Melbourne re-emerged from its cocoon in November to stage its own Fashion Week and MAXIM had a front row seat…
Surveying the hive of activity surrounding Melbourne Fashion Week, you’d be hard pressed to find evidence that this was the same city that was in the throes of its sixth lock down just weeks earlier. Instead of each designer holding their own fashion show (as is standard at the larger Australian Fashion week), the Melbourne collections were divided up into nine runway shows with half a dozen or so designers showing per presentation. Each show took place at a different Melbourne landmark – such as the Sea Life Aquarium, Federation Square, Queen & Collins and even an underground car park at the MCG. While the focus was still largely on womenswear, menswear made a welcome appearance at all the key shows.
Top end label House of Darwin was a highlight at the Federation Square show on day two. As the models strolled along you could instantly imagine hipsters and yuppies alike going mad for a House of Darwin shirt. Pairing the shirts with hard-wearing blundstone boots was also a fun nod to the label’s N.T heritage. Even cooler than the clothes, all profits from the brand’s shirts are fed into social programs benefiting indigenous communities.
The showiest venue of the week was definitely the Sea Life Aquarium on day three, where models circulated a giant tank filled with exotic fish. Fittingly, much of the clothing was blue and vaguely ocean-themed. While none of the designers who showed are strictly makers of menswear, a male model did do a lap in a suave-looking shirt and pant combo from hometown label Arnsdorf. Designed by Jade Sarita Arnott, each garment is made in Melbourne and emphasises ethical manufacturing from raw materials to the retail floor.
M.J. Bale made an impact on day six with sharply tailored suits and casual wear perfect for summer social events (think the Portsea Polo and the Australian Open). If the styling at M.J. Bale was anything to go by, forget wearing a belt with your summer suit. Instead, models were styled with baseball caps and tennis shoes. Genius. The brand also tapped in to one of the hottest trends in menswear: the humble knitted polo. Theirs was a linen-cotton hybrid that’s an easy wardrobe staple and will go with everything.
The schedule drew to a close on Sunday night at the majestic Queen & Collins buildings which were, frankly, more impressive than many of the clothes on display. Nevertheless, star label Bassike was a definite highlight, presenting a tight edit of resort looks for men. In particular, a shorts and shirt set in khaki was easily the dopest look seen over the seven days. With 15 years spent at the helm of Bassike, creative director Deborah Sams has played a significant role in shaping trends in Aussie fashion and evidently shows no sign of slowing down.
As the circus wrapped up for another year (or at least until Melbourne Fashion Festival in March), I suddenly felt quite optimistic about the coming season. My takeaways? Ditch the belt and the dress shoes, dust off your blundstones and try to buy something socially conscious.
BY REILLY SULLIVAN
