If David Jones’ spring summer launch last week was a fashion show, then Myer’s soiree, held off-site at Carriageworks in Sydney’s hip inner west, was a farshun show thanks to the high drama and high quality showcase.
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Demure, conservative and commercially savvy is how the David Jones parade of the upcoming season looked and felt compared to Myer’s bold, exciting and cutting edge volley on Thursday night.
A slew of new young and not so young Australian labels made their debut for the retailer including Alex Perry and by johnny which not only showed off looks the public will be able to buy in the coming months but also gave the 450 guests some fresh styling ideas to incorporate into their wardrobes once the mercury rises.
Myer broke fashion rules on the catwalk by sending down clashing colours like Perry’s red and pink ensemble, Arthur Galan's clashing prints for men and slippers adorned with large feathers on the front. The retailer has become the rag trade equivalent of Rihanna – cheeky and unpredictable with a knack for making high-end look hip – everything younger cashed-up, style-conscious consumers are looking for in a local department store.
However the corporation wasn’t all Gen Y. Good manners as well as good fashion were on show, thanks to CEO Bernie Brookes and his executive team personally greeting every guest at the front door with a glass of Billecart brut, palm-sized Crystal Bay prawns and even bigger smiles.
The only faux pas was seating Kerry Packer’s granddaughter, Francesca Packer Barham in the second row while former reality TV personalities and the Instagram famous peppered the front row.
Meanwhile, David Jones erred on the side of nervous consumer caution even though clothing sales have risen by 2.6 per cent since June. The looks by designers including Zimmermann, Manning Cartell and newcomers Strateas.Carlucci that were sent down the runway were more akin to a customer VIP night than a fresh season launch designed to excite and entice tastemakers about the impending in-store drops.
However, this divergence between Australia’s biggest fashion retailers is a good thing for local style. With David Jones taking a more sensible supermarket-type approach thanks to new owner Woolworths and Myer appealing to the young and fun, both now have the potential to become true beacons of the Australian fashion industry, an industry which is under constant threat from online shopping and fast fashion chains pedalling new products to customers every fortnight.
