Will anyone remember what was on the runway, or is it what's outside that matters? International websites and blogs thought as much, with plenty of photos of stylish showgoers making their way to and from the venue, wearing their jackets flung casually over their shoulders, statement jumpers and ensembles straight off the runway (like photographer Candice Lake, who wore an electric blue Ginger and Smart suit the day after the show).
Peacocking is what it's been dubbed overseas, with people piling on bright colour, quirky prints and statement accessories to stand out, while old school editors mourn the discreetness of the past, when people wore black and went about their business.
At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, swarms of street-style photographers snapped every tall, young, thin girl who walked by, crushing the ego of those they ignored. Tommy Ton, who shoots for Style.com, is the king, the rest taking cues from him. Well, sometimes: one afternoon, around 10 loiter between shows, waiting to shoot; a girl in a tight digital-print peplum dress approaches and several run to her. Ton doesn't move; instead he laughs and his camera stays put. Later, a photographer asks a woman to walk back up the stairs she just came down to get the shot; she happily obliges. The photographer still isn't happy, her subject walks the stairs a third time. The process was fascinating - it kept me entertained for well over an hour.
AUSTRALIA'S TOP MODEL
People were buzzing over the runway appearances of international models Hanne Gaby Odiele at Ellery and Georgia May Jagger at Camilla, but the real star of the week was Julia Nobis, who opened 13 of the almost 20 shows she appeared in.
