Swim, Sunnies, and Sustainability: What’s Up at Sydney’s Annual Resort Fashion Week
Australian Fashion Week will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. Over the past 24, it’s moved from a biannual event to a Resort-season mainstay, whisking away editors, buyers, and influencers from around the globe to sun-kissed Australia for a series of shows in the middle of May. This season proved a bit of a challenge for the typically thriving Fashion Week, with fewer shows, fewer big-name designers, and generally less buzz than in years past.
If that paints a dire picture, it had a surprising outcome: Fewer shows meant the ones that stood out really made waves. Brands like Double Rainbouu, Christopher Esber, Lee Mathews, and Bassike staked their claim as the best of the best of Oz. Here, five talking points for the season and the big anniversary to come.
Female Designers Rule—And It Shows
At a panel discussing women in media, Urban List CEO Susannah George made the offhand comment that it seemed that at least half of MBFWA’s designers were women. After doing some easy (and unofficial) math, the truth is even better: More than half of the runway shows held as a part of MBFWA’s official schedule featured female designers, with 18 out of 29 shows helmed by at least one woman. That rounds out to about 62 percent—a number that puts New York, London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks to shame. Why Australian fashion has become an industry where women can thrive probably has something to do with the clothes Aussie women covet. Easy, lovely clothing is par for the course in Sydney—unsurprisingly women tend to be the best at designing these types of pieces. On that note, the two biggest trends of the week were pouf-sleeved day dresses and loose, boxy workwear. Unfussy, free, and feminine, but not girlish.
Some Lamented the Loss of Oz’s “Big Names”
The most oft-heard phrase at Carriageworks, MBFWA’s official venue, was, “Where are all the big brands?” Australia is not short on native talent: See Dion Lee, Kym Ellery, Nicky Zimmermann, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett of Romance Was Born, and the Camilla and Marc siblings for proof. Yet this week was lighter on shows than usual, with the total number hovering around 30 instead of 45, as in years past. The issue seems to be that luring flagship brands back to Sydney for a single show requires a ton of time and even more in the way of finances. A brand would need to come to Australia for at least a week to set up a show; and considering it takes about 24 hours from America and Europe just to get to Sydney, well, you can see the problem.
So, Let’s Talk About the Highlights
Christopher Esber is a rare standout on the Sydney schedule. He’s a singular designer who exists outside of trends, evolving his own vernacular rather than participating in the movements of the moment. That made his show, a late addition to the schedule, one of the most exciting of the week. With a strong brand identity and the deft ability to switch between slinky dresses and strong suiting, he has the talent to show his collection in New York or Paris (which he has done in the past), making it all the more impressive that he makes the 10,000-mile trip home year after year for Resort.
Local heroes Double Rainbouu have come into its own as the kings of MBFWA, hosting a presentation at Sydney’s Chinese Garden of Friendship this season. Mikey Nolan and Toby Jones can put on a show to wow you, but their clothing holds up, with the duo expanding their Hawaiian shirt empire into terrycloth robes, knit polos, and macramé accessories made by model Rachel Rutt. As for MBFWA’s queens, there’s stiff competition. Bassike was a new addition this year, creating an environmental show in one of Sydney’s best restaurants. Women have long loved designers Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan’s slouchy, effortless ready-to-wear—it was great to see the duo step it up for the runway and experiment with color and new silhouettes. Similarly, Lee Mathews rejoined forces with her design partner Natalia Grzybowski for a collection that balanced curvilinear shapes with masculine tailoring.
Politics Remain (Mostly) Off the Runway
Sydney’s Resort shows took place in the week leading up to Australia’s federal election (which ended up being a surprising loss for the country’s liberal and environmentalist parties), though you’d hardly know it. Unlike other international fashion capitals, Aussie fashion seems to veer away from current events. In a country that bears the brunt of climate change, it’s strange not hear about the devastation to the Great Barrier Reef or the politicians who want to save it. Romance Was Born, with its waratah florals and bush baby dresses, was especially missed on this front. Still, designers are thinking about Australia’s wildlife, even if abstractly. Bassike has an impressive sustainability regimen, making use of recycled fabrics, as does Double Rainbouu, which is now manufacturing all of its swimwear from recycled nylons. With Double Rainbouu, Aje leads the pack in honoring the country’s native peoples. The latter invited Yvonne Weldon, a board member of Sydney’s Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, to give an introductory welcome to Sydney and MBFWA.
Swim and Sunnies Are Australia’s Strongest Suit
A huge portion of the Sydney schedule is made up of swim and sunglasses brands. Both industries are big business in beachy Australia and have become national exports. This season, labels like Matteau, We Are Kindred, and Thurley stuck to the runway format, which is functional, but not the most exciting. Why not an Icebergs’s pool party or a Bondi beach day? The eyewear brand Pared had the right idea, holding its presentation in a wine store. The experiential event made for lots of cute Instagrams.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
