It's three years since Josh Goot last showed in Sydney – and just six years since he launched his brand here, with an unforgettable collection of what he dubbed ‘tailored comfort’, realised in a space age track-and-field silhouette that included jersey trench coats and blazers. After showing for multiple seasons at New York and London Fashion Weeks, Goot has firmly established himself at the vanguard of Australia’s new designer generation. And what international polish he brought to Australian Fashion Week last night. The production, co-signed by The Artist Group and Mr and Mrs Fish, dragged arguably the week’s biggest crowd up six flights of stairs to an abandoned inner-city carpark, transformed for the evening to a futuristic sporting venue. Partially inspired by the German expressionist artist Gerhard Richter, the collection, which was delivered in modern techno silks, sporty neoprene and an eye-popping palette of fluoro pink, cobalt blue, Kelly green, black, silver and white, focussed on a voluminous silhouette. More to come.
Australia's most high profile fashion event, Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, runs from May 2-6. As per tradition, frockwriter has been making a list and checking it twice, ahead of the official release by organiser IMG Fashion Asia Pacific. Two years may have passed since the abbreviated "Recessionista edition", but that does not mean that retail is still not incredibly tough. Or that sponsors are not thin on the ground. Two longstanding RAFW partners will not be showing: Nicola Finetti, who has shown at the event every year since its 1996 launch and New Zealand's Zambesi. You can catch them in their showrooms. Also AWOL this season: Friedrich Gray, with designer Ben Pollitt taking a break from not just RAFW, but in fact putting his label on ice. The good news: among the big names showing are two of Australia's best-known designers, both returning to the schedule after several years showing in New York and London - Toni Maticevski and Josh Goot. Update 21/04: Good to see that Romance Was Born finally got over the line with its show plans. Although technically not on schedule, their slot is the next best thing: an unofficial kickoff to the week on the afternoon of Sunday May 1st.
Also returning to the lineup are Lover and White Suede.
A slew of solo runway debuts includes Yeojin Bae, Carl Kapp, Amber & Thomas and Friend of Mine.
Much was made of the decisions by both Alex Perry and Kym Ellery to unveil their Spring collections at consumer events in Melbourne and Perth before RAFW. But that has not precluded their involvement at RAFW, with both now confirmed to show their second summer collections on-schedule at the event. Rachel Gilbert is also doing two presentations: a low-key lunch showing of Summer 1 on 13th April in Sydney, followed by a full-scale show at RAFW on 3rd May.
In terms of brand new labels being unveiled at the event, added to the annual TAFE 'Innovators' parade which has springboarded, among others, Dion Lee - who is showing on Thursday morning - comes a second graduate showcase this year from Raffles, showcasing six designers from Australia, China and Singapore.
Yes, there are more off-site shows than ever before, but we understand IMG has organised a fleet of shuttle buses - as do organisers in London, Milan and Paris for their many off-site, on-schedule shows. In New York, you fend for yourself. Guys, we've had it far too easy, for too long.
OFF-SCHEDULE Wednesday 13th April, 12.30 - Rachel Gilbert Thursday 14th April, 12.30 - Leona Edmiston Wednesday 27th April, 09.00 - Life With Bird Wednesday 27th April, 17.00 - Thurley
Thursday 28th April, 10.30 - Carla Zampatti Thursday 28th April, 18.30 - Ginger & Smart Friday 29th April, 09.00 - Sabatini (celebrating 20 years in Australia) Friday 29th April, 12.00 - Mrs Press Sunday 1st May, 15.30 - Romance Was Born
RAFW
