April Tiplady takes flight

McQ resort 2014 via style.com

You know April Tiplady. The brand new Adelaide face whose grandmother bought her a Finesse Models deportment course for her 14th birthday and who, in November last year, two years later, was signed worldwide by IMG Models. Then in March - a month before making her Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia debut, walking in nine shows - she made an appearance at the Paris ready-to-wear shows and nabbed the cover of L'Officiel Singapore. Now 17, Tiplady has just popped up in the Resort 2014 lookbooks for the McQ diffusion label of British brand Alexander McQueen (above) and Italian designer Roberto Cavalli (below). And frockwriter hears she has some even bigger coups up her sleeve.

The great Gatenby - Menswear Spring/Summer 2014

james gatenby walks fendi SS14 via style.com

The Spring/Summer 2014 menswear shows are underway in Milan, with the second London Collections: Men and Pitti Uomo events just wrapped in London and Florence, respectively. The season's Paris leg starts on Wednesday. By frockwriter’s count 11 Australian men walked the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 runways in February and March this year, including several new faces such as Nathaniel Visser, Elijah Tyedmers, Saint Laurent fave Reuben Ramacher and of course James Gatenby, the Sydney Uni science major who made his international debut opening Louis Vuitton as an exclusive. So far this season, we have spotted eight ten twelve thirteen. Not to mention one Kiwi woman - frockwriter fave Holly Rose Emery, on no less than Prada's runway, in one of a handful of women's Resort 2014 looks that were thrown into the show.

'Still' by Michele Aboud at Black Eye Gallery

eloise by michele aboud

Michele Aboud is one of Australia’s most respected photographers, whose work has featured in 13 exhibitions from Toronto to Sydney. On June 12^th she will unveil her 14^th show - ‘Still’ at the Black Eye gallery in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Here is an exclusive preview.

Hanne Gaby Odiele for JASU

Hanne Gaby Odiele made a whistle stop tour of Sydney for last month's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, walking exclusively for Kym Ellery's show. The top Belgian model - who is ranked world number 34 by models.com - also shot this Australian autumn/winter 2013 lookbook campaign for the event's e-tail partner JASU. JASU specialises in Australian designers and live streamed all of MBFWA's on-site shows. Here's a first look. 

New faces: Rui Dalton

thom kerr

Holly Rose Emery and Andrej Pejic are not the only intriguing models to hail, respectively, from The Land of The Long White Cloud and the Balkans. Meet 17 year-old surfer/skater/base jumper Rui Dalton. 

Holly Rose Emery for A.D. by Haryono Setiadi

Holly Rose Emery is on a roll. The 16 year-old Aucklander who has been modelling for just one year (and who we first wrote about last August), cleaned up at last month's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, walking in 20 shows - putting her at the very top of the list of the week's top showgirls. With Dion Lee and Toni Maticevski lookbooks and the latest cover of Vogue Australia's youth-nosed online zine Miss Vogue also under her belt, Emery is due to head to New York in June to try her luck at the Resort 2014 shows. Repped in Australia by Chic Management and just signed by Chic's New York affiliate Next Models, we hear there is quite some international interest. Here is an exclusive preview of some of her other new Australian work: campaign images for the A.D. diffusion line of up-and-coming Sydney-based Indonesian-Australian designer Haryono Setiadi. 

The faces of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia SS 13/14

holly rose emery backstage at flannel SS1314

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is done and dusted for another year. Who were the top showgirls - and guys? Frockwriter asked all the major Sydney booking agencies for their top models at the event and here is the result. Yes there were a couple of high profile ring ins who flew in for show exclusives - Georgia May Jagger for Camilla and Hanne Gaby Odiele for Ellery. The list of 41 names, below, includes four other internationals (Solveig Hansen, Juliette Fazekas, Alanna Whittaker and Isabelle Sauer). Interestingly, however, the list is dominated by a plethora of new local faces who have never previously appeared at the event. Some recently profiled by frockwriter, notably Kiwi Holly Rose Emery, April Tiplady and Gabby Dover. Great to see some of Australia's biggest international runway names back in town supporting the local industry and it was no surprise at all to find Nicole Pollard, Julia Nobis and Ruby Jean Wilson at the top of the list. What is perhaps surprising is to see a newcomer such as Emery also at the very top of the list, ranked by her show numbers (not including off-schedule shows from the week before). 

