Stylish escape
Sydney’s fashion nous, new restaurants, glamorous accommodation and harbour cruises make for a beguiling break
Itook my seat inside the Museum of Contemporary Art at Sydney’s The Rocks, admiring the sandstone curves that would form the backdrop of the Aje Resort 23 show that morning – one of the hallmark offsite runways during Afterpay Australian Fashion Week in Sydney in May.
Identities Anna Heinrich and Erin Holland chatted across from me as Nadia Bartel and Olympia Valance swapped critiques a few seats along and Julie Bishop took centre stage behind me, all dressed in Aje, a leading Australian designer label now based in Sydney.
After watching the models weave through the space, I raced across the Circular Quay boardwalk to the Commissioners Steps, where I navigated a small but ominous gap on to my waiting charter boat, Enigma – careful not to let a heel slip into the iconic Sydney Harbour.
As I settled on to the leather seats aboard the yacht that previously hosted Prince William, Lady Gaga and Cate Blanchett, and accepted a fresh mimosa in a crystal champagne flute, I realised this was not the Sydney I’d come to know.
As Australia’s most populous city, Sydney is the central hub of business and entertainment and most Aussies will visit the city in short bursts for work or special occasions, without necessarily considering it a holiday destination. But it has also long been a playground for the rich and famous where, with enough funds or favour at your disposal, you can live like Aladdin with a lamp of endless wishes.
I’d arrived in Sydney the night before and checked into my hotel, Skye Suites on Kent St in the heart of the CBD. It was designed as an urban oasis, having opened in late 2018, and was a fitting partner of AAFW. Crown Group named the hotel series with a vision of creating vertical villas in the sky and will launch $1bn worth of Skye Suites projects globally in the next decade, including in Brisbane.
The Sydney destination is next to the latest foodie hub, Skittle Lane, and features a state-of-the-art pool, gym and sauna. The suites are also double the size of an average hotel room.
After marvelling at the next season of resort fashion at Aje’s runway show the following morning, I boarded the Enigma for my breakfast cruise, dining on croissants and fresh fruit as we glided around the yacht-studded harbour and the iconic sails of the Opera House. Lifestyle Charters has two boats on offer, the larger Enigma, which can sleep six, and the smaller Felix. It’s an unrivalled experience to take in the harbour and is tailored to your needs. Inspections are free.
From there I headed to Carriageworks,
the home of AAFW, to take in the fashion installations and observe the flocks of models and identities. AAFW’S five-day program is the biggest week in Australian fashion with runway shows from some of the most notable names in the industry, while the country’s most stylish covet attention off the runway. So come for the fashion, stay for the people watching.
For dinner I head to Shell House, a not new addition in the heart of the CBD at Wynyard, offering an elegant dining room, a terrace location and a glamorous Skybar. Shell House is significant as a surviving palazzo-style building and former home of the Menzies Hotel. The menu, from exSixpenny chef Aaron Ward, is luxe, with dishes such as crab and caviar ($70) and a 500g Rangers Valley dry-aged sirloin ($105) as well as lobster ravioli, Sydney rock oysters and coal roasted beetroot.
The wine menu is so extensive it resembles a thick coffee table book.
The following morning, I set out for The Intersection in Paddington to browse the designer labels I’d seen at AAFW. The shopping precinct boasts stores including Zimmermann, Camilla and Rachel Gilbert.
I then made my way to lunch at one of Sydney’s most sought-after new dining spots, Margaret Double Bay, the $5m solo venture from renowned Rockpool chef Neil Perry. We enjoyed fresh whiting ($55), a side of miso glazed Corner Inlet southern calamari and a fresh green salad served with a signature Margaret vinaigrette.
After another offsite fashion show at Powerhouse Museum, and a final night’s sleep in my luxury suite, it was time to head home, filled with good food, designer goodies at hand and enviable photos to fill my Instagram feed.
There are some traps in Sydney’s CBD. You’ll need to set aside time and funds, for rideshares and taxis as they navigate oneway streets and traffi. It’s the same for fashion shows, inevitably fashionably late. Popular dining spots require reservations to avoid disappointment, so plan ahead. But if you can do that, then the world, and all its luxuries, is your Sydney rock oyster. The writer was a guest of Destination NSW