Fashion with sole?

Having celebrated local and foreign designers and their cutting edge trends, Australian Fashion Week is coming to a close. Not having been personally invited, I will probably have to keep my eyes peeled for new items in window displays for the next few months.

All designer trends do not make it past the catwalk onto the street, however. It seems the only way haute couture or fashion designers have of making it into the common man’s wardrobe is by catering to big chain retailers like Target.

In past years, it seems that mainstream fashion has been a string of revivals, more or less revisited. To such an extent that the hip umbrella phrase “vintage” has become a household word to designate ripe old gear or seemingly ancient pieces. Pieces which have probably been inspiring designers anyway…

And then there are some trends people just can’t get enough of. Take the omnipresent Converse shoe. It’s not a revival. It never really went away.

This casual observation soon became mind boggling as I started counting them on my way up Broadway and along George Street.

There they were, flocking around the UTS entrance, rushing to and fro Central Station, darting off towards Paddy’s or stampeding towards the CBD.

An even more dizzying experience proved trying to photographically capture the canvas and rubber-soled shoe. Being sport footwear, proud owners have the unpleasant tendency to scamper off. Perhaps I should have chosen the less practical high-heeled ankle boot…