2012 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

A wall of beautiful white blooms and glossy tropical foliage by Grandiflora set the vacay-vibe for Bec & Bridge's Spring/Summer show on day three of MBFWA. Capri was the destination of choice, but we think their crop of crisp white separates, sexy fitted dresses and diaphanous scarf-print shirting would look just as good strutting down the city streets as it would trotting the cobbled streets of the glamorous island locale. Lightness pervaded the collection; suiting edged in pretty broiderie anglaise, peek-a-boo sheer panels cut up chic shifts, graphic florals lined the seams of sheer shirts and tees and thigh-high splits gave movement to full skirts. Pack your suitcase, this is resort dressing at its best.

• Colours: White, powder blue, navy blue with flashes of pink and peach.
• Trends: Sheer, shirting, relaxed tailoring, scarf and photographic floral prints, cropped pants, peplums and texture.
• Key Looks: Fitted ladylike dresses in white, a scarf print sheer shirt and wrap maxi skirt ensemble, sexy halter dresses, knitted peplum tops and angleise-edged suiting.
• Accessories: Minimal white snakeskin t-bar stilettos and two-strap flat sandals.
• Front Row: Jodi Gordon, Washington, Rumi Neely, Bryan Boy, Susie Bubble and Elin Kling.

Prints, pleats and pyjama-inspired tailoring were the order of the day for Sara Phillips 2012 MBFWA presentation. Sara gave us the heads up last week that print-wise her S/S start point would be Animalia-inspired, but we couldn't have envisioned how a menagerie of exotic animals could look so chic placed centre stage on chic sheaths, loose-fit trousers, crisp blazers and minimal silk separates. Apart from the graphic animal prints, there were lace underskirts and knife-pleat overlays to add a textural element, while black and turquoise stripes, smudgy dot and photographic orchid florals contributed to the mix-master appeal.

• Colours: Turquoise, pale blue, lilac, neon tangerine and black.
• Trends: Neon, cropped pants, photographic prints, pleats, relaxed tailoring and shirting.
• Key Looks: The graphic animal and floral prints, pretty lilac dresses with tangerine lace or pleat overlays, eye-catching striped blazers and silk separates.
• Accessories: Contrast platform sandals by Nat Sui in zebra, tangerine and lilac, or black leather and black snakeskin.

A collection born out of a childhood mistake and called 'Delicatessen', Kym Ellery's Spring/Summer '12-'13 offering was a mix of fabrics, shape and texture. Staying true her design aesthetic, the collection featured sharp, high shoulders, high necklines and a lot of structure. Metallic silver was prominent and made up one of her hero pieces — the draped dress. Moss green, fuchsia and a fine red tulle containing a high-shine glitter were also prominent.

• Colours: Black, white, metallic silver, red, moss green, fuchsia, red.
• Trends: Structure, high shoulders, draping, peplum, tailoring.
• Key Looks: Moss green strapless A-line dress, fitted playsuit with high neck, silver draped dress, sheer red tulle dress with high shoulders.
• Accessories: Headpiece with little ears, pointed stilettos with hardware on the top, yellow and red nails.
• Front Row: Lara Bingle, Yasmin Sewell, Sophie Lowe, Bryan Boy, Elin Kling, Jodi Gordon.

"She's Brazilian, she's chic, she's beautiful," Linda Jefferyes said when we asked her to talk inspiration backstage at Oroton. "It's bronzed, but not overdone, just sun-kissed." Working with Mecca Cosmetics, Jefferyes used NARS Laguna and Irrésistiblement bronzers to contour and the lighter shade of NARS Hungry Heart Blush on the cheekbones, centre of the nose and chin to highlight. All products were also used throughout the eye to give the look unity. Inspired by the main print in Oroton's collection, Renya Xydis (Cloud Nine) created a "wearable take on cornrows." Using the Cloud Nine Iron to add shine, models hair was then sectioned and twisted back into a low ponytail. The Cloud Nine Wand was then used to add movement and texture to the ponytail. Miss Frou Frou were in charge of nails painting on Cream as a base colour and then painting half of the nail with either Zest, Tequila Sunset or a navy colour.

Last minute changes made for a more pared-back beauty look at Ellery. Clive Allwright (KMS California) created a simple, undone style with the point of difference being in the juxtaposition of textures. It was fluffy and dry up top thanks to KMS California Hairplay Makeover Spray and wet in the bun. St Tropez Wash Off Mousse evened out models' skin, giving a natural-looking glow. For the makeup, Napoleon Perdis was inspired by Australian childhood memories. "It's clean, fresh skin, much like Kym Ellery herself." Skin was prepped with Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Napoleon Complex Skin Renewal Serum and Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Skin Primer before Off Duty Tinted Moisturiser (part of the brand's new Nude Bar collection) was applied. To highlight cheeks and provide that fresh, youthfulness to skin, Perdis applied Auto Pilot Lip Service with Ice Storm Loose Eye Dust Over the top. In-keeping with the clean, fresh theme, nails were nude. Nail Rock Nail Wraps in Pantone 7509HC were used.

