Fri 4 June •
Highlights from AAFW Day 5
Between minimalist staples, next-level florals and a runway like no other to wrap Afterpay Australia Fashion Week, there was plenty to get excited about for day five.
St. Agni
For Friday’s first show, the team at St. Agni reminded us of the endlessly chic possibilities that come with a monochromatic palette and graphic stripes—the latter of which saw a variety of iterations, ranging from the bold (a midi-dress worn over matching wide-leg pants) to the strikingly simple (a boatneck pinstripe tunic). Sure to be a hit with the bevy of It-girls in attendance—Sammy Robinson, Carmen Hamilton, Brooke Testoni, Jadé Tuncdoruk and Eleanor Pendleton to name a few—the label’s elevated essentials once again proved that sometimes, less really is more.
The Upside
In an appropriately zen move, yoga and athleisure line The Upside skipped a traditional runway presentation in favour of a stretch session led by Kate Kendall—aka @activeyogi—in the Yallamundi Rooms at the Sydney Opera House. Dressed in the latest collection of logo sweatshirts, colour-blocked leggings and bright bike shorts, guests relaxed to a sound bath by Laural Furze—the perfect antidote to a packed fashion week schedule.
Karla Spetic
There’s no doubt that fashion favours floral prints as the weather warms up (cue “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.”) But covering mini skirts, tailored trousers and tie-up tops, Karla Spetic’s large scale photo-realistic botanicals for Resort ‘22 feel super fresh. Cut-out silhouettes, irregular stripes and pastel monogram patterns also appeared throughout the collection—all perfect for a statement-making summer wardrobe.
Christopher Esber
After a year of cozy clothes, it’s not hard to see the appeal of Christopher Esber’s curve-hugging dresses or crochet separates. Serving serious early ‘00s vibes, models like Gemma Ward traced the edges of a zen garden in a collection that was sleek, slinky and showed plenty of skin. Sign us up.
Afterpay’s Future of Fashion
Futuristic animations of flowers blooming opened Afterpay’s Future of Fashion—an apt symbol for an industry ready to flourish after a year of uncertainty. Strewn with celebratory streamers and confetti, the show saw an inclusive cast take to the runway in designs from Alice McCall, Anna Quan, bassike, Bec + Bridge, Bianca Spender, Blair Archibald, Commas, Ginger & Smart, Manning Cartell, Michael Lo Sordo, Oroton, P.E. Nation, Rachel Gilbert and Romance Was Born. The finale upped the ante, with a glitter light show, dancers and models Jessica Gomes, David Genat and Charlee Fraser wearing Camilla alongside disability advocate Lisa Cox to cheers from the packed crowd. Talk about ending the week on a high!
