Our LMFF guest blogger finishes up her coverage with the show we've all been waiting for - the National Graduate Showcase presented by Sportsgirl!

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

How to sum up L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival?

Keeping pace in high heels and maxi skirts slashed to the thigh; sipping champagne on a boat with a cold wind whipping across the water; seated shoulder-to-shoulder on a crowded pew clutching a phone, a camera, a program and a bag, trying to snap and Tweet and Instagram the runway all at once. Fashion is exhausting, don’t you know?

Throughout the week I was asked one question on countless occasions: which show was your favourite? The answer was the same every time. The Sportsgirl Graduate Showcase.

Now, under the circumstances, you might think I’m biased. Reader, I am not. While every other show was beautiful and exciting in its own way, the Graduate Showcase was the only presentation where everything shown was new. Fresh. Entirely unexpected. Another thought: where do I go to buy these extraordinary pieces? Well Sportsgirl have you covered - stay tuned for which of the following designers will get to have their collections brought to life as part of the ongoing "Graduates" collections next year!

Anna Langdon - "Kitschfolk und Kindheit"

Australian kitsch combined with German folk in Anna Langdon’s exuberant collection. Avian motifs from the German cuckoo (of cuckoo clock fame) to the native rosella were splashed across colourful knitwear for both men and women. Alpine-meets-Australiana? Well, why not.

Chris Ran Lin – "Conflict and Fusion"

A menswear collection focused on sculptural knits and the play of proportions – Chris Ran Lin impressed with technical aptitude and a cohesive vision. Shades of blue from cobalt to navy dominated the collection, offset with splashes of yellow, ochre, tan. A suit jacket with laser-cut patterns through the back was a standout.

Sally Edwards- "Boys and Girls Are Choice"

In a collection inspired by the heyday of the punk movement, Sally Edwards experimented with top-to-toe tartan looks. Using traditional tailoring (such as the three-piece suit), Edwards’ print-on-print aesthetic was right on trend.

Rica Hardian – "Geogami"

Geometry meets origami with spectacular results. Rica Hardian’s hypnotic patterns and architectural shapes make a strong argument that bolder is better. The gentle art of origami just got a neon makeover.

Stephanie McPherson – "Fragments"

Fragments of broken plates inspired Stephanie McPherson’s collection, in what was one of my personal highlights of the Graduate Showcase. On a cool, white backdrop, McPherson played with digital prints that might have been strange blooms or crystals or simply abstractions. The incredibly sharp pleats made me swoon.

Amelia Agosta – "Engineered Distortion"

An armour-like collection that drew on volume and sculptural shapes – Amelia Agosta is definitely one to watch. Having interned with Dion Lee and nominated for a SOYA award alongside established designers like Michael Lo Sordo and Trimapee, Agosta’s collection made stunning use of wool and silk organza juxtaposed with ultra-modern materials like neoprene and 3D printed nylon.

Courtney White – "Utopian Regime"

Looking to the Russian Revolution of 1917 for inspiration, Courtney White’s collection employed bloody hues of burgundy, wine and crimson and imposing military/industrial shapes. From a sweeping leather trench coat to dramatic woollen capes, White’s vision was direct and impressively executed.

Anisha Bhoyro – "Precious Threads"

From the aggressively masculine to the exquisitely feminine – Anisha Bhoyro’s elegant pieces were designed to flatter the female form. Instead of using traditional cut-and-sew techniques, Bhoyro developed a system of pulling individual threads to create pleat and pucker the fabric into the desired shape. Innovative and entirely wearable.

Tayler Ainley – "Alpha/Bravo"

Using pattern pieces borrowed from model aeroplanes, Taylor Ainley’s conceptual collection pushed the boundaries of fashion and flew into the realm of wearable art. The unfolding, LED-lit, all white ensemble? Marvellous.

Laura Huishan Li – "Wind Blown"

I’ve mentioned before how much I love leather, so it should come as no surprise that Laura Huishan Li’s collection was one of my highlights. An inventive rendering of windswept garments recreated in moulded leather, Li’s range evoked mysticism and mystery with hooded figures, diaphanous robes and armour-like breastplates.

Natalia Grzybowski – "Hybrid"

Natalia Grzybowski is, as far as I’m concerned, the next bright star of the Australian design scene. Her exquisitely constructed garments with vibrant botanical prints left me speechless (I love it when that happens) and would not look out of place stocked at any world-class luxury store.

Ju Young Seo – "Blossoming"

Florals were definitely a recurring motif at the Graduate Showcase, and Ju Yeong Seo’s take was particularly lovely. Using fabric cut into individual petals, garments had a delicate, fragile quality enhanced by a palette of cream, white and blush. The closing look, splashed with crimson, provided a stunning counterpoint to the otherwise ethereal collection.

And that’s a wrap of my L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival experience. Big love to Sportsgirl for having me, and to you, for reading.

This is Nadia, signing off. xx

A big thank you to Nadia for her wonderful coverage and the team at LMFF for a fantastic festival. Did you miss any of Nadia's blog posts? Click here for posts one and two.