Words: Annie Brown. Photography: Andrew Campbell. 

AFTER receiving rave reviews for its first two nights, Fashfest had high expectations to meet for its Friday night showing. Luckily for the guests, night three was a roaring success and an indication that Fashfest 2014 is on the horizon.

The cold May weather did not deter Canberra’s fashion pack, who looked every bit the part in their winter garb. Nine designers presented their collections without a hitch. The models were flawless and perfectly choreographed, the energetic electronica of Doppel filled the air creating an uplifting ambiance and each and every collection was well executed and cohesive.

The first designer for the night was SZN who presented an edgy collection for men and women. The mood was ominous, as models paced up the runway in wearable pieces with unique elements such as spider-web netting, man-shrugs and trilbys.

Label dissonance was next with its striking collection of varying colours and textures. Models wore rouched body-con and sheer silhouettes with pops of fluro against black and white.

Karen Lee was impressive using exquisite draping in her dresses. The colour palette was black, white and red with surprising touches of netting and handless-gloves.

4 minutes 33 used a mix of different materials to produce a raw collection. Structured layering was key with a black and neutral palette. The models unusually wore sneakers, giving the collection a casual, wearable feel.

 Baku and Mont, who are presenting on all 4 of the nights, took a different format this time round, splitting the focus between the labels. After derobing from the puffer jackets of Mont, Baku displayed swimsuits in prints, stripes and bold colour in a variety of shapes. Despite the cold, the models were cheeky and confident and gave no indication the temperature was below zero.

Next up was They Lied! We Can Fly, with a futuristic aesthetic. The models appeared alien-esque in silver caps and sported pieces with peplum and structural detail.

The much anticipated collection of Project Runway winner Anthony Capon finished the show with his collection A.Concept. It was an entirely black collection that was moody yet feminine. Multi-layered ensembles, stunning gowns, billowy shapes and breath-taking sheet cut-outs wowed the crowd marking the end of a very successful Fashfest night three.

Annie Brown is a stylist and blogger. Visit her Blog at anniebrownfashionstylist.blogspot.com.au/