Abbey Lee Kershaw - shoe drama queen

lanvin SS11 via style.com

Budding actor and soon-to-be-co-star of Mad Max: Fury Road Abbey Lee Kershaw has been taking a year-long sabbatical from the modelling world, but is about to re-emerge on the fashion stage according to her finance broker father Kim Kershaw - who is now, amusingly, also acting as her 'mother' agent in Australia. Earlier this year, Abbey Lee ditched Chic Management due to what we have on good authority was a dispute over Chic's 'mother agency' fee. That's the fee (generally 10-15percent) that a model's home market agent pockets on all future earnings in all markets, on top of booking agents fees. But Abbey Lee has not been far from the thoughts of her fans. Case in point, some behind-the-scenes footage that has just surfaced from the Lanvin Spring/Summer 2011 runway show in Paris, shot all the way back in October 2010. Kershaw's fans over at The Fashion Spot have reportedly been agog over one scene showing Kershaw in tears following a dressing down by Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz, after he observed what he describes as her "almost drunk" walk during a show rehearsal, wearing a perilous pair of Lanvin stilettos. The footage is from the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of the bi-annual French Habillé (e) s Pour documentary series by Loïc Prigent and Agnès Boulard. Originally broadcast in France in November 2010, it seems the episode recently screened on the Cinémoi North American cable channel, with the Lanvin excerpt subsequently uploaded to Vimeo by a fan. 

Frockwriter Live at MBFWA...and Frockwriter heads to Fellt

backstage at christopher esber SS1213/MBFWA

It’s that time of the year when we gather around the campfire that is Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia and celebrate – or eviscerate – fashion design from the land down under. Since this journalist’s blogging career kicked off with live coverage of the event back in 2006 at smh.com.au and we have experimented with a number of different live coverage formats in the interim (e.g. last year's Fashion Week Uncut live blog, in tandem with Emma Ashton), it’s also the time of year when we usually try to come up with a fresh format for real-time coverage. Because that's just how we roll. This year it’s a newlook Frockwriter Live, the site we launched back in 2010 through the Posterous microblogging platform. Since Posterous is due to close at the end of April (sad face), we needed to find an alternative and this is it – for the moment. The newlook Frockwriter Live was developed with Johan Bergström and Daniel Kjellsson, aka Sydney Stockholm. Which brings me to the bigger picture Frockwriter news here: yes, we are hooking up with the Swedish house mafia. 

Camilla Franks channels her inner Pachamama - MBFWA SS 13/14

Australians, we love us some colour. No kidding in the case of Camilla “kaftan queen” Franks. If the Great Barrier Reef suddenly rose from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, took on human form and headed out for dinner at Nautilus in Port Douglas, hands down it would be robed in her psychedelic resort wear, which has become a fave of Oprah, Beyoncé and Lily Allen, not to mention ram raiders. On Wednesday, Franks will unveil her “Pachamama” Spring/Summer 2013/2014 collection of womenswear, menswear, childrens wear and swimwear in Centennial Park, apparently the first fashion show to ever be staged inside the park, all part of its 125th birthday celebrations this year. The collection is named after the Pachamama goddess who is revered by indigenous tribes of the Andes and Franks has scored some rock royalty for opening honours - Georgia May Jagger, who will lead a pack of 30 models in a big budget production produced by Mark Vassallo. Justin Ridler recently shot a lookbook of the collection, which was inspired by Franks’ recent trip to South America. The setting for the shoot was Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens and the model, rising Kiwi modelling star Holly Rose Emery. Here is an exclusive preview.

