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To fully grasp just how long ago 20 years actually was, is to really lean into the degree of nostalgia one feels when the following is read out: Twenty years ago, The Notebook starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams released into cinemas around the world. Twenty years ago, the late Matthew Perry muttered the final words in the very last episode of Friends. Twenty years ago, nameplate jewellery was all the rage, as were empire waistlines, Uggs in public and dressy capri pants.
What many may not realise is Australian designer Margie Woods established Viktoria & Woods in Melbourne in 2004, AKA 20 years ago, launching with its signature merino wool—a huge feat in the boom-and-bust cycle that can plague so many of our homegrowns. And on May 13, after two decades in operation, the designer staged her first Australian Fashion Week runway to grand applause.
“We’re very proud to be doing this during in our 20th year as a modern Australian designer brand,” Woods tells GRAZIA. “Our Resort 2025 collection, Solar, represents an era of expansion for Viktoria & Woods. As we continue to evolve gracefully, we wanted to narrow our focus to present the wardrobe of one woman. To be singular in our commitment to elegance, effortless and sophistication. To think about the full spectrum of her experience and expression of self—in work, social engagement, celebration, travel and rest.”
And that Woods did. Relaxed, languid silks opened the show on both women and men, before merging into structured bodices—see below a mint-hued update on the current season’s plunging bustier—and tailored pieces, the latter an exceptional blend of linen and bamboo. Leather socks deftly styled with black strappy sandals purposefully creased and bunched at the toes, added an unexpected edge to the everydayness of the silk and cotton silhouettes. Leather, which has previously existed in limited edition capsules, was integrated into a lot of the looks. Then, pops of scarlet red: Knits! Stockings! A trench coat! Finally, a floor-grazing, black silk halter neck gown moved atop the cream carpet runway with an ease that embodied the flowing state of the V&W woman: Always in motion, always somewhere to be.
Yes, in a collection dedicated to a woman’s day-to-day, Woods’ brand-long commitment was cemented: If you could only shop at one brand for the rest of your life, Viktoria & Woods could cater for all occasions.
“The collection is confident, and unapologetically heroes the strength of our stable of effortless fabrications,” says Woods. “From languid silks and Japanese cupros, to soft tailoring represented in trans-seasonal forms. There’s leather and knitwear (representative of our early beginnings) in various iterations. It’s a celebration of what we do best, how we continue to evolve, and continuously redefine the fundamentals of a modern women’s wardrobe.
“From work to play, mother to daughter, season to season, she can experience the full potential of each story as it plays throughout her day and life.”
Happy 20 years, Margie and the Viktoria & Woods team! You’ve aged better than Friends and empire waistlines.
