FJ O R D E | L M F F R E C A P
LMFF RECAP THE L’ORÉAL MELBOURNE FASHION FESTIVAL / EMILY HARRIS
The L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) has come and gone for another year. Continuing to inspire and unite the designers, consumers and retailers who keep Australian and Melbourne fashion alive, LMFF proved yet again why it is Australia’s premium consumer fashion event. Officially launched on the 9th of February on the lawns of Government House, the festival was host to a wealth of celebrities (including the 2011 festival ambassador, Melissa George), Australian and International fashion designers, as well as a multitude of excited festival friends who came together to celebrate fashion, design, business and creative endeavour. Kicking-off LMFF in spectacular style was ‘Fashion Full Stop’ on March 14, at The Plenary, South Wharf. Part runway show, part rock concert and part theatrical spectacular, the event showcased the best in fashion and music from the 1960s to today. Featuring live performances from some of Australia’s leading music talents including Guy Sebastian, Marcia Hines and DJ Agent 86, the evening celebrated iconic designers, labels, styles and moments that have shaped Australia’s history in fashion. The week-long festival, under guidance from new creative director Grant Pearce, is best renowned 78
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for it’s Docklands based L’Oréal Paris Runway shows. The runway shows presented Autumn/ Winter collections from Australia’s leading designers including Sass and Bide, Gorman, Rachel Gilbert and Collette Dinnigan. For the first time, the runways also staged the LMFF Designer Award 2011 Finalists, who this year included Arnsdorf, Bassike, Dress Up, ELLERY, From Britten, Laurence Pasquier, Lui Hon and the 2011 winner ‘Song for the Mute’, an innovative menswear label created by graphic artist Melvin Tanaya and Parisian-born, Italian-trained fashion designer Lyna Ty.
season collections and went to silent auction at the conclusion of the exhibition (with all proceeds being donated to a charity of the designer’s choice).
A new comer to the 2011 program, Jack London, featured in their first solo runway show at one of the LMFF Trunk Shows at Prahran Town Hall. The Winter 2011 collection entitled ‘Urban Warriors and Dandy Lions’ was heavily influenced by the punk styling of the 1960 UK Skinheads and the Hard Mods era and featured a crowd-favourite, well behaved British bulldog walking the runway with the models. The Melbourne based label also starred along-side 11 other celebrated Australian designers at the Chadstone Qee Designer Toy Exhibition. In an Australian first, Qees (pronounced ‘keys’) were used as a blank canvas by some of Chadstone’s favourite fashion designers. Each Qee was customised to reflect the latest
Also incorporated into this year’s program were beauty workshops, business seminars, forums and a multitude of offsite runways. There was something there for people of all ages.
KOOKAÏ were another Australian label who launched it’s A/W collection titled ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ with a standalone event at Central Pier, Docklands as part of LMFF. The collection, wholly designed in Australia, was inspired by the freedom and carefree spirit of the eternal traveler and highlighted all of the key trends for the season including suede, knitwear, jewels, sequin collars and chunky knits.
LMFF is one of Melbourne’s most prestige events and is held in a city that has long ago made its name as a fashion capital. Amongst our local and national talent there is a plethora of international designers waiting to showcase their designs to us. If you didn’t make it along this year, be sure to get yourself a 2012 diary and pen it in for March!