MBFW Australia: Manning Cartell Spring/Summer 2013

If you don’t own anything in the colour cream for spring/summer, I suggest you buy something. Or at least, the design trio behind Manning Cartell would suggest for you to do so, having shown a collection today that was comprised almost entirely of a mixture of off-white hues.

Inspired by the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, the collection presented an interesting, if not mixed, point of view – sitting somewhere between a young, urban, Miami beach kind of cool and a more sophisticated early 60′s style of elongated silhouettes, with the occasional hint of houndstooth fabric and flowery silver embellishments.

Though not shockingly original or avant-garde, it nonetheless created the sort of ‘model-envy’ a good show will. The luminescent, grundge-esque makeup and multi-coloured hair details – AND the models’ piercings, which remained in and visible for the show – went a long way to achieving the fashion savvy but carefree and hip tone.

What was undeniable was the wearability factor of the collection, which featured both separates and dresses that were well-tailored, chic and easy-to-wear, in the best sense of the phrase. That is, of course, if your definition of wearable includes micro-mini short suits and midriff bearing designs. But then again, why shouldn’t that be wearable attire?

Written by Georgia Lourandos. Photos by Brigitta Quantock.