Alice McCall looked to Russian babooshka dolls for her inspiration for Spring/Summer '12-'13, the cheery result being a measured play between folkish and futuristic finishes. Saturated needlepoint floral motifs, romantic cotton voile lace (complete with miniature applique buds), fit-and-flare silhouettes and prim elbow-length sleeves were a nod to traditional Hungarian dress, but the stiff scalloped edging, nifty sheer under-skirts and over-layers, architectural and floral digital prints and neon pops ensured it appealed to Alice's loyal fan club. It was cute, it was unexpected, it was the stuff that would get your referred to as the girl in that dress at a party. The only question is, when can we put in a pre-order?

• Colours: White, tangerine, powder blue, pale pink, nude and red.
• Trends: Sheer, peplums, graphic prints, cut-outs, leather, crop tops and cropped pants.
• Key Looks: Neon beadwork on pastel and nude sheer bases, folkish floral embroidered white dresses, any of the graphic prints and a killer scalloped cut-out necklined dress in red.
• Accessories: Powder blue pointy-toe pumps, headscarves, rosette and crystal drop earrings and bib-necklaces.
• Front Row: Yasmin Sewell, Natalie Joos, Bryan Boy, Kirrily Johnston, Elin Kling, Jodi Gordon and Rumi Neely.

“It’s poolside sophistication,” Alan White (ghd) said when chatting about the wet-look hairstyle he created for the Bec & Bridge show. “She lives on the Almafi Coast, she’s jumped in the pool and she’s lounging in the sun letting her hair dry naturally.” We instantly want her life. He was putting S-bends in the hair with the ghd mini styler before loading up the hair with ghd Smooth & Finish Serum to create the damp look. “We want that indentation with the bend as it will help to define the hair when it’s got all the product in.” For the “Mediterranean Summer” makeup look Nicole Thompson (MAC) literally wanted models to be “dripping in moisture”. That meant last minute spritzes of MAC Fix + and clear gloss through the brows. To avoid models from looking greasy, she pressed Silver Dust Loose Powder into the cheek before the MAC Fix + went on. Something Special cream blush was also used on the front of the cheeks and up through the brow bone to give a warm glow. OPI Don’t Touch My Tutu was chosen for a sheer nail.

"It's a rock and roll girl thrown against a polished woman," Richard Kavangh (Redken) said of the voluminous disheveled hair he created for Sara Phillips. Not wanting to dominate over the collection, he said: "Good hair is like a drum beat in a song, you can hear it but it doesn't take over. That's what I thought when creating this look. It's graphic but still pretty." He used Redken Rootful 06 to add texture, Guts 10 to help "frame the face" and Forceful 23 to get that finished matte and textured look. Simplicity was also the name of the game for the makeup with Nigel Stanislaus (Maybelline NY) wanting to "highlight and accentuate the models' natural features." On the skin he used Maybelline NY Dream Smooth Primer, FITme Concealer, Dream Nude Airfoam foundation and Dream Terra Bronzer in Sunbaked.

Judging from the way front row stars styled their hair and makeup for MBFWA day two, manes are either lush blow dries — see Kate Waterhouse, Nikki Phillips and Tanja G. — or sleek side-parted ’dos, seen on the likes of Jodi Gordon and Rachael Finch. Lara Bingle, who wore a cute milkmaid braid on Monday (one of her many styles), kept hair simple and straight yesterday, and teamed it with a classic red lip. Keen to see more?

A clear crisp morning signalled a fresh start for Lisa Ho's Spring/Summer '12-'13 collection preview — not that Lisa needs to start anew — her fashion week shows are known for being reliably good. However, this was a departure of sorts from her classic, ladylike aesthetic. Prints were punchy, cartoonish almost, with oversized Hawaiian blooms perking up chic blazers, cropped trousers and thigh-high shorts. Digital patterns introduced technicolour hues, set off by crisp white shirting and slick navy separates. Girlish additions to otherwise streamlined silhouettes made it more frou-frou than usual, with drop-waist frills and peplums upping the flirt factor. Languid, pyjama pants kept it casual, while Lisa's red carpet offering were (as always) glamorous thanks to fluid fabrications and flowing trains.

• Colours: Navy, white, khaki, canary yellow, nude and emerald green.
• Trends: Peplums, tropical prints, cropped trousers, paisley prints, photo-prints, sheer and pyjama tailoring.
• Key Looks: Palm print short suits, Hawaiian floral gowns and separates, scarf-print prom dresses and nifty full skirts in stiff, flare-holding fabrics.
• Accessories: Layered up multiple beaded wrist ties, back-fastened beaded skinny belts, solid wooden platform sandals and sparkly neck bling.
• Front Row: Erika Heynatz, Jesinta Campbell, Charlotte Dawson, Gigi Edgley, Sophia Banks Coloma.