Australian Fashion Week full of frills and frocks

Designs by Alice McCall during her show in Sydney. Pictures / Reuters

Bows and ruffles. Bows and ruffles. Bows and ruffles. Oh, and some cute sundresses, most likely to be mini, strapless or puffball-shaped. This year's Australian Fashion Week, held in Sydney last week, may just as well have been one long group show featuring all of the above and nothing much else.

Hilariously, during the event Australian designers were accusing each other not only of copying from overseas runways but from one another. So maybe that's why everything looked similar.

Almost everyone showed bows, ruffles and strapless sundresses. Fashion may be having a sober moment worldwide right now, but in Australia that seems to have translated to downright boredom or ladylike disinterest.

Designers on the other side of the Tasman have always liked their clothes more feminine and sexy than our own top labels, who tend toward the more experimental.

But now, where once there were tits and ass, fake tans, bright colours and big gold sunglasses, there are pretty pale colours, various shades of white, and girlie dresses for Africa. All of which will no doubt sell by the truckload, as they're eminently wearable.

But there were barely any of the bouts of frilly frumpiness that more mainstream New Zealand fashion labels sometimes suffer from.

And there were a few very pleasant, notable, wearable exceptions to the sundress overload.

As one of their own fashion writers put it in the Sydney Morning Herald last week, what the Australians still do best is resort wear and when some of their more sophisticated designers get on this wagon, it's a happy hayride all the way to the beach.

Or maybe just to a Sydney cafe to bask in the sunshine.

The names to look out for, if they turn up on New Zealand shelves: Kirrily Johnston, Alice McCall and Josh Goot's retro-futuristic styling and cool colours, Lover's ongoing vintage-with-a-difference look, Zimmermann's best-in-the-world swimwear and newer label Sretsis' interesting riff on what looked a lot like last-last season's Karen Walker.

Not surprising then that, in the midst of all that, the two New Zealand labels who presented full collections certainly stood out as a little different. In fact, some would argue Zambesi's clever and complete collection was the best of the week. 

Summer trends Ruffles
Bows
Pretty sundresses
Shorter-length skirts
Strapless tops and dresses
Headbands
Cropped jackets and cardigans
Sculptural shapes in sleeves, collars
Tulip or puffball skirts
Bib fronts on dungarees and dresses
High-waisted skirts and pants
Shorts - whether tailored, casual or romper style
Overalls and all-in-one trouser or shorts suits
Platform heels