Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia had a great line-up. There were Aussie fashion veterans Toni Maticevski, Dion Lee and Romance Was Born (to name just a few), international hot shots Oscar de la Renta and Cynthia Rowley, but what really excites the fashion crowd is discovering the next big thing.
This year, there were a lot of first timers. Some names we know all too well like Tome, We Are Kindred and Rebecca Vallance, but there were lots of barely-knowns too. This list focuses on the latter.
DANIEL AVAKIAN
Anyone who gets nominated for an International Woolmark Prize instantly sky-rockets themselves into the fashion spotlight. But beyond that accolade, one look at Daniel Avakian’s designs and it’s impossible not to fall in love. Silky slips, blazers and silhouettes that are sophisticated and clean. Wear them anywhere and you’ll instantly be dressed for the occasion… and dressed damn well. Mad about the pink in his MBFWA runway collection. Add to cart.
Shop it now: danielavakian.com.au
P.E NATION
Before you think oh, another workout wear brand to spend all my money on (it’s a sick addiction we just can’t seem to quit) let us stop you right there. This is not fashion to work out in. Well, you could, but it is first and foremost cool streetwear with tomboy sporty ‘tude. Think jock bomber jackets, oversized team-inspired jerseys and mini running shorts. It’s cool, it’s comfy and it’s bold. P.E Nation was founded by Pip Edwards and Claire Tregoning. Pip’s name you’re no doubt familiar with. She worked in PR and Design for Ksubi, was the Senior Creative & Accessories Designer at sass & bide and Design Director at General Pants Co. This girl knows cool, and she knows fashion. Claire is no stranger to fashion either. Claire and Pip met while they were both working at sass & bide (Claire was Senior Designer) but before that Claire designed for Topshop in the UK and also launched her own label Maise. Watch this fashion power couple – big things are coming their way.
Shop it now: pe-nation.com
KITX
It’s a beautiful thing when fashion turns full circle. In 2003, Kit Willow debuted her namesake label Willow at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and now, five years since Kit sold her Willow brand, and just 10 months after the launch of her second namesake-inspired label, she showcased the next chapter in her fashionable career, Kitx. While Willow was known for its luxe glamour, Kitx has a more free spirited aesthetic made with sustainable and ethically sourced materials. But in an elegant, non-hippie kind of way.
Shop it now: kitx.com.au
P.JAME
What do you get when a model marries a fashion designer? No, this is not a riddle. You get a pyjama fashion label, of course. The model we’re referring to is none other than Aussie beauty Bambi Northwood Blyth and the fashion designer is her hubby Dan Single, the founder of Ksubi. Together, they have launched P.Jame: sleepwear fit for the Kings and the Queens, the Princes and the Princesses’. The collection made its debut at Fashion Week and after some technical hiccups the pair finally launched it to the greater public just last week (better late than never we say! We know you two are busy with your other day jobs). The label takes sleepwear down two paths; the first is relaxed, unisex pieces like silky pyjama suits, basketball shorts and designs that toe the line between sleep-in-it and be-seen-in-it. The other is the boudoir collection, which the designers so perfectly summarise as ‘put it on to take it off’. Need we say no more.
Shop it now: pjame.com
GEORGIA ALICE
If you never thought of New Zealand as a place to find great fashion, Georgia Currie will change that. Her designs are classic and luxurious, but modern and edgy at the same time. Devoted to a pared back and striped down style, Georgia’s designs are the on-trend version of your wardrobe staples. It’s not just her designs that we love either – it’s how she styles her pieces together. Get ready to wear white tees and shirts under all your favourite dresses this season.
Shop it now: georgiaalice.com
