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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 16: A model walks the runway during the Aje show during Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2023 at the Sydney Modern Project on May 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Marley Morgan/WireImage)

In life, there are certain combinations that, despite how unlikely or unexpected they may seem paired together, prove to have perfect synergy: champagne and caviar, oysters and crisp white wine, Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big (and Aidan, it seems).

Adrian Norris and Edwina Forest, the co-founders and respective CEO and creative director of Australian luxury label Aje are among those surprisingly delightful synergistic relationships.

For fifteen years, Norris and Forest have been finessing their visual language, in turn, spending over a decade dressing legions of Australian women in their whimsically elevated statement-wear that brings a touch of accessible luxury to the everyday.

Both Norris and Forest would be the first ones to tell you that Aje’s strength lies in its unwavering dedication to their brand’s ethos: raw beauty, femininity with an edge. A sense of duality anchored in unexpected contrasts.

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Look 23, Aje Resort ’24 collection.

Now, for their fifteenth anniversary Resort ’24 collection, the brand has returned to the official Afterpay Australian Fashion Week calendar for a runway show that exemplifies the basic instincts and elemental designs that makes Aje, well, Aje.

Reflecting back on the last 15 years of Aje and what we wanted Resort 24 to embody, Adrian and I were naturally drawn to the design codes that have carried through since inception,” explained Forest. “These elements combined with our deep-rooted respect for our Australian heritage, coastal beginnings and artisan sentiment.”

Sartorially embodying this “coastal-to-urban” aesthetic, Aje and their Aje-ettes flocked to the newly-opened art precinct, Sydney Modern, on the banks of Sydney Harbour for a collection that injected a sense of occasion and opulence into versatile capsule pieces.

It was a 7:45AM call time at the art gallery, with GRAZIA’s editors amongst the seas of puff sleeved and scalloped hemmed patrons. Pulling up to the venue in our Toyota RAV4 GXL, the impact Aje’s signature silhouettes have on the style set was palpable, infiltrating almost every element of dressing.

It’s been interesting to look back to see how our coastal-to-urban aesthetic has evolved and really underpinned our design ethos,” Forest notes.

“Our original desire to create uniquely designed pieces grounded in versatility and wearability to support daily wardrobing needs—from effortless everyday dressing to statement occasion wear—continues to strongly inform our design process. Every piece we create is considered with aesthetic reverence and is grounded in a true desire to provide dressing solutions.”

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Look 40, Aje Resort ’24 collection.

Opening the show was Australia’s very own supermodel, Gemma Ward. The epitome of the Aje woman.

Her look, a ribbed, scoop neckline white tank top and a tiered peplum-esque ivory maxi skirt, set the tone of what was to come: striking contrasts, an element of elegance and unparalleled attention to detail.

The first half of the collection reimagined classic wardrobe staples in Aje’s own codes. A classic white button down shirt became a breezy maxi dress with gold hardwear accenting the two cut-out details hidden in the back of the garment. When styled in real life as it was on the runway, see: with a raffia-esque clutch and gold sandals, it becomes the perfect uniform for the women about town and the ladies who lunch.

The quintessential off-duty ensemble of an oversized trench and slouchy pants felt altogether styled rather than haphazardly strewn together thanks to the addition of geodes instead of buttons.

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Look 1, Aje Resort ’24 collection.

For disciples of Aje’s signature party-wear, the back half of the collection will certainly appeal to those revellers with high-voltage chartruse and magenta tones reimagined into sequinned mini dresses or delicately woven two-piece sets.

This collection championed the essence of being, in turn cementing these elements as the foundations of a coveted brand ready to embark on its next fifteen years.

This year, the GRAZIA Australia team travelled between AAFW shows in the refined style of Toyota’s new RAV4 GXL. With its modern and spacious interior, privacy glass, and fast charging portals for our phones, it was the perfect mode of travel for zipping across Sydney town. To find out more, visit toyota.com.au