runway

In December, the delivery of Oscar de la Renta's Resort 2014 collection will remind shoppers of the beauty of Spring. The offering, presented Tuesday to small groups of editors in de la Renta's New York showroom, was covered in flowers of all kinds: violet blooms were attached to an acid green evening gown, while red bursts of flora adorned a sleeveless houndstooth peplum top, a half-sleeved cardigan, and an A-line dress. That shape and others, like a balloon skirt in rose petal pink, the Watteau back on a strapless cocktail dress, and the many dresses with bateau necklines, recalled the spirit of '50s couture. But the buoyant colour palette and the optimism were decidedly modern. A look at the collection, here in the gallery. Photo courtesy of Oscar de la Renta

Over the weekend, Christian Dior presented its Resort 2014 collection in Monaco. The principality has held special meaning for the house since 1956, when actress Grace Kelly wore a Dior gown to celebrate her engagement to Prince Rainier of Monaco. The return to Monaco was both an homage to the house's heritage and also a signal of a new era in how (and where) the label stages its Resort collection, with plans to always take the collection abroad going forward. But this wasn't the only poignant moment to come with the glamorous showing. For the first time, Raf Simons incorporated lace into his pieces, working the fabric into everything from sheer blouses and fitted crop tops to modified coatdresses and relaxed sheaths. "I thought it's kind of old and too romantic and too tragic. And suddenly I thought, it's a challenge to make it modern and edgy and kind of futuristic," he said. A look at the complete collection, plus our review, here in the gallery.

You can't say Donatella Versace doesn't know how to throw a party. Last night, she and designer Jonathan Anderson took over the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City to present the new Versus Versace and JW Anderson's first capsule collection for the brand. But this wasn't just any product launch. Versace managed to fill the space with everyone from industry insiders like Leigh Lezark, Eniko Mihalik, and Harriet Mays Powell, to stars like Heidi Klum, Darren Criss, and Taylor Momsen.

All of them assembled around a big black box in the middle of the room. When illuminated, the box was revealed to be a backstage area enclosed by translucent panels of plastic. From there, models walked down runways on either side of the space before performances by musicians Angel Haze, Dead Sara, and Grimes. And while no one walked away with pieces from the collection, guests did get a special treat at the end of the party: a parcel of differently flavuored doughnut holes served as the goody bag. A look at all the pieces that came down the runway, plus a few snaps from the party, here in the gallery.

Chanel revealed its Cruise 2014 collection in Singapore yesterday, and the mix of red-carpet-ready dresses, timeless coats, and everyday pieces is delightful. While Cruise collections might not garner the same amount of attention as the Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter shows, Karl Lagerfeld's latest shows us why they should. Intended to outfit the most fabulous of women on holidays abroad, they fill the gap between Spring and Autumn with a bounty of pieces ready for frivolity and fun (not the office). Click on to see the looks we loved.

The runways were awash in fresh hues at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, bringing welcome respite from the khaki/black/Bordeaux/navy of the A/W palette we've become so accustomed to. The Spring/Summer season traditionally signals the return to colour, but this season a definitive palette emerged from the catwalk. Bold, almost paintbox-bright tones of cobalt, marigold and fuchsia replaced last season's ubiquitous neon brights and pastels were back, albeit in powdered-back incarnations of sky blue, peppermint and the palest of pinks.

Of course there was black and white, but that (as we detailed in our mega-trend round-up) was worn almost exclusively together, and as part of a broader mod-inspired trend. A new set of go-to neutrals emerged with a modern, almost sci-fi edge; white (often worn head to toe), navy blue and high-shine silver provided crisp contrast to the vibrant brights or pretty watercolour hues. True, the temperature might be in decline but advance notice is always a handy thing! Get acquainted with the colours that are set to define the new season. 

Sometimes it's not simply the clothes, but more the way they're put together than can make a collection look all shiny and new. Fashion week brought with it a cascade of new season trends and colours (you've checked out our mega-galleries by now, right?), but in addition to all of that designers were employing some nifty styling tricks that we're keen to try too (read: blatantly steal). From the unexpected footwear at Dion Lee's exclusive presentation to the new school way of wearing your shirt at Watson X Watson — there's a slew of new school ways to wear. Let's go! 

It's time! Are you ready? Because we're about to distil five days of fashion week madness and 30 plus runway shows into one super-fast, easy-to-click trend gallery. The strongest shapes, the key pieces, the newest looks — they're all here. From sculptural frills that fanned out from the body like 3D waves at Karla Spetic to the sophisticated take on the crop top at Ginger & Smart, to the sexiest skirt shape as seen at By Johnny — if you weren't on the ground at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, consider this as your one stop shop. Everything you need to know about Spring/Summer 2013-14 awaits you inside . . . 

If you have a thing for bags and shoes, have we got a treat for you! We've painstakingly gone through our runway round-ups from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia with a fine tooth comb to pick out the very best new season shoes and bags from the Spring/Summer offerings. Many local designers out-sourced their accessories to chain store brands this year, which is great news if you want to make these runway wheels yours!

Tony Bianco provided those killer lace-up boots for Alex Perry, as well the 'Cambridge' wheels for Camilla and Marc, the 'Dice' and 'Libby' heels at Ellery, the 'Lolita' pumps at Toni Maticevski, the 'Ashley' platforms at Rebecca Vallance and the ankle-strapped heels for Bec & Bridge. ASOS was all over the catwalks too, supplying Christopher Esber with his 'Hostage' heels, Talulah with their flirty tie-up sandals and We Are Handsome with their metallic 'Hackney' stilettos. And those fantastical Romance Was Born creations? They came courtesy of Shoes of Prey. It's time to let your fingers do the walking. . . 

Bridal Fashion Week Spring 2014 showed off another season of stunning aisle-worthy confections, all thanks to Vera Wang, Reem Acra, Monique Lhuillier . . . and the list goes on. With each runway presentation came another "here comes the bride" moment, of which inspired countless oohs and aahs in response. From traditionally modest cuts adorned with vintage lace veils to princess-like ball skirts with corsage-embellished bodices to skin-revealing back details on even slinkier floor-length silhouettes, to tulle-infused fishtail hems and decadent embroidery, every bride will find The One in this lineup. Click on to see the latest wedding-dress fare — with Marchesa, Oscar de la Renta, THEIA, and Temperley Bridal also inside — right this way.

Leila Yavari knows fashion. As the fashion director for luxe e-tailer Stylebop she is charged with the envy-inducing task of attending fashion shows around the world and deciding on the key trends, and must-have pieces, to hit the (online) shelves. Munich-based Leila was in Sydney for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, so we politely asked to pick her brains. She happily obliged, sharing her top five absolute favourite Aussie shows, and the three key trends that she thinks are well worth investing in. Ready to get schooled?