Nicole Warne signs with IMG as the MBFWA Insider

via gary pepper vintage

Last year Nicole 'Gary Pepper Vintage' Warne became the first Australian blogger to walk the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia runways – modelling for the Talulah brand. As MBFWA dramatically ramps up its social media program for the Spring/Summer 2013/2014 event, which commences on Monday at the new Carriageworks venue, the twentysomething Japanese-Korean-Australian beauty is about to add a couple of other blogger firsts to her resumé.

Vogue Australia's Model Series is an IMG Models exclusive

The competition in Australia's modelling market was already heating up before IMG Models rolled into town last July. Sydney agency Chic Management was accused of "undercutting" the competition at last year's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia via the agency's "Chic Exclusive" shows featuring only Chic models. Frockwriter understands that the Chic Exclusives will continue at this year's event, which officially starts on Monday, but has kicked off already with a few off-schedule shows around town this week. Tomorrow morning's Carla Zampatti show in the Sydney CBD will feature only Chic girls. Meanwhile, IMG Models Australia has returned fire by stitching up its own big exclusive - with no less than Vogue Australia. And the other agencies are fuming. 

Showcards: eMg Models (women) - MBFWA SS 13/14

Last week frockwriter introduced new eMg Models face Mackenzie Baker – son of Hermès Australia’s head honchette Karin Upton Baker, who then wound up co-starring alongside Gemma Ward as a lead image in Saturday’s Private Sydney column on the back page of The Sydney Morning Herald. Now for eMg Models’ women’s showpack for next week’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. Of note, a brand new indigenous face.

Showcards: Priscilla's Model Management (men) - MBFWA SS 13/14

jackson rado by damon baker/priscillas

Last week we brought you the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia SS1314 girls of Priscillas Model Management – including Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio (who has yet to be booked, but we hear other internationals repped by Priscillas are en route down under). Here are the Priscillas' MBFWA boys. They include yet another European who is no stranger to the international mens runways and who, just like Nicklas Kingo, just happens to be half Australian.

Showcards: Priscilla's Model Management (women) - MBFWA SS 13/14

Could Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio really be a serious contender for the runways of next month’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia? Frockwriter was somewhat taken aback to spot the Brazilian bombshell at the head of the Priscilla's Model Management women’s show pack for the event. As we mentioned yesterday, the Oz modelling game has shifted into a new gear courtesy of last year’s arrival of IMG Models - which included some of its own big names, ie Gemma Ward and Miranda Kerr, in its show pack.

Showcards: eMg Models (men) - MBFWA SS 13/14

mackenzie baker via emg models

There is really only a handful of shows that will either star or feature menswear at next month’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (including Emma Mulholland, Vanishing Elephant, Zambesi, Han and Romance Was Born). But that hasn’t stopped Australian model agencies from putting a swag of their best new male recruits forward for castings over the next fortnight. Of note, eMg Models and its mens show pack, which includes some intriguing new faces.

Showcards: IMG Models Australia - MBFWA SS 13/14

And now to the MBFWA Spring/Summer 2013 show pack from IMG Models Australia. A collaboration between the agency, Sydney-based collage artist and model (repped by IMG Models Australia) Mason Mulholland and graphic designer/photographer Mitchell McLennan, the pack of 57 cards comes in a smart, white laser-cut perspex box. Thirty seven of the names are definitely in town for MBFWA, with the others (including Gemma Ward and Miranda Kerr) just there for promotional purposes, but theoretically available for the event by special request.

Showcards: Work Agency - MBFWA SS 13/14

kellie williams via work agency

And now to part VIII of frockwriter’s MBFWA Spring/Summer 2013/2014 model showcards series – Work Agency. Although this show pack is so far the most compact of the season, we have to say it gets top marks for presentation. Internationally, model agencies go to some effort to make their show packs stand out, tapping art directors to create innovative concepts. Not so much down under. As competition increases in this market, branding is going to be increasingly important. Heading up Work Agency's MBFWA pack is the agency's star Cassi van den Dungen, who has just returned from making her international runway debut, walking for, among others, Miu Miu.

