If I See a Problem, Does it Mean I Have to do Something About it?

Sydney Fashion Week (Afterpay Australian Fashion Week) is over, and I didn’t even realise it had started. I’m part of the global fashion industry, and yet I hardly pay attention to the Australian shows. Why?

Originally, I found them uninspiring. And recently, I have been focused on the US market for work, so it wasn’t really something I had time to focus on. I’d catch glimpses of the shows when browsing other cities on Vogue Runway or in my Instagram feed organically. I’d remember to pay attention to a few brands I personally like, but there was no gravitational pull for me to take time out of my week to make sure I followed every show.

Now that I’m back in Australia, I’m not only paying attention to what’s going on in e-commerce and stores, but also what new brands are launching and which ones survived the pandemic. It took someone I follow (for beauty content) posting about an appalling runway scene with a Paralympian struggling to get his chair through a “fluffy” runway, for me to see the extreme tokenism at play in the Australian fashion industry and fashion week this year. Then, I dived deeper on an account that posted “exclusive” videos of a lot of the shows, ranging from full on runways to intimate showings at restaurants. What I saw was incredibly disappointing, and although there were a few “average bodies” on display, it still felt forced and not like a full embrace of all bodies. I appreciated the inclusion of the First Nations Fashion and Design show, but outside of that, the shows were dull and the clothes were not for everyone - literally.

Knowing full well how many brands have struggled globally to survive the pandemic, particularly those invested heavily in brick-and-mortar retail, as well as smaller iconic Australian labels, I was surprised to see more than a handful of new brands launching this year. I thought to myself, OK, maybe these new brands are filling some space and bringing us something new and exciting, both in terms of design and inclusivity, or at least ethical/sustainable materials and manufacturing. But, no. Not the ones I saw. I’ve visited their websites.

Now, I know Australia has been largely sheltered from the pandemic in terms of living a normal life, and I’m also aware of the theories that the next few years could become a repeat of the roaring twenties, an economic boom ahead, but it surprised me to see so many new brands launching. The launches themselves were not surprising. Some young designers, some launching new brands with a (hopefully) better aesthetic than their original ones, but as I clicked onto each fresh instagram page, then to their website, then shop, then pick a random product, then click “size” - I was extremely disappointed. Every single brand I clicked on was limited to S, M, L, XL or XS-L. Not a single brand going bigger than an AU12-14 (US 8-10). Some brands stopped at a 12, and upon checking their size chart, what they consider to be a 12 is not a fucking 12.

So, as you can see, I’m pissed. I can sit here and roll my eyes at these basic ass brands launching honestly boring clothes without any special point of difference and complain all day. Or I can do something about it. This hasn’t made me realise anything I didn’t already know. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’m tired of hearing excuses for why a brand can only launch or produce in a limited size range, when I know what it takes to be more inclusive. There’s many solutions. After 12+ years in the industry, I understand how it all works.

So, this is the position I’m in. I’ve got so many ideas, and seeing these, quite frankly, boring brands launch at fashion week, is just fuelling me even more.

Aside from the fact that I’ve never really seen the value in being part of fashion week (it’s impossibly expensive unless you find a sponsor), I don’t mind the idea of softer launches like the little restaurant showings. But I’m sick to death of the token “plus model” who’s not bigger than a 12 and has a flat stomach. The “plus models” in Australia are markedly thinner than their US counterparts, and it’s not OK.

I’m sick of all these new brands launching slinky slip dresses and knitted bodycon dresses, exclusively for the column and hourglass body type. And do we really need more slip dresses? Do we?? There are hardly any brands in Australia that are both good design (style, fit, comfort, fabric, manufacturing quality) and size inclusive. I’m not going to name names in this post, but I am open to discussion in the comments or on Instagram DM. I want to know what you think about this topic.

I’m not going to name and shame brands or call out specifics, as I do need to keep my cards close to my chest, if I’m going to start something. If I want to be part of the industry, it won’t help me in the long run. But what I will continue to do is post my opinions and openly discuss the issues as I see them.

Additionally, I hardly saw any brands launch with ethical and sustainable focuses.

How can anyone launch a brand in 2021 that’s limited sizes, doesn’t mention their ethos on the website, and expect customers to take a gamble on their $300 polyester slip dress capped at a small size 12? How can anyone still think this is OK and applaud them at shows and in reviews?

I don’t want to give up and say the industry isn’t for me. I want to do something about it. I just have to figure out exactly how many of these focus areas I can fit into one brand concept. Because I want to do it all (typical Gemini), which means it’s going to be really, really hard.

The hardest part about putting your designs out there is knowing if they’ll sell. But with the concepts I’m working on, the hardest part will actually be choosing what not to do, because I won’t be able to do it all from day 1.

I’ve come to realise that playing it safe and slotting into an existing market is the easy way out, and in my opinion a bigger risk - the market is saturated with the same old shit. And I refuse to play it safe.

If I launch something, it’s going to cater to a broader range of people than any of the brands I saw at fashion week. It’s not going to rely on tokenism or any other gimmicks to be viewed as diverse or inclusive. It’s not going to tack on some greenwashing for extra clout.

I’m also under no illusion that what I launch may not be perfect or appeal to everyone. Nothing can be. But I can see the gap(s) in the market. I can see the people who are left out. And a lot of the time, that’s me. I suspect it might be you, too.

I’m still in the brain-storming phase of things, and wasn’t going to post about it yet, but this week just really got me seething. Of course, with any new idea, there is the worry that someone will beat you to it, but the thing is - no one’s doing what I’m planning, yet. Because it’s difficult. It doesn’t mean it’s not what needs to exist, though.

What I’d love to do somehow is propose a few different ideas and get people to give me feedback. If you’d like to be part of a focus group for a new brand, let me know. You don’t have to be Australian. Or identify as a woman, either. You also don’t have to be size 12+. The fact is, even small-sized people are fed up with what’s out there. If you’re looking for something new when it comes to clothing, or you’re feeling left out - send me a DM.