Romance was Born RAFW 2010

Jurassic growls, Dinosaur stomping, birds chirping, smog slithering across the ground, lights flashing, trees swaying, a dark and gloomy place...... What is that you ask?   Dirt runway, volcano girl, long nails, neon knee high boots, Cassie tied up, crystals, giant vintage bride and a turtle?.....Why it's Romance was Born's new Renaissance Dinosaur collection! As night fell on day three of RAFW our little friends came out to play.. it's like nothing you have ever seen before and like nothing you will ever see again!  Romance was Born took us for a ride through their magical jungle... This was not just art, this was a pure masterpiece!
The Romance was Born show was one that went above and beyond.  The prep for this show was an all day thing.  I arrived at Sydney University's vintage/Hogwarts like MacLaurin Hall at about 3pm for a show that wasn't set to start until 9:30pm.  I honestly thought I had walked into another world!  What did I see?  A catwalk unlike anything before.  A dirt, 'fake volcanic ash' runway surrounded by rocks, ancient artefacts, spiders, crystals, trees, smog, incense burning and wait for it, a giant turtle at the end of the runway!  Yes fashion's elite were in for a treat.  
My day started off prepping goodie bags... sponsored by Pandora (therefore Pandora bags) front row guests received Pandora jewellery, a Romance was Born scarf, nail polish, fudge hair products and an overload of samples!   Once the goodie bags were prepped then came the fun part.  As models were still at other shows, the production team needed 'stand in models' for rehearsals.  Yes myself and my fellow FBI Fashion College friends walked the runway!  This was something I have always wanted to do, however I was nervous because Luke Sales (one half of Romance was Born) was there watching!  By this stage words like 'volcano girl' and 'giant bride' were thrown around, which left us all completely puzzled, that is until we walked into the dressing rooms.  Audiences were in for an interesting night!
After hours of prep, things were finally coming to light.  As guests arrived they were greeted "by velvet cloaked attendants led to a glittering runway misted in incense, shimmering with primordial power,"  according to Marie Claire.  Well fortunately I was one of those velvet cloaked attendants!  I wore a black velvet cloak with a hoodie, think Harry Potter gone gothic!  This enabled me to stand front row at yet another show and I rubbed shoulders with guests including Kirstie Clements and Tim Blanks (for the second time that day), Jackie Frank (Editor of Marie Claire), Silverchair's Daniel Johns (Because his girlfriend is one of the models), Susie from Style Bubble and I even spoke with designer Akira!  And who was on the line up for the runway?  Models Samantha Harris, Louise Van De Vorst, Alexandra Agoston and Cassie Van Den Dungen.
The show was scheduled for 9:30pm but due to models at the Kostantina Mittas show, it didn't start till 11pm.  This didn't seem to faze guests as the place was completely full!   And so, the lights dimmed, the place went quiet, the smog slithered across the ground the Jurassic footsteps grew louder and louder until the first model took to the runway.  The audience cheered and roared!
Romance was Born’s Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett created a magical fashion jungle. Their theatrical and creative aesthetic was one of a true masterpiece. It had to be seen to be believed… models with long nails, neon high boots, extravagant headpieces, outrageous make-up, body paint and kaleidoscopic prints. I hope the pictures do it justice!

See Cassie from Australia's Next Top Model tied up!

Take a close look at this dress, it has fake nails on it!

Let me introduce you to the one and only Volcano Girl!

And for the final piece of the collection?  Madonna's Like a Prayer blasts and out comes a giant bride!  One model on another model's shoulders, draped in a vintage lace gown. 

And what does Luke Sales (One half of Romance was Born) have to say? "It's about time travel and forming a portal between the Jurassic era and the birth of the Renaissance; dinosaurs coming back and the lower class rising up and being able to wear what they want," According to Marie Claire (Jackie Frank)

Don't say I didn't warn you!!

Stay tuned for Dion Lee

Day 3 RAFW 2010

Day three of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week is one that I will never forget!  It was the very first time I was actually a part of the event, I was living a dream!  Where to start with the day?  I guess with the 6:30am start!  The first show of the day was the Therese Rawsthorne show at Bay 12 of The Australian Technology Park.  It was one of the longest runways I have ever seen!  After three hours of prep the guests finally arrived and lucky for me, I was an usher and pretty much saw everyone and the show!  The guest list included, Kate Waterhouse, blogger Susie from Style Bubble, the team from Marie Claire and Kirstie Clements Editor of Vogue (my heart actually skipped a beat).  If there was one person I actually wanted to see this week, it was her! Standing right next to the crazy media at the end of the runway, I saw my very first RAFW show!  It was an amazing collection and like most collections this season the main focus was on the colour nude mixed with pastels.  Whilst she also used that unexpected twist of prints (now an expected twist this season), Therese stunned us all with the use of a glamorous red!  Her collection entailed a combination of silks, cocktail dresses, leggings, high rise harem pants and structured blazers.  I loved the hair styling used in this show.

   The long runway!  They walked right around the other side of the poles too!
(Photo by Style Bubble)
Whilst my next show wasn't till Romance was Born at night, the day was full with collections by Alice McCall, Manning Cartell, Jayson Brusdon, Anna and Boy, Kostantina Mittas, Bianca Spender and the list continues!  I'd love to cover them all, but since there are so many, thought I'd pick a few of my favourites.
Jayson Brunsdon... The very first thing I heard about this show is that nightclub owner John Ibrahim was in attendance as Ibrahim's other half is a valued Jayson customer.  (the girl has class and style, not just anyone likes Jayson Brunsdon!)  But what was the collection like?  True Jayson Brunsdon style!  Simple, classic, elegant and feminine... love, love, love it!  The collection entailed a lot of structured items and a classic colour pallet, white with a mixture of nudes and pastels.  He also gave his collection a twist with the use of embellishments (like beading and sequins) and the stylist has done an amazing job with the finishing touches, the bags, belts..

Bianca Spender....Ever since I saw Bianca Spender backstage at the David Jones Launch 2010, I've had her on my radar.  I was curious to see her new collection and I think it was amazing!  I love the delicate, flowy silk dresses!  She used a combination of pastels, nudes and earthy tones like dark apricot.  It's the first collection I've seen where the models were in flats.  I love the unusual and different hair style and make up.

Kostantina Mittas...This was another one of my favourite collections of the day!  A really classy, yet modern collection.  Her colour pallet is gorgeous, a combination of greys, nude, black, and a dash of pastels and even a mustard yellow.  I love her pieces with the geometric ruffles and the teased up hair is so perfect for the collection.

Stay tuned for part two of day three at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, that's right the Romance was Born show!  A show that I guarantee the fashion industry will never forget and yes I saw it all!  Also to come a recap of day four including the Dion Lee show I was at and a recap of day five, the final day.  Lastly.... The after parties!!!!