MBFWA Review: Romance Was Born
Comic book-inspired prints and Ziggy Stardust hair.
Nothing could have officially opened Fashion Week with more of a bang than Romance Was Born. The designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales sourced prints from comic book archives in collaboration with Marvel. The sound of helicopters provided the pre-show soundtrack, and I half expected one to land on the runway and for Bryan Boy to emerge from its stairs (but this didn't happen). ‘Oblivion’ by Grimes started playing as the models came out, which ruled! The hair had a Ziggy Stardust vibe and Natasha Severino who did the make-up direction for the show just told us that the beauty was inspired by "these modern superheros, almost a bit Fifth Element slash Robert Palmer 'Simply Irresistible'." There were pop art prints, zig zags, pronounced peplums, fringed shoulders, and colours like black and yellow, and pink and black, and — a Romance staple if there ever was one — sequins!!! Favourite pieces included a sequined bustier bodysuit which was heaps Wonder Woman and a padded quilted jacket. We spoke to paper artist Benja Harney, who designed the pop-up paper invitations and the pop-up comic book backdrop for the show, who said "it all came together in seven days... They did a bloody good job. I was on a plane in Milan a few days ago and now I'm going to go and have an Irish coffee."
Overheard in the front row:
"Is that Lara Bingle?"
"Where's Bryan Boy?"
In three words:
Just the greatest.
See also:
- Yimmy Yayo x Romance Was Born (Part 1)
- Yimmy Yayo x Romance Was Born (Part 2)
- Romance Was Born x Ryan Kenny
Ingrid Kesa
