fashion week

2008 L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, the largest fashion event in Australia, was held this month from to 2 to 9 March. Among its highlights, the LMFF Designer Award, presented by Woolmark on March 4th, announced AWI (Australian Wool Innovation) support for emerging Australian designers. This year's nominees were Antipodium, Carl, Friedrich Gray, Gail Sorronda, Manning Cartell, Therese Rawsthorne and Thurley.

2008 LMFF Design Award nominees

Left to right: Antipodium, Carl Kapp, Friedrich Gray (menswear and womenswear). Second row: Gail Sorronda, Manning Cartell, Therese Rawsthorne and Thurley.

It was quite hard to choose between so many great collections shown in Paris but here they are, my favorite five Parisian fashion shows:

Albert Kriemler, the founder of Akris label, designed a smart-casual, impeccable cut collection with a minimalist appeal. The one-color or similar-shades outfits with accentuated waist generate a long, lean and elegant look. I love everything from double-faced cashmere suits, the slick suede tunics worn over thin turtlenecks and slim pants, tulle dresses adorned with suede rectangles, envelope pockets seen on cashmere skirts and jackets but also on a long evening dress.

Akris f'08/w'09

The first eco friendly fashion week was held in October, 19 to 24, at Portland, Oregon. There were thirty five independent designers among which sixteen well known eco designers who presented their Spring/Summer 2008 collections at Portland Fashion Week. Not only the eco-fashion clothes showcased but everything was green at this fashion event: the bamboo runway, the eco-friendly styling products, the energy efficient LED lighting and the whole décor - recycled fabric, paper and sustainable furniture. There was even completely organic food and drink on the menu.

Alula, Emily Katz, Holly Stalder, Izzy Lane, Kate Towers, NatureVsFuture

I have a true admiration for Japanese and in fact Asian fashion mainly due to New York designers of Asian descent such as Derek Lam, Vera Wang, Anna Sui, and Philip Lim but also because of the street style blogs, especially Style Arena about Tokyo street style. This is the reason why I start browsing for asian designers and started with Japan Fashion Week as a fashion week usually gathers the best designers. Thirty-six fashion houses presented their 2008 spring/summer collections.

Junya Tashiro

Russian fashion designer Masha Sharoeva presented her spring/summer collection at the Russian Fashion Week in Moscow on 14th October 2007 and at the Fashion Forward International Week in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Masha Sharoeva Spring/Summer 2008

There was a fun pajamas party at Stella McCartney. Her latest collection showed pretty and wearable clothes in a very laid-back, signature style with a smart adjustment of the season's trends: flowing seventies (again, seventies!) flower printed silk dresses and jumpsuits, blue silk “pajamas” tops or shirtdresses. There were also sweet little ruffled “nightgowns” and fluid trousers worn with white and khaki blazers.

Stella McCartney