TRENDS THAT HIT OUR REVELRY RUNWAY
25 March 2024 | Words by Evie Dinkelmeyer
The theme for the runway was dressing up for an occasion – because your life’s greatest accomplishments have no doubt been paired with the urge to plot out your perfect outfit. Hundreds of Melbournians packed into the Royal Exhibition Building to see Australia’s leading designers’ take on the celebratory dress code.
On the deliciously balmy evening of Friday 8 March, the celebration in question was that the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival was slowly coming to a close, with the Revelry Runway marking the second last night of runways.
Ready to wear collections were presented by Sass & Bide, Pfeiffer, Atoir, Hansen & Gretel, Husk, Maara Collective, Manning Cartell and Van der Kooij.
Milling around the Fashion Forecourt supported by City of Melbourne was a feast of unlimited free cookies (an unexpected perk of attending a show) and a feast of inspiration via the guest outfits… Charlene Davies donning a juicy orange Casey Quick design foreshadowed a colour theme for the night’s runway.
Inside the Royal Exhibition Building, our Australian brands manipulated traditional evening wear conventions, playing with structure and shape to create a parade of vibrant and playful collections.
Here are my trend takeaways from the runway.
A METALLIC POP
Both Husk and Manning Cartell played with metallic detailing. In this look, a gold clasp on the right shoulder acts as a cinching tool, drawing the eye to the collarbone as it catches the light.
TANGERINE ORANGE
Tangerine orange is a key colour seen across the collections. This juicy, bright hue can speak for itself – wear it intentionally. Its inverse on the colour wheel is sky blue, which was also used in Pfeiffer’s collection.
SASHES
A recurring motif from the show was the use of silk and other fabric sashes to accentuate the waist introducing a new colour into the palette. Sashes had their resurgence in 1920’s America as many designers attached them to dresses to highlight a curvy figure and create the drop waist effect.
TASSELS
You heard it here first, tassels are back. The 2010’s fashion cycle strikes again – we’ve seen ballet flats and chokers make their way back into the mainstream, and now it’s time for the western tassel. This look by Maara Collective uses tassels to accentuate the legs, and maintains the playful feel of the mini dress.
BOWS
It seems coquette isn’t going anywhere – these looks lean into feminine detailing. Longer ribbons/sashes were employed by Pfeiffer too, as they cascaded down from necklaces and skirt hems.
SUIT DETAILING IN FEMININE DRESSES
Twisting the classics; a modern take on the suit tailored look echoed throughout the collections, as mini dresses appeared with collars, cuffs and suit pockets.
DRAMATISED COLLARS, SLEEVES AND CUFFS
Maara collective, Husk and Pfeiffer all leaned into the 70’s wide and pointy collar for their shirts. Van der Kooij played arguably the most iconic trend in fashion history – the puff sleeve, which dates back to the renaissance. These dramatised details create form and shape for simple looks like mini dresses and shirts.
