Australia’s unique fashion sense is different, distinct and parochial. Yet chic, fashionable and never dated. Confused?
Where do I start and how do I describe it?
First a backstory
I first visited Australia with my wife on our honeymoon more than 2 decades ago. Actually it was a second shot of a honeymoon. Bali was first, had a wonderful time, beach resort, everything was still pristine. It was so good but short that we could not get over it. A slingshot across to Perth, totally unplanned and back to back. It was great.
The first thing I noticed by the first afternoon was the near absence of branded apparel. We were seated and at Murray Street, heart of the Perth city. So we could see the parade of locals, I guess mostly people working in the city.
It was painfully obvious that we were the odd ones in terms of dressing, maybe overdressed or too branded.
Ok, we were on our honeymoon, young, keen to impress.
As visitors, guests and tourists to a new country we were also keen to put our best foot forward in grooming and appearance.
No worldwide brands in sight!
The Australians we saw that day were certainly not underdressed. Yet none of the popular worldwide brands were present. What gives?
They were dressed appropriately, in trendy clothes and gear such as shoes and handbags but no familiar brands. And importantly they were in keeping with the fashion trends of that era.
We (before we moved to Australia) had grown up to associate fashion with world wide popular brands for some reason.
We were not alone. Step outside Australia and you will see it from Beijing to London to New York. More pronounced amongst the nouveau riche of the developing World. Think Burberry, Gucci, LV and the like.
Some years later when it became known that we were migrating to Australia, a young secretary at my lawyer’s firm told me that her cousins had just migrated to Australia.
She told me that her cousins sent back a whole box of their branded clothes to her as they had no use of it in Australia. So I was not mistaken.
Australia marches to its own music
Its just amazing to know that Australia does not ape anyone or follow things as others do. It’s appears it dances to its own metronome beat.
There are so many local brands that are stylish and fashionable. And use of the right material to suit the climate and the occasion. You are actually spoilt for choice.
Have you seen a local dressed to the nines wearing a shiny pair of R.M. Williams Millicent pointed-toe Chelsea boots. Right there is class, confidence and ranking. Our country, our brand and we set the tone appears to be the message.
Ours and ours only
Helen Chik is an epitome of what I am aiming at.
Born in Sydney and of Asian heritage. Note her fashion sense, style and choice of colours which are classic representation of Australian chic fashion.
Place her in Paris and I see an Australian. Hence the distinct Aussie identity and look. Plus cerebral as her actuarial background will attest too.
Just look at her clothes, accessories and tatts. Not the ones that you see amongst high fashion celebrities of the West. But just as classy and graceful. That tatts collection of hers alone should make the Australian version of the Turner Prize shortlist.
These Boots are meant for walking
My son picked up a pair of expensive R.M.Williams when he graduated and started work. He told me he was not alone among his peers which tells me there is a sense of Australian identity even in fashion for the every incoming generation.
I used to travel for work to Northampton, UK, famous worldwide for its shoes as Sheffield was for knives. So shoes was topical for the odd chat. When I mentioned R.M. Williams the British had not known of it our heard of it – our brand and our little secret.
I guess Australia’s fashion sense means our own version of fashion and our brands while the rest of the World shares theirs.