Fashion shows.

Backstage at Indonesia fashion week the hair and makeup being applied was often uncommonly theatrical and artistic. Day 4 was no different, from Sailor Moon-like pigtails to full face paint, to the most gravity-defying hairpieces known to man.

The rainbow of kaleidescopic colour brought to Indonesia Fashion Week by Lenny Agustin for her Lennor line wouldn’t have been complete without the equally bold and bright footwear. Despite the cutaway wedges that left models walking partly on air, there were no stumbles – or tumbles – at yesterday’s show.

What is it like to soak up the fashion week atmosphere in Milan? The interesting thing about this question is that the experience is different for everyone. So the more intriguing question might actually be, what is it like to attend a Milan fashion week show when you happen to be Anna Dello Russo? Dello Russo gets to see things that others don’t see. She’d…

Many of the pieces in the Dior Haute Couture SS12 collection were given a modern twist: a hint of skin under sheer fabric, a traditional cut transposed to a non-traditional fabric… but then there were pieces like this one that could have stepped straight out of another time. Ruffles of red extending down a winging staircase make for an eye-catching moment.

Discounting the view of the sparkling ocean that extended out beyond the walls of the Sandringham Yacht Club – and the idealistic weather conditions – the highlight of Saturday afternoon’s Sailing World Cup Lifestyle Party was the procession of brightly coloured kaftans and frocks that fluttered down the runway. Mexican label Pineda Covalin brought their kaleidoscope of lively prints to Australian shores for the occasion,…

See the words ‘casting call’ in a video title and you expect some fairly inane content of models saying their names, their agencies, and maybe walking back and forth a few times. I know that’s what I was expecting of this Rodarte casting call video. But I was pleasantly surprised, not to mention highly entertained. Who would have thought that asking models some simple questions…

If there could be a stronger way to cement the return of the ‘roaring’ 1920s fashion than to have it grace the Gucci runway, it doesn’t spring to mind. For spring 2012 Frida Giannini was inspired by “the opulence of the era of hedonism” – and opulence there is. But these pieces are also infused right through with the heat of Gucci glamour, from sharp…

The era-mashing trend continued over at Emporio Armani, whose relaxed futurism seemed to blend the thirties with the nineties. The latter came by way of boxy double-breasted blazers with contrast piping, while the former manifest in relaxed pants and knee-length skits that gave off a Deco vibe. Uniform models in blonde flapper bobbed wigs were like walking mannequins – or robots, if you fancy. Futurist…

Crossing the boundaries between the ’50s and the ‘60s, Miuccia Prada’s collection for spring 2012 was as much Marilyn as it was modern. With prints and a vintage colour palette and hints of midriff above demure skirt lengths, it’s a Prada collection that didn’t shock, but did wow – especially where full-briefed vintage style swimsuits were on centre stage. If you can switch off from…

There was one celebrity who didn’t quite fit in at the Topman Design spring 2012 show at London fashion week on Wednesday. On a front row crammed with the usual suspects – Nick Grimshaw, Alex Zane, Rick Edwards and Jamie Hince – boxer Amir Khan, not someone known for being a dedicated follower of fashion, was a bit of an anomaly. But then, about half…