Victoriana Meets Swinging Sixties at Macgraw

From the moment we stepped inside The Box at Carriageworks on Monday afternoon, we knew the Macgraw show was going to be fun. Underfoot? Pink plush carpet. Blaring from the speakers? Big Girl’s Don’t Cry.

Sydney sisters Beth and Tessa MacGraw launched their label in 2012. Their 2014 collection helped recruit new fans and earned them editorial recognition; this year Vogue editor-in-chief Edwina McCann and fashion director Christine Centenera lined Macgraw’s front row.

Music: 
Reverberant remixes of 1960s classics such as Son of a Preacher Man and Dirty Dancing’s Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia, leading into amped-up versions of Madonna’s Material Girl and The Cardigans’ Lovefool.

Hair: 
Voluminous, tousled ponytails tied with black ribbon.

Beauty: 
Au naturel.

Key looks: 
A cream, long-sleeved silk shirt dress covered in large black eight-point stars; a near-ankle-length pin-stripe shirt dress; a pretty black jumpsuit with an oversized chest ruffle; a collared all-lace dress in wide stripes of navy and periwinkle, that dipped below the knee.

Overall feel: Victoriana meets the swinging ‘60s. This was a show filled with whimsy and exuberance. Smiling Lolita-esque models sauntered down the runway in sparkly flat shoes to music that made you want to tap your feet and sway your hips. Lace and high collars said 19th century, but the hemlines put these girls in the ‘60s, with playful mini skirts, mini shorts, and mini jumpsuits. There were moments the collection felt pure and pretty, as with a trapeze dress in white lace and a figure-hugging long-sleeved, floor-grazing white gown. Other looks would be a boon to any winter wardrobe, including a black pinafore worn over a lace shirt replete with flared sleeves and a Victorian-style neck collar, or a crisp white shirt layered beneath a black cropped tee with a pair of lace flares. Nobody is putting the Macgraw baby in the corner.

To see the rest of our coverage from MBFWA, click here.