Coat Check: 12 trailblazing labels delivering a different kind of design
PHOTOGRAPHER – JESPER HEDE AT CUBED STUDIO
STYLIST – JAM BAYLON
STYLIST’S ASSISTANT – CHLOE WILSON
HAIR AND MAKEUP – KAT BARDSLEY
MODELS – ADELE AND JACK FROM DUVAL AGENCY
The who’s who of innovative design.
When it comes to cultivating thoughtful practice within the fashion industry, Australia is close to bursting with names worth mentioning.
As retail continues to adapt to new models of business and sustainable practice, a number of Australian labels are breaking ground. These reformers are increasing the consumer value of their output while simultaneously reducing their environmental impact, inviting consumers to buy less.
Here we celebrate the change-makers, trailblazers and those carving out their own path to delivering design.
AMXANDER is a menswear label with an ethos of disassembly and reconstruction. AMXANDER utilises silhouettes and motifs associated with uniforms of different eras, cultures and occupations. These enduring design foundations are then injected with Eastern influences in order to transform the mundane into something special.
Arnsdorf hit pause in 2012 to properly respond to its own ethical concerns around its business practice, before relaunching in 2016 with a new set of standards. Almost all operations are now conducted in-house, with the brand building its own factory in Collingwood to accommodate. Instead of collections, Arnsdorf releases individual styles in small runs as they’re created throughout the season.
Articles of Clothing is an experimental fashion label offering an ever-rotating selection of archive pieces. Each design is numbered and produced in a highly limited run which, when sold out, makes way for another design to briefly resurface.
Bared Footwear puts health first, with style a very close second. Started by podiatrist Anna Baird, the label inserts a biomechanical footbed into each of its designs that steer clear of cliché, grandma-esque orthopaedics. For men and women.
Coreprêt was established around a simplified Monday to Friday model of dressing, Coreprêt is out to redefine the way we approach office dressing and the personal uniform. The brand is currently in hibernation, set to relaunch with new work-appropriate designs in October.
E Nolan is the brainchild of designer Emily Nolan who, with a background in tailoring, recently turned her hand to custom suiting for women. Each garment is made to order and designed to be worn frequently, with a focus on lasting quality.
Hew was established to fill a gap in the Australian market for colourful, out-there menswear. The label regularly collaborates with local artists to design fun and experimental prints.
HoMie is a socially-focused label supporting young people affected by homelessness. As well as donating 100 per cent of profits to social impact programs, the brand assists homeless youth in finding employment. It recently released an entirely upcycled collection using past-season designs, which sold out in a day.
Krystal Deans crafts garments only in response to client orders, with waste reduction and personalised consumption front of mind. Uses a variety of thoughtful textiles across collections, meaning prices will depend on your choice of fabric.
Mimi Holvast is a local designer and seamstress involved in each stage of her label’s design process, from initial conception to pattern making, cutting and construction. She delivers womenswear in small runs from her studio in Byron Bay. All fabrics are made from natural fibres and sourced from within Australia.
Mndatory makes tailored menswear inspired by architectural design principles. Garments are made to order, ensuring the personalised quality and fit of each garment while limiting wastage.
North shares the work of Indigenous artists across the Northern Territory. North sources prints from art centres in Indigenous communities and screen prints them, by hand, onto high-quality fabrics. Textiles are then turned into clothing, homewares and accessories, which generate an income stream for the art centres and provide a mechanism for supporting ongoing creative work.
This article was originally published in Fashion Journal 191. You can read it here.
Styling credits
LOOK ONE
ADELE WEARS / SSCHAFER MESH GLOVE DRESS $250, COREPRÊT M.03 BODICE POA
JACK WEARS / MNDATORY DOUBLE BREASTED GUN CLUB BLAZER $790, HOMIE EMPATHY TEE $65
LOOK TWO
JACK WEARS / AMXANDER BLUE IRIS PARANOIA TRACK JACKET POA AND MATILDA CHECKERED BLAZER $545, SCCHAFER BUTTON DOWN DENIM JEANS $210, BARED POLONIUM WHITE LEATHER LOAFERS $229
LOOK THREE
ADELE WEARS / COREPRÊT TH.2 POA, ARNSDORF ROBERTA TANK $149, ARTICLES OF CLOTHING MAROON JOGGER NO 149 POA, POST SOLE STUDIO CRISS-CROSS SANDALS IN SKY $339, VALET ATHENA EARRINGS IN YELLOW $119, RESPIRO EDIE BAG $279 FROM VALET
LOOK FOUR
JACK WEARS / HEW CLASSIC SLIM SHIRT IN RYAN PRINT $139, AMXANDER BLUE IRIS JOGGERS POA, BARED SCANDIUM 2 BLACK LEATHER LOAFERS $289, SANCIA PALOMA SADDLE BAG $328
LOOK FIVE
ADELE WEARS / SSCHAFER VINYL JACKET $300, ARNSDORF PRUDENCE SHIRT $480, COREPRÊT M.03 TROUSER POA, HABBOT LUCA RED SHOES $415, HOMIE SOCKS $20
LOOK SIX
JACK WEARS / DOUBLE RAINBOUU BIKINI KILL 3D LONG SLEEVE SHIRT $220, AMXANDER DAHL DETACHABLE SATIN OVERCOAT $570 AND MATILDA CHECKERED PLEAT TROUSERS $350, HOMIE SOCKS $20, BARED POLONIUM WHITE LEATHER LOAFERS $229
LOOK SEVEN
ADELE WEARS / DOUBLE RAINBOW ALOHA LORD HAWAIIAN SHIRT $175, ARNSDORF VALENTINE VEST $550, COREPRÊT M.03 TROUSER POA, POST SOLE STUDIO ASTRO CONTOUR SAGE SNAKE SHOES $449, HOMIE SOCKS $20
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