Black and white trend in Myer show
There were a few hits of colour at tonight’s Myer autumn-winter fashion launch in Melbourne– but only a very few.
Myer’s stylist, Jolyon Mason, hit the black and white trend hard for this street style-themed show – so, hard, indeed, that there was very little variation in colour palette from one designer to the next.
That’s saying something, because more than 30 of Myer’s menswear and womenswear designers were showcased in the parade.
Myer “face” Jennifer Hawkins opened the show in a black and white print Toni Maticevski dress, and that look essentially set the tone for the rest of the show.
What followed was a parade that explored all the permutations that the monochrome trend could offer, from casual daywear right through to elegant eveningwear.
It was a bold step to hit one theme so hard. The street-style theme was explored through mashed up, mix-and-match styling, where beanies could be paired with a cocktail frock or black leather leggings worn with a chic black cape.
Some models even sported one black and one white shoe, just in case anyone in the audience was unsure of the message Myer was trying to plug.
Some colour did emerge in the collections of Yeojin Bae, Maticevski and Karen Walker, but black and white was the dominating factor for virtually every other womenswear designer.
Aurelio Costarella, Morrison, Manning Cartell, Wayne Cooper, Ellery and Charlie Brown all avoided colour, with Leona Edmiston one of the very few to feature jewel-toned gowns in hues of amethyst, sapphire and emerald.
Unusually, sleepwear made an appearance on the runway too. Peter Alexander is now “exclusive” to Myer, and that fact was celebrated with a segment devoted to his super-popular pyjamas (one model came out clutching a glittery gold teddy bear).
Aurelio Costarella’s new label YTTRIUM had its first runway airing, fitting in seamlessly with the dark-edged theme of the show. One of Myer’s other major acquisitions is New York label Tome, which offered effortlessly relaxed looking cotton shirts, wide-leg culottes and soft beige trench coats.
Myer autumn-winter fashion launch. Picture: Lucas Dawson
Alex Perry recently moved from David Jones to Myer representation, and he was in the audience tonight, even though his collections will not appear until the department store’s spring-summer parade later this year.
Other high-profile guests included Myer ambassador Laura Dundovic and Sass & Bide designers Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton.
For anyone who wasn’t savouring the relentless flow of black and white, the finale – in which Myer showcased its selection of international designers for the first time – gave some relief.
The digital print dresses of British label Peter Pilotto, the daffodil-yellow jackets of Christopher Kane and the pretty embroidered florals of Giambattista Valli offered some other options for winter if the monochrome trend doesn’t float your fashion boat.
