Melbourne Fashion Week ran for six days and included forty runway shows. The unevenness of the programme is well documented and does not need rehearsing. What does deserve attention are the three shows that contained work distinct enough to shape the domestic conversation for the rest of the year.

Bianca Spender

Spender's collection was the tightest of the week. Tailored knitwear, unstructured shoulder lines, and a colour palette that stayed narrow. The pieces are commercial in a way most week debut collections are not. The buyer response has been strong.

Alix Higgins

Higgins showed a print-heavy collection with technical fabric work that most Australian labels cannot afford. The showpiece coat is likely to be widely copied.

Christian Kimber

Kimber's menswear pushed further into workwear territory, using Japanese sourcing. The prices are high; the construction justifies them. The commercial question is whether the market has grown enough to sustain the ambition.