How Melbourne label Nofunović reimagined groomswear for a queer wedding

Two grooms, three outfit changes.

How you dress for your wedding day might make or break your experience – it can dictate how the whole day is remembered, after all. For traditionalists, the rules are set: a white dress, a black suit. But what happens when the couple wants to break them?

For Melbourne-based designer Jayden Trifunović of the label Nofunović, the answer is simple: Love leads the process. This story starts in November 2024, when Jayden’s friend Christopher Lengyel and his fiancé, Keith Small, spotted Nofunović’s Harmonika set online: a long-sleeve top and shorts made from Japanese plissé fabric. They were preparing for their wedding, set for March, and had found their ‘getting-ready’ outfits.

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“It showed the style we wanted for the day, rather than simply getting ready in pyjamas or gowns,” says Christopher. With one step sorted, the real predicament still lingered. What the pair wanted for their wedding looks was so specific, they found it hard to articulate to a designer. “This, at the time, was the biggest stress in our wedding planning,” notes Christopher.

Knowing the grooms personally, Jayden suggested they come in for a chat to discuss possibilities. “Chris and Keith wanted a mix of traditional and non-traditional menswear, which aligns with Nofunović perfectly. I thought this would be a great time to introduce a pair of trousers I’ve been wanting to make.

“The inspiration for the tops came as I was sealing envelopes, and I thought it would be cute to present both of them as each other’s love letter,” he says. Jayden had the idea to replace the zipper at the back of the tops with rouleau loops and buttons from traditional bridal gowns.

“Usually, the bridal party is responsible for buttoning up the back, but I wanted to give Chris and Keith their own tradition.” Both looks featured visible French seams along the outside of the jackets, rather than being hidden within the lining. “They were designed to flow through Christopher’s blazer and end at Keith’s, giving them their own unique looks that still came together as one.”

For a sentimental touch, Jayden enlisted the help of Melbourne-based Dirty Needle Embroidery to have the words ‘a lot, a lot’ hand-embroidered on each sleeve. “‘It’s something we have always said to each other, ‘I love you a lot, a lot’,” says Christopher. The words were embroidered in a vibrant cobalt blue, a nod to the blue threads woven through both suits and a spin on the bridal tradition of ‘something blue’.

For their third outfit change of the day, Jayden created matching mesh tops and trousers fit for the afterparty. “I love that we got to incorporate a mesh fabric into a queer wedding, which feels so correct,” he says.

As an independent designer, it’s hard to toe the line between commercial viability and fashion that reinvents the rules. “I’m so proud that the biggest custom project I’ve taken on so far in my career was something so meaningful and in line with the ethos of Nofunović.” Reflecting on the journey, Christopher and Keith say their confidence came from their outfits: “The wedding wouldn’t have been so special without them.”

This article was originally published in Fashion Journal issue 197.

Find more from Nofunović here.