On a secret journey across the streets of Melbourne, fashion meets art in a unique cultural experience as part of L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) 2012.
This year’s event presents ‘Windows by Design’, where spectators traverse Melbourne’s CBD to uncover emepheral spaces in an eclectic coupling of iconic designers and retailers.
“LMFF Windows by Design partners key retailers with local design talent from a range of creative industries to collaborate and develop incredible, eye catching and engaging window displays,” says LMFF officials.
This initiative, presented by the City of Melbourne, is a highlight of the LMFF Cultural Program, which runs alongside premier runway shows featuring Australia’s established and emerging designers.
According to Chairman of LMFF, Laura Anderson, the festival boosts profits of bricks and mortar retailers, contributing $63 million to the state economy in 2010.
Bright musical instruments at David Jones Bourke Street Mall. Photo: Elite News Now
Dotted throughout Melbourne’s retail heartland are captivating creations of tribal geometric artefacts, rustic trumpets bursting with peony blossoms, a lone swan amid vintage scientific beakers, and designer fire-engine-red handbags dangling from cranes.
Sarah Parkes, one of 12 participating artists, transformed David Jones’ window display with an arc of cascading timber chairs and cobalt blue rope macramé.
“Sarah creates shapes and patterns from twisting and knotting rope, which transform into lights and decorative hangings,” says LMFF officials.
Her unique creations stand alongside multi-coloured mannequins modelling floral suits from Lisa Ho to nude wedges from Easton Pearson.
Bernadette Trela luminous sky paintings at Scanlan and Theodore. Photo: Elite News Now
In another series of installations across the hidden gems of Melbourne’s artsy laneways, Bernadette Trela’s abstract sky paintings illuminate the windows of Scanlan and Theodore.
Melbourne is brought to life in this month of fashion.