Having come of age in the minimalist ‘90s, the 20 and 30-somethings of today are the generation of people who dress down instead of up. They are the ones who catapulted the t-shirt into high fashion and permitted denim into the most formal of events. They identify with the causal chic of the streets and reject the overly polished looks of decades past. Yet, as this group of fashion-conscious individuals develops and evolves sartorially, something became apparent to them – glamour is not dead and it can actually be compatible with the simpler, less glitzy style of their own era.

Rachel Gilbert and her beautiful dresses are at the vanguard of this movement to bring elegance and glamour back into the wardrobes of the young and chic. The Australian designer is well known for her artful use of embellishments and flair for quiet dramatics. Her exquisite evening wear is stunning without being excessively elaborate while her day frocks oscillate between being edgy and sweet. Having earned her fashion badges at iconic Australian label Lisa Ho and Nicky Hilton’s label Chick, Gilbert showed her first collection at the Mercedes Australian Fashion Week in 2002 and has not looked back since. With thirteen celebrated collections under her belt and Hollywood A-listers striding up the red carpet in her creations, she has enthralled the fashion world with her distinctive take on luxury design.

The brand’s High Summer 2010 collection features heavy embellishments, fully sequinned dresses and larger-than-life ruffles. Inspired by her personal travels, this collection is undoubtedly feminine but also strong and modern at the same time. There is a futuristic vibe to the construction of the toga and bustier column gowns, which is also evident in the shorter body-con mini-dresses. However, it is not all tough, sharp edges; there are also soft, draping pieces that work well from day to night and playful baby-doll dresses for cocktail hour.

If this isn’t glamour for the MTV generation, I don’t know what is.

Selected designs from Rachel Gilbert’s High Summer 2010 collection is retailing at Retail Therapy, #02-22, Mandarin Gallery from SGD700 to SGD1900