Clothes are kinda magic. It’s easy to forget this amid the constant stream of newness. But every now and then, a collection — or in this case a series of collections — will remind you just how incredible it is to pull an idea out of the human brain and turn it into a three-dimensional work of art. This sense of awestruck delight is exactly what we felt watching six of Australia’s most exciting young designers send their collections down the runway at the Frontier show.
Memorable moments included modern corsetry, which was finished with undulating edges (Haluminous), Victorian-era dinner jackets (Paris Jade Burrows), and graphic prints with accents of leather and fur (Suzaan Stander). And then there were the diaphanous forms of Ouse — figure-hugging yet pouffy in all the right places — garments edged with 3D-printed beads that sounded like a thousand tiny raindrops falling on the runway, courtesy of Rose Guiffre, and madre natura’s glistening shell bikini.
Together, the effect landed somewhere between a Wuthering Heights adaptation and an elevated club night. This vibe — which we very much endorse (for obvious reasons) — left us wanting more. We needed the full behind-the-scenes lore: the genesis of each garment, the niche references pinned on moodboards and the techniques that brought the fantasy to life. So we went directly to the source to ask the Frontier crew about their creative process, current obsessions and what their mums think about their clothing.
Ouse
Name: Samantha Diorio | Age: 30 | Location: Darlinghurst
What’s your favourite piece from the current collection?
The baby tee and bumster.
What was the most technical garment that you showed on the runway, and how did you execute it?
The Locket Dress. It’s a dress with an entire vintage nightie crushed inside of it that spills out at the hem. It took hours to perfect the placement and drape.
What work of art would you choose to represent your collection and why?
Michaela Stark. The conversations around body dysmorphia, beauty standards, sexuality and fetish that shape her practice deeply embody what Ouse is about and the clothing I create.
What’s your favourite part of the design process?
When things go wrong.
Describe your dream venue (real or imagined) for an Ouse show.
A regal woman’s bedroom. Bettie Paige and Courtney Love are walking. Lady Lilith and Alexa Wilding from the Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood will be attending alongside Dita Von Teese.
What are some activities that get your creative juices flowing?
Ouse belongs in a post-apocalyptic world so I tend to watch astronomy videos about black holes in space. It reminds me why I do what I do. There’s something about knowing how small we are and how life could vanish in an instant, beyond our control. That gets the blood and creative juices pumping!
What can we expect to see from Ouse next?
An experimental capsule wardrobe! And lots of colour.
Rose Guiffre
Name: Rose Guiffre | Age: 22 | Location: Sydney (Gadigal)
What’s your favourite piece from the current collection?
It’s still changing, but currently the black button-up dress with beaded lace embroidery and the white 3D-printed slip underneath. It has a balance of structure and dynamism which I find intriguing. I also think Mandy did such an excellent job bringing it to life on the runway.
If your mum had to describe your label in a sentence, what would she say?
What work of art would you choose to represent your collection and why?
Rowan Mersh’s shell sculpture series. I came across his work whilst I was developing my 3D printing techniques last year and his use of shape and texture, all in a monotone colour palette, really resonated with me. I also love his use of unconventional art materials that draw upon nature.
What are you currently obsessed with? And where would we start if we wanted to get into it?
Embroidered sweaters. There is something so gorgeous about elevating garments which are typically seen as very homey and adding personal flair. I would definitely encourage looking at your own wardrobe or at an op shop for a knit or sweater, then getting a yarn or some beads that excite you — less is definitely more when you start! There are plenty of simple stitches such as a chain, French knot or lazy daisy that, when clustered, can look really beautiful.
What are some activities that get your creative juices flowing?
I love to be outside, whether that is walking, running or looking for plants to take photos of. I think there is something very invigorating about immersing yourself in your surroundings and finding joy in where you are. A lot of my work explores natural processes, so the best way to embody and depict them is to first observe!
What can we expect to see from Rose Guiffre next?
Next month I’m moving to London for a traineeship at Hand & Lock — Britain's oldest embroidery house. I hope I can learn new techniques that I can then apply to my own practice as well as immerse myself within the London fashion scene. I really want my label to generate curiosity and excitement with the materials, techniques and silhouettes I develop, and for people to learn alongside me.
Haluminous
Name: Hannah Teresa | Location: Sydney
What are you currently obsessed with?
I’m obsessed with jersey! And [the Japanese manga] Berserk! Haha.
What’s the best thing about Australia’s fashion community?
The hidden creatives, the rebellious forces on the outskirts of the mainstream, and the diversity and resilience that come from a lack of materials and infrastructure.
Describe your dream venue (real or imagined) for a Haluminous show.
I would dream of showing Haluminous somewhere iconic in Australia, where it all started. Maybe the Harbour Bridge completely closed at night, with water underneath and black yachts surrounding the show.
