Is it some strange coincidence that two of my favourite collections has been somewhat aided by the beautiful light that Sydney gets in the morning, the sort that either beats down on your eyes in full powered blasts (Dion Lee) or streams in through window cracks to highlight certain areas, exemplified by the Arnsdorf show on Friday morning, the last day of RAFW. Even more apt then that Arnsdorf aka Jade Sarita Arnotts (Arnsdorf is derived from a former family name of Jade's) should be inspired by Isaac Newton's famous study; 'Opticks: A treatise of the reflections, refractions, inflections and colours of light' (1730). An inspiration point that is as far removed as Newton should have resulted in something impersonal and perhaps overly conceptualised but then again, Arnsdorf has been creating clothes for a few years now that become instantly covetable staple pieces in women's wardrobes, so much so that this label has become a bit of a local 'darling'. (Doesn't this term irk some designers? So very fashion 'luvvie'...)
With that said, it is clear even with my complete lack of knowledge of Arnsdorf's entire back catalogue that this collection is a distinct evolution from previous collections. It turns out that Jade has relocated from Melbourne to New York and for the first time introduced an opticks-inspired print into her collection by collaborating with the multi-disciplinary design studio Roanne Adams. This added to Jade's own soft structural language results in undulating curves forming on neoprene backed dresses, on silk tops, on rigid collars and in the printed pieces. All in a well-curated colour palette that is pretty much spot on for me right now (this is a S/S 10-11 collection but the colours definitely could transcend to our A/W 10-11 too...). Lilac, amber brick red, camel and dusky pinks shouldn't work together but they do. I didn't get a close-up of the jewellery but the rings, earrings and necklaces were made in collaboration with Estelle Deve.
I'm not sure how Jade physically saw the light refracting and reflecting. I doubt it was a Newton-style experimentation bound by scientific accuracy. Instead, I'm imagining a rose tinted chandelier hanging by the window in morning light, with crystal reflections dancing on the walls or sheer fabric drapes, with Salem in the background. Clearly I've been having too many morning light fantasies given that I've been getting up at 5am every morning here...
P.S. Without going off track, I have to give mad lovin' to a particular cape coat from the Arnsdorf A/W 10 collection. Her PR Evie Bear has been wearing it all week and I love how the sleeves jut out from the sides being a cape and a coat at the same time.
