Four very different emerging designers showed off looks for the future at the Next Gen show in Sydney. Erik -Yvon, Aaizel, Outfaced and Replica Project may well be our next Camilla and Marc, Kate Sylvester , Gorman, sass and bide or Akira as these designers are just some of the big names who have launched their careers at the Next Gen show. Each year’s winners are given opportunities to reach a global audience and receive industry networking opportunities.
SheSociety were excited to be in the front row for what is one of the highlights of any fashion week. The young designers are so enthusiastic and excited to be presenting that it is simply a joy to watch. Their families and friends, teachers and mentors make for an enthusiastic audience.
Erik – Yvon was first up, providing an exciting introduction with his colourful and playful designs. His first sundress boasted colourful flowers seemingly hand drawn in a naïve style. There was colour aplenty, metallics and fun prints like prawns. Eric is a Melbourne based designer who specialises in men’s and women’s wear. He draws inspiration from his origins in Mauritius. Erik has found success in national design competitions such as The Wool Awards and the Australian Fashion Awards, and gained experience with Romance Was Born and Neo Dia.
Aaizel designer, Minhee Jo, showed feminine pieces with puffed sleeves and tailoring. Oversized coats, pants, jackets and pinafores came in a muted colour palette which would not look out of place in the most fashion forward fashionistas closet. Minhee has a unique approach to fashion, converging the influences of romantic and detailed European Art and traditional East Asian clothing construction. Minhee designs with a sustainable focus with fabrics consciously sourced and cut in-house to prioritise minimum waste. With a strong focus on structured silhouettes and undone styling, sharpened with a contemporary edge, all of her designs are produced in Melbourne. Her career looks bright with her sustainable capsule collection already available on Net- A- Porter and stocked in Harrolds.
In a nod to the ‘70’s aesthetic Outfaced designer, Megan Taylor, worked in vibrant colours with board shorts, shirts , terry towelling hats and bucket hats the go. Megan is a Whitehouse Design graduate who creates gender neutral clothing with playful prints and a cool aesthetic of print on print, bike shorts and layering of shirts. Modern and colourful seems to be Megan’s vibe.
Replica Project’s Melbourne based designer, Amanda Nichols , is an experienced costume designer who has worked on films like Australia and The Great Gatsby. She combines costume and fashion to create her interesting and sophisticated collections. In 2015 she received a Churchill Fellowship to study couture garment construction. Her show told a story in feminine silhouettes and her print scarves were amazing.
The future of fashion looks bright with these Next Gen Alumni and the collections of all four were well received by an appreciative audience. Australian Fashion Week provided us with a glimpse into the future of fashion and all four designers should be proud of their unique styles and looks of the future.
Michelle Beesley is a Brisbane born and bred former primary school teacher. A wife, proud grandma and mother of three grown sons, Michelle is thrilled to have recently published her debut contemporary romance novel, It Happened in Paris, with Serenade Publishing. Her novella – Escape to D’ Amour was published in 2019. Michelle’s work can be found in the anthologies – Destination Romance and Short & Sweet. When not reading or writing Michelle can be found at a coffee shop chatting with friends, front row at a fashion show, or beside a rugby union field cheering on her favourite teams.
Michelle is a reluctant traveller, Francophile, keen walker and avid yoga enthusiast plus a book, film and theatre lover who loves everything pink and sparkly (including champagne). You can find Michelle on instagram @michellebeesley_writer and her website: michellebeesley.com.
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