The new, the old and the borrowed: What we wore to Melbourne Fashion Week

Who wore what.

Working in fashion, the temptation to purchase new additions to your wardrobe is ever-present. It becomes particularly hard to resist when events like Fashion Weeks roll around. No matter how confident you are in your personal style, the pressure to curate an outfit you’re happy to be photographed in amongst the city’s best-dressed crowd, can lead to some questionable impulse purchases. 

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But part of our ethos at FJ is to take a slower approach to fashion, and think long and hard before buying new. This Melbourne Fashion Week, we tried to shop from our already full wardrobes (and those of our colleagues, family and friends) and style familiar pieces in unexpected ways. There were some new purchases made, of course – the offerings from local designers are just too good to resist. Below, we each break down what we wore across the week.

Lara Daly, Fashion Journal’s Features Editor

For the Student Collections Runway on Tuesday, I wore a printed T-shirt dress by London-based, New Zealand-born designer Rose Murdoch, Tony Bianco knee-high boots and a Twenty-Seven Names cardigan. The silver bag is pre-loved, made out of those pull-tabs on the top of beer cans. 

On Wednesday, Par Moi designer Ashiya kindly let me borrow a piece from her new collection to wear to the Volvo Electric Runway, where she was showing. I chose this denim shift dress as I love the hardware on the neckline. I paired it with some sheer tights (from Myer but if you squint they look a bit like Gucci?) and some silver slingback heels, $10 from an op shop. My bag was a new purchase, I adore these Brigitte Tanaka organza bags from Pan After. I felt so good in this outfit I ended up buying the dress, obvs. 

For the Fashion X Underground Runway, I wore a reliable (and very Melbourne) all-black Kahe outfit, with silver accessories including a new cuff bangle from Saint Valentine. I love these low-rise tailored pants, they have a hidden zip at the bottom that opens up to a black lace flare, such a cute detail with the silver shoes. This silk cotton I Am Hooked top by Kahe has also been a staple in my wardrobe lately. 

Maggie Fashion Journal Contributor

I’m wearing a Zara top I found at the op shop, paired with a denim skirt I bought from a secondhand market in Berlin. The ties are all my dad’s, he’s had them for ages. I bought my bag from The Highland People Discovery Museum in Thailand and the boots are Radical Yes.

Giula Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor

I’ve recently moved up a dress size meaning most of my wardrobe is now a little too tight. It meant I was pretty limited stepping into this M/FW, so I decided to lean into the tried-and-true outfit models that I know work for me. 

To Monday’s media preview and Tuesday’s Student Collections Runway I wore two variations of the same outfit, with my black E Nolan pants and Essen Foundation flats as the base for both. On day one, I layered an MGSM party dress and my Frisson Isabella knit, then switched dresses to a boxy Harris Tapper shift for day two, with my fluffy Bichon Pockets bag.

Thursday saw me prioritising comfort. Aside from being Melbourne Fashion Week’s 30th year it also marked Emporium Melbourne’s 10th birthday. With a writer, photographer and social person on-ground, I needed an outfit I could move easily in. I turned to an oversized double denim set I’ve worn heavily for years. The button-up is from Uniqlo, the jeans are Nobody Denim and I added a pop of colour with these suede loafers from Midas, a gift to celebrate the brand’s partnership with Melbourne Fashion Week this year. The bag is a much-loved and well-worn favourite from Brie Leon and I added jewellery from two of my favourite designers, Jake Cheeseman and Cleopatra’s Bling. 

Daisy Henry, Fashion Journal’s Assistant Editor

For the ganbu marra opening night runway, I wore a black, strapless dress from Esse with a pair of Maison Margiela Tabi ballet flats that I got as a birthday gift. I’d actually ripped the dress a few months earlier at my university graduation, but thankfully had it altered so the tear was turned into a slit – good as new! I also added a secondhand, vintage Fendi bag and a necklace from Cleopatra’s Bling.

The Student Collections Runway was one of my most anticipated events of the week and it didn’t disappoint – it felt like the night everyone was saving their most bold and exciting looks for. I layered a vintage red dress I thrifted in Stockholm over an old pair of St. Agni knit pants and paired that with my Ganni buckle ballerinas. And again, my trusty old Fendi.

I went to the Little Bourke Street Runway at Emporium straight after work, so needed something versatile and comfortable. I wore a Uniqlo cardigan with a black, Cos skort and paired this with a Blanca blazer that I got at an archive sale last year. I added some red, Uniqlo socks to go with my Ganni flats and an old Agnes B tote that I thrifted in Tokyo.

Allie Daisy King, Fashion Journal Contributor

Butter yellow has long been my favourite colour and when I saw this set from Variety Hour, I knew it had to be mine! I added some yellow knitted flowers to my hair that I ripped out of my scrapbook, yellow Charles & Keith shoes, and a red Em On Holiday heart bag, because red and yellow are my favourite colour combo. And I can’t forget the trinkets I made at a lobotomy keychain night with my friends.

During Australian Fashion Week, I saw House of Campbell present a collection that truly took my breath away. When trying to decide what outfits to wear for M/FW, I asked House of Campbell if I could borrow some of their pieces for the week, so I had the extreme honour of wearing this amazing white dress and shirt from them. My shoes are the Camper Kobarah’s, and my bag is from Hello Sisi that I made at one of Sisi’s lovely bag workshops a few years back.

Molly Griffin, Fashion Journal’s Partnerships and Campaign Manager

For the Underground Runway presented by Collarts, I need to prepare for any weather so I’m wearing my favourite (new but worn and not bought for the occasion) Lovaan bow top, with a matching charcoal grey suit set from Zara that I bought years ago that I wear at least once a week. Paired with my LMS red daisy flats and a tiny Marlboro bag that Lara kindly let me borrow as the outfit needed another pop of red.

Cait Burke, Fashion Journal Contributor

I’m all about re-wearing my clothing (cost-per-wear and all that) and these track pants by local designer Briar Will (an incredibly talented, dear friend of mine) are a mainstay in my wardrobe. I paired them with a Dissh boob tube I was gifted, secondhand heels I’ve worn to more Fashion Weeks than I can count and a yellow Prada bag I sourced on eBay. I like an unexpected colour combo, and the teal of the track pants paired with the butter yellow of the bag made this pretty low-effort outfit more interesting.

For more street style from Melbourne Fashion Week, head here.