7 Australian Brands You Need to Know

Aje

Founded in 2008 by best friend duo Adrian Norris and Edwina Forest, Aje is defined by its bold colors, unique textures and sculptural silhouettes. Made for the woman who wants to stand out, Aje infuses its exciting, contemporary designs with a palpable reverence for craftsmanship and exquisite tailoring. The Australian Fashion Week fixture is beloved by It girls from supermodel Adut Akech and Australian actress Gabrielle Brooks, proving its deserved popularity. 

Norris’ training at the Venetian Art School and Liceo Artistico Venezia coupled with Edwina’s career at fashion magazine RUSSH allows Aje to seamlessly marry fashion with art, creating wearable masterpieces. The label’s clothing is tenderly handcrafted, utilizing natural fabrics and hand-painted prints, which are first made with watercolors and acrylics before being digitally printed. Hardware and delicate beading are sewn on and cast by hand, demonstrating the passion that goes into each piece. Show-stopping staples include the Virtuous Lace-Up Longline Shirt, which boasts boldly branded lace detailing on the back, instantly elevating the classic button-down shirt. Elsewhere, the Elena Belted Denim Midi Dress reimagines the signature denim shift with a flirty drop waist and gold detailing. Meanwhile, one of Aje’s newest arrivals, the Flame top immediately catches the eye with its bright, architectural plume of fabric.

Alèmais

Created amid the COVID-19 pandemic by former Zimmerman designer Lesleigh Jermanus, Alèmais is leading the charge for environmentally conscious brands, illustrating that being responsible can be chic. Jermanus incorporates her Lebanese heritage into her designs, presenting her devoted clients with kaleidoscopic patterns and fanciful shapes, earning her Australia’s National Designer Award in 2022. Alèmais’ Resort 2024 collection delivered a vibrant tapestry of whimsical garments outfitted with dazzling prints and playfully exaggerated shapes, such as tiered paisley dresses, boldly patterned kaftans, and floral frocks with generously puffed sleeves.

Driven by a sustainability ethos, Jermanus is on a mission to make fashion more ethical through its use of artisanal design methods and natural textiles, employing hemp, cotton, linen, and ramie throughout its offerings. To further care for the planet, Alèmais participates in the Tree Project, planting a tree for every item sold and new subscribers to the community. 

Bec + Bridge

College best friends turned designers Bec Cooper and Bridget Yorston wasted no time as they created Bec + Bridge after graduating from Sydney’s University of Technology in 2004. Soon after, they were invited to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia and the rest is history. 

Bec + Bridge instills a sense of confidence in its wearers, welcoming skin-baring sheer dresses adorned with feminine rosettes, alongside sensual yet elegant slips. Dynamic tailoring is a mainstay of the brand as cut-out tanks, asymmetrical frocks, and twist tops are in abundance. More demure pieces arrive in the form of the Serene Asym Maxi Dress, which consists of a black off-the-shoulder top with a midriff cut-out and flapper-inspired gathered gold skirt. Worn by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner, Bec + Bridge is made for every woman, providing a curated capsule of versatile “cool girl” essentials. 

The Sydney-based brand also ensures ethical practices throughout its manufacturing process to protect the well-being of factory workers and prioritizes working with local makers. Bec + Bridge proudly shares behind-the-scenes insights into the design process, putting garment manufacturers on the pedestal they deserve.

Christopher Esber

2023’s Australian Designer of the Year, Christopher Esber has quickly risen to the top of the international fashion world, and for good reason. With a fan base including Solange Knowles and Zendaya, Esber has also dressed Emily Ratajkowski, literally delivering a dress on bike and foot for the model to wear in Paris. Esber’s penchant for sultry deconstruction transforms staple wardrobe items into something completely luxurious and new, pulling tastemakers from far and wide into his orbit.

Embodying a balanced aesthetic of provocative elegance, Esber’s unparalleled tailoring reinvigorates minimalist designs with a heavy helping of sultry cut-outs and draping, enabling the garments to remain sophisticated. Taking the quintessential Australian beach dressing to new heights, the eponymous label is teeming with watercolor mesh tops, slinky midi dresses, and figure-flattering shifts punctured by wavy décolletage-revealing necklines. 

Dion Lee

Dion Lee delivers an assortment of edgy and thoughtfully crafted garments, experimenting with textiles and tailoring techniques to breathe new life into its intriguing silhouettes. Founded in 2009 by the Australian designer, the label made its initial debut during Australian Fashion Week and went on to become the first designer to stage a runway presentation at the Sydney Opera House in 2010. Dion Lee quickly became a global brand once the designer presented in London before relocating to New York where his shows are always highly-anticipated and star-studded. 

Bold construction is at the heart of the brand, boasting fishnet wire corset tops and dresses, as well as its signature ball and rope detailing, artfully slicing knit tops, and cowl neck dresses. The label pays devoted attention to the human form, adding architectural elements to its range of clothing like the airy Muscular Twist Tank and structured Undercorset Shirt, as well as the iconic heavily strapped Constrictor Crop Jacket. Dion Lee boasts an undeniably formidable aesthetic, merging technical tailoring with an unabashed sensuality.

Emma Mulholland on Holiday

As joyful as it sounds, Emma Mulholland’s sophomore brand is an ode to the coveted bliss we feel on vacation–or as Aussies call it, “holiday.” After founding her first eponymous brand in 2013, Mulholland closed its doors to open Holiday the Label in 2017 and quickly became a celebrity-approved brand as Gigi Hadid raved about its technicolor lime green checkered set on Instagram in 2020. "Holiday, if you’re watching, I’m obsessed — and if you make these sets in 100 other colors, I will take them and I appreciate it,” the model shared on Instagram Live. 

Inspired by a sense of wanderlust, the exuberant brand pays homage to the cheeky ‘80s and ‘90s-esque tourist vibe, invoking a playful sense of nostalgia. Holiday is overflowing with quirky slogan T-shirts, sequined dresses adorned with uber-saturated Hawaiian flowers, and zebra-printed maillots. “Somebody On Holiday Loves Me” is emblazoned on dad hats and heart-shaped bags, offering fun accessories that play into the brand’s souvenir aesthetic.

SIR.

An acronym for separates, intimates, and ready-to-wear, SIR. was founded in 2014 by friends Nikki Campbell and Sophie Coote to deliver high-quality and ethically sourced garments that capture the feeling of eternal summer. The brand made its debut with a linen capsule, which sold out in hours, solidifying its cult status. Grounded by a refined, minimalist approach to design, the label is a walking mood board of inspiration, offering sumptuous corded cut-out dresses fit for balmy, late nights, alongside beach-ready crochet maxis.

SIR. fuses a relaxed, laissez-faire attitude with a distinct taste for the finer things, evoking a decadent aspirational attitude that inspires the wearer to adopt a more elegant alter ego. Sustainability is also one of SIR’s core beliefs and is exemplified through the inclusion of organic and recycled materials, a streamlined supply chain, and ethical work practices.