The Fun of Fashion

Through the chaotic atmosphere of the multitude of things that are occurring within the fashion industry, it is unfortunate that the seriousness of it all overshadows the fun that is fashion. Now, there is no doubt that there is always one collection that stands out amongst the rest, and Prada proved to be the one that will lead the way in the Spring/Summer 2014 season. The fashion house's latest womenswear collection is a colourful expression of the gaiety that is often missed within the more playful streams of fashion, featuring portraits of cartoon women, vivid bedazzled dresses and outerwear, elements of the now strung out Hawaiian trend and the risqué leg warmer. Although the campaign features the models donning mundane expressions and conservative poses, the film (watch below) is nothing but an extension of this season's ideology, with all the models emphasising the visually entertaining clothing by being entertained themselves. The house has hit the spot by not relying on exotic locations, unnecessary poses and photographic enhancements, to an extent, to present their collection to the fashion-conscious mass.

Image courtesy of We Are So Droee

Video courtesy of the official Prada Youtube channel

Vanishing Elephant | Working Magazine #1

The young and coveted Australian fashion label, Vanishing Elephant, has expanded into the world of journalism. Their publication, named "Working", offers loyalists an insight into what inspires the designers Huw, Felix and Arran. Working is a publicly tangible mood board, with Trevor King photography, an exploration of Archival's architecture, Brisbane's Dane Lovett's odd yet humbling artwork and more. It's obvious to see that Vanishing Elephant's ethos and aesthetic is an appropriation and combination of these inspirations whilst flicking through the journal, but the designers have managed to mould an aesthetic of their own. A well-rounded and concise journal is rare nowadays, and Vanishing Elephant have certainly done well. Make sure to download you copy by clicking on the link below.

Read about what Archival's collaboration with the label

Trevor King's atmospheric beach photography

Looks from the Autumn/Winter 2013 menswear collection

TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE MAGAZINE, CLICK HERE

Photography by Christoffer Aguilar

SUBSCRIBE

Ksubi's Structural Spring/Summer collection

Ksubi has taken an architectural spin on Spring/Summer fashion, and have furthered their fashion design prowess by incorporating elements of Ancient Egyptian and South American artworks to their upcoming collection. Since Ksubi did not show at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, which may have been due to the launch of Ksubi designer, Dan Single's, independent line - DAAN, fans of the rebellious Australian label have awaited the release of the look book. The orderliness of quilted bombers, double collar leather jackets and tesselated sweaters mesh easily with the psychedelic tie-dye, odd plaid and symbolic patterns in shady hazes of blue - set to create a trend amongst the younger fashion-conscious market.

Images courtesy of RUSSH Magazine

To view the complete look book, CLICK HERE

The Innovators of Australian Fashion

TAFE’s fashion designers are a formidable force within the myriad of young designers in the industry, so it's no surprise that The Innovators collections were no disappointment. Leroy Nguyen started off the show colourfully with kaleidoscopic prints, then as Elissa McGowan took over the runway, the atmosphere changed as the structurally feminine collection was unleashed, with sheer panels in interesting shapes which ran like rivers through white, peach pink and navy blue ensembles forcing our eyes to actively map the clothing. Paul Scott's menswear was next - a daring mix of cityscape prints, vinyl leather and mismatching pattern panels that will surely bring a new dimension to menswear in Australia. Paul’s clever enmeshing of the relaxed mood of Australian fashion and undertones of bold British men’s fashion make for a trendsetting collection for the coming Spring/Summer season. Ying Yuan continued from Elissa's architectural aesthetic, but again quickly changed with Vinh Nugyen’s contrasting menswear to Pauls, which added a more space-aged dynamic to menswear - the abundance of cool mints, midnight blues and stark black a complete opposite to Paul's. Finally, Inder Dhillon's sequin filled beanies and dresses brought a vibrant and eccentric end to the showcase of skill and talent of these young designers.

Photography by me

To view the collections and watch the fashion show, CLICK HERE

Vanishing Elephant in an Industrial Wilderness

In the depths of the industrial Australian Technology Park, Vanishing Elephant unleashed their Spring/Summer 2013/14 collection to a vibrantly mixed fashion crowd, led by Australian supermodel, Julia Nobis. A collection inspired by the impact of repetitive patterns and the structure of industry, the collection complemented the highly manufactured setting of Australian Technology Park yet still separating itself with its tailored elements, cleverly placed paneled patterns and mild contrasting colour palette. The range of patterns against plains, including polka dots and blocky stripes against stark whites and somber blues with hints of orange, khaki and navy are heavily influenced by the cleanliness of Scandinavian fashion, and its respectable that the designers to bring this to the attention of the Australian fashion crowd. Vanishing Elephant, with the help of Mark Vassallo, has successfully achieved in producing a collection that suits the post-punk revival of the fashion forward youth.

Photography by me
To view the complete collection in colour, CLICK HERE
To view the fashion show, CLICK HERE
Visit the official Vanishing Elephant website HERE

Dior's inexplicable beauty

The up and coming King of Fashion - Raf Simons

Raf Simons first Haute Couture collection was a sight to behold, but he has once again proven why he is the future of fashion. His second Haute Couture collection for Dior is, as I said in the headline, inexplicably beautiful. The sparkly lips, bold colours, the flattering and fun silhouettes, the sheer cleanliness of the collection - what a feast for the senses. How a man can incorporate the true Dior aesthetic and incorporate it with his distinguishable minimalist vision to design a collection for the modern Dior woman I will never know.

View the collection HERE

All images courtesy of Fashionising

Before the Winter Cold

 It may be sweltering here in Sydney, but the look books of the upcoming Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 collections has got me eager and ready for the change of season. The look books also give us all an informed view on how fashion will once again change this year, and have been released in anticipation of the upcoming fashion weeks, the first being London Collections: Men. My favourite Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 collections are from Belstaff, Louis Vuitton and Burberry Prorsum.

Belstaff Pre-Fall/Winter 2013

Belstaff's latest collection stays true to its heritage whilst adding contemporary details such as stitch patterned reptilian leather on bags and the tightening of the lower legs of the pants. Classic styles of trenches and jackets  are made dynamic by the dark colour hue and ultimately adds a hyper masculine quality to the collection as a whole, a turn from the soft colours last season.

Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall/Winter 2013

Louis Vuitton's latest collection encompasses a lot of pieces both effeminate, e.g. embroidered floral shirts and neckerchieves, and masculine, e.g. aviator sunglasses and structured quilted jackets, and when worn together equates to a collection for every man.

Burberry Prorsum Pre-Fall/Winter 2013

Romeo Beckham may be stealing the world over for the Burberry Spring/Summer 2013 campaign, but in my honest opinion, Burberry Prorsum's Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 campaign is much more captivating. The abundance of ox blood, patent leather and speckled paint print is a calmer, less exuberant move away from the bright metallics  this season.

Images courtesy of Fashionising