Karla Spetic’s winter collection, ‘Dreamer’ is a testament to the enduring power of romance and childhood nostalgia. Designed for grown up women who used to be little girls with big dreams, Dreamers is a collection for a secret princess; the kind of woman who harbours a quiet whimsy for a childhood spent imagining dangerous dragons, looming castles and handsome princes. Indeed, pastel shades come together in a pastiche of fairytale romance- blushing pinks meet flamey oranges while feathery lilacs play easy bedfellows with cloudy creams and misty greys.

Beset with gold buttons, Dreamers is a re-imagined dress up box full of shiny, pretty things that unlock secret fantasy worlds. Cosy and comforting, Spetic employs wool and velvet to create a fuzzy cocoon that is as once fashionable as it is practical. Oversized wool cardigans, cable knit gloves and long, Rapunzel-esque scarves punctuate the collection giving it a sense of easy abandon. But it is perhaps what lies beneath these warm layers that inspires the most breath-taking captivation: the princess’ dress. In a style that has come to characterise the young Sydney based designer’s work- a tight but subtlety adorned bodice with a full skirt- Dreamers captures the essence of the princess perfectly.

Upon these dresses are expert twists and cannily placed cut outs, both also prevalent traits in Spetic’s work. Here, cut outs help to ties the collection together, appearing in dresses, skirts and coats, while Spetic’s signature twist reveals itself in sweaters and skirts. However, perhaps the most beautiful part of this collection- the piece de résistance if you will- is the printed blazer and skirt, a combination that at once harks back to fanciful girlhood bed sheets and adds a level of modernity that is bred in the creative artistry of digital printing.