And what’s up down under?
Meanwhile, there’s a reason you should be looking to Australian brands right now
it’s that time of year again. Behind us are heavy wool jumpers and coats; in front is the promise (or threat) of a heatwave. With sauna-like commutes upon us, it’s no wonder a third of Europeans will be taking their holidays during July and August.
Destination picked, fight booked – the only question now is: what to pack? And it’s an easily solved dilemma, with Britain’s leading boutiques investing deeply in Australian designers. Why? Because these brands are all too familiar with outfitting sweltering summer temperatures.
Reality check: Aussie fashion is so much more than bikinis and fip-fops. Brands like Zimmermann, Matteau, Lee Mathews and AJE (pronounced ‘age’, FYI) are countering the sunburnt-surfer cliché with earth-toned swimwear and carefree dresses rendered in natural fabrics. With Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian wearing AJE, and the Duchess of Cambridge and Beyoncé wearing Zimmermann, the needle for what Aussie style looks like is moving.
Australia’s climate and geography is what Edwina Robinson, co-creative director of AJE, says is the Australian fashion market’s USP. ‘Our isolation has actually become our biggest strength,’ she adds. ‘For us, what Australian style is becoming known for is exactly the reason we created the brand.’ Adrian Norris, her design partner, describes their aesthetic as bridging the divide between coastal and city. For the unaware, it’s a lot like Californian style but with less yoga pants and chakra bracelets.
Likewise, Lee Mathews, Zimmermann and SIR the label are other Aussie success stories. Why? They translate seamlessly for seaside and city. Lee Mathews’ breezy shirtdresses, for instance, could easily sit at a boardroom table or atop a bikini at a beachside café.
The boho trend may have died out around the time we all got smartphones, but down under it’s bubbling up into something new and appealing. Matteau’s trousers are loose and flared and the dresses waft to the floor, just like the gypset use to wear. Meanwhile, it would be hard to deny the boho vocabulary of Zimmermann and SIR the label’s broderie anglaise, ruffles and floral prints.
There’s another reason why down under labels are on the rise: that age-old dilemma of needing a new bikini in August when stores are already stocking for autumn. While our high street fills up with winter woollies, Australian labels drop their summer gear. ‘Our client wants to be able to buy in-season wherever they are in the world,’ explains Chelsea Power, a buyer at Matchesfashion. com. Their customer, she says, ‘has become increasingly impatient with the traditional fashion cycle, more interested in constant newness with a buy-now, wear-now ethos.’
It’s for these reasons that Net-a-porter’s global buying director, Elizabeth von der Goltz, described Australia as a high-priority market for the online store. ‘We’re consistently impressed by new designers we’re introduced to every time we visit.’
There’s been an explosion of interest in Aussie brands across the board, in fact. Net-a-porter stocks 36 local labels and Matchesfashion.com has 15. Meanwhile, Selfridges reports that Faithfull The Brand sold 200 units in its first two weeks in-store, while Zimmermann has seen a surge in sales by 87%.
Fold it, roll it, squish it in: whatever your own personal packing mantra is, just make sure that you’re armed with enough of these Australian labels to see you from beach to bar to bed – and back again.