A spectacular sunny Tuesday afternoon, as chairs were decked out on QV square in preparation for the ‘QV Fashion Fusion Show’. At 1pm people started filling the seats and crowded around the open stage, Ray Bans were seen on most faces as the sun bathed the crowd’s faces. It was a perfect day for an outdoor catwalk. The show kicked off exactly at 1.30pm with four contemporary dancers that ran throughout the catwalk.
In the midst of a sinister and murky forest, a pack of untamed male and female dancers prowled through twiggy branches looking for their prey in their black tights, draped jackets, poufy hair and elongated lashes. To their surprise, they stumbled across bewildered beauty- models dressed in hi-street outfits and evening wear too pristine for the forest’s liking. This is the kind of ambience presented at the ‘QV Fashion Fusion Show’.
The parade commenced with a compassionate and sensitive allure, as the models honored Japan
The exotic looking female models used blunt looking faces with a slim slant of a smile shone with red bold colour lips and the men with clean jaw shaped faces. While the dancers were performing their greatly composed moves, the models were going about their thing not noticing the ever present dancers as they danced around them flowing over them like a flame.
As the music got faster, the trends altered from casual to cocktail wear. The women looked lustrous in their printed dresses teamed with either, leather jackets for that grungy look or cropped and tailored blazers for that touch of androgynous and elegance. Throughout the parade of women’s evening wear, there was a splash of vintage accessorised with all garments. The fur coat, leopard print, lace stockings and lace overlayed dresses, along with suede ankle booties, clogs, long and cropped gloves and embellished clutches were all a big hit on the catwalk for this season.
The ladies weren’t the only ones looking glamorous; as tweed brown hem suits collaborated with camel military boots seem to be a renowned trend for this wintry season.
The models and dancers were inextricably linked through the resonating and mythical music blasting through the speakers. Their bodies moved in unison to the beat, while their eyes were transfixed beyond a mythical world of illusion.
Through their movement, the dancers and models were transformed into creatures on the catwalk. The intensity of the increasing beat elevated the models to appear as enchanted beings, while the dancers moved like animals swiftly hunting their prey.
The contradiction of energy between the subdued models and energetic dancers allowed the garments to shine through like glorified pieces emerging from behind the draping black curtains. With each new stride and glide the audience was lost in captivation, not even the flock of noisy seagulls could deter attention from this unique runway performance!
As the intense performance came to a close, victory music vibrated through the air projecting a scene of triumph and success. The procession of models emerged, while the dancers pounced on stage like staggered bullets and they all united for a lap of victory.
We were witness to this very unique fusion of fashion with contemporary dance as they crossed paths with the models on the walk. Smiles and the excited chatters among the audience showed how different this experience was and the enthusiastic applause when the show came to a close This gave an edge and truly a new experience for a fashion catwalk signaling the start of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival week.
