SYDNEY: Bowie Wong is preparing to transport Australian Fashion Week delegates to the sun-drenched lawns of a French chateau.
The Australian womenswear designer, who will showcase his trans-seasonal 2007/08 collection at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week today, describes his latest range as an ode to "daughters of wealthy aristocrats and moguls who, with a finger brush through the hair, a slip of a dress and a pair of towering heels, make every occasion one to party".
The 48 piece collection - which has a male component featuring classic jackets teamed with undershirts and rugby polos - draws heavily on Gallic aesthetics with dresses and seperates that transition from cocktail to polished daywear. Bowie said he had avoided the use of brash, tessellated prints and created elegant, feminine sleeves that did "not fall longer than the tip of an extended finger." Colours are drawn from the sandstone buildings, sage trimmings and glistening reflections of sunset on the castle grounds.
"Strong, bold architectural lines are evident through the women's dresses and skirts and form the structure of the men's jackets and suit pants," he said. "Like the prized artworks mounted throughout the hallways, the garments are statement pieces empowering the wearer."
Bowie's trans-seasonal collection will be unveiled at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal at 5pm.