This was the unintentional showdown of the week: two of Australia’s kookiest labels went head-to-head in the final episode of the LMFF Runway series for 2008. Both renowned for their so-far-out-there-they’re-in-space designs and very public displays of attention-seeking, it would be a battle to see who could outdo the other in the uniqueness stakes, and who could come up with the better gimmick.

But before we discuss the Romance Was Born vs. Material Boy title fight, it’s important to note there were seven other labels on the bill, all deserving of a little media spotlight.

Ben Pollitt’s Friedrich Gray has received a little more attention than the rest though. As the victor of this year’s LMFF Designer Award, we had already glimpsed Pollitt’s brooding palette of multi-textured fabrics a few days prior, however it was interesting to see those pieces again amongst a larger selection of ensembles. The overall effect was fluid and raw, with unhemmed cowhide featuring prominently in both men’s and women’s garments, alongside loose-fitting sweaters and tees, and tight-fitting pants.

Named after the Japanese version of the recorder, Shakuhachi delivered some sweet music through its cute, modern and very saleable range. Launching with chartreuse yellow, designer Jessie White offered some very different fabric colours for winter, including a black and white static print, a grey velvet with purple, blue and black splatters, and a caramel corduroy. Though the final garment was the only black piece in the entire display – a deep cowl-necked jumpsuit, which provided a serious 80s flashback moment.

Kate Hurst is another who subscribes to the cute and saleable theory. All the key seasonal trends were there: a floral print, frilled tiers, leather separates and pussybows. Most outfits were dresses, which were short and sweet (barring the 70s floral maxi). A select few were presented in glitzy fabrics, such as black sequins and silver foil, for added sparkle. Just perfect for the teen and young adult target markets.

Melbourne men’s label Leopold followed with its range of casual city attire. Leopold actually does something that many others strive to do, which is to present menswear as fashionable, chic and highly ‘now’, but without looking, dare I say it, wanky. There were loads of great separates, including leather jackets, tweed waistcoats, and quality knits, while the suiting was attractive and unpretentious. Like this season’s womenswear, colours for the Leopold man revolve around black and grey, brightened with the occasional dash of scarlet or burgundy red.

West Aussies Sü are fans of a good frock, especially if it features a frill or two. The design duo gave us several flirty options fit for cocktail hour, made from all kinds of textures including a slubby silk dupion and a smooth velvet, with that omnipresent feature adorning necklines or shoulderlines. For a complete change of pace, they also threw in a few mono-coloured languid dresses in leather and jersey. The fluidity of the jersey skirts against the structured leather bodices presented a nice juxtaposition of the soft and hard elements in their collection.

Alpha 60 employed the “less is more” mantra to their collection, working with only three colour shades (black, grey and a hint of blue) to deliver a sleek collection of winter separates for both men and women. The standout piece for the former was a black trench coat with a leather-like sheen, and for the latter a black silk dress with a pleated hemline and neckline, which wrapped like a scarf. Also noteworthy was the sole print featured: a grey silk with swirling blue water, and just enough colour to brighten a dreary day.

At last year’s LMFF, label TV closed its segment with four lycra-clad Catwomen, so it was a bit of a shock when they opened this year’s with… a very safe, navy brocade dress. The next was more remarkable (and one of the best pieces): a light blue, highly ruffled number cinched with a thin beige belt. Delightful. And then, just as we were floating away on a sea of soft ruffles, up came the lycra – in full-length bodysuits, leggings and bike pants – before the arrival of more oddities, such as shiny gold 80s-fit pants, a gathered PVC skirt, and a gold-checked veil which shrouded the entire body from head to crotch.

Speaking of odd, it was about this time my colleague and I realised there were only two labels left on the programme: Material Boy and Romance Was Born. Engaging in a friendly wager, we took bets on which would be given the coveted closing spot. I said Material Boy. I lost.

Those crazy boys used their toys and sent out poor male models with their pretty faces squished into sheer black stockings. Arresting. The garments were of the usual Material Boy mould (oversized, easy-to-wear, sweatshirt or t-shirt fabric) while this season’s key quirky print looked like a mix of aboriginal art with a Casper cartoon. There was some askew tailoring as well, as shirt fronts were purposely mismatched and jacket sleeves contained too much fabric. But that’s all part of the Material Boy charm, and that’s why they’ll always be so unique.

So how do you top mannequins in bank-robber get-up? You get two almost-naked men to bring out a large, fabric apple with an E.T.-looking worm poking out the top, to a soundtrack of heavy breathing. Then you get a dancer to emerge from said apple, dressed in a sexy leotard and fringed gloves, and let her writhe around on the floor before the first model makes her entrance. And when the model appears – adorned in an outfit comprising three nude bras, strategically-placed eyes and a wig doubling as a skirt – she accepts an apple from the dancer and introduces us to Romance Was Born’s Garden of Eden.

It’s hard to describe what followed in great detail, because the collection contained immense detail – from the dolls with the sad, beaded eyes on the oversized tee/dress, to an outfit made completely from a mish-mash of crocheted oddments, to a pink coat constructed like a patchwork quilt, from squares and squares of childish prints. For those thinking this all sounds like absolute rubbish, perhaps you’ll like the designers’ final dress: a black, voluminous, backless frock fashioned entirely from garbage bags.

Is it wearable? Not really. Saleable? Well, it remains to be seen just what drives Romance Was Born’s profits but it’s doubtful they’re pieces like these. Entertaining? You bet, and that’s what keeps this label ticking along nicely. Some may argue it’s not fashion – it’s art, and if that’s the case you can see the Garden of Eden collection, which was produced in collaboration with artist Del Kathryn Barton, at the ShowBox Gallery in the National Design Centre, Federation Square, until April 27.

PHOTO GALLERY: L'Oreal Paris Runway 7