There are two group shows that take place during Australian Fashion Week dedicated to showcasing new and emerging talent. The New Gen show, which was established in 1996 and is set for later this week, and the newcomer Frontier show, which featured both new designers and established brands “curated to reflect the breadth of local talent.” The show included eight labels: contemporary fashion from Esse, Paris Georgia, and Matin; evening wear from Common Hours; and the resort 2026 collections of Courtney Zheng, Wynn Hamlin, and Amy Lawrance. Though they each have different levels of experience and expertise, as well as points of view, they are proof of the vastness of Australia’s fashion scene.
Courtney Zheng
Courtney Zheng’s label is only two years old, but the designer’s generational knowledge has quickly positioned her as one of Australia’s new favorites. “My parents own a small atelier in Guanzhou, and I’ve inherited that team and it’s just amazing to work with a team who’s worked for my grandparents, and then my parents, and now me,” she said after her show. Access to manufacturing is, of course, a wonderful thing for a young designer, but Zheng also has a very strong vision, evident in her opening look: a leather bomber jacket worn with a mermaid denim skirt made from shredded bias-cut panels. Also on offer were sheer mermaid gowns and lots of cool denim separates in a perfect worn-away shade of cement gray. “My previous collection was steeped in Georgian and Victorian references, and this season I just wanted to push myself creatively and strip everything back to its core,” she said. “I wanted to really focus on the structural integrity of the garments, the construction, the fabrication” Quiet luxury? Absolutely not. She calls it “Brutalist Stealth.”
Wynn Hamlin
