"Is Fashion Art?  Is Art Fashion?  Fashion and art are amalgamating whichever way you look at it.  The two are becoming so intertwined that it makes sense for us to bring you the combined visual experience.  A sculpture, a painting or a photograph seen in a gallery can become the inspiration for a fashion designer, spring boarding the creation of an entire collection."

So said the programme, and throughout Elle boutique in Nedlands at Tuesday evening's 'The Art of Fashion' event, art and fashion interfused with paintings, including an acrylic on linen made specifically for the Elle Art + Fashion event by Patrick Doherty (I am a Wolf and my son is a Tiger Cub 2010), heavily bejewelled statement necklaces laying flat on a bed of stones like a mosiac or still-life under glass and about six or so single shoes effectively displayed in what looked like upturned fish-bowls.  Elle had had all racks of clothing removed rendering it more of a gallery space than a boutique.

The fashion was styled by Michelle Jank, with hair by Lee Wallis Hairdressing.  Art was from Goddard de Fiddes Gallery.

All in all, apart from some of the very high and very narrow stiletto heels, the fashions shown were very wearable and looked absolutely stunning on the models.  Styles ranged from a sexy, backless, to the floor black dress consisting of dozens of zips holding it together in a unstructured manner to a dainty yet strong 1940s inspired calf-length dress to a fully embellished with colourful stones cropped jacket.  There were some stretch leather pants (which didn't really look like leather), that would be one of the items in your wardrobe that you could imagine just living in.  The model was wearing them with the back of the pants pulled down underneath her heel. 

Now please accept my apologies for the ghastly quality of the photos...they were taken with my Blackberry, and in future, we'll snap with a proper camera!

But they will have to do and we hope you can get a little glimpse of some of the most gorgeous and colourful dresses and outfits presented by Elle.

 

Here are some:

 

 

 

 

Isn't this a fabulous change from black? Worn beautifully by the very tall Sarah Pauley (face of Perth Fashion Festival 2010).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loved this full-length silk kaftan.  Overheard a few ladies commenting that they could wear this poolside (though they weren't sure if they could pull off the turban look).  Absolutely striking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now this demure dress and jacket made me think of Kitty Sullivan!  The shoes worn with this outfit were a conservative creamy/beige court shoe with quite a high, but not excessively so, heel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the shoes, bar one pair of flats worn by Sarah Pauley, were around the height of this heel; some had fabric or ribbon laced up the front (one white pair in particular made an impression) and many had an enclosed heel like the pair seen here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sleeves on this top were an interesting design and a feature of this outfit. 

 

Hats, like the one shown here, and other headwear including brightly coloured fascinators were worn throughout the parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elle boutique is on the corner of Weld Street and Stirling Highway Nedlands, and stocks international and Australian designers.  The owner, Wendy Marshall, has long been a mentor to and supporter of up and coming designers.

56 Weld St Nedlands WA 6009
08 9386 6868
www.elleonline.com.au

 

To see more fashion at Flourish online, you may like this, or this or a behind the scenes short video of a Flourish photo shoot.