Shackets make quite a racket on the catwalk
Bold colour, a glimmer of metallic, the garment made famous by Columbo, and the shacket are the foundations of this summer ’s wardrobe, writes Melissa Singer.
In fashion’s annual mating dance between designer and consumer, the former brings forth their best, brightest plumage for the year, while the latter judiciously decides what to buy, sell or keep.
Here’s the shorthand for summer 2018: a trench coat, in sheer or patent – keep. Metallics – keep, but apply sparingly. Bold colours – buy, buy, buy.
While summer is usually a season when dresses reign supreme, separates were out in big numbers at David Jones’ spring-summer launch in Sydney last week.
The parade, a harbinger of what’s in style for the coming season, captured the mood of consumers wanting their investment pieces to go further, with matching shell tops with skirts and fluid ‘‘shackets’’ (that’s a shirt-jacket) replacing the manstyle blazers that were huge just a year ago.
The overall result is versatility for busy customers who don’t have the time (or funds) to change between work and the theatre, or those who travel frequently.
Heck, there was even a fur coat among the swimwear, which opened the show.
While the crowd of 350 media, celebrities and VIPs was smaller than previous outings, it was more than compensated for by the star-power on
‘‘It’s awesome for women to have someone [in the media] they can relate to. We are seeing it more than ever. We didn’t have that 15 or 18 years ago.’’ Karolina Kurkova
the runway, which included international models.
‘We’re on a great path’
Czech supermodel Karolina Kurkova said that, as a veteran of the competitive gymnastics and modelling worlds, she tried to impart her experience to younger women and men in the industries.
‘‘You have to take care of the trio: spirit, mind and body,’’ she said.
Kurkova, 34, has walked for Victoria’s Secret, has two children, and is about to add ‘‘contributing editor’’ for Czech Vogue to her CV.
‘‘[Magazine editing is] nothing new to me. Every time I work, I am very involved in the creative process ... otherwise you can just get a robot to do what you want,’’ she said.
‘‘I bring much more than just being in front of the camera. When I was 16, I would tell
[photographer] Patrick Demarchelier, ‘Patrick, I can do better ... one more roll [of film]’... and then they would be like, ‘You were right’. Nobody needs to push me, it’s how I am, and I want to push everyone else to be the best.’’
Kurkova, who at 16 was the youngest woman to feature on the cover of Vogue, said she was proud the fashion industry had started representing a broader range of ages on the runway and in editorial.
‘‘We’re on a great path ... it’s awesome for women to have someone [in the media] they can relate to.
‘‘We are seeing it more than ever. We didn’t have that 15 or 18 years ago.’’
Also in the parade was Anwar Hadid, younger brother to mega-models Bella and Gigi Hadid, and Sudanese-born Australian model Adut Akech, who recently closed Chanel’s show in Paris.
The reporter travelled to Sydney as a guest of David Jones.