Gladiators of the high-low shoe biz, Myer salutes you!

givenchy backstage, paris, 03/10/07

I thought something looked awfully familiar about the fetish footwear on Myer's runway on Wednesday night. And look, yes I know, every man and his dog has been doing some sort of gladiator shoe or boot of late. It's definitely a trend with, er, legs. One that's been running in fact for several years now.

But something really resonated with me vis-a-vis that specific gladiator shoe boot which appeared in several early sections of the show. Including the opener, Jennifer Hawkins' pretty new Cozi swimwear collection:


news.com.au/charlie brewer

According to the show program (and confirmed by one of the show's stylists) the shoe in question was made by Sachi, the budget Australian shoe brand.

The reason why it looked so familiar was not just because of the omnipresent gladiator trend. There were some quite specific design features.

The heavy ankle cuff with a chunky ankle strap.

The oversized buckle.

The intricate, interwoven straps covering the front of the foot.

The cone heel.

Then I had an epiphany. It started with the letter G.

The Sachi shoe bore an uncanny resemblance to a gladiator shoe boot presented last October in Paris by French luxury brand Givenchy for Spring/Summer 2008:



I had eyeballed the Givenchy shoe, alongside numerous other gladiator boots, at close range backstage during the show.

I photographed the shoes and then blogged a post on Givenchy's gladiator-inspired footwear.




As for the Sachi shoe, you can just see the details in Charlie Brewer's Myer runway pic above. However I managed to find a close-up of what I believe could be the shoe in question on the blog of Oz shoe guru Imelda, who previewed Sachi's SS0809 collection:


imelda

Givenchy’s gladiatorial SS08 shoe collection has proven a celeb hit over the northern summer, snapped on everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow to Charlize Theron and Rihanna.

Outside Australia, Barneys and Shopbop were selling Givenchy's gladiator shoe boot for US$995-1000. According to Imelda, nothing in the Sachi collection is over A$219.95.

Sachi's prices are of course a far cry from those of the European luxury brands which Myer also offers its customers. A case in point Givenchy. Which, funnily enough, Myer also sells.

Even funnier are the following Myer program credits which accompanied other segments of Wednesday's show.

The dresses in the Nevenka and Arabella Ramsay sections were teamed with a "Givenchy demi wedge".

Accompanying Wayne Cooper's white tuxedo suit was a, wait for it:

"Givenchy gladiator flat"

Front-of-house Myer

While David Jones looks to be hoping for a trapeze-led recovery for spring/summer 0809, Myer is banking on maxi dresses, marigolds and Maximus. As in Gladiator (sandals). Oh, and a bit of feng shui. Centre stage at last night's show was a giant, revolving "sun disc", as Myer dubbed it. It reminded frockwriter of a gargantuan gold coin - and the Chinese penchant for taping good luck coins to cash registers. With Australian consumer confidence recently dropping to a 16 year-low, hell, you can't blame Myer for trying every trick in the book, can you?

I liked Myer's last spring/summer show, with its state-of-the-art staircase backdrop. Of the two department store presentations that season, Myer's earned my vote for best show.



But in my personal opinion, for what it's worth, the staging of this Myer show was daft. And the lack of good quality photos of the show seems to be testament to that.

A giant, revolving disc covered in metallic strips which reflect spotlights back into camera lenses as the disc turns, obviously seemed like a brilliant idea to someone for a show backdrop [Alistair Thomson and Amanda Henderson, according to the show credits - from memory, the same team responsible for the SS0708 show].



The worst aspect was however the choreography.

Instead of walking down a traditional runway, or a version thereof [even Versace is using a circular runway these days], models were constantly battling Myer's spinning sun disc for runway visibility.

There was no clear "end" of runway in front of the photographer's pit - just a patch facing the pit, on which models seemed to be left to their own posing devices.

The pros - like Alexandra Agoston - knew exactly what they were doing. The others, did as best as they could.



Sometimes the models stopped, but more often than not they just kept on walking. Kate Sylvester and Yeojin Bae are two of the labels whose clothes were almost impossible to photograph for this reason.

And it wasn't just amateur photographers such as yours truly who were complaining.

"Don't get me started" fumed the photo editor of one of Australia's biggest media outlets immediately after the show.

"It was like trying to shoot an Olympic event" lamented another snapper.

As for the clothes, the dress still reigns supreme. Some of the prettiest were from Rosemary Masic's folkloric-nosed Nevenka label:



There were a lot of maxidresses, the best from Mad Cortes, Yeojin Bae, Charlie Brown and Leona Edmiston, the latter two labels bursting with vivid colour and florals, another big SS0809 trend.



Whether the maxi dress trend completely maxed out last summer remains to be seen. Maxi dresses were all over the streets of Australian cities over summer, offered at highend boutiques right down to Supre, which had scores of cheap floral jersey versions.





