There is a reason why Melbourne hosted the Olympics in 1956, 44 years before arch-nemesis Sydney. Could you imagine anything but grainy black and white representing Melbourne? Our boulevards, trams and city should permanently be viewed in black and white, particularly on an overcast day whilst sipping coffee, staring at the grey sea, reading Baudelaire in black and white. Melburnians have an innate aversion to explosive colour not to mention the neon-glare of the future; it clashes with our environment and adds to the pain of 3pm sugar-low headaches. We leave the colour wheel to the candy ravers and Hi-5. Melbourne boasts a thriving population of Goths, Sicilian grandmothers, Greek widows and disaffected art students. Black is black. Is black. We are masters of the monochrome.

This year the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week was brought forward from October/Nov to encourage more Northern hemisphere buyers to attend. The collections were supposed to showcase Spring/Summer (or were they?) amid the seasonal chaos it seems our Melbourne designers stuck to winter palettes. Perhaps seeing Spring/Summer colours as winter approaches might have offended the eye like a rainbow Paddle Pop being regurgitated by a tween after four Vodka Cruisers.

Regardless, the 80’s are making a come back and that generally means colour.
Think pussy bow tie blouses, cheeky high-waisted skirts like those produced to by our local fashion deity, Maticevski. Patterns such as checks and stripes were a feature. Colour throughout this fashion week remained either icy (blue splashes on a patterned dresses) or warm and solid. Trimápee, a couple of Melbourne kids (they’re 21) showed the world how it’s done with oversize tops, hoods, smart prints and a touch of red brightening up what was predominantly black and white. Thurley brought Melbourne’s aesthetic out with soft-washed silk, vintage lace and black mini dresses. Life of Bird showcased some other typical Melbourne attire, black, shimmery, short and layers. The cute girls of our city know how to wear oddly beautiful combinations of mostly black teamed with vintage leather, a spot of pattern and the right heels. That’s the Melbourne look.