And that’s a wrap on Australian Fashion Week ‘23. The week featured no less than 45 shows for Resort ’24 from big names like Michael Lo Sordo, Anna Quan and Aje, as well as from newbies to Fashion Week, including Kiwi brand Maggie Marilyn, Melbourne-based Joslin Studio and high-street favourite Cue.
Trend-wise, we spotted no-pants pants, also called hot pants, again and again. The trend was first seen on Kendall Jenner earlier this year when she wore it with a black crew jumper, black shades and a pop of colour in the form of a bunch of sunflowers tucked under her arm.
We also spied ballet flats, both on the runways and off — a very welcome trend for those not keen on hobbling in heels. The flats were paired with all types of outfits, from silky dresses and poufy skirts, to matching, loungewear sets.
And finally, we saw statement shoulders, most noticeably at ALEMAIS’s show, which kicked off the week on Monday, and showcased the dramatic silhouette in a green paisley print dress.
But when it came to trends at Australian Fashion Week this year, the one we saw most was pink. It was in nearly every show, and in every hue, too. We saw bubblegum pink in a velvet dress at Michael Lo Sordo. We saw hot fuschia in a woven, braided outfit in Youkhana. And we saw pastel pink in a button-down, worn under a checked pink blazer, at Maggie Marilyn.
Brands like Acler, Asiyam, Bondi Born, Alemais and Aje all had mid to hot pink looks in their collections.
The easiest way to add the colour to your wardrobe, according to Nicole Adolphe, Head of Style at THE ICONIC, is to incorporate it with an accessory, like a heel or bag. The next step, she says, is to invest in some pink separates.
“A pink top or knit can be easily teamed with black or denim and inject a fresh, new colour pop into your wardrobe,” Adolphe says. “My favourite piece to add would be a pair of pink trousers as then you still wear a black or neutral top with it. So it’s not so in your face, if you’re not used to wearing pink.”
Adolphe says notes that lighter pinks look best with neutral colours, while bold pinks work best with black or another shade of pink. If you want to go all in, you could team shades of pink together for an all-over look: bold pink with baby pink.
“You could also wear pink with another bright colour, like orange,” she says.
Pink was a favourite on international runways last year too, like at Maison Valentino and Miu Miu, and on celebs, including Cardi B, Lizzo, Dua Lipa and Kim Kardashian, with the trend dubbed Barbiecore.
And if Australian Fashion Week ’23 is anything to go by, pink is still here and not going anywhere. Plus, with the Barbie movie expected to be released in July 2023, we might even go as far as to say it could even get bigger.
