Another show I thoroughly enjoyed at RAFW was Gail’s ‘Stem The Flow‘. She was kind enough to seat us front-row and as usual, her collection transported me to another world. You can always tell if a garment is designed by Gail. Her signature style of contrasting tones of black and white, and juxtapositioning of fluid silhouettes and structured shapes is evident in all of her collections. As evident from its title, ‘Stem The Flow’ is inspired by the bulbous shape of liquid and the flow of aqueous movement intercepted by time.

These are 3 of my favourite looks from the catwalk. To see her full runway show, please check it out on Vogue here. Pleats and sheer silk are going to be huge next spring/summer. Gail’s voluminous shapes and butterfly sleeves contrasted with tailored elements are what grabbed my attention. There is always a surprise; I was at the edge of my seat. The wide-brimmed hat is by legendary milliner Richard Nylon, and the accessories by my new favourite jewellery label ‘2 by Lyn & Tony‘.

Seeing Keira, Oliver the Pomeranian and Julien always brought a smile to my face. Here they are, seated front-row, amongst fashion editors.

After the show, I was invited to Gail’s show room to view the collection in the flesh! The garments are exquisitely beautiful even when supported by hangers and not models. I was taken to a fantastical world. I honestly believe that if everyone wore Gail’s clothes, we would all live in a happier place.

From left to right: patent ballet platform shoes Gail made for this collection. The jewellery are hand-made from Kangaroo leather (very eco-friendly) by 2 photographers-turned-jewellery-designers: Lyn and Tony.

These tentacle-like neck pieces are Gail’s creations. The black one reminds me of a head massager. So cute!

This is the Parabola dress– my favourite piece from her collection. Gail later revealed to me that this was her favourite too! What I adore about Gail is despite the technical difficulties her amazing garments have, she does not stop just because Australia cannot find manufacturers for her. She tours the world, to Paris and Italy in search for someone who can! So this season, her knitwear, such as this dress, is made by the same producers of knitwear as Chanel and Alaia. I knew immediately when I saw the Parabola dress, you can just see the quality from the precise execution and skilled craftsmanship of the pleated ruffles. This dress is going to be my new wardrobe companion in SS11/12!

Having your show on the first day of RAFW has its perks. It’s like getting your exams over and done with earlier so you have more holidays. However Gail’s schedule is still pretty hectic post-show, she has hardly had any rest, she was going to shoot her look book during the rest of RAFW. Busy busy girl! The lovely man on her left is her fiancé. Don’t you love his ‘broken heart’ necklace?

Thank you again Gail for everything!