Myer also had some smock and trapeze dresses, although not nearly as many as David Jones (at least on the runway). Karen Walker is still apparently offering them, both in her signature line and the Hi There diffusion line she is doing with Myer. Wayne Cooper had some pretty versions.

Some of the eveningwear looked drab, which is bizarre given the calibre of the designers, three cases in point Nicola Finetti, Maticevski and Jayson Brunsdon. I can't help thinking that this had more to do with the Tony Bartuccio staging (and styling - sunglasses with eveningwear?), than the clothes themselves.

Brunsdon:



Hugo Boss did look good however. As did Carla Zampatti:



Notable first-timers to Myer's show included Armani Jeans ("As of today it's in Myer - tell me what you think after the show" noted Giorgio Armani Australia general manager Mary Chiew, en route into the venue).

Also, Little Joe by Gail Elliott - who has just migrated from what Elliott described to me last night as a nondescript "rack" of her clothes at David Jones, to a Little Joe by Gail Elliott concept boutique within Myer.

Not to mention Melbourne It girl Arabella Ramsay. It was great to see Ramsay's collection on Myer's runway last night:



Ramsay is one of my favourite new Australian labels and I was disappointed to see her miss Australian Fashion Week's SS0809 season earlier this year.

Ramsay's summer offerings include sweet floral shorts, blouses and dresses, worked back with sultry leather vests and gilets.



Kate Moss would probably love this label if she knew about it.

Backstage @ Myer

Long time no post.... Apologies, I've been tied up with deadlines. But I did pop into the second 'store wars' salvo of the Australian SS0809 season launch: last night's Myer show. No Miranda Kerr of course, but in her place Jennifer 'Hawko' Hawkins. Also, top Oz catwalkers Alexandra Agoston, who we saw at David Jones three weeks ago and Tallulah Morton (^) - who we saw at DJs' AW08 show in February, but not the spring/summer show because, in the interim, under-18s were given their marching orders by DJs.

As this blog has been pointing out for the past month, Morton has much bigger fashion fish to fry than David Jones.

Such as Jean Paul Gaultier, the Cobrasnake, the NY model hype machine, not to mention the spring/summer 2009 runway shows, which kick off Friday week in New York.

Indeed judging by her "PARI$" T-shirt last night, Morton seems to know only too well where the big fashion money lies.

Here are a few shots I managed to snap in between sneaking in backstage before the show started - and being ushered out the back door.

More to come.

Model revheads: Dad and Orlando bonded over bikes

inco/fame pictures


It’s great for designers, and models, to be able to have their nearest-and-dearest with them at fashion shows. The only problem is keeping them away from the press. In Miranda Kerr’s case, after Tuesday night’s DJs show, there were 15 family members in tow. I had a quick chat with dad John Kerr - who revealed there was a little more to the story surrounding those motorcycle pics of Miranda’s bf Orlando Bloom that were shot at Dare Jennings' Sydney motorbike shop Deux ex Machina in May (^).


Is this the first runway show of Miranda’s that you’ve seen?
John Kerr: It’s the first big one that I’ve been to.

Which other shows have you seen?
I’m not sure. Not too many. Only on tv. Like everybody else, sit in the armchair and watch.

It’s a long way from Gunnedah.
Yeah, it’s not too bad. I drove down here last Sunday. Had dinner and breakfast with Miranda and then drove home.

There are quite a few famous Gunnedah girls. One bagged a Packer.
There is. Yes, that’s right.

And one might bag a Bloom?
Yeah, no… there’s some famous people that have come out of the area. There’s also sports people…

So, something in the water?
Must be (chuckles).

Miranda has had a fantastic career.
Oh yeah, yeah… It’s been amazing for her, yes.

She started when she was so young.
Yes she did. It was mainly for Dolly. And then she went and finished school. So she did year 11 and 12. And that’s when she really started to model full-time.

So you have your whole family here?
Pretty much.

How many people are here?
Fifteen of us all up.

Who’s here?
I’ve got my mum and dad. My sister and there’s some other cousins, Therese’s brother and sister-in-law and nephews and nieces.

So a whole family affair.
Pretty much.


john kerr with wife therese and miranda after tuesday night's show

Is there a David Jones in Gunnedah?
No. There might be soon!

Where is the nearest DJs?
I think you’ve got to go to Newcastle. There was one in Tamworth, but I think they closed it down. But yeah, they’re saying they’re opening up a few stores around the place.

And what do you think about Orlando?
He’s a nice guy.

When was the last time you saw him?
The last time I saw him was when he was here. Back a couple of months ago. We went motorbike riding together.

Did you? Where?
We went down south of here. Just trying to think of the place. It’s where they hold some motorbike riding…south of Sydney.

So some sort of competition?
No, no - just him and I.

What sort of bikes?
We rode Yamahas, KDMs, stuff like that.

Do you like motorbikes?
I like riding motorbikes.

What was Orlando like on a bike?
He was good.

