Wonder Down Under: The Australian Brands to Know
A new crop of Australian labels are bringing their sunny disposition and easygoing elegance to the fashion and beauty space
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Wonder Down Under: The Australian Brands to Know
A new crop of Australian labels are bringing their sunny disposition and easygoing elegance to the fashion and beauty space
Beachy weather, the Great Barrier Reef, kangaroos and koalas: these might be the first images that spring to mind when thinking of Australia. But the country’s wildlife isn’t the only thing worth paying attention to - its fashion and beauty industries are also full of unique discoveries. In fact, the design ethos of cities like Sydney and Melbourne mean they’re beginning to rival Copenhagen as key style capitals outside the Big Four (London, Paris, New York and Milan). Here are some of the names to look out for at Liberty this season.
Posse
Sydney, or the south of France? Posse makes the kind of pieces you can imagine Jane Birkin wearing whilst swanning around the Côte d’Azur on holiday. Beautifully cut in natural fabrics, their simple separates have also caught the eyes of modern day it-girls including Sofia Richie Grange, Selena Gomez, Katie Holmes and Meghan Markle.
Shop nowAesop
‘Often imitated, never replicated’ might be a good tagline for Australian beauty brand Aesop, whose brown bottles and apothecary-style packaging have become a staple in stylish bathrooms around the world. Their essentialist, zen aesthetic and herbaceous fragrances were born in founder Dennis Paphitis’ Melbourne hair salon in 1989, after he started blending essential oils into hair products to mask their chemical smell. The rest, as they say, is history.
Shop nowAlémais
It’s no secret that Liberty loves prints. So you can imagine our buyers’ excitement upon discovering Australian brand Alémais, a label known for its bold, colourful designs. Tropical, delicate, unexpected and elegant, Alemais’ prints and embroideries combine designer Lesleigh Jermanus’ Lebanese heritage with the optimism of Sydney’s perennially sunny weather.
Shop nowSeb Brown
Designer Seb Brown was raised on the windswept coast of Victoria - he told Esquire Australia it was a place where waves buffeted against the shore and trees would sometimes crash through power lines, causing Seb and his siblings to play board games by candlelight. This rough hewn charm is present in his signet rings, which are hatched with child-like engravings and studded with asymmetric smatterings of gems.
Shop nowAje
Aje founders Edwina Forest and Adrian Norris have been in business together for over 15 years, co-founding their label in 2008. Their distinctive aesthetic was the result of a shared goal to create pieces that would be chic enough to wear to events in the city, but also light and relaxed enough to wear in the coastal towns of Queensland where they met.
Shop nowSlip
Sometimes brands are born from a spark of inspiration. Other times they’re born out of necessity - as was the case for Slip’s founder Fiona Stewart. After being prescribed an aggressive acne medication, her skin and hair follicles became highly sensitive. Her dermatologist suggested a silk pillowcase, which improved her condition immediately. Eager to share her discovery, she founded Slip in 2004 with her partner Justin. Their range now includes eye masks, hair accessories and even a silk travel pillow.
Shop nowSt. Agni
St. Agni’s success has been as seemingly effortless as their designs. The label was started in Byron Bay, a beach town about eight hours’ drive north of Sydney known for its easygoing lifestyle and endless sandy beaches. St Agni’s pieces combine the freshness of Australian summer style with the sharp tailoring and monochrome palette of 90s greats like Helmut Lang and Ann Demeulemeester. Their simplicity and elegance has won them a legion of fans, including Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner. Stay tuned for the new collection arriving online soon, or shop in-person at our Liberty store.
Shop nowUltra Violette
If you’ve ever visited Australia, you know they’re serious about suncream. As proved by the other brands on this list, they also value great design and a tasteful approach. Ultra Violette is an SPF collection which combines all of these things. In co-founder Ava Matthews’ words: “We wanted to design a wardrobe of facial sunscreen that looked good, felt nice to wear, and didn’t bore us to tears.” Plus, their products aren’t just for sun protection - they’re also loaded with skincare ingredients, too.
Shop nowSignificant Other
The geography lesson continues - we’ve visited Melbourne, Queensland and Sydney, now we’re off to South Australia to meet Significant Other. The Adelaide-based label specialises in diaphanous silky creations and relaxed tailoring - perfect for bridesmaids, wedding guests or occasionwear. Describing themselves as “a stylish ‘beach to bar brand’ for the modern woman”, these pieces conjure summer ease, even when the London weather suggests otherwise.
Shop nowClea (coming soon)
One more Australian to look out for at Liberty - Clea will soon be joining our Antipodean cohort. Their crisp dresses feature feminine details including bows, embroidered cutouts, puffed sleeves and flouncy hemlines. Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson was recently spotted in one of their clean, column dresses - the ultimate Aussie endorsement for this homegrown brand.
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