"Australian fashion made a strong impact at the recent New York Fashion Week. For fashion, it’s the spirit of the designers that’s attracting clout of late. For instance, Zimmermann started with swimsuits and quickly became people’s favourite. The horizon for designers is going global with Colette in Paris and Fivestory in New York picking up the country’s coolest labels. In addition, the Australian Fashion Chamber (AFC) brought its official showroom of designers to New York City for the first time."
Australian fashion made a strong impact at the recent New York Fashion Week. For fashion, it’s the spirit of the designers that’s attracting clout of late. For instance, Zimmermann started with swimsuits and quickly became people’s favourite. The horizon for designers is going global with Colette in Paris and Fivestory in New York picking up the country’s coolest labels. In addition, the Australian Fashion Chamber (AFC) brought its official showroom of designers to New York City for the first time. Courtney Miller of the AFC, points out the biggest hurdle the AFC has internationally is to raise the profile of Australian fashion and change the perception of what Australian fashion can be. The association wants to help emerging brands build their businesses in a really challenging fashion world with fast fashion, technology changes and a pace that just gets faster and faster.
The Australian fashion industry employs approximately 220,000 people (across design, manufacturing, wholesale and retail) and adds $12 billion to Australia’s economy per annum. The global fashion market has been valued at $1.7 trillion and employs approximately 75 million people, according to a representative from the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.
Brewing success
Every leading Australian fashion house brings to the table something unique such as Romance Was Born that blends a hint of femininity with bohemian romanticism. Embroidered mini skirts, beaded frocks, long, silky dresses with intricate pleats are the norm and as such, the label’s pieces have even been showcased at The National Gallery of Victoria. Designer Anna Plunkett says a lot of their work and themes are inspired by the artists they admire and collaborate with. The brand is experiencing major international growth, so look out for the label next year, when it will be showing at Paris Fashion Week for the first time.
Founded by Brigitte MacGowan and Desley Maidment in 2014, State of Escape’s line of bags is centered around pieces that are strong, lightweight and big enough to carry along everything essentials. These bags come in various shades such as neutral greys, greens and tans. The materials—neoprene and a structured base of elegant sailing rope—cash in on fashion’s obsession with athleisure and are a tribute to the beachy aesthetic of Australia as a whole. MacGowan says, being a young country, they are not creatively confined by its heritage. Apart from having a waitlist for its bags in Australia, the brand is also sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Norway, Spain and the UK, with plans to launch soon in the US.
As per Edwina Robinson, Founder, Aje, said that prior to the birth of social media and the rise and rise of online businesses, Australia was isolated from the rest of the world. Now it is very much playing on an international stage, but the designers have found confidence in what sets them apart. In fact, their adversity has become their strength— they are relaxed, unbridled and experimental in their designs. Additionally, the country’s climate has dictated a stronger focus on a summer offering and the global market is turning towards trans-seasonal collections, where layering and styling is paramount.
