotted a few notable trends:

Tailoring – Almost every collection presented a different take on tailoring. From off-centre and asymmetric at Dion Lee, to relaxed tailoring at Christopher Esber, and exquisite shirting with exaggerated cuffs at up and coming label Anna Quan (one to watch).

Ruffles – Feminine ruffles and ruching seemed to be everywhere on the runways, seen in collections from We Are Kindred to Macgraw and C/MEO.

Floaty dresses and floral prints – Sweet floral prints and pretty dresses were shown at C/MEO and emerging label We Are Kindred.

Belts and ties – Many designers like KitX and Ginger and Smart sent outfits wrapped with knots, ties, and waist-hugging belts down the runway.

Red – From bright red to rust coloured dresses, crimson coats, and scarlet denim, the bold colour was seen across many shows from Bec & Bridge to Hansel & Gretel and KitX.

Image captions…

1. Tacoola MBFWA 17 Swim Collection.
2. Anna Quan MBFWA 17.
3. C/MEO MBFWA 17