Showcards: Viviens Model Management (men) - MBFWA SS 13/14

gene aliluev via viviens model management

Part VII in frockwriter’s MBFWA Spring/Summer 2013/2014 showcards series – the men of Viviens Model Management. Including... the world’s first model barrister?

Showcards: Viviens Model Management (women) - MBFWA SS 13/14

courtney eaton via viviens model management

Abbey Lee Kershaw has been MIA on the runways since taking some time off after shooting George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road in Namibia last year. But one of her Mad Max co-stars will be at MBFWA next month: Courtney Eaton, who heads up the womens’ show pack from Sydney agency Viviens Model Management.

Showcards: Chadwick Models (men) - MBFWA SS 13/14

nicklas kingo by brice hardelin via morphoman

Part V of frockwriter's MBFWA Spring/Summer 2013/2014 model showcards series is the men of Chadwick Models. Not only will three of this country’s top international male runway stars be in town for the event – Angus Low, Joel Meacock and Kye D’Arcy (via Chic Management) – they will be joined by another top new name in male modelling, Nicklas Kingo, who just happens to be half Australian.

Showcards: Chadwick Models (women) - MBFWA SS 13/14

nicola walsh via chadwick models

Part IV of frockwriter's MBFWA Spring/Summer 2013/2014 model showcards series: the women of Chadwick Models in Sydney. The agency's show pack includes a dozen internationals who are flying in from the US, Canada, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Malaysia; a few local faves such as Katerina Chang, Sarah Lorimer and New Zealand's Samantha Shorter; and a hell of a lot of new Australian faces, who are brand new to the event this year, some of whom we have recently covered in our New Faces series and elsewhere.

Showcards: Chic Management (men) - MBFWA SS 13/14

sam armstrong via chic management

Next up in frockwriter's MBFWA Spring/Summer 2013/2014 model showcards series: the men of Chic Management. Yesterday we brought you the Sydney agency's women's show pack, which includes some of the most successful Australian women on the international show circuit at present. The men's show pack is headed up by three of Australia's most successful male models. 

Showcards: Chic Management (women) - MBFWA SS13/14

grace simmons via chic management

And now to the second instalment of frockwriter's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Spring/Summer 2013/2014 model showcards series - a preview of the models who will be doing casting rounds in Sydney over the coming weeks, in the lead up to Australia's biggest fashion runway showcase. Chic Management usually heads into the event with a major show pack and this year is no exception. 

Reuben Ramacher covers i-D

via i-D's facebook

Frockwriter mentioned in January that new Australian face Reuben Ramacher may have even bigger things ahead of him than that month's Saint Laurent show during the Paris menswear collections. And voilà, here he is on the cover of British style bible i-D magazine, shot by Saint Laurent creative director Hedi Slimane. 

Corey Micari swaps the AFL for IMG

Nice to see one Schoolies story with a happy ending. Meet Corey Micari. The 17 year-old from Dandenong, Victoria is the 2012 winner of the MMS ['Mr and Miss Schoolies'] Model Search. Although he has no modelling experience beyond the competition and is as yet unsigned by an Australian agency, Micari has just been signed to IMG Models New York. But modelling isn't the only arena in which he has been a competitor. 

