It's a creative challenge imagine having to put brain to: reinventing the black dress in a way that's both unique, beautiful, and sustainable. That's the challenge 10 Australian labels had on their plate when they were accepted into the third annual Spirit of the Black Dress project, this year a part of the official LMFF (L'Oreal Melbourne fashion festival) programme.
At last week's gala launch at The Trust, Melbourne, we got to see the ten black dress designs on the runway. And while each was in itself stunning, the most captivating thing was how different each piece was and how uniquely each designer interpreted the challenge.
From the leather dress with sheer skirting, made from recycled handbags, created by Clea Garrick and Nathan Price (Limedrop) to the modern-tribal interpretation by Alyana Eau and Prischilla Lim; from Leanne Dempsey's buttoned-up tailoring to Dan Jones' rock-star beaded mini - each is worth a close up look and an understanding of the inspirations, story and sustainable processes behind the garment.
To do that, you should head down to The Trust at 405 Flinders Lane Melbourne and see the exhibition, open 12pm - 6pm daily from now until the 21st of March.
