My Experience at Melbourne Fashion Week
By Hannah Schmidt-Rees
So if you’re unaware, Melbourne has its very own fashion week, and I’m fortunate enough to live in Melbourne and be able to afford tickets to the official runways. I’ve been looking forward to this week for the past three months, and it’s finally here. So, how did I spend my first official fashion week? Have a look below.
So the week started off with a bang. Remember my photoshoot from Girls & Boys - The Fashion of Music’s Most Androgynous Icons? Well that photoshoot was included in Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, an exhibition run by my university that was part of Melbourne Fashion Week. My work was shown as part of Melbourne Fashion Week, how amazing is that! Not only was my video/photos featured in the overall slideshow, three of my images were printed large scale for the world to see. The lighting in these photos aren’t great, but look closely and there I am!
So for those in Melbourne, why not check it out? Find all the details here. It’s there for the next 4 weeks, so what have you got to lose? Support your local fashion students!
I also attended the Vogue Australia’s American Express Fashion Night Out, which provides the freebies and exclusive deals for all the major shopping centres in Melbourne CBD. Whilst I couldn’t afford anything even with a discount, nothing was going to stop me from looking anyway. I can’t say no to a day dedicated to window shopping in Melbourne. That night, I also attended a Street Runway; a free public runway showcasing the Australian brands in the Melbourne Emporium (a major shopping centre in the CBD). I think its amazing to give strictly commercial brands an opportunity to showcase their garments on the runway, as well as inviting the public to engage with the fashion industry. The fashion industry affects literally everyone in one way or another, so it’s perfect to create an event to give anyone and everyone a taste of the glamorous world of fashion.
Moving on, it’s now time for my first Melbourne Fashion Week runway. My ticket was bought, my seat was reserved and the stage was set. The only question was; what do I wear? What you decide to wear to fashion week is important. In an event revolving around fashion, you have to at least put in a little effort. You need to look fashionable without trying too hard, stylish yet effortless.
After (I kid you not) hours of trying on different outfits, I finally decided. I have a Ground Y/Yohji Yamamoto coat that I’ve rarely worn, and it was finally time for it to shine. Picture a mix between Professor Snape and the Grim Reaper; a long black coat with draping bat-wing sleeves. It’s so unique and dramatic and I love it.
But was I going to wear the coat normally? No way. I found myself a belt and turned it into a dress. But was I going to stop there? I think you know the answer to that. A big fashion inspiration for me is Vampira. I’ve always loved those who push the boundaries when it comes to corsetry, and Vampira’s 17-inch waist is no exception. I love Vampira’s gothic femme fatale look, and I could see the similarities between her look and my Ground Y dress. Belting my dress to the smallest I could make it, my waist was cinched to channel my inner Vampira, I pulled the bat-wing sleeves back to create a draped bustle detail, and the look was finally complete.
The weather in Melbourne that night was about 14 degrees. Was I cold? Absolutely. Was I going to bring a jacket and cover my outfit? Absolutely not. The found my seat and the show began.
I love seeing the avant garde work of emerging student designers. The problem of Australian Fashion Weeks is that they’re mainly too commercial. I’m not dunking on Australian fashion brands, but it’s obvious that they value commercial profitability over creative pursuits (and there’s nothing wrong with that, brands have to make money, they are businesses after all). But, my view of fashion is that it’s a tool for creativity, self-expression and pushing the boundaries. Young designers are the future of this industry, and their creativity will revolutionise the industry into something never seen before and I can't wait. Have a look at some of my favourite looks below (although they were all amazing). (Side note; I also got to see model Adut Akech in person, and wow I never knew someone could be so beautiful).
The next event I attended was a talk on Japanese fashion, presented by a professor and the Vice Principal (of the Board of Directors) of the Ueda Fashion College in Osaka. As a fan of Japanese fashion and culture, this talk was incredibly interesting, as it compared traditional Japanese fashion and Western fashion, especially in the context of adapting Western fashion to Japanese culture. A big point of difference is Western fashion focus on the beauty of the shape of the body underneath clothing (resulting in many figure hugging garments focusing on a women’s bust, waist and hips), whereas Japanese fashion (particular the traditional costume; the kimono) focuses on the beauty of fabric covering the body, creating a more timeless look. Japanese fashion is two-dimensional, focusing on draping and excessive fabric, where as Western fashion is more three-dimensional and keeps the focus on the body silhouette. It was incredibly eye-opening and I loved it.
My final event of Melbourne Fashion Week was Town Hall Runway 5; a showcase of a few international multi-brand luxury retailers. I never thought I would see the latest works of Yohji Yamamoto, Undercover or Prada, but I’m so grateful that I was able to. I was even fortunate enough to see Prada’s Fall 2020 pieces, (which served as inspiration for one of my latest photoshoots), Yamamoto’s latest pieces and luxury accessories by Chanel and Louis Vuitton (even the Chanel bag made famous by Gia Gunn).
And for my outfit, I decided to keep it simple. I paired my high-waisted pinstripe pants with a floral kimono-style shirt, giving a mix of 80s fashion and modern femininity.
My experience at Melbourne Fashion Week was amazing. Six months ago I was able to attend the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF), which gave allowed me to attend my first ever fashion runway/event and see/meet some incredibly talented people. Like I said, I’m fortunate to live in Melbourne and afford to attend its fashion events, and I cannot wait for next year’s VAMFF and MFW. It can’t come sooner. My outfits and I will be waiting.