Young + Free for 1% Glue

Dear friends, I recently entered the 1% Glue Fashion Design competition, and would actually die of heaven if you could go to this website:
http://www.onepercentglue.com/vote
and "like" (you need a facebook account, which is a bit blergh) my collection, Young + Free by Anusha Rutnam.

Here is my collection, oh lordy I hope you like it.

TAFE Ultimo's 2012 Applied Fashion Presentation

In late 2012 I attended the catwalk presentation of designs by students from TAFE Ultimo's Applied Fashion Design and Technology course. I left the show with a plan to blog about it straight away. Four months later and here we are.

The best thing about the show was how dramatically varied the different collections were. For example one minute this gorgeously subtle dress by Emma Noord came down the runway. (Dove grey and daffodil yellow? That's a dream combo, right there.)  -

Nek minnit you've got Cassilda Parkinson's heavenly creatures gracing the catwalk:

There was a definite other-worldly vibe in the room when, during rehearsals, Parkinson's models sauntered past backstage. It was like being present as an emissary of wood nymphs had entered the room. I'm pretty sure I heard the distant tinkling of wind chimes and smelled orange blossom on a mysterious breeze.

Ahem, going on... Anna Priestly's collection was another stand out, with a fantastic Saint Augustine Academy vibe:

I cannot overstate the effectiveness of dressing a row of tall, attractive women in dark glasses. It's just so cool and intimidating.

And speaking of cool, I give huge props to Rosanna De Couvreur for her fearless swimwear collection:

Everything about it was just shockingly good. I can't get enough of the Magritte bathers. Here is a woman who understands that high fashion is all about the bush.

My absolute favourite collection, however, came from Zenji Kato - and this despite my total incomprehension/ fear of menswear:

I feel like such a geek being even tempted to use the term "Japanese avante-garde", but I mean, if the deconstructed half-blazer fits, right? And even though I would count Rei Kawakubo and Shinichiro Arakawa as being among Kato's aesthetic forebears, I also really feel like he's bringing something wonderfully new to the table. What else do you want?

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Jessica Stam walking for Prada in Milan produced my favourite moment from the Fall 2013 Ready To Wear shows so far.

It's all about the hair. Which is particularly impressive given that just weeks ago Stam was shooting off some pretty unacceptable Carol Brady vibes:

The Prada moment sent me into full-on "this looks like this" mode (which, as a fashion blogger, is totally my wont). The first example to come to mind was Taina Elg in George Cukor's 1957 film Les Girls:

Next up is the incomparable Leslie Caron as she appeared in The Glass Slipper (1955):

It is with Stam, Elg and Caron in mind that I issue this decree; Forthwith, off-the-shoulder garments may only be worn by women with pixie haircuts. Furthermore, women with pixie haircuts may only wear off-the shoulder-garments. So let it be written, so it shall be done.