Reflector

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia has had a shifty shifty this year.  It’s a day less than the usual five.  There are a lot of new names on the schedule.  The usual biggies have either opted to show abroad or their presence at MBFWA has been refocused.  For the new establishment, that might have meant showing eveningwear only (Ellery), staging a show for their second line (Dion Lee) and in the case of Romance was Born, they opted not to do a catwalk show at all.  The lure of the pink glittering disco ball outside the Carriageworks space where Romance was Born’s exhibition “Reflected Glory” is installed at the moment until the 11th May is the precursor to this unique collaboration.

Working with Perth-based visual artist Rebecca Baumann, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett paired a special series of dresses, signifying a personal rite of passage, with an immersive installation.  Inspired by Baumann’s particular penchant for “painting” with light, Luke and Anna went for reflective surfaces galore in both embroidery and print on gowns that hang suspended like garment equivalents of memory-laden disco balls.  The house party where Anna and Luke first met is represented by a Madonna t-shirt that Luke was wearing at the time, now converted into a trailing dress and bedazzled with clear sequins.  Other moments like a sweet 16 party , New Year’s Eve, a wake and Mardi Gras are also represented, basking in the kinetic energy thrown around by Baumann’s installation.  Baumann’s work isn’t just a physical presence but a strong reference point for Luke and Anna when they photographed sequins, prom dresses, tinsel in strong sunlight to achieve their print stories this season (a full ready to wear collection accompanies this exhibition).  Whilst all surfaces reflect and refract off one another, it’s clear that Luke and Anna are also reflecting on the past in their minds, looking back to their beginnings when as two heady graduates, they came together to make and create without constraint.  This signified a return to that period of time.  After all, they’ve reached a level of stature on their home turf where much love comes their way.  I love seeing girls here talk about Romance with a twinkle and shine in their eyes.

The brilliant thing of course is that as well as returning to Anna and Luke’s hands-on, crafticular roots, the exhibition enables them to share their work with their fanbase.  A hardcore fanbase at that.  They’ll wander in, waft around in the shimmering shadows of reflected rainbow colours and revel in embellished symbolic loveliness and walk out basked in an afterglow of happiness.  And they’ll head over to the nearest rail (or e-commerce site) where RWB is stocked and buy into a duo who don’t just settle for pure product.  It’s got depth and heart.