David Bowie is a perennial muse for designers. But Sydney's Kym Ellery made smart use of the reference this season, interpolating the looks of the star's Thin White Duke and Ziggy Stardust era into an appealing collection focused on attenuated proportions, tailoring, and luxe metallic fabrics. At first, naturally, it was the metallic that jumped out at you—the bronze-toned tinsel that Ellery used in pieces such as a cropped jacket and elongated funnel-neck top, the seriously glam lace-patterned gold brocade that turned up, among other places, in her signature super-flares. A silver coat in a Tyvek-like material was almost blinding, it was so bright. Ultimately, though, it was the tailoring that stuck with you, notably the slouchy suit in a gray micro-check, and duster-length coats and gilets finished with glazed stoneware buttons made by the designer's artist mother. The natty shirting was a highlight, as well. Overall, the collection was marked by its restraint: There was no shortage of flourishes here, but they were applied with a light touch.