How long were you riding bikes for?
All my life.

No I meant how long were you and Orlando riding bikes for?
Oh all day. Yep, all day.

So you hung out, had a few beers?
Yeah, yeah… no it was good.

Does he seem like a bit of a hellraiser to you?
No not really. Pretty sort of down to earth guy. I wouldn’t call him a hellraiser.

Noone had any stacks?
No, not at all. We had special guides. Actually training us how to ride better. So that was good. Because even though I’ve ridden motorbikes all my life, you don’t know everything. You can still teach an old dog new tricks.

Miranda Kerr: I was a teenage political pawn

1997 dolly scan via vogue.com.au


Had a (very) quick chat with new David Jones fashion ambassador Miranda Kerr after last night’s show. I was particularly interested in her take on the recent decision by DJs to ban under-18 models from its runway show. I thought Kerr would be well-placed to comment on the subject given that she made her modelling debut in Dolly at the age of 13 (see above scan^), in a blaze of controversy.

Sadly I am unable to quickly locate the original print stories from 1997. I was however working in current affairs television at the time and I recall the "child porn" outcry.

There is a quote that is widely attributed to Kerr on matter, on the net – the exact origin of which is unclear.

The quote appears on many modelling sites and on what appears to be a Victoria's Secret fan site, under Kerr's Victoria's Secret Angel profile.

Here is the quote:

“They were blowing out [sic] of proportion. In the media at the time they were trying to cling on to anything remotely to do with paedophilia. Dolly is a magazine for teenage girls, not for old men. And I was fully clothed! Doing a winter shoot! They just made something out of nothing.”

The Australia Institute appears to have a slightly different opinion on the subject of children in advertising - even when the children are advertising childrens' clothes.

In its 2006 discussion paper Corporate Paedophilia: Sexualisation of Children in Australia, the Institute pointed the finger at several retailers over marketing material which featured children.

David Jones dropped legal action against the Institute in May 2008.


kerr rocking alex perry last night



Here is the i/v with Kerr done backstage last night, before Kerr was whisked away to other duties.


David Jones recently introduced a ban for under-18 models. You yourself started modelling at 13.
Miranda Kerr: I wasn’t doing fashion parades at that age. I was modelling for magazines that were targetted for young girls.

There was a lot of controversy at the time.
There was. That was running in the media at the time. There were people running for Senate and they were using me as a platform to enhance their own careers basically.

Gemma Ward started her career at 15 – she was in at least one David Jones show.
The thing is that I was always at school and I never let modelling interfere with school and I just modelled for Dolly magazine, which was a young girls’ magazine at the time. I was two weeks off 14.

Do you think girls should be modelling at 14?
Well I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with it. But I think the reason why David Jones has said ‘We’re not having them for the runway show...’ is because, for the runway show, their target audience is women and adults. So that’s why they’ve chosen adults to model for them. So it makes sense to choose adults [who are] over 18.

Front-of-house David Jones

Times might be tough, retail sales might have fallen by their biggest margin in six years and almost half of David Jones market value might have been wiped in 2008, but you couldn't wipe the smiles off the DJs crew last night at the SS0809 season launch.

With the exception of Collette Dinnigan's bodycon glitter finale, DJs looks to be hoping for a trapeze-led recovery.

The trapeze-line shift, voluminous babydoll, sack or smock has been on the retail horizon for well over twelve months. Consumers couldn't buy enough of them - much to the chagrin of many men, who decried their tent-like appeal as sexless. Some hoped to see the back of this trend.

But I lost count of the trapeze shapes last night at DJs.



Even DJs group general manager for apparel, cosmetics, footwear and accessories Colette Garnsey was rocking a hot pink Akira trapeze dress. Here's Garnsey with general manager womenswear David Bush, incoming fashion ambassador Miranda Kerr and the incumbent Megan Gale at the post-show press call:



Searing colour was also big news, the maxidress trend is not going away (as we saw at the Australian Fashion Week SS0809 shows in April), ditto florals, embellishment (even for men), feminine ruffles, a touch of Techno Tribal, leggings and 50s-look full skirts.




With not only the world's tenth highest-earning model as the retailer's new fashion ambassador, but also top international catwalker Alexandra Agoston and hot newcomers Sarah Stephens, Louise van der Vorst and Rachel Rutt, DJs' runway lineup was impressive.

Sarah Stephens:



Rachel Rutt:



Some of the other models did not seem terribly confident at all however. Some also looked a lot older than those models which the fashion crowd is used to seeing in most runway presentations, both in Australia and overseas.

Given that DJs recently banned under-18s from the show - when in seasons past it has employed models at least as young as 15 - that's hardly surprising.










Dinnigan's finale was particularly strong. Of course, she showed embellished cocktail dresses - that's her signature.

But these versions seemed shorter, sharper and more bodycon than ever before. The dresses reminded me of the Flapper showgirl costumes in Chicago.