Bloomin’ Fabulous Runway Series – Part 4
We recently hosted our second instalment of Bloomin’ Fabulous at the Bicentennial Conservatory in Adelaide Botanic Garden. If you missed out on this exploration at the intersection of queer fashion and all things botanical, you’re in luck. We’re revisiting the runway with each instalment including three different makers with their respective artist statement.
Ben-Hur
Desert Flame Flower, jumpsuit
Ben-Hur is from the CONNECT Team at Thorne Harbour Health, and on most days, goes by the pronouns he and they. Today though, as our MC, and in an ensemble inspired by a native Australian flower called Chrysocephalum apiculatum, ‘Desert Flame’, Ben-Hur has transformed into a ‘she/her’.
The Desert Flame is a resilient perennial shrub and everlasting flower that brightens up any garden with its vivid clusters of golden yellow, which make long lasting floral bouquets.
Ben-Hur’s look comprises an asymmetric fitted jumpsuit adorned with bright gold ruffles, positioned across the body on the bias, to symbolize movement, growth and change.
Paul Stone
Chihuly Bellagio dress
With assistance from Gemma Oswald
My inspiration for this dress came from a talk i gave on Dale Chihuly. While researching his work I was astounded by the colour, form and shape of his designs.
This dress is inspired by a ceiling piece created and installed at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, called Fiori di Como: a striking display of 2000 glass blown flowers covering 2100 square feet.
My Bellagio Dress is a slip dress made of white poplin and covered in an array of hand -cut flowers made from nylon mesh to give a sculptural feel, in colours that represent the sculpture but also give an essence of springtime flourishing.
Justine Jai
Leaves, skirt & accessories
My textile work explores the textures and patterns of nature, focusing on the layered beauty of leaves and leaf litter. Inspired by forest-core aesthetics and untamed 90s feral culture, I crafted a green paisley skirt adorned with leaves and upcycled, nature-themed jewellery. The garment evokes the earthy, chaotic harmony found on a forest floor, blending traditional paisley motifs with organic elements to create a vibe that’s both classic and refreshingly wild. This project celebrates the forest as a place of renewal and rebellion, where nature and queer identity meet in lush, unapologetic expression.
