Hey, I Like Your Style! DJ Anna Lunoe on ’90s rave, vintage leather and “weird little $20 tops on Depop”
IMAGE VIA @ANNALUNOE/INSTAGRAM
AS TOLD TO MARYEL SOUSA
“I never let trends be louder than my own instincts.”
We know personal style is a journey (I’m looking at you, Tumblr years) and our series Hey, I Like Your Style! dives into the fashion psyche of our favourite creatives. We’re talking the good, the bad and the 2007.
While the internet has made our fashion icons feel closer than ever before, even the most effortless of outfits came from a closet with some (well-dressed) skeletons. Clickable product tags, photo archives and lives chronicled in 30-second clips just don’t tell the full story.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
These are the stories behind the wardrobes, exploring how we develop our own personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story.
This week, we’re taking a look inside the wardrobe of Australian DJ, vocalist and producer Anna Lunoe. Hailing from Sydney, Anna has racked an impressive resume, performing at major festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Beyond the Valley. You don’t get that far by sticking to what’s expected of you.
Throughout her career, Anna has built a reputation for high-energy performances with a distinct genre-blending signature. She’s the definition of unpredictable and it’s no surprise her style is just as free.
Pulling inspiration from ’90s rave culture and local favourites like Karlalaidlaw, her wardrobe features everything from pinstriped trousers and athleisure to vintage leather jackets and funky Depop tops. “No rules,” she tells me. “If it feels good, do it.”
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Fashion Journal: Hey Anna! Tell me about yourself and what you like to wear.
Anna: I like to wear shapes and fabrics that inspire me to feel strong and interesting in whatever role I’m playing. It’s evolving, but it still echoes shapes that suit my body no matter what phase I’m in. These days, I buy a lot secondhand and pull old pieces back in. Over the years, I’ve built a capsule that can be remixed each year for a new feel.
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Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
I love everything. Is that an insane thing to say? I have a core style: classic shapes, tartan, pinstripe and a nod to athleisure at times. But I see someone dressed super femme, elevated and tonal, and I love it. I see someone really maximal; I love it on them. I see something simplistic and stripped, and I love that too.
I feel pulled in many directions when it comes to what appeals to me. It’s the same with music. I have to continuously re-anchor to what feels most ‘me’ and try not to get too carried away. It’s not really fitting into a box, but more being influenced by beauty I see everywhere.
Take us back to your teenage years. What looks are you still thinking about now?
’90s rave culture was a big influence on my teen wardrobe and still is! I’m actually wearing a lot of similar pieces I wore in that era and I find myself remembering pieces I loved back then and trying to find them again! A lot of my favourite pants are deadstock and secondhand pieces from the ’90s and 2000s and I get a lot of comments on them.
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How has your style evolved since then?
I think I know what suits me. I feel so much more instinctive about what I wear. I love seeing which ideas are coming back and reworking them in my own way. I’m a total fan of fashion as a cultural talking point. I love having fun with shapes and trends returning to the zeitgeist. I’ve learned never to say never to a shape and to keep the best pieces – they always come back!
Who or what influences your style today?
My goodness, this is ever-evolving. I still think about editorials I saw as a kid. I love those TikToks that flick through old magazines. I love monochromatic dressing or tonal colour play. I love wearing all black in interesting shapes or textures. I love pattern clash. Ugh, I love it all – a mood, a part of a cultural conversation, never letting trends be louder than my own instincts.
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What are some of the ‘investment pieces’ in your wardrobe?
Vintage leather jackets. If you see one you like, always buy it! I regret not buying a few that I loved. I thought I didn’t need them, but I was wrong. And classic-cut flat boots, like moto boots. I have bought the same pair of vintage moto boots three times because I keep getting rid of them. Don’t do that. Keep them!
Texture pieces like sequined, sheer, leather and PVC skirts, pants and tanks are a big one. I love wearing them and always re-wear them till they ultimately disintegrate (in the case of PVC) but I never get sick of them.
I’ve also got good classic sneakers that I keep rotating through. I know my size and buy interesting colourways in good condition on Depop when they come up. And honestly, I get so much bang for my buck out of little weird $20 tops on Depop. For every five I buy, one will be an absolute lifesaver for years.
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What’s a fail-safe outfit you always reach for?
I have a few lace-up Karlaidlaw skirts that I’m layering over pants or wearing alone with a bodice I had made. Last year, I had a slightly different version in a similar shape: a top with structure that holds me in, that I can layer over other tops, and little skirts that can be worn alone or over pants or stockings. If it’s cold, then I just add a layer.
I can make it look more work or more party. It’s super versatile and always makes me feel like a cool version of myself. And I always need a variation on a black or pinstripe trouser in a fabric that doesn’t crush. I live in these. Non-crushing fabric is the key to a travel wardrobe. No steaming unless it’s a very special event.
What is your approach to performance dressing?
Mood and function. I think about the energy I’m bringing, the weather, what my body needs to feel good and the shapes I want to create on stage. Non-crushing, lightweight fabrics that aren’t easily ruined by sweat are the cornerstone! Any special care items simply won’t survive longer than one wear.
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What’s a fashion ‘rule’ you don’t agree with?
That you need to dress for your age or any other restriction. I feel so sad for baby me, reading all these style rules in magazines as a kid. It was so silly. I see people breaking those rules spectacularly every day. No rules. If it feels good, do it.
Do you have any favourite Australian designers?
P.A.M. (forever!) Karlaidlaw, Lucinda Babi (who made my corset piece) and Nicola Louise.
Keep up with Anna here.
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