We've lost Prince, we've lost Bowie, but on Wednesday we celebrated our own living, breathing creative icons – Romance Was Born and Kit Willow Podgornik.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Day four of Fashion Week Australia also gave kudos to another icon of sorts – the Prime Minister.
Malcolm Turnbull appeared to get the tick of approval from the fashion world with Vogue's Christine Centenera channelling "Mr Harbourside Mansion" at the Romance Was Born show, held, coincidentally, at a private Darling Point residence.
The stylist arrived wearing Turnbull's trademark sweater-over-the-shoulder look, a style he championed prior to calling the election earlier this month. Centenera's similar look, albeit in a different shade, could be seen as a ringing endorsement of his style. She is considered Australia's Grace Coddington for her fashion-forward features for the magazine that, in Australia, is a Murdoch-owned publication.
But all thoughts of terracotta cashmere jumpers were quickly pushed aside once designers Lukes Sales and Anna Plunkett staged a Liberace-inspired showcase.
As musician Paul Mac tickled the ivories, the late showman's adage of "too much of good thing is wonderful" came to life with extravagantly hand-beaded brocade jackets, silk dresses and oversized hats by milliner Helen Kaminski that, if viewed from space, would be banned from Instagram for their likeness to mammaries.
The final look, shown just before 10am was christened the Happy Hour Gown for its sequinned representations of brimming champagne flutes, fireworks and tropical birds.
The emotional start to the day continued when Willow Podgornik returned to the official Fashion Week schedule via her new, eco-conscious label Kit X. Silks in shades of marigold and licorice were used to weave cocktail dresses, jumpsuits and blouses that had editors in raptures. Guests including Burberry suit enthusiast Karl Stefanovic and rugby star Thomas Burgess cheered loudly at Willow's stunning return following her dismissal from her eponymous empire three years ago.
"There's a green hollow where the river flows. Where there is creativity and life and energy – that's the green hollow, that's the beauty. To have a fashion label without the river flowing is a dead garden," she told Fairfax Media.
