Menswear Labels on Show at VAMFF
Nine menswear designers showed off their latest collections at VAMFF 2019. From newly emerged Australian designers like Chris Ran Lin and national design award winner Christian Kimber to established labels like MJ Bale and Dom Bagnato, Australian menswear fashion is finally on the rise. While fashion blogs tend to focus almost exclusively on women’s fashion, the GQ menswear runway at VAMFF is one of our favourites.
Client Liaison
Broadening out from their start as an indie pop band, the cheeky designers might be all about fun, but Monte Morgan and Harvey Miller have shown they are serious about their unisex high end athleisure wear label. No, they didn’t repeat their MBFWA debut by performing on the runway, but they were still all high energy and fashion kitsch.
Chris Ran Lin
Chris Ran Lin, one of our Revolutionaries of the Month in 2018 landed himself TWO runway gigs at VAMFF this year. The other runway featured his women’s fashion line that is stocked in exclusive Hong Kong retailer Lane Crawford. It’s just the beginning for this fashion creative who is garnering a strong following at this early stage of his career.
Strateas Carlucci
The label’s designers,Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci jointly won VAMFF’s National Design Award in 2018. Also producing women’s fashion, Strateas Carlucci are showing amazing versalility in a business that’s only been around for 3 years.
Mndatory
Stylist, tailor, optometrist and menswear fashion designer Brian Huynh graduated from the Whitehouse Institute of Design. Huynh burst onto the fashion scene in 2018 as a finalist in the National Designer Award. Mndatory is focused on outerwear and lounge wear. It epitomises design for the modern man.
Bassike
Jac+Jack
The creation of Jacqueline ‘Jac’ Hunt and Lisa ‘Jack’ Dempsey, Jac+Jack launched in 2004 and has since become a label known for its relaxed, high-quality garments across menswear and womenswear.
Dom Bagnato
Designing men’s suits since 1984, Dom Bagnato, recently joined by son Nunzio, finds inspiration for the label’s designs in European styling. Core values of “colour, contemporary classic, creative elegance and Italian style” have made it a favourite with Australian men.
MJ Bale
Something of an Australian menswear icon, MJ Bale isn’t afraid to have a bit of fun. While models backstage were having fun with tennis rackets, and cricket bats, this proudly Australian label didn’t hesitate to show it’s Australian branding. Models waltzed down the runway carrying all manner of sports equipment, including, appropriately for Melbourne, an Aussie Rules football.
Christian Kimber
The 2019 winner of VAMFF’s National Design Award, Christian Kimber is seeking to redefine Australian menswear. Focusing “somewhere between formal and casual for men who want to dress casually, better”. Kimber offers a complete informal wardrobe for Australian men. His range includes everything from woollen socks to cuffs and scarves as well as blazers, jackets, pants, shirts and tees.
All photos: Lucas Dawson Photography
