Presented by Vogue American Express Fashion’s Night Out, the opening VIP Runway of Melbourne Fashion Week was a chic affair, held at the new Le Meridien hotel rooftop pool deck, aptly named Le Splash.

Set against the backdrop of a once unseen vista (as Le Meridien was the site of the former Metro Theatre – a cornerstone of Melbourne’s live music scene), it was a refreshing city skyline view reflected in the cobalt blue waters of the rooftop pool. A wonderful location for the opening runway of what is set to be a stellar week of fashion.

The runway featured A.BCH, Aisha Ellén Garments, Amber Days, búl, Collective Closets, Commonry, Dom Bagnato, Joslin, Kuwaii, Liandra and The Social Studio, and exhibited fresh patterns and palettes of emerald, burnt orange, plum red, crisp white, charcoal black and cornflower blue. Standouts in this laid-back yet elegant showcase were the three-piece suits Bagnato is so well known for, as was the nod from all designers towards refined lines and strong silhouettes in natural fibres from some of Melbourne/Narrm’s most celebrated ready-to-wear and slow-fashion labels.