Fashion Palette gives glimpses of Australia’s best for spring–summer ’12–’13

The Fashion Palette Grand Tour spring–summer 2012–13 collection made its début in Sydney, on April 24, 2012 at the Sheraton Four Points Darling Harbour, in the old but über-cool Sydney Carriageworks.
What a venue! Oh so New York, decked to evoke Sydney’s fragrant and balmy springs and summers, on an autumn evening that had mercifully turned calm and cool after a sunny start followed by a storm. An abundance of fantastic wine and hors d’œuvres beside the beautiful people. Plenty of model types being photographed by unsuspecting photographers that took them for celebrities—maybe celebrities in the making.
The format was original: a line-up of models, all from Platform Model Agency, each representing a single designer and a single hand-picked outfit. Photographers abounded, as did cocktails and the general merriment. I even spotted a man who looked very much like actor Bill Nighy, of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, cheekily offering models a bite of a chicken kebab!
The event is very promising as a fashion platform and I want to see more of it in coming seasons. My all-time favourites (I wear them, darling!) Nicola Finetti and Jayson Brunsdon were present with an offering each, amongst some other established but mostly new names.
So, amongst the bustling of photographers and fashionistas, these were my picks, and you better believe me because I spot trends two years before they “happen”.

Iise Couture: me all over, me, me, me. I would wear that at home to lounge about even in my garden terrace, and most normal people when they go to a dressy luau in a six-star resort. A dreamily easy parachute silk skirt paired with a “see it all” translucent skin-coloured blouse with strategically placed lace in matching colour. Their model, Nicola, also happened to be the best of the lot, which no doubt helped the outfit. But give me that to wear any day, please.
Wanni: think glamour though the kiser, Karl Lagerfeld, put out the idea two years ago. It was beautifully made and well interpreted. A cool little strapless dress, with many varied ruching crossing the bodice and skirt, made in pale pink silk chiffon, featuring a train à la Superman who has somewhat dropped his cape. Very fetching.
Arthur Galan Men: wearable and sensible menswear number which still had an edge. There’s no need to be a clown or a desperado desperately seeking attention. Nice model, too—I would give him a job.
Sistar Shoes: the strategy worked when two very good-looking and well groomed male models walked around with fabulous shoes on silver trays. Cinderella dreams with high heels and heavy crystal, glass and bead work all over the items, with heels to kill (literally, from a bad fall). The most daring, but you have to try it, if you want to show great legs. One does suffer for fashion and that is the way it should be!
Anaessia: what really made this dress was the fabric, very much à la Elie Saab. The dress was rather classic otherwise, though featuring a see-through midriff that most ladies would not dare to wear (unless the knife has been around many a time), whilst most young girls would prefer still a bit more skin showing. Beautifully executed though.
Nicola Finetti: one of my old-time favourites was walking like an Egyptian tonight. A very classic black and gold little dress with Mondrianesque blocks. I would wear it if I wanted to look very classic and demure, but expensive. Whatever Nicola makes, is always chic and polished.
Arthur Galan presented a multilayered frothy princesse noire gown which reminded me of Basquesse’s Tulleries Olivia gown from winter ’09, though the latter was far more structured and less frothy. A very feminine gown, beautiful, one that any young socialite teenager from the Lower North Shore would want to wear to her prom night.
Jayson Brunsdon: my other all-time fashion love affair presented a sparkling draped number, very Morticia, but something that I would wear any minute to a black-tie event. Understated, classy and yet, spectacular. Just as it should be. No pretense of gimmick there, just pure high fashion.
My Wild Love: indeed. An artiste little blouse with dreamy floaty sleeves fringed with lace, and a beautiful sheered bodice. Paired with an ultra short pair of flirty, navy shorts. If I had the legs, I would wear it at all times.
Kabukiu: fresh from several New York Fashion Week showings, now here with a single vintage-styled kmono, but what beautiful fabric and vibrant colour. Another elegant lounge piece that would suit anyone, whether you are model-thin or just normal. Something that all designers should consider if they actually want to sell anything.
Baraka: despite its Arabian inspired name meaning ‘blessing’, the outfit was a mix of Japan meets Mondrian—Mondrian is in tonight! Loved the combination of colours, hues of gold beige, tomato red, navy and black. Nice, über-classic, very wearable.
Specs Addict: more about the dress than the specs. Who on earth made the dress? Nice!—Viviana Pannell