Two contrasting styles were on the runway at White Sands Australia: sweet floral vs. sexy zebra. Designer Leah Madden tried to pick between the two to show a cohesive collection, but ended up showing both.
"I realized that as women, we always have those two sides. Sometimes we're sweet. Sometimes we're not. And I loved it," Madden said. "And I thought, you know what, I'm going to do the collection revolving around that. One day you're sweet and pretty, very feminine. And then at other times we can be a little nasty, a little bit strong." The collection began with its darker side in a black and white zebra print bikini followed by a soft white, almost lingerie style one-piece with ruching detail along the top and waist.
To enhance that contrast of soft vs. strong, models donned pearl bracelets and pink ballet-style heels with thick ribbon wrapped around their calves to represent the softer collection. Those same shoes were also shown in black when Madden wanted to change the mood.
Madden showed a broad mix of swimsuit styles as well as cover-ups, including a long floral dress followed by a black and white zebra print short dress. She continued her contrasts of zebra and floral in separate pantsuit designs. "I'm a big resort girl," she said. And although the collection showed more bikinis, she loves a one-piece."It's fashion. I think it's special."
View the runway show here http://mooze.tv/fashion/white-sands-australia-mercedes-benz-miami-fashion-week-swim-2011/
