Designs by the crème de la crème of Perth’s young fashion designers outshone the wet and windy weather last Sunday, with everything from hi-vis bodices to tissue paper dresses on show during this year’s Future Runway. PENNY LANE reports.
Despite the howling winds shaking the walls and ceiling of what appeared to be a less-than-sturdy Fashion Paramount tent, the innovative and original designs by local student designers at the 2014 Telstra Perth Fashion Festival Future Runway quickly had guests shifting their gaze from moving roof to brightly lit runway.
After the initial umming and ahhing from the audience about how long the tent would last before it came crashing down, 60 of the best fashion students presented an inventive collection of Hi-Vis Fashion, Women’s Ready to Wear, Men’s Ready to Wear, Eco Designs, Costumes and Eveningwear, showcasing their versatility in a rapidly evolving industry.
Perth fashion representatives including Wild Horses designer Natalie Donovan and Dale Emery from Method Clothing judged the clothes in each one of the six categories, picking a winner for each.
It’s not often a designer wins more than one category at Future Runway, let alone two and the Top Student 2014 award, but this year there proved to be an exception with talented Curtin University student, Jessica Moro. Jessica took out the title as Top Student and was awarded the opportunity to create a custom mobile app for her budding fashion label, valued at more than $20 000.
Along with the Top Student award, the designer won the Eveningwear category with her sexy, semi-sheer jumpsuit with cut-out sleeves and fluted pants; and the Costume category for her Game Of Thrones inspired piece – a regal style dress with armadillo-like, tiered sleeves.
Joining the Future Runway winner were fellow Curtin students Alexandra Xu and Cordelia Gibbs. Alexandra won the new Hi-Vis Fashion section, which had the designers create garments made of neon-bright work vests – the basis of the category a reflection on WA’s fly-in fly-out community. She presented a V-neck dress clinched in at the waist with silver reflective strips.
Cordelia’s outfit, which took out the top spot in Eco Design, included a camel-coloured jacket with black shoulder detailing, a linen low-high skirt and an earthy toned tank top.
Suitably matched to the weather conditions outside, the clothing on show during the Women’s Ready to Wear and Men’s Ready to Wear categories boasted a number of cosy jackets and coats.
Sheridan Savage from WAAPA received the award for Women’s Ready to Wear thanks to her black coat with white and black furry sleeves, while Rini Teng from Central Institute won the Men’s Award with an edgy collared jacket and black and white drop crotch pants.
Other notable designs spotted on the runway included an Alien-inspired black and green figure hugging costume with black headpiece, a dress made of broken mirrors and an autumn leaves ball dress.