MONDAY 2ND MAY 09.00 Zimmermann, off-site 10.00 Bec & Bridge, on-site 11.00 Alex Perry, Cargo Theatre 12.00 Arnsdorf, the OPT 13.00 Kirrily Johnston, off-site 14.30 Morrison, on-site 15.30 RTW group show 1, the OPT: Subfusco, Garth Cook, Uscari, Vagabond, Lanphi 16.30 Friend of Mine, Cargo Theatre 17.30 Flannel, the OPT 18.30 Karla Spetic, Cargo Theatre 19.30 Gail Sorronda, the OPT 20.30 Lover, off-site
TUESDAY 3RD MAY 09.00 Therese Rawsthorne, off-site 10.00 Rachel Gilbert, on-site 11.00 Sara Phillips, on-site 12.00 Little Joe, the OPT 13.00 Manning Cartell, off-site 14.30 Miss Unkon, Cargo Theatre 15.30 RTW 2, the OPT: None the Richer, Bless'ed are the Meek, Guanabana Designs, Wonders Cease 16.30 Nookie, Cargo Theatre 17.30 Carl Kapp, the OPT 18.30 Amber & Thomas, Cargo Theatre 19.30 Marnie Skillings, on-site 20.30 Kate Sylvester, off-site
WEDNESDAY 4TH MAY 09.00 Lisa Ho, off-site 10.00 Talulah, the OPT 11.00 Magdalena Velevska, Cargo Theatre 12.00 Shakuhachi, the OPT 13.00 Fernando Frisoni, Sydney Opera House 14.30 Michael Lo Sordo, Cargo Theatre 15.30 RTW 3, the OPT: Foxton Danger, Karen Neilsen Collection, Roopa Pemmaraju, Terri Donna 16.30 Bianca Spender, Cargo Theatre 17.30 Dhini, the OPT 18.30 Gary Bigeni, on-site 19.30 Alice McCall, the OPT 20.30 Camilla & Marc, off-site
THURSDAY 5TH MAY 09.00 Dion Lee, off-site 10.00 White Suede, on-site 11.00 Yeojin Bae, on-site 12.00 TAFE Fashion Design Studio group show, the OPT: Leah Hibbert, Charlotte O’Carrigan, Emma Mulholland, Anna Westcott 13.00 Ellery, off-site 14.30 Lisa Blue, Cargo Theatre 15.30 Kooey, the OPT 16.30 Limedrop, Cargo Theatre 17.30 RTW 4, the OPT: Antonia Paris, Billi Keato, Luela, Sally Koeswanto 18.30 Stolen Girlfriends Club, Cargo Theatre 19.30 Alaistair Trung, the OPT 20.30 Josh Goot, off-site
FRIDAY 6TH MAY 09.00 Toni Maticevski, off-site 10.00 Lisa Maree, the OPT 11.00 Ms Couture, Cargo Theatre 12.00 Raffles RAFW International Showcase, the OPT: The Prodigal Son (Singapore), Zhigang Studio (Shanghai), Illuminati, Peggy Hartanto, Nosnim, Krystal Tsoi (Sydney) 13.00 Saint Augustine Academy, Cargo Theatre 14.30 New Generation 1 group show, the OPT: Paper Skye, Arj Selvam, Poppy Lissiman, Christopher Dobosz, Moek Theorem 15.30 Christopher Esber, Cargo Theatre
16.30 New Generation 2 group show, the OPT: Daniela Caputi, Daniella-Stephanie Puglisi, Del Playa Drive, Jaime Lee Major, Virginie Lynn 17.30 Bowie, Cargo Theatre
images: 1/ josh goot/frockwriter 2/ toni maticevski/sonnyphotos 3/ carl kapp/supplied by little hero 4/ kate sylvester/frockwriter 5/ dion lee/frockwriter 6/ friend of mine/alexandra spencer via friend of mine 7/ emma mulholland/2threads 8/ amber & thomas/amber & thomas 9/ anna westcott/vogue.com.au 10/ stolen girlfriends club/frockwriter
Tuesday's David Jones show felt the same, but different, to previous years' events. There was no Mark McInnes, Colette Garnsey, Miranda Kerr or even sass & bide. With the exception of relatively recent fashion ambassador addition Kerr, all had been front-and-centre at the show for almost a decade, laying the foundations for the "house of brands" into which the department store subsequently evolved. Taking their places and for a variety of different reasons - which ranged from scandaland resignations, pregnancy and defection, all in the space of eight months - was a new management team (albeit one promoted from within) and a swag of new labels, the absolute standout of which on the night just had to be Josh Goot and his colourblocked bodycon dresses and tulip skirts and tops with wildly expressionistic graphics. Not forgetting some highly polished Australian modelling talent, that included girls who have walked for some of the world's biggest fashion brands: Nicole Trunfio, Alexandra Agoston, Myf Shepherd, Stephanie Carta, Tiah Eckhardt and Christina Carey. And some newcomers who may soon follow them. Think Rosemary Smith (above, in Josh Goot), who is off to the European shows with at least one big name in her appointment book. Click (here) for frockwriter's Posterous pic gallery of backstage shots taken before and during the show.
