The third official Runway show of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival for 2008 was for fans of the more established designers who no longer have to create absolutely zany designs in order to get noticed. Yet they still retain a creative edginess that continues to pull in both the style conscious and those more concerned with street-credibility alike.

Arabella Ramsay kicked of her show with a wearable collection of snappy pieces suited to the more easygoing urbanite’s wardrobe. Hemlines remained well above the knee, paired with the ever-dubious white tights to stave off the cold. The one exception was a ski resort-worthy knit dress, paired with a simple tailored blazer, that zippered all the way up the front in snowy white and ink. Sheer baby blue knits and geometric star prints (a recurring motif spotted this season) in navy rounded out the pulled-together collection.

The models during Gail Sorronda’s show were adorned with Statue of Liberty-style metal headgear that made a great successor to her previous collection’s kitten ears (which the designer herself still sports as something of a trademark). The figure–hugging collection consisted mainly of little black dresses with attitude. The slinky designs were elevated from their basic black status by the addition of frilled hems, leather detailing, sheer panels and cut-outs at the shoulders.

Lisa Gorman’s collection, entitled the Secret Life of Anastasyia, took to the runway in a parade styled in soft grey that was given life by pops of an almost orange-tinged red. A zigzag lycra design in the same lurid colour was pulled off for an everyday outing by wearing it as a top under a sharply casual skirt suit. One of Gorman’s simple grey shift dresses was pepped up with a chunky block coloured scarf and a floaty caped dress in tomato red was a head turner without being too obvious.
 
Kate Sylvester’s winter collection is all about the defining details. From a simple, strappy black dress studded with rows of mother of pearl buttons, to the playful, pouty lip print appearing on floaty cream frocks, it was that little something extra that make her designs stand out. A devilishly simple champagne pink dress pleated from top to bottom and detailed with those same shell buttons at the cinched-in waist was a highlight piece of Sylvester’s collection.

LIFEwithBIRD continues to play with a kind of futuristic, yet neutral palette by combining soft greys and browns with subtle metallic fabrics. Tanks, leggings, waists and necklines all had a hit of the heavy metal treatment. Gently draped knits that were subtly textured were also a major theme of LIFEwithBIRD’s seasonal showing.

Ex-model turned Big Apple designer Gail Elliott was a welcome international interloper on the runway. Her Little Joe by Gail Elliott collection was polished and had an air of relaxed luxury. The toughness of a resurrected classic, the biker jacket played off against the femininity of evening gowns and string bikinis. The rest of the collection, made up of sweet day dresses and the odd maxi-dress in dove grey and cool white, was the epitome of simple, understated elegance.

Obüs went for vintage style for their upcoming collection. Berets, slouchy jackets and man-style pants were the order of the day in burnt orange, purple, maroon and brown hues. A hexagonal print that featured on scarves and short dresses was an attractive touch and was made up of complimentary mustard, charcoal and bubblegum pink tones throughout.

Zimmermann also added a vintage feel to many of the pieces during their catwalk showing. Old-fashioned white lace was turned into a sheer tunic dress, while a delicate floral print contrasted with the festive plaid that appeared on higher-waisted mini-skirts and 70s schoolgirl-style dresses. Modernity and basic black returned to round out the collection and finish up the show, in a one-shouldered satin frock and a simple dress made of layers of black lace.

Overall, these eight designers pulled off the individual styles that they are, or are becoming renowned for. Without swaying to trends unnecessarily yet still making some risky choices to keep life interesting (some work, some don’t), the labels shown during Runway Three are setting themselves up to be the big sustained names in the future fashion community to come.

PHOTO GALLERY: L'Oreal Paris Runway 3