Five emerging Australian fashion labels to look out for, from Bondi Born to Benjamin Garg
- Fashion Week Australia won’t feature many domestic brands with international recognition this year, so the spotlight has fallen on talented emerging designers
- Hot newcomers to watch include surf line Double Rainbouu, swimwear brand Bondi Born and several recent fashion-school graduates
The Australian fashion industry is gearing up for its biggest catwalk event, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA), which will run from May 12-18 at Sydney’s Carriageworks venue.
The biggest name of the week is American designer Jonathan Simkhai, who will unveil his Resort 2020 collection on May 13, using Sydney’s Bondi Beach as the backdrop for his show.
Beyond a few local industry veterans such as Carla Zampatti, Alice McCall and Tigerlily swimwear – the latter to show at the event for the first time in 17 years – major Australian names with international resonance are a little thin on the ground this year.
Zimmermann has not shown in Australia in a number of years and seems dedicated to New York Fashion Week, as does Dion Lee. Ellery is in the process of winding up its Australian business, reportedly to move forward operating the business out of Europe.
International celebrity favourite Bec & Bridge is on schedule, however, as are hot newcomers such as Albus Lumen, which was a finalist for this year’s International Woolmark Prize, buzzy surf line Double Rainbouu and two of Australia’s top new swimwear brands, Matteau Swim and Bondi Born.
The latter two are among a slew of labels that are showing at the event for the first time this year. A number will feature in the New Generation show, a showcase for emerging designers that has been a key component of MBFWA since its inception in 1996.
