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Australian designer Gary Bigeni grew up with a hearing impairment, thus relied on colour and shape to connect to the world around him. It comes as no surprise that graphic prints and loud design cues have become synonymous with the namesake brand. Following a four-year hiatus and after what Bigeni describes as a “dramatic change” in his business in the past two years, the brand returned to the Afterpay Australian Fashion Week runway with a colourful collection steeped in inclusivity.
“I started to cut back on all the things that weren’t making me happy,” Bigeni recalled to GRAZIA. “Now, I play by my own rules.”
The season-less 32-piece collection is titled “REDIVIVUS”. The hand-painted silks, cottons, glitter, Italian jersey fabric and vegan leather pieces are all made-to-order and crafted from an archived pattern of previous work. The result sees wearable and genderless silhouettes infused with psychedelic prints and Y2K-esque partywear. Yes, rave culture has returned – whether we like it or not.
The slinky bodysuit of clubbing yesteryear – pioneered once again by the Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa’s of the world – was sent down the runway in a sparkling fever dream, layered with an equally glitzy trench. The glittery, sheer fabrication largely made up the collection and was also presented in basic t-shirts and slip dresses. Relaxed tailoring and pyjama-esque ensembles – hello comfort – formed the blank canvas of Bigeni’s signature prints.
“Diverse in shape and loving who you are has inspired this collection,” he added. “We all get to a point in our life where we stop worrying and ultimately focus on what makes us happy.”
The runway arrived with a partnership close to the designer’s heart with The Social Outfit – a community-operated retail store in Newtown employing and training people from refugee and new migrant communities whilst celebrating creativity and diversity. As a migrant himself, Bigeni sought out the organisation to assist in creating samples.
