Everything
Saturday officially marked the end of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia for another year. Ushering in an exclusive crowd of buyers, stylists, journalists and influencers, the fashion industry lit up Carriageworks and surrounding locations for a first look into Resort 2020. Though eager customers will have to wait until October for the first of many drops, the time to plan is now, and if the Australian runway is anything to go by, ’70s style will get a re-run; but not as you know it.
From Double Rainbouu‘s oriental-inspired “night swim” collection to Ten Pieces Italian punk looks, the era once known for its ochre hues, turtleneck knits and bohemian approach has been turned upside down for modern times. ’90s nuances were also peppered throughout the collections and lent a distinctive edge to collections but perhaps the most repeated word throughout the week was “cosmic”. Not cosmic in the intergalactic sense, but rather a distinct and bold interpretation of nightlife.
“The collection this year is inspired by my years living in Italy. We were known as disco freaks. In the late ‘70s listening to Daniele Baldeli and the rise of Italo disco and the magical cosmic disco,” Ten Pieces co-designer Maurice Terzini explained to ICON prior to Fashion Week.
Speaking to the relaxed Australian lifestyle, collections have fused daytime style with after dark wearability. While we face another unforgiving winter, these are the trends to look forward to come the new season.
GRAPHICS
If you need an introduction to the “cosmic” trend, this would be it. While graphics have been reinterpreted each and every season, the blending of essential silhouettes and distinctive prints welcomed in a new look at all-day style. While logomania was the theme for Ten Pieces Resort 2020, it was print connoisseur Double Rainbouu that reignited our love for animal graphics and colour clashing. Resort 2020 was based on the question, “what would rainbouu look like at night?” and the answer is a palette of deep hues and creamy pastels. Aptly dubbed “ANIMAL KINGDOM”, zebra prints made up one of the main motifs.
Reimagined knitwear
Nothing quite screams ’70s attire than the inclusion of knit polos. Seen in several iterations across Fashion Week, it was women’s streetwear label Hansen & Gretel that introduced a new line of menswear to its offerings. Amongst classic denim silhouettes and kit essentials, the standout piece was its ’70s knit polo, perfectly colliding with vintage pastels and a sense of Californication. The knit polo also made an appearance in Double Rainbouu’s Resort 2020 collection, while knee-high socks and macramé lent a quintessential hippie approach to the era dressing.
exaggerated silhouettes
At first glance, Ten Pieces Resort 2020 drew no resemblance to the ’70s disco scene. There was a clear absence of glitter and skin-tight flares, though if you were to look to the underground grunge culture you’d be able to connect the dots. In an era where collars were more structured and lapels had extended outwards, silhouettes had become oversized and exaggerated. Entitled ‘Cosmic Runner’, Italian disco in the late ’70s provided influence for silhouettes and are designed to be worn from the beach through to after dark scenarios. Like past seasons, monochromatic looks were a nod to the ’90s, while uggs and relaxed styles paid homage to the late ’70s music scene.
