Australia’s fashion industry was today treated to Emma Mulholland’s Spring/Summer 14/15 collection- Risqué Business! at Elston Mezzanine, Carriageworks Sydney. Drawing on John Hughes’ famous eighties ‘brat pack’ and Melanie Griffith in Working Girl complete with pens, paper clips and post-it inspired prints and embellishments Mulholland’s collection depicts what happens after 5pm, when jaded working girls and boys can finally free themselves from the daily grind.
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For this collection Mulholland looked to eighties resort wear for a more relaxed approach, moving away from her signature bright neon’s and taking on a more muted pastel palette. The surf and street aspects of the brand remain ever present in the cuts and silhouettes featured in the range.
Teaming up with fellow designers Celeste Tesoriero and Pared Eyewear for custom made pieces to compliment her collection Mulholland explains of the jewellery collaboration “The jewellery was inspired by what I used to make for myself in class at school, playing around with paper clips, bull clips etc but I wanted it to have a much more sophisticated look to it, hence getting together with Celeste”. The 10 pieces of fine 100% silver (and brass/gold) custom-made jewellery draws on shapes and items from everyday office stationary. Both designers wanted the juxtaposition of making fine jewellery pieces out of these everyday items.
Mulholland’s Pared Eyewear collaboration is something Mulholland says she has wanted to do for a long time. “I met Sam, from Pared on a trip to Bali and instantly fell in love with her sunnies range” explains Mulholland, “her ‘Puss in Boots’ with pink mirror lens in particular”. After much deliberation and designing the girls came up with the 80’s inspired ‘wave temple’ design as featured in Today’s show.
Internationally acclaimed hair stylist Alan White for ghd and Maybelline NY’s Nigel Stanislaus created the unique air and make up looks to compliment the collection while bespoke tanning product LDN:Skins gave the models porcelain perfect looking skin.
Making her debut in 2011 as one of four Ultimo TAFE students chosen to debut their collection at Australian Fashion Week, Mulholland has rapidly secured her place in the Australian fashion industry with her signature 90s surf street wear inspired looks and blaringly colourful prints. She continues to get noticed by fashion media and buyers both locally and abroad and this collection again proves why Mulholland remains a steadfast addition to the Australian fashion scene.
