MBFWA Resort 18: You have officially made me want to toss half on my wardrobe into kingdom come and go shopping for an abundance of new season pretties.
What do I have my eye on in particular? Ruptures of ruffles a la Alice McCall, a naughty-meets-nice Macgraw Victoriana blouse and that Steven Khalil wedding dress (Should he ever wish to put a ring on it).
As I sit tormented with post-Sydney Fashion Week flu (yes, that is a thing), I find myself realizing that the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Resort 18 shows are waaay more wearable than those in MBFWA 17. Hailing from Cairns, wearing some of the more... ahem..out there pieces approximately equate to walking down the street in a Ronald McDonald costume with a flashing idiot arrow constantly floating above my head.
However, the MBFWA Resort 18 Shows were made for endless Summers. Soft structuring, endless florals and downplayed shirt dressing meant that the Sydney Fashion Week collections could easily be seen at Coogee Cafe's, St Kilda offices, Cairns' Northern Beaches, and everywhere in between.
Without further meaningless waffle, here's the MBFWA Resort 18 shows direct to you from the frow.
Disclaimer: When I mean frow, I mean second row, third row, fourth row and the occasional front row. **Insert winky face** Hey, I'm not exactly Margaret Zhang yet!
MBFWA Resort 18 Day One
Alice McCall
When I received the invite for Alice McCall's aptly named 'bon bon' collection, my mind was filled with voluminous, tulle-like textures, soft pastels and prints so delectable that you found your mouth watering. And that is exactly what it was.
Staying true to her playful, feminine aesthetic, Alice McCall delivered easy-to-wear playsuits with cut our details, faux fur coats, and enough ruffles to make Little Miss Moffat's tuffet look like a bikey's hangout.
Add florals and applique into the melting pot, and you are left with something that truly lights up your inner girly girl.
However, cheeky sheer fabrics and plunging necklines, gave this girly girl an inevitably dark side. This really is good girl gone bad.
Steven Khalil
I legitimately want glass cases around my house filled with Steven Khalil's ravishing gowns. And I'll have them displayed exactly the same way as they were in the show; surrounded by a plethora of fresh pastel blooms and displayed to a lullaby of calming piano chords.
Exquisite, hand embellished detailed, sequins and tulle made this collection one of the dreamiest at MBFWA Resort 18. It's no surprise that major celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Kylie Jenner call upon Khalil for red carpet events.
3d floral detailing, tulle, pastel blue, ruffles and Arabian-inspired star embellishments meant that Khalil's collection had something for every Disney Princess dreamer to lust after.
Forget Carrie Bradshaw and her Vera Wang gown, I have my heart eyes set on a Steven Khalil gown. Fashion insiders have reported that the stunning dress is worth a whopping $100,000 dollars, making it the most expensive garment at Sydney Fashion Week. Erm... I could just eat baked beans for the rest of my life?
Zhivago
There is something about Zhivago's aesthetic that makes me want to time travel to an early 80s disco and hit the dance floor in shoulder pads, and this years collection was no exception.
It was all slinky metallics, suped up sequins and the kind of bling bling you can totally rock without tattooing a metaphorical dollar sign on your forehead.
The collection, named 'Miami Nights' also featured fitted lace mini dresses, low cut suits and pops of velvet.
It brought about images of the young career power woman swapping her suits for something a bit cheekier, grabbing her girlfriends, and jetting off into the neon-lit nightclub streets.
'Zhivago', which translates to 'darling' in Russian, presented the antithesis of the 'darling' lady. Thick chained sunglasses danced on the line of tacky, whilst structured fits left little to the imagination. This was all about being sexy, being powerful and getting exactly what you want.
Sass & Bide
Sass and Bide was my most anticipated show of the MBFWA Resort 18 collections. Having taken a whopping 14 years break from the Sydney fashion week catwalks, Sass and Bide's 'Custa Barcelona' collection saw them coming back with a fresh vengeance.
The runway was emblazoned with pops of red and orange that bring about images of salsa and sangria. Whereas classic cream and black pieces, adorned with ruffles and fringes, combined the lively nature of Spain with the more refined nature of Sydney's professional scene.
Ruffles, fringes and pleats are perfect for dancing away those warm, Summer nights, whilst sequins and embellishments add that oh-so-Sass-and-Bide glam.
MBFWA Resort 18 Day 2
Macgraw
A Macgraw show is always like finding a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, or finding that last chocolate in the bottom of your handbag that you'd completely forgotten about.
Smiley, fun and as adorable as a kitten wearing a sailor suit, Macgraw always manages to wake up my inner-girly girl.
Smiling (shock horror) models bounced down the runway in pussy bow Victoriana shirts, boat print dresses and ruffles upon ruffles of...well..ruffles.
