Read the mag: Issue 199

Flip through the latest issue of Fashion Journal for free.

Our final print issue of 2025 is about letting loose and prioritising joy. It comes easily at this point in the year, when the sun’s out, the days stretch longer and the time feels like it’s yours again.

Speaking to the many talented contributors of this issue, from dancers and models to makeup artists, stylists and musicians, a common thread emerged: joy is the freedom to express yourself fully, without fear, constraint, or the algorithm breathing down your neck.

For more shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.

For some, that means moving your body outside the traditional confines of a dance institution. For others, it’s experimenting with fashion, throwing on what feels right without worrying about rules or trends. As you’ll see in these pages, joy can also be found in reinvention, or in something as simple as writing a letter.

Our cover shoot celebrates an ensemble cast of local curve models, both seasoned and emerging. Meet Bruna, the fiery redhead on this issue’s cover, and hear why she’s optimistic about the local fashion scene, even as plus-size representation shrinks on international runways.

You’ll also peek into the world of Melbourne-based dancer Katherine Lanterna, the ‘ballet school dropout’ who helped direct ‘First Position’, a fashion editorial reminding us that joy sometimes comes from breaking the rules.

On page 60, say hello to the ‘class of 2025’: four former interns, who’ve taught us as much as we’ve (hopefully) taught them. They’re proof that fresh eyes and fearless energy make everything better.

Speaking of value exchange, you’ll find inspiration for gifting season, both in our thoughtfully curated gift guide and in a beautiful piece by Constance McDonald, who insists that nothing beats the thrill of receiving a plump, handwritten envelope with your name on it.

This is the first issue since our print relaunch without Giulia Brugliera at the helm as Managing Editor. Stepping in felt like an enormous responsibility but it has been a privilege to put a fresh edition of Fashion Journal in your hands, free of charge!

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the many lands on which this edition was made, and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition before soaking in some downtime, as the year comes to a close. You’ve earned it.

To browse past issues of Fashion Journal head here.