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In case you (somehow) missed it, Afterpay Australian Fashion Week took place in Sydney last month with editors, models and influencers descending on Sydney’s Carriageworks — the week’s official venue, a brick-laden contemporary arts centre in the suburbs — to view designer’s latest collections.
The fashion landscape in Australia has been changing slowly but surely over the past few years, with young up-and-coming talent now holding the hottest slots on the calendar: Caroline Reznik‘s debut show had the honour of closing out the week (something typically reserved for the likes of Marc Jacobs in New York and Louis Vuitton in Paris) and Alix Higgins‘ sophomore runway was the most anticipated of the week.
Other names to note include Ngali, the first First Nations designer to show solo on schedule, Nicol & Ford, who cast exclusively friends and those they met at queer events around the city, Youkhana, whose brand is one of the most exciting to come out of the country in a very long time, and Jordan Gogos, who collaborated with legendary Australian designer, Akina.
This shift sifted down to the streets this season, with the week’s attendees wearing a unique blend of vintage fashion, the local designers they love from the list above, and a few heritage brands mixed and matched throughout.
UK publication Dazed documented the street style Down Under for the first time, proving just how much Australian fashion is evolving: gone (mostly) are the beige linens and uniform dressing that has historically made up the country’s fashion profile, replaced by people wearing individual style that they love, regardless of what the trend cycle is saying they should be doing.
Since seeing this shift firsthand, I’ve found myself confused about what to buy: both loving the freedom of the rise of individualism in fashion (see Amelia Hamlin and Bella Hadid demonstrate this firsthand) and simultaneously, secretly wishing for a bit more guidance — especially as the seasons change (and the sales begin!).
The role of the internet (and Tik Tok) in this change cannot be downplayed, says Diego Abba, CEO of italist.com, my longtime secret favourite website for never-ending sales. “Trends used to follow an almost linear, one-at-a-time formula,” Abba explains. “They were established and developed from the top down, pre-social media, by designers, models, and editorial entities. [With the rise of the likes of Tik Tok,] Today trends are far more dispersed and fragmented, and very much a circular dialogue between brands, retailers, influencers, celebrities, and consumers on a constant basis.”
“The concept of things being “in” and other things being “out” is obsolete,” Abba continues. “Every technological leap and new content platform seems to upend the existing fashion system a little bit.”
Of course, this doesn’t mean there aren’t patterns you can spot – or that trends aren’t taking place at all.
Rather, instead of there being one approved way to dress at a particular moment in time as there was in the past, you have a multitude of trends and microtrends happening at once.
Below, take a look at the best street style moments from AAFW that prove now, more than ever, dressing for yourself is the trend to buy into. Plus, glean more insights from Abba about the microtrends taking place if you’d still like a little guidance in the shopping department (please!)
One trend I’ve noticed online is that of ‘quiet luxury’ and ‘stealth wealth’. In Australia, people seem to be mixing these staple pieces in with more fun and flirty additions. Have you seen this shift in the way people are shopping?
Yes, we have. Brands like Max Mara, Manolo Blahnik, and Brunello Cucinelli are always popular on italist, every season, but especially of late. We have a better pricing offer than other retailers on them (on Max Mara, for example, you’ll save an average of 51% off U.S. retail prices). Bottega Veneta’s new Mini Sardine handbag, you’ll save $900 off retail—it’s on sale right now! And the sweater of the summer from Brunello Cucinelli, in an open-knit crochet style, you’ll save nearly half off the brand’s full price.
More broadly, we’ve seen a de-emphasis on more logo-heavy designs in lieu of understated staples like simple dresses, light jackets, black handbags, and flat shoes.
Why do you think this is?
Given the increasing retail prices for many luxury brands—Bottega Veneta and Prada perhaps most notably the last few years—many shoppers are shopping where they can find a deal, and buying items that will last in their personal rotation.
Lately, we’ve observed a rise in more classic labels (including Moncler, Fendi, and Valentino Garavani) in part because they are all timeless and make great investments, with good resale value. These styles fly largely above trends and passing fads, so they’re popular with shoppers who appreciate good quality and timeless shapes.
To your point about mixing these staples in with more trend-driven pieces, Acne Studios is hugely popular here and so too is Chopova Lowena and Ganni — for both their bold patterns and prints and that more accessible price point.
What has been selling really well for you recently? In terms of specific items, brands and sections? What are people searching for?
Women’s dresses are very popular right now as we enter the Northern Hemisphere’s summer season. Max Mara, Isabel Marant, self-portrait, and Solace are popular at the moment in that category. For footwear, it’s either flats like Brunello Cucinelli’s loafers or sky-high sandals from Christian Louboutin that are selling well. To match, Chloé’s Woody tote and Jacquemus’ Chiquito bag are the front-runners this season.
And don’t forget headwear for Euro vacations. Ruslan Baginskiy makes some of the best and we have the largest selection to choose from.
Other than quiet luxury, what other microtrends have you spotted?
People are loving denim right now: we have over 3,000 styles of denim jeans, and, of course, Barbiecore looks with the upcoming Barbie movie (Blumarine is perfect here). There’s also a huge emphasis on accessories and, in particular, eyewear, including the likes of Saint Laurent and Celine right now.
For those who want to ensure their style is unique right down to their eyewear, here are the hottest niche eyewear brands of the summer.
