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What is the marker of a lucrative fashion label? For Sydney-based resort wear brand ALÉMAIS, their technicolour and saturated visual designs can live up to any metric you set, irrespective of how unreachable they may seem.
Taking home the Best Emerging Designer award in 2022 at Australia’s most prestigious fashion prize, the Australian Fashion Laureate, is by no means an easy feat. But it was one that designer Lesleigh Jermanus achieved only two years into the brand’s already colourful history.
Now, the ultimate test lies before Jermanus: opening the 27th annual Afterpay Australian Fashion Week.
This year’s iteration of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week sees ALÉMAIS take the coveted ‘first show off the rank’ spot, an honour often bestowed to the most notable or prolific designers. Thankfully for attendees, ALÉMAIS is both.
Flirtatiously feminine, ALÉMAIS’ language is one that is rooted in the value of heirlooms and honouring tradition. Whether it be a vintage-inspired puff sleeve maxi dress accented with corset detailing (the brand’s signature), or a bespoke hand-drawn print cut and cropped into a luxuriously leisurely two-piece set, each collection is punctuated by a deft touch that makes the brand feel familiar, yet still fresh.
In between finessing her collection, Jermanus join GRAZIA to discuss her unique AAFW debut, achieving lifelong dreams, and what makes an ALÉMAIS woman.
GRAZIA: Your brand has gone from not existing to opening fashion week in less than three years. How have you adjusted to all the success you and your label have amounted to?
LESLEIGH JERMANUS: The last few years have been a whirlwind! One of the biggest adjustments has been realising that with hard work and perseverance, big dreams do come true.
GRAZIA: This is the first runway show you’ve staged as a solo show, how different will it be to your group shows?
JERMANUS: This is our first AAFW show, so we knew from early on in the process that we wanted it to be an immersion into the world of ALÉMAIS. It’s been such a collaborative and rich process to work with a brilliant team of creatives to consider the atmosphere across set, music, hair, makeup and accessories.
GRAZIA: ALÉMAIS has become the new go-to for resort wear for Australian women. Why do you think your designs resonate so much?
JERMANUS: I’ve never set out to rigidly define one type of ALÉMAIS woman, we design for the spirited individual—she’s ageless. She’s a modern romantic with a spirit of adventure, but above all she’s looking to build her wardrobe with pieces that bring a little bit of magic to getting dressed.
I think people resonate with the uniqueness that we offer, we invest so much into the story telling through both our artwork and collaboration.
The feedback we’ve had from buyers has been that we do have a unique point of view, I think that’s just a more commercial way of saying that the spirit and mood of the brand shines through.
GRAZIA: What does having your brand showcase at AAFW mean to you as a designer?
JERMANUS: I entered this industry nearly 20 years ago, bright-eyed with plenty of big dreams for the future. One of my earliest memories was assisting backstage at a Fashion Week show. I was just a teenager and found the experience exhilarating—just being in the thick of the chaos!
Opening AAFW feels like a full circle moment and this mood of reflection has inspired the collection.
GRAZIA: How is this year’s iteration of fashion week different from previous years?
JERMANUS: This is our first AAFW, so everything feels new and different for us!
GRAZIA: What do you think is the biggest AAFW faux pas you wish your younger self knew?
JERMANUS: Again it’s our first show, so ask me in a few years—I think I’ll have some words of wisdom for my present self!
GRAZIA: What rituals have you implemented into your routine in the lead-up to AAFW?
JERMANUS: I have a one-year-old baby, so the idea of routine is now a novel concept. Through juggling the conflicting demands of early motherhood and a growing business the act of getting dressed in the morning became a ritual for me. I now never underestimate the feeling and confidence that good clothing can bring.
GRAZIA: What’s on your pre-AFFW playlist?
JERMANUS: The Debbie Harry, Betty Davis, David Bowie, Claire De Lune.
GRAZIA: What’s more important: the location of the show or the timeslot of the show?
JERMANUS: Timeslot. We were so humbled to be given this opportunity to open AAFW that it created so much excitement in our team we couldn’t say no and what better way to start with a bang.
GRAZIA: What do you think your brand brings to the Australian fashion landscape?
JERMANUS: When I started ALÉMAIS I knew that if it resonated with customers it deserved to have a place in the industry – we had to test the concept. We always say that if we don’t have fun designing, we can’t expect the customer to have fun wearing our pieces. I always comes back to our customer, and I think the spirit and energy of the brand shines through
GRAZIA: Without giving too much away, what are the three words you’d use to describe the vibe of your show?
JERMANUS: Symbolic, Otherworldly, Dream-like Universe