Cameron Silver: Duke of Melrose

photo: supplied by foxtel

I first met Cameron Silver at the Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2004 when he was guest speaker at the event. A cabaret singer-turned-vintage retailer, Silver operated a by that stage seven year-old boutique called Decades on LA’s Melrose Avenue and he had established himself as a go-to guru for high-end, pre-loved couture gowns from upwards of the 1920s; seducing a swag of Hollywood power stylists and their A-list clients such as Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow. Silver’s comrade-in-couture is Christos Garkinos, a former marketing manager for Disney and Virgin Megastores, who joined the business in 1999, launching what was up until 2011 an adjacent contemporary designer resale boutique called DecadesTwo, which sources pre-loved designer fare from a global network of over 3000 consignors – including many celebrities. The businesses have since merged. The duo – who have arguably peeked inside more private wardrobes than anyone on the planet - are the stars of Bravo’s brand new reality show Dukes of Melrose which debuted on Foxtel’s Arena channel in Australia last night at 10.00pm. Part of Arena’s new triple fashion reality show bill for Thursday nights, the show follows straight after The Rachel Zoe Project (Season V) and It’s a Brad, Brad World (Season II). I have also watched a further three episodes and it’s as funny as hell. I caught up with Silver earlier this week to yack about the show, vintage, “insane” and “unscrupulous” red carpet politics - and what kind of milk Catherine Deneuve takes in her coffee.

In Vogue: Cassi van den Dungen

Frockwriter recently revealed that Cassi van den Dungen had her first editorial coming up in Vogue Australia – 16 pages no less. Hot on the heels of her international runway debut for Giles Deacon and Miu Miu, here is a sneak peek of the issue, which is due out on Monday. Expensive? At $19,000 for this Chanel dress, van den Dungen should do her former Australia's Next Top Model colleague Alex Perry proud. 

Showcards: The Agency Models - MBFWA SS13/14

maddison watling by romain duquesne

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is less than a month away and the preliminary schedule has just gone up (click here to download). Who will rock its runways? Herewith the first instalment in frockwriter's MBFWA showcards series from Australia’s leading model agencies. First up, Sydney's The Agency Models.

Abbey Lee Kershaw and Our Mountain get censored by YouTube and Facebook

screen cap from 'iv horses' via dancing daughters records' vimeo

Abbey Lee Kershaw has been MIA on the world’s fashion runways for two seasons, having recently gone on modelling hiatus to shoot her first feature, Mad Max: Fury Road. And now it seems she can't even get a break on Facebook and YouTube, with some recent artistic efforts by Kershaw and her band apparently banned by the social media giants. 

Snow blind - Australians on the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 runways

Another show season bites the dust. As per usual, frockwriter has been following the Australian model story as the season rolled from New York to London to Milan to Paris (and interesting to see the mainstream Australian media also keeping close tabs on model movements). So far we have counted 31 Australian faces, which is not far off the all-time record of 38. And a dramatic increase on the 19 from the last season in September/October. Not bad, considering the freezing northern winter and notably, New York’s Snow Storm Nemo – which Julia Nobis described to us during New York Fashion Week as like “Flying snow resembling a washing machine on spin cycle. Needless to say, I now have the flu! Thanks Nemo, Jolly good times”.

Australia's next top Miu Miu

miu miu FW1314 via wwd.com

Cassi van den Dungen missed out on winning Australia’s Next Top Model in 2009. But she has just achieved something that has so far proven beyond the grasp of any actual winners of the high rating Australian reality show: she just walked the Miu Miu show in Paris.

Valentina Sykes touches down in Paris - but not at Balenciaga

valentina sykes (R) backstage at john galliano FW1314 via fashionising

When we spotted this recent Sun Herald story about 17 year-old Sydney model Valentina Sykes being "optioned" as they say in the model biz as a potential "exclusive" for last week's Balenciaga show at Paris Fashion Week, we felt the need to Tweet: "one way of reducing your chances of getting a balenciaga exclusive - talking about it beforehand". Sykes did wind up making her international runway debut in Paris, although not for the super prestige Balenciaga show, rather, John Galliano - the namesake line of Christian Dior's disgraced creative director, which is owned by Dior parent LVMH and continues on without him under the direction of Bill Gaytten. Of course any major Paris show is a great get. But the moral to this story is: never count your fashion chickens before they're hatched.  

