Graduate Designers Carys Norwood, Georgia Brookes, Laura Heron and Oliver Layton Resist Individualism
Hardly a job description (and it hardly pays), the self-imposed title of ‘multidisciplinary’ has come to represent a solo ‘can do’ attitude, creating a highly individualised sentiment that sees everyone off on their own, doing their thing. This tendency to lone-soldier (verb) was abandoned last month as rapturous applause rang out through the streets of North Melbourne for a collective student runway.
What could only be described as elation, the audience whistled and wailed as they watched the DOLL RMIT Honours of Fashion show take over Drill Hall. The runway was attended by Melbourne’s finest: editors, buyers, photographers, lecturers, and stylists. Fashion fanatics were seen fraternising with football fans, while domineering designers dangerously disputed dressers, and stylists superciliously stated their superiority, slipped into stilettos and hidden behind sunglasses. With every model that passed, the audience’s palms and faces grew increasingly red, in awe and amazement of the talent before them. When the cheering finally ceased, flustered patrons poured out onto the streets to roll their chop shop tobacco and sing the praises of a most auspicious collective: Carys Norwood, Georgia Brookes, Laura Heron and Oliver Layton.
Norwood opened the show with dacked slacks, revealing white boxers emblazoned with the words ‘prize’ and ‘noble’. These were paired with fitted T-shirts, each accented by grey hoods that fastened closed on the models’ faces. The tones of brown and yellow in the Ts were contrasted with graphic stripey long sleeves and shiny harnesses studded with metallic rivets.
Brookes then showcased silhouettes, influenced by the Sharpie subculture, constructed with denim and jersey. The garments hugged the models’ bodies, both contorting and contouring their arms and restricting movement. The predominant palette of blue was contrasted with pops of pink and yellow. Four of the six looks were paired with denim, affirming her ethos to ‘keep it simple, keep it sexy.’
Heron then presented a collection rich in texture. Soft woollen double-breasted jackets were accessorised with ribbed fingerless gloves. Lace appliques established a floral motif, which was complemented by the use of jacquard, on which peach-coloured petals bloomed.
After Heron, we heard a slapping: the sounds of Layton’s models’ thongs hitting the polished wood floor. The men, each of finely finished physique, were clad in budgie-smugglers so tight, one was nervous their own budgies would flee the coop. Even more precarious were the g-strings that had been pulled over the models’ heads, their package secured with a little bow. By exaggerating the masculine form in this way, Layton subverted gendered dressing while still adhering to its conventions.
Despite each designer developing their collection individually (as the course permits), there were collective attributes that could be observed throughout the show, including the use of stripes, yellow and blue tones, denim textiles, and the interplay between fitted and loose forms. Beyond these formal considerations, there was a mutual thematic exploration as well. The nonchalance in Heron’s slouchy coat (impeccably finished, nonetheless), Brooke’s low-waisted acid-wash jeans paired with tiny winy T-shirts, and Layton’s flipper swimmers spoke to the influence of Australiana.
Each collection emulated a different facet of the country. Stripes, for instance, spoke to Melbourne’s madness for vertical lines (in clothes and beyond): Layton saw the stripes at Brunswick Baths and slated them on sailor shirts and fringed shawls; Brookes and Norwood spotted them on the streets of Fitzroy, implementing them across their cropped cardigans and pullovers; Heron too sprinkled them across her hand-painted pinstripe pants. Whether drawing from our urban or suburban cultures, all the designers identified the stripes as an emblem of Australia’s youthfulness. This speaks to the shared experiences of these graduates—the intermingling of people and tastes. Their vision was not singular but informed by the people around them—a true ode to collaboration.
In the past, Melbourne fashion collections have been showcased so far underground that they have suffocated. The city's fashion revelry is expressed through sober snaps and finger taps and maintains a level of exclusivity; a judgemental undertone that isolates its consumers as opposed to uniting them.
The DOLL Runway resisted such individualism, paying homage to a fashion industry now long gone—a time when community was at the forefront and national pioneers were emerging together. At DOLL, it almost felt as though we could turn our heads and see a young Jenny Kee or Linda Jackson speaking about their work with Flamingo Park. We could almost turn our eyes to a time when a national design identity was permeating—a time when there was a communal dialogue, a collaborative sentiment.
Norwood, Brookes, Heron and Layton sparked a renewed discourse, reminding Melbourne of the power of collaboration in a town too often driven by individualism. It was apparent that tastes had or were shifting, and the industry is looking to emerging talent to chart a new course. Instead of conforming to the status quo, these designers attempted to change it. Intimate runways like this one might then be the way Australian fashion steers into the future. A future where independent designers have greater access to consumers.
Beyond aesthetic similarities, there was a palpable sentiment throughout each designer’s work and a notable vision that celebrated a shared Australian experience. As the industry shifts away from monolithic events like Australian Fashion Week, it’s clear that the future lies in intimate, independent showcases; at least that’s what the audience’s jubilant reaction would suggest.
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