Cruise(y) lunch for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia

Yesterday saw the last of the shows for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) 2012 in Sydney – a week when the Overseas Passenger Terminal region of Circular Quay is overrun by leggy models, meticulously-styled fashionista types and snap-happy fashion media.

Carlie Waterman show as part of The Innovators at Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week Australia, The Tent, Circular Quay

While food may not necessarily be synonymous with fashion, this year Cruise Bar opened especially for lunch during MBFWA, should any of the stylish audiences have needed replenishment between shows.

The view from Cruise Restaurant and Bar, Overseas Passenger Terminal,
Circular Quay

With The Tent venue right outside from Cruise and visible from the upper restaurant level, it was the perfect place to grab a bite and a cheeky drink before or after a show, which I was lucky enough to do.

Lunch with our small group was a shared affair of countless platters and sparkling wine. Even though I'd missed the shared entrées, there was more than enough food in the main dishes for all.

Grilled ocean trout fillets with salsa verde

Salt and pepper prawns with sweet chilli aioli

Chilli and garlic marinated chicken breast

Black angus sirloin

Pumpkin, spinach, goat's cheese and pinenut salad with balsamic dressing

Rocket, parmesan and pinenut salad with balsamic dressing

Leaf salad and mixed roast vegetables (back)

Steak fries

After the gorgeously fresh lunch at Cruise, the huge general admission queue outside The Tent showed how popular The Innovators session was.

This is an annual show featuring hand-picked TAFE graduate student designers from Fashion Design Studio – which has produced some of Australia’s most renowned designers such as Akira Isogawa, Lisa Ho, Dion Lee, Nicky Zimmerman and Alex Perry.

Susie Bubble (front row, centre)

And sitting in the front row opposite me was London fashion blogger Susie Bubble, who was in town for MBFWA, among other things.

The show started with a presentation by Nicholas Huxley of Fashion Design Studio and Akira Isogawa to Kaylene Milner who won a $15,000 scholarship and was also selected for an internship with Diane von Furstenberg in the US.

The show followed with collections from Milner (luxe with colourful tribal prints), Carlie Waterman (floaty, feminine and gorgeous), Cynthia Thai (almost kitschy, fluorescent knitwear and beading), Stephanie Goerlach (crazy bright knits and prints), Yuliy Gershinsky (futuristic, Back to the Future style menswear) and Christopher Baldwin (shimmery evening chic full of attitude).

By Kaylene Milner

By Carlie Waterman

By Cynthia Thai

By Stephanie Goerlach

By Yuliy Gershinsky

By Christopher Baldwin

See more photos from The Innovators show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia at my Facebook page.

Food, booze and shoes dined at Cruise as a guest and attended The Innovators show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia with thanks to Agency G.