The fashion world often is divided into two types of offerings; the fast and the furious, where looks are produced at rapid speeds, often echoing pieces that just walked down international runways mere weeks earlier, and the quality that comes with craftsmanship and artisan techniques. The Strand Arcade in Sydney’s CBD has brought together Australia’s leading fashion talent for its autumn/winter 2013 fashion campaign to celebrate the Art of Authenticity.
The campaign shot by Georges Antoni on the historic Belgenny Farm in Camden, New South Wales, romances rural Australia and highlights the use of Australian merino wool in designer fashion. Playing home to some of Australia’s top designers, from Sass & Bide to Lover, Akira Isogawa, Manning Cartell and Dinosaur Designers, the campaign mixes rustic charm and beautiful scenery to create a beautiful campaign that takes us back to nature.
It’s refreshing to see a major campaign featuring Australian designer shot in Australia.
The Strand Arcade designers on their Autumn/Winter 2013 inspirations:
Sass & Bide
“The collection is an ethereal union of gender; a romantic journey where every masculine notion finds counterbalance & softness in femininity, a dance that uncovers a new sensuality through harmony & precision. Silhouettes are sharp & honest and contrast the soft flow of ethereal silks, while a monochromatic palette finds fever in hot hues & metallic accents.”
Manning Cartell
“The goddess of wisdom. The heroine of courageous endeavour. The pure & shrewd companion of heroes. Pallas Athene is the inspiration of our AW13 collection.”
Dinosaur Designs
“Inspiration for The Art of Black & White came from artists Arshile Gorky and Jackson Pollock. Pollack used a drip type technique, which has influenced the delicate and painterly casting of this collection. Black and white photography by Edward Westin also encouraged us to explore the powerful and paired back nature of the two tones, black and white.”
Lover
“We were inspired by Tony Scott’s neo – gothic masterpiece “The Hunger” which stars Catherine Deneuve as the sultry vampire predator, Susan Sarandon as the ‘innocent’ and David Bowie as the scorned Lover. The collection features a moody colour palette with blood red, electric and fushia highlights, as well as gothic textures of leather and lace.”
Leona Edmiston
“I love to illuminate the winter wardrobe with pops of colour and this season is all about the rich hues of teal, wine, charcoal and French blue. Georges Seurat’s famous art work ‘A Sunday Afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte’ is a key inspiration. Other styles also feature prints dating back to the late 18th century and our personal archival print libraries.”
