Some of the most exciting aspects of fashion are the undercurrents that shift beneath it. They are the unarticulated trends. The visions actualising. Sometimes it takes the flick of a switch to bring to the fore, like UV detailing beneath a black light, but other times it’s a matter of nurturing, of providing opportunity. Yesterday’s Perth Fashion Festival (PFF) was all about that.
OUTskirts has become a major PFF component. It’s produced by the On William collective and provides the opportunity for a mass of creative talent to showcase their abilities. With over 100 events at 34 locations, it was the place to be.
Lonely 8-Bit Heroes stole the day with a live spray paint in the Cultural Centre with Lady Bananas, Tomahawk and Sara Windfield. Or maybe it was Jackson Eaton’s high camp photo booth manned by international fashion photographer Jason Earson. Or perhaps it was the talent of Emma Britton, Ashleigh Spencer, Betsy Westphal and others at the Central Tafe Diploma Parade The Young And The Restless. Although Curtain University’s roving The Factory Parade was pretty cool too. But then so was everything else… including the 11 collector pins produced by the On William crew. All up, the day was massive. And incredibly impressive. No doubt some of the talent present during the event will begin to establish itself in Perth’s creative arena as forces to be reckoned with.
Already well on their way to achieving that are Celene Bridge and Jermoy Lim, winners of last years The Carton. Both delivered stand out collections. Bridge’s romance with Old World glamour is to die for, literally. Her hand carved headpieces are sublime while the dresses are so sexy and sublime. Combined, they become avant-garde costumes, but as separate pieces they hold an ingenious beauty of their own. Much like Lim’s work, which is menswear for the nostalgic as the edge of the world, on the brink of Apocalypse almost. Fur shorts combined with distressed shirting and sublime tailoring… oh my.
Of course, their shows were a prelude to Student Runway, where the clothes were fierce and full-on and adventurous to the extreme. Winners for this year included Jessica Hogg (Polytechnic West), Cherish Armstrong (ECU), Veronica Parish (Challenger TAFE), Nicole Marrington (WAAPA) and winner of the menswear Sam Donaldson (Polytechnic West), whose clothing smacks of promise and a bright future. In fact, all of these student designers have the potential to create a bright future for themselves, one that could possibly change the fashion landscape given time.
One designer who is already doing that within Australia is Magdalena Velevska, whose clothes are a tribute to both statement and subtly. With precise pleating Velevska creates garments that are elegant and strong. Flick on the UV uplights and neon bright detailing and piping emerges, Velevska’s clothes becoming hypnotically futuristic. It was a parade where nuance captivated everyone, holding them in its steady gaze.
Sunday’s PFF was all about that which emerges to establish itself, from creative enthusiasm to the next generation visionaries to the subtle power of clever invention. And by hinting at what is possible, at what can emerge, it suggests a future that is bright, exciting and the best part, unknown yet laden with anticipation. If we can excite ourselves for tomorrow, today becomes all the more invigorated.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
