Goth versus Doris Day, a variation on the Whore or Saint theme, is one way of looking at this years L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF).

High waisted bubble dresses and skirts clashed with black layers on the runways at Melbourne’s Docklands.

As disparate were the shoes, either impossibly high or Doc Martins. And sometimes, there was a combo of the two, with Doris throwing off her apron to have a bit more fun.

Yeojin Bae, the recipient of last year’s LMFF Designer Award, showed a slightly more relaxed collection this year. There were still the short, fitted dresses with fine military style detailing.

But there were also pant suits, with wide leg trousers and generous capes with hoods, over slimmer silhouettes.

Paris-based designer Martin Grant showed us why the French have taken the Australian into their arms. With the finesse of Parisian couture, Grant presented some new forms on the runway.

His sculptured cocktail dresses, resembling beetle wings, had a slightly 80s feel. As seductive were his fluid, silver, lame evening dresses, evocative of the 40s.

But Grant also showed us why Europeans can’t get enough of him, with a cropped purple wool cape/jacket designed with knife edge precision.

Easton Pearson didn’t seem to fall into either camp (Goth or Doris). There were the bubble hemlines and distinctive prints (roses and monsterias).

But these were often combined with heavy brocaded gold jackets and coats, edged with oversized beading. At times, the combo verged on the theatrical.

Lee Mathews showed Doris at her best. She’d obviously had a morning sherry and left home in a hurry. Prints and plains clashed in a delightfully whimsical way.

As discordant were the colours, browns, jades and metallics jostling for attention. A great look for those who don’t want to appear too considered.

Designer Ben Pollitt for Friedrich Gray took out this year’s LMFF Designer Award. In a field of seven, the Sydney-based designer showed ‘Goth’ at its very best.

His textured black clothing, with heavy doses of leather (including raw leather edges), were memorable, as was his ‘splattered paint coat’.

Like Gray, Obus showed a highly wearable collection. Military green jackets worn with rust coloured dresses complimented mannish style, baggy, pleated trousers and sloppy cardigans.

There was the occasional hiccup, with one model made to wear baggy pink knickers that weren’t quite a short or jodhpur.

Less consistent was Aurelio Costarella, West Australian-based designer. Recognised for elaborate, flowing evening gowns (and there were many of these), there was also a smattering of short, sharp and angular dresses.

A hybrid of a bubble, it was as stiff as the model’s moves. But his black leather petal shift dress and shawl were beautifully treated, looking more like sequins than leather.

NOM*d showed Goth at its best. Dinner jackets, literally slashed at the mid-riff, were as distinctive as layered floral dresses worn under heavy coats or with lighter men’s style waistcoats. And while the lines were fluid and deconstructed, there were killer-wide belts, knitted, black beanies and Doc Martins to contrast.

Claude Maus also showed a highly wearable collection. Knitted vests and asymmetrical tops sat well with oversized leather anoraks worn with ‘long johns’.

For some designers, Doris Day is still confined to the kitchen. But judging by this years shows, Doris is finding housework quite boring.

And if she wants to catch that bus, she’ll have to ditch the stilettos for the Docs!

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View a gallery of images from the 2008 L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival