The Innovators: Fashion Design Studio MBFWA 17

One of my favourite shows annually, The Innovators installment at this year's MBFWA brought a variety of colourful, cute & crazy to the runway. This year's talent pool included designers A.N.X, Richard Giang, Yohana, EWOL, Akle & Casea, all of which featured an eclectic collection, with some realised much more fully than others.

Richard Giang
Giang's collection was arguably the most wearable of the group, with a focus on vampire styling and the poignant use of faux crocodile skin. The colour palette of deep maroon, cream & black echoed a mature vibe, with tulle and leather layered dramatically throughout garments, creating a visual feast.

A.N.X
Heavy on androgyny and sleeves, A.N.X presented a gender fluid runway with a focus on exploring oversized cuts & details. Handkerchief layering, foot wraps and a muted colour palette offered an oriental vibe to the runway, and safety pins through the lips of models added edge and street aficionado to the overall styling.

Akle
My outstanding designer pick of this year's show, Amelia Akle brought feminine ideals in a completely new age way by splicing modern touches & streamlined cuts throughout the collection. Pops of tartan, gentle layering with silk & form-fitting woven waffle knits punched up the very 'on-trend, right now' pajama wear look, and a delicate colour palette of baby tones created a flawless feminine feel. Adore!

Casea
Inspiration from across the globe - Casea put forward a rich collection which boasted a variety of pan-Asian and Soviet patterns. Silks were paired with accentuated, multi tiered skirts and flowing maxi dresses, while oriental & Japanese vibes were also present in waist belts, shoe choices and textured layers. While seemingly this collection was randoly generated, the vibrant colours and ingenious styling tied the whole production together, leaving all spectators wowed.