STYLEAID tribe blew apart Burswood on Friday July 30 with an evening of style, sophistication and decadence. The evening was hosted by the delectable duo of Verity James – dressed in a sweeping orange Aurelio Costarella goddess gown – and 92.9’s Hottest Footy Player Dave Dawes, both of whom did a sterling job making sure the whole thing went off without a hitch.
The parade itself was perhaps a little long, but that’s understandable when you have to include 17 collections from 17 of the best designers in the state, along with a student showcase finale of 21 unique and original designs. It was potentially a fashion overload, but then rightly so: besides Perth Fashion Festival, STYLEAID is the only major event dedicated entirely to fashion, and as such if our eyes and minds are going to be saturated with over a dozen imaginings of how Spring Summer 2011 is going to look, then bring it on.
Of course, with so many designers the parade in parts was ‘accelerated’, which meant the models came out like a blistering stamping army, one quick stretch of the runway and then gone. It seemed a little unfair really, particularly since the designers this occurred for had some of the strongest collections on the catwalk.
Take for example Andrea Wolf, an emerging designer whose clothes were simply sublime. Dark and structured, her masculine inspired collection feminised male suiting, resulting in a brooding selection of awe-inspiring pieces, including a sweeping black trench coat which was the centrepiece of her range. All up, a little longer would have been appreciated to devour in detail what was the standout collection of the night.
Garth Cook and S2 also suffered from the sweeping horde of models- there one moment, gone the next. Cook’s clothes have a couture vein and are more and more coming into their own, his signatures arising, his construction refining, his vision solidifying. Established designer Chrissie Catling’s S2 was also sublime, her minimal architectural statements bold and defined, braiding and draping coming together to create a subtle nuance of texture and form. Her standout pieces were many, although her Little Black Dress collaboration with Stormie Mills – a collaborative fundraiser for the WA AIDS Council – was mesmerising, particularly the way Stormie’s screen printed skull glistened under the lights.
Arj Selvam was another standout collection, his bold vision reinterpreting the Australian outback and making it look covetable. Entitled Black Stump, his collection took monochromatic to a new level. Of particular interest were a pair of male pants which shifted from black to white while the complete white ensemble modelled by street artist Sam de Souza – including high necked opulent top and broad brimmed hat – was simply magnificent. Standout piece – and sure to be a huge seller – was a reconstructed Driza-Bone made from the same material as these legendary iconic outback jackets, Oilskin. Selvam’s take on it was bold, imagined and directional. Even his women’s wear, which included a kangaroo fur vest and two tone body con dress, was exciting and invigorated. His collection made the Australian outback look cool again.
Zoe Trotman’s Lonely 8-Bit Heroes was surprisingly sweet. I was expecting something potentially manic, a little over the top, but what Trotman offered up was a feminine collection, one where her brave use of prints came together in ingenious ways. There’s still room for Trotman to go crazy, in time, but for now her delicate range was a beautiful way to start her career.
Other standouts included Ae’lkemi, who delivered a bolder more directional statement of his tailored lounge wear, complete with heavy duty sun visors for the men. Of Cabbages & Kings dreamy collection was a breath of Old World air, charming and fun in equal parts. And from the Student Finale, a mash of dancing designs, Jenni Stewart, Amanda Norton, Lochran Huck and Yan Zion all delivered something memorable.
As far as the fundraising went – which is the other crucial aspect of the evening – MAC donated just under $28,000 with ‘the whole night on track to have raised over $100 000’, according to STYLEAID Sponsorship Coordinator Mark Reid. Of course, as with previous years, STYLEAID has proven to be a smashing success, a standout fashion event of the year unlike any other. Congratulations naturally have to be extended to all of the volunteers, helpers, organisers and designers, but in particular to emerging designers Andrea Wolf and Arj Selvam, both of whom delivered something truly extraordinary and unique, a hint at a brilliant career ahead for both.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
