The Runway Report from Afterpay Australian Fashion Week

As one of the world’s first fashion weeks to be back in action, the significance of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week was felt far beyond the front row.

Vibrant, spirited and elegantly down to earth, it made sense for fashion week’s reemergence to fall in line with Resort 2022. As David Jones’ General Manager of Womenswear, Bridget Veals put it “The AAFW resort 2022 collections reminded us of moments taken for granted pre-pandemic; including the magical spectacle of a live runway and seeing the creativity of fashion and retail come to life.” Filled with an ambitious vision, the runways were optimistic, delivering a re-energised perspective on the season we’ve always done so well. From the trends to know to the front row, join us as we look back at the best of the week.

Fuschia, forest green, cerulean and more – Resort 2022’s answer to smile-inducing style was colour blocking in its purest form. A bold move on from the neutrals of now, hues graduated from subtle to statement with designers like Bondi Born, Ginger & Smart and KitX paving the way forward. With their resort ready-to-wear collection launching at David Jones this October, Bondi Born made a case for total commitment from head to toe, accessories and all.

On the street, it was a tonal story with David Jones’ General Manager of Womenswear, Bridget Veals tapping into this season’s most-wanted earth-inspired shades. For those wanting to step into the trend early, consider a similar kind of colour commitment with warm autumnal tones but have it known, the future is bright.

Resort 2022’s runway made it clear, layering need not be confined to the cooler months. Polished, modern and impossibly chic, the art of wearing streamlined separates is an instant way to offer up resort elegance. Whether it’s dresses over pants or a delicate balance of longline silhouettes, there’s something about the sheer sartorial intention that hits that cool girl note time and time again. From revisions on the little black dress to artful draping, look to St. Agni, Anna Quan and KitX‘s Resort ’22 collections for proof that doubling down doesn’t end with outerwear.

In the mood of the moment, consider getting your practice in early and master the art of layering with the seasonal standouts that work better together. For ample inspiration, let Victoria Lee lead the way with her lesson in layers on the streets of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week.

Lovers of co-ord’s rejoice, the cool coordination born out of loungewear is here to stay. Confirmed on the runways of Resort ‘22, the knit set you know has taken a sophisticated step forward. While consistency remains key with pieces designed to be worn together, Ginger & Smart served up a fresh dose of tailoring, playing with proportions for the perfect take on suiting that belongs outside the boardroom. Early on the trend adoption was beauty expert and friend of David Jones, Eleanor Pendleton with her take on the sophisticated set as seen from the front row of the Indigenous Fashion Projects runway.

Playing into a similar idea of sophistication was Oroton and Bassike. With a focus on prints, both collections served up the dream of resort with sunny ensembles guaranteed to be on high rotation. From now until then, let the elevated knit set be your fail-safe when it comes to staying stylish throughout the cooler seasons.

As photographer Liz Sunshine knows, the message on the ground can be just as important as the runways themselves. Capturing our favourite style stars all week, Liz’s shots told a story of pared-back minimalism, hero accessories and streamlined silhouettes.

With an overarching emphasis on ease, Bridget Veals led the charge with new season neutrals, grounding her look with this season’s must-have shoe, the chunky boot. Wearing just-landed Bassike, model and friend of David Jones, Victoria Lee served up a refreshing take on all black with the jumpsuit of the moment. Partnering it with Balenciaga’s highly coveted Hour Even bag, Victoria proved that when doing head-to-toe tonal, experimenting with textures scores extra style points.

Bringing a sense of Parisian cool was front-row fixture, Kate Waterhouse. Not one to shy away from playing with proportions, her ‘80s inspired Isabel Marant blouse was the perfect denim pick me up. Beauty expert Eleanor Pendleton tapped into the idea of long-line layering early with her two-piece from St Agni – reaffirming the brands status as wardrobe staples worth investing in. For those looking for a lesson in winter whites, model Bree McCann offered up plenty of inspiration with a Camilla And Marc ensemble that oozed optimism.

For their harbourside show, Bondi Born looked to Clarins’ head of makeup artistry, Anne Salem for a beauty look as show-stopping as the runway. Embodying the quintessential Aussie summer glow, Anne used Clarins’ SOS Universal Light primer and the Everlasting Youth Fluid foundation to create a flawless, lit-from-within base. Building on the vibrant hues of the collection, the makeup masters at hand worked with Clarins’ Joli Rouge matte lipstick in colours Spicy Chilli and Hot Pink. With an emphasis on clean browns and a subtle swipe of mascara, this resort-inspired beauty look was set for the show with Clarins’ signature Fix Make-Up setting spray. Equal parts bold and refreshed, this is the look to emulate the instant the weather gets warm..

Runway images courtesy of Getty.