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While Zimmermann has been busy touring the international stages, the Australian label has taken inspiration from close to home for their Fall 17 collection.
Their new collection, called ‘The Maples’, draws inspiration from women living at the Women’s College, the University of Sydney’s all-female residential college, post World War One.
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Zimmermann posted on Instagram to announce the collection, which they recently debuted at New York Fashion Week.
“Fall 17: “The Maples” is the name of one of buildings which was used to house student of the Women’s College at Sydney University following World War One.
“The starting point for the collection was a look at the life of female students attending the University during the time. We looked at amazing photos of the period – these young women playing sport wearing traditional men’s attire – cricket whites and team blazers – slouchy sweaters, oversized coats.”
But designers Nicole and Simone said that it was about more than just the fashion of the time – it was about the mood of the women in the photos they saw.
“They smiled, they had defiance and there was something a bit roguish about it all. And then there was the photos of the nights – thoughts of smoky danced in rooms, draped oriental silk pyjama robes and demure bias drop wait dresses. The inspiration for the collection is more about the mood than the period itself.”
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The Women’s College opened as a place for the first female students at the University of Sydney to live and study in 1892. While the first building was originally in Glebe, the Women College got its own building on campus at the University in 1894, designed to accommodate 26 students.
Now, the college houses 280 students every year, and the original building still stands.
This isn’t the first time the University of Sydney had a brush with the fashion world, as Karlie Kloss did a shoot with Stellar Magazine in the law library a few weeks ago.