But this isn't girly stuff for twelve year olds. Tailored shorts, cinched in waist and silk up fabrics make it perfect for girly, grown up femme bosses.
Roopa Pemmaraju
Drawing on ancient cultures and textile embellishment techniques, Roopa Pemmaraju was a rainbow of warm hues.
As delectable incense was pumped into the air, show go-ers were treated to a collection that was the definition of East-meets-West.
The design duo proved themselves to have an intricate eye for detailing, with 3d florals, embroidery sequins and fabric painting all making an appearance. What makes the pieces even more impressive is that they are all hand-embellished.
Undoubetly one of the most 'resort' collections of Sydney fashion week, this colourful collection is made to be packed into a suitcase and flown to exotic climes.
Gary Bigeni
When you see Gary Bigeni, all green hair and rainbow suit, you would never expect his pieces to be so classic, minimal and demure.
Perhaps embodying his less-is-more alter ego, his collection was less about colour and more about form.
Slinky slip dresses, structured midis and polka dot off-shoulder numbers made this collection as versatile as it was beautiful. There really is a Gary Bigeni piece for every wardrobe,
Tied waists modernized classic cuts and soft draping stopped plainer dresses from looking too structured.
Hansen & Gretel
If there was one collection that I could easily see myself wearing on a day to day basis, it was Hansen & Gretel. Tropical pieces were clashed with country-style gingham and topped with lashings of ruffles.
This was the country girl gone tropical. Retro-fit skirts were juxtaposed with cheeky crop tops; it's safe to say that this brand really understood the definition of 'resort'. Now all you need is a tropical vacay...
Michael Lo Sordo
No one knows fluid tailoring quite like Michael Lo Sordo. Inspired by French films of the 1930s, the romantic collection was an array of cinched silks, intimate lace bodysuits and classic pinstripes. It's easy to see how Lo Sordo is such a hit with the Parisian market.
Cut out pieces, flashes of lace bralets and shimmering fabrics gave this minimalist collection an undeniable naughty edge.
MBFWA Resort 18 Day 3
Swim
Regular readers will know that I spend half my life in a bikini, so seeing new and on-trend swimwear is a must! Luckily, the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Swim show offered a whole lot of goodness...
Kopper & Zinc
Kopper and Zinc is the perfect balance of cute and sexy. Adorable bow detailing and saucy cut-outs make this brand a must for any on-trend beach bum.
Aqua Blu
When swimwear goes a little bit high fashion, it's always an exciting moment! Aqua Blu delivered the dramatic goods with printed trains and sequin one pieces.
Tacoola
Crochet is having a major moment in the beach wear scene and Tacoola presented pieces in this fabric that are unique, modern and on-trend. Best of all, it's all handmade!
Duskii
Duskii always means one thing: a great cut! These wetsuit inspired pieces with a nautical edge are on-trend and flattering. My personal highlight? Supermodel Samantha Harris taking to the runway with two cute girlies!
Anna Quan
I fondly remember seeing Anna Quan at a graduate show at MBFWA in 2015. Fast forward two years, and those extra-long cuffs, emblazoned with the wearers initials, can be seen on practically everyone in the Aussie fash pack.
Her resort 18 collection was, quite literally, sleeve porn. Exquisitely tailored pinstripe shirts were finished with her namesake cuffs, shirt dresses were poofed out to perfection and one shoulder shirts gave us a little glimpse of trends to come. The 18th Century French bourgeoisie had somehow taken over Carriageworks, and everyone was loving it.
C/Meo Collective
With a wardrobe dotted with gorgeous C/Meo Collective pieces, the brands Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week collection is always like a glimpse into the wardrobe of my future.
What's in store? Frilled up retro floral pieces, sunshine yellow and off-shoulder silhouettes in every way known to man.
Pieces in light air-force blue were folded to perfection. Hip-level ties and folds resembled a shirt tied nonchalantly around the waist, but in the most polished way possible.
This year's C/Meo Collective girl is retro without being dated, out-there whilst still being grown up. Take note: these are the pieces you will see on your fave Instagrammers come next season! As a matter of fact, they were literally sitting in the centre of the runway.
MBFWA Resort 18 Day 4
V Major
Having never heard of V Major before, I went into this show with absolutely no expectations. I emerged feeling inspired, positive and with a shopping list as long as Karlie Kloss's legs.
Everyone's fave embellishments were on display, such as pom poms, fringing and frays. Mix this together with an earthy palette of nudes, beige and khaki and you have something straddling that beautiful line between minimal and bohemian.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, it has been a blast!
Stay tuned for what yours truly wore... Coming up next week!
