What's on your mood board for this collection?
Edwina: This season, we sought inspiration in the philosophies of iconic and emerging sculptors and how they use the earth as both the canvas and core of their art. There were a number of artists, but we were especially drawn to the the vivid hues found in the vast landscape art installations of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the undulating hills of Maya Lin’s Storm King Wavefield, as well as Marlene Knudsen’s sinuous stoneware.
Tell us about the new collection.
Edwina: Resort 23, which we titled ‘Sculptura’, encapsulates a place where art, the body and nature entwine. It is an exploration of the inherent interplay between form and space, manifesting through a myriad of tonal textures, vibrant colours, hand-painted prints and unexpected shapes that appear across minimal and maximal silhouettes alike.
What does showing at AAFW mean to you?
Adrian: AAFW is a unique opportunity to showcase Aje's Resort collections in Australia, whilst amplifying these collections and the essence of Aje to our international community.
Do you have a standout moment or memory from AAFW?
Adrian: Opening fashion week in 2019 was a significant milestone for us as a fashion house. With the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House as our backdrop, the show was an opportunity to begin setting the stage for international expansion while inspiring Australian customers at the heart of our brand.
What Australian designers throughout history do you look up to or have inspired you and why?
Edwina: For a long time it felt that our geographical isolation cast us out of the fashion eye and accordingly, many Australian designers tried to replicate that which was happening abroad in order to be globally acknowledged. The result being that the design sensibilities of many Australian designers became sadly similar, or appeared to have been already 'seen' abroad. Today, there is a great set of unique Australian designers, each of us standing proudly in our own design code, whilst flying the Australian flag high around the world, and that to me is very inspiring.
Summarise the Aje woman in a few words:
Edwina: Effortless. Strong. Raw. Beautiful.