New faces: Jazmine Hikaka

thom kerr

Gemma Ward was first spotted sitting on the floor of a television studio in Perth in October 2002, on hand to support some mates who were trying out for Search For A Supermodel. Sixteen year old Gold Coaster Jazmine Hikaka has a strikingly similar reality show connection. 

Zimmermann swaps MBFWA for New York Fashion Week

krystal glynn backstage at zimmermann SS1213

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is counting down to the Spring/Summer 2013/2014 showcase from April 8 -12 at its brand new venue, Carriageworks. That’s nearly a month ahead of the event’s traditional time slot of late April/early May, a change that was made last year after concerns were raised by many in the industry that the timing was too late for contemporary buying cycles. But it seems you can’t keep everyone happy.

April Tiplady covers L'Officiel Singapore

She just walked her first runway - closing the Paris Fashion Week show of edgy Japanese designer Junya Watanabe on Saturday. Now April Tiplady has scored her first cover.

Paris is burning - Fall/Winter 2013/2014

april tiplady closes junya watanabe FW1314 via wwd.com

Frockwriter was out at dinner last night when we received a call from Brigette Mitchell, director of Adelaide's Finesse Models, direct from a "freezing" Paris. "April just did her very first fashion show" said Mitchell proudly. "She hasn't even walked in a fashion show in Adelaide, but she just closed Junya Watanabe". April Tiplady - that's the 16 year old whose grandmother paid for a grooming course at the same agency two years earlier in the hope of boosting the confidence of her gangly grand-daughter. Last November, literally just signed to Finesse and with no modelling experience, Tiplady was signed by IMG Models worldwide (i.e. all its international agencies). Now she is a card-carrying member of the Australian model delegation at the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 show season. 

Factory girl

cameron hammond

Maddison Watling currently loads clothes onto trucks at a western suburbs factory for a living. Another brand new face from Sydney agency The Agency Models, we have a hunch she might be considering different type of fashion gig in future.

New faces: Sinead Ann

thom kerr

The Fall/Winter 2013/2014 shows rolled on to Paris this week and Australia's modelling delegation continues its assault on the season. Brisbane's Nicole Pollard nabbed the biggest show of the week - Balenciaga - while comeback queen Catherine McNeil added Dries van Noten, Balmain, Lanvin, Nina Ricci and Barbara Bui to her show list - opening and closing the latter two. Australians remain very much on the radar of international casting directors and it seems that everybody wants to know who the new girls are. The Agency Models in Sydney has a new name to throw into the ring in a couple of seasons' time: Sinead Ann.

When Andrej Pejic met David Bowie

via david bowie's facebook

And now to the big Andrej Pejic news to which we alluded on Friday. No, not his fake wedding at a Las Vegas Pop Up Chapel, a new music video in which Pejic has a rather significant cameo role. Three years after Pejic channelled David Bowie for his first major international fashion editorial in Vogue Paris, fashion's androgynous superstar has teamed up with the original gender bender himself for Bowie's new single The Stars (Are Out Tonight). 

Andrej Pejic's Pop Up wedding

via bullshit_be_mine's instagram

Well we've seen him in enough wedding dresses. On November 19 last year, a fortnight after Andrej Pejic was, amusingly, banned by the Victoria Racing Club from wearing a Princess Beatrice tribute hat to the Melboune Cup Carnival - telling frockwriter that he intended to "save the vagina hat for my wedding" - he changed his Facebook relationship status to "engaged" to his boyfriend of the past year, Rembrandt 'Remy' Duran. "It's a joke....for now" Pejic told us at the time. Now he's taken it one step further.

