GRAZIA
Elyse Knowles outside We Are Kindred Photography: Sammy Blanchard
Day Three of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia saw street style actually take the streets, as off-site shows reigned supreme. Fashion’s elite began their sartorial journey in Paddington, before retreating to the iconic open-brick of Carriageworks for big names Alice McCall and We Are Kindred. They then hit the road again (in kitten heels and Mercedes-Benz E300’s nonetheless), venturing as far as Bondi for a glamorous Mediterranean feast to celebrate Bondi Born. As for the fashion, tonal beige was back in soft fawn, gooey caramel and oatmeal, designer logo hardware was a staple and button-ups were big, but the real player was print, with checks, stripes and florals playing out on everyone from Elyse Knowles to Tania Gacic.
From Carriageworks to Bondi, here’s the best street style from MBFWA Day Three.
GRAZIA & Elyse Knowles caught up for a chat!
GRAZIA: How have you been?
ELYSE KNOWLES: “Well, [my boyfriend] Josh and I just moved to moved to Byron so it’s very exciting for us, it’s a really nice lifestyle. We are pretty chilled up there. Josh and I started our business up there, so that’s going really well. We’d love to find some land and be able to have a farm and a veggie garden and then fly into this madness and fly straight back out!”
GRAZIA: You’re a very down-to-earth personality, how do you deal with some of Fashion Week’s most pretentious?
EK: “Oh, take a deep breath! [Laughs]. Slide in and slide straight back out! It’s just, you know, you want to be a part of it, but you also want to keep your sanity about you so it’s about doing whatever you need to do to keep sane and happy and keep that down to earth element about you. That’s what shines out to other people. Other people pick that up so you want to have a positive energy and make these models feel amazing because they’re the ones on show. They are the ones walking down that runway so smile at them and make them feel good.
GRAZIA: What’s been this week’s fashion highlights for you?
EK: “We Are Kindred always uses a really soft palette and I really love it because it matches my colour tone. I’m really looking forward to the different shapes and styles and picking out what I want to buy next. Jonathan Simkhai had some really amazing leather outfits on Wednesday so I think you’ll see me rocking a few of those.”
GRAZIA: Fashion Week is hard on the skin; If you’re a model, there’s so much makeup, if you’re a journalist, you’re always tired. How do you keep your skin dewy and fresh with a hectic schedule?
EK: “Skin is a hard subject for myself because I’ve always had trouble skin. It is a subject that affects me. So trying to get the makeup off your face as soon as possible is always key for me. Make sure you clean your face. Drink lots of water, you tend to forget to drink water when you’re at a crazy week like this. People usually go for water or for something that they shouldn’t be having – but grab the water instead! Always have a hydrating mist on you and stay hydrated. My skin is something I’m working on and I’ll show everyone soon, I’m still trying to work it out. It hasn’t been fixed yet!”
GRAZIA: What does your nightly beauty routine look like?
EK: “Night is always taking off my makeup, cleansing, using a hydrating gel in the shower and then I use a Vitamin A + E at night and a C in the morning. I’ll also add a rosehip oil at night and that is it. I usually use a massaging tool for your face. Every second night I use the LED light on my face.”
GRAZIA: What foods do you cut out and what training to you amp up in the lead-up to walking a runway show?
EK: “For me, it’s all about cutting out sugar as that’s one thing that I really struggle with. I don’t drink coffee or alcohol but I do like a sweet treat so for me, it’s cutting that out, training extra hard, doubling up my training sessions and just feeling strong. I love lifting weights and feeling my muscles and feeling my burn.”
GRAZIA: Can you run us through your weekly exercise regime?
EK: “Every week is different because I’m always travelling. If I am travelling, I tend to do long walks wherever I am and exploring outside – being in nature is really nice. Or I’ll do a workout in my hotel room. At home, I’ve set up my own little gym. My girlfriends come over and we’ll smash out our own little weights session and I do private Pilates classes as well and PT sessions at Gript in Melbourne. Just mix it up! I do walks to the lighthouse and I walk my dogs twice a day.”
GRAZIA: Do you do any extra things like infrared saunas, massages or meditation?
EK: “I get needling done in my back. I get really sore shoulders so I make sure that I’m looking after my muscles from within.”