Major Duomo

nicole pollard backstage at gucci FW1314 via stylebistro.com

And so to the mid-way point of the Fall/Winter 2013/2014 show season: Milan. Top designers notwithstanding, it’s not that hard to book a show or presentation in New York, where around 300 usually take place each season. London is a great fashion week, but even Julia Nobis skipped it altogether this season. Milan and Paris, however, are the money cities where the biggest luxury brands and opportunities lie. And on day one of Milan Fashion Week three Australian models were spotted in shows: Nobis, Catherine McNeil and Nicole Pollard. Just a reminder that Pollard had barely registered on the international circuit this time last year (she did 10 low profile shows at New York Fashion Week in September 2011). But after a prestigious haute couture debut walking for Christian Dior last July, followed by all of Dior’s subsequent shows, Dior’s Spring/Summer 2013 advertising campaign and some top shows in New York two weeks ago, there was Pollard in Gucci’s all-star model cast overnight - alongside Nobis and the world numbers 1 and 2 Joan Smalls and Karlie Kloss. In less than 18 months, Pollard has become one of the big girls. UPDATE 22/02: She can now add Fendi to her show list. And Catherine McNeil can add Prada to hers. 

Citizens Kane

christophe kane FW1314 via wwd.com

First Gabby Dover was 'blessed by Victoria Beckham', making her international runway debut at Beckham's Victoria, Victoria Beckham show at New York Fashion Week last week, a matter of mere weeks after signing up with Sydney model agency Priscillas. Now Dover has been booked as a London Fashion Week exclusive by one of that city's hottest new designers, Christopher Kane. Only increasing the buzz factor of Kane's camo de luxe show overnight was the fact that last month, he sold a 51 percent stake of his company to French luxury goods conglomerate PPR, the parent of, among other brands, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney. But there is a connection between the Beckham and Kane shows which could mean even bigger things for Dover - not to mention the four other Australians cast in Kane's show. 

Comeback queens - London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013/2014

cassi van den dungen backstage at giles FW1314 via style.com

London Fashion Week is in full swing and the ranks of the Aussie model posse have swollen – from 15 at the New York shows to at least 20 22 23 24 by our count. Who’s on deck? New to the circuit this season are Jess Gold, Eva Downey, Amanda Ware, Kye d’Arcy, Stephanie Carta, Rhianna Porter, Kaila Hart, Lola van Vorst and, perhaps the biggest surprise of all, Cassi van den Dungen, who is finally making her move on the international runways (and who changed her original plans to head straight from London to Paris on Monday after a callback from Love magazine editor - and Giles Deacon stylist -  Katie Grand). Carta, meanwhile, a Balenciaga fave five years ago, has been out of action for so long her Fashion Spot thread has not been updated in 14 months. In addition to Saturday night’s International Woolmark Prize show, she has popped up in a number of top shows, including Richard Nicoll, Antonio Berardi and L’Wren Scott. 

Cassi van den Dungen makes her move

stephen ward via dion lee's facebook

Cassi van den Dungen fans will no doubt be thrilled to hear that the next instalment of the Cassi saga is.... she just made her international runway debut at London Fashion Week, walking for Australian fashion star Dion Lee in the International Woolmark Prize show overnight. Lee lost out to Belgium's Christian Wijnants, but the whole exercise was a fantastic promotional opportunity for Lee and all the other contestants, not to mention van den Dungen, who strutted her stuff in front of a prestigious judging panel headed up by no less than Diane von Furstenberg, Donatella Versace and Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani. 

Christian Wijnants wins the International Woolmark Prize

hugh stewart/australian wool innovation

Congratulations are due to Belgium's Christian Wijnants, who has just been awarded the International Woolmark Prize in London. Competing against finalists from five other countries - Dion Lee, Sophie Theallet, DressedUndressed, Pankaj& Nidhi and Ban Xiao Xue - Wijnants was awarded the AUD 100,000 grand prize by a prestigious judging panel that included Diane von Furstenberg, Donatella Versace, Victoria Beckham and Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani. Wijnants' Australian merino capsule collection will now head into production and be stocked by international retailers including Bergdorf Goodman in New York, London's Harvey Nichols, Milan's 10 Corso Como, China's Joyce, Germany's Eickoff and Australia's David Jones.