For me, Haluminous is modern resortwear through a nocturnal lens — dark, romantic and emotionally-charged, but still internationally ready for export and business. I love that balance between fantasy and reality.
The women walking would be very specific Haluminous women: complex, depthful, strong and full of duality — women who can hold softness and power at the same time. In attendance, I would love to see independent business women, pioneers, creative leaders and women who have built their own worlds. I really adore women in business, especially women who carry strong energy, but also depth, mystery and emotional intelligence.
What can we expect to see from Haluminous next?
Nocturnal resortwear 🖤🖤🦇⚔️
Paris Jade Burrows
Name: Paris Jade Burrows | Age: 26 | Location: Sydney
What work of art would you choose to represent your collection and why?
This collection is based on the works of Gustave Doré. We reference a lot of the solo work he had done, and also the prints he created for Dante’s Inferno, Paradise Lost, etc.
What’s your favourite part of the design process?
My favourite part is the collaboration. I feel so warmed by the people I get to work with. Through conversations about character, intent, politics and art, we always create something beautiful together. I design specifically for each model, so this part of my process is really integral.
What are you currently obsessed with?
I’m currently really obsessed with the movie A Room with a View. I watched it the other week and I was really taken by its beauty. I’ve been getting more and more into antique collecting (and research), and that movie being set in my favourite time period was just the icing on the cake. I can’t stop thinking about it.
If your mum had to describe your label in a sentence, what would she say?
I think my mum would say my work is dramatic and shocking… just like me.
What was the most technical garment that you showed on the runway, and how did you execute it?
I did a lot of traditional corsetry with some sculptural and textural elements. The corsets are sometimes hard, as I follow historical patterns and manipulate them, so there’s a lot of trial and error in the creation.
What can we expect to see from Paris Jade Burrows next?
I’m thinking a lot about form lately and how fashion is presented to the public. As this chapter closes and I start working on my ready-to-wear, I want to push the idea of how fashion is preserved, and the same with costume. Working with different media to showcase my work to tell a story is something I am wanting to explore more.
Suzaan Stander
Name: Suzaan Stander | Age: 24 | Location: Sydney
What’s your favourite piece from the current collection?
My favourite piece is the fully leather, sculpted pink mini dress.
What work of art would you choose to represent your collection and why?
I’m forever obsessed with Salvador Dali’s 1969 illustrations he did for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The way he blends the surreality of his paintings with the surreality of the story is so enchanting. His illustrations blur the animate with the inanimate, which was an idea that influenced my approach to design.
What was the most technical garment that you showed on the runway, and how did you execute it?
Definitely the pink leather dress I mentioned above. It was made from countless pieces of boned leather that I meticulously sculpted across the bottom of the dress to juxtapose and unravel the seamless corsetry on the bodice. It was quite the challenge to sew, wrestling with such a structured piece, but I loved it.
If your mum had to describe your label in a sentence, what would she say?
Describe your dream venue (real or imagined) for a Suzaan Stander show.
My dream venue would be some sort of castle or castle ruins, most likely in France or England. The extreme history nerd in me would be fulfilled by this. Pat McGrath would lead makeup and dream up something really obscure and haunting. Luvcat would perform to set the background music for the show so everyone in attendance would feel like they’ve stepped into a mystical, dark fairytale dreamland.
What’s the most rewarding part of the design process?
My absolute favourite part of the design process is the experimenting with ideas that are still newly formed in my mind. I love to intensely stare at my mannequin while creating a sculptural body for her to be transformed in. This part of designing is so fulfilling because I feel completely cut off from the rest of the world, like I’ve entered this creative parallel universe where time doesn't move the same way, and my brain can run free.
madre natura
Name: Jackie Galleghan | Location: Sydney, Australia
Describe your dream venue (real or imagined) for a madre natura show.
Somewhere raw and architectural near the ocean — maybe a restored mid-century modernist home or a brutalist space with natural light and concrete textures. The casting would feel very human and grounded, rather than overly polished. I’d want artists, architects, musicians and people outside fashion in the room as much as buyers and editors. It would feel immersive, emotional and restrained, and not overly performative.
What’s the best thing about Australia’s fashion community?
There’s a real openness and support emerging, especially among younger designers. Australian fashion has this unique balance of refinement and ease that comes from our lifestyle and environment; there’s space for individuality here, which feels exciting.
What was the most technical garment that you showed on the runway, and how did you execute it?
Definitely the sculptural circle pieces. They involved extensive sampling and development to refine the balance between movement and structure. A lot of the process was about engineering the internal construction so the garments could hold these architectural forms while still moving softly with the body. The challenge was creating something sculptural without losing emotion or wearability.
What work of art would you choose to represent your collection and why?
Probably the Bauhaus movement as a whole. I’m very drawn to the relationship between functionality and form, and the way Bauhaus approached design with restraint, structure and intention. That balance between utility and beauty feels very connected to the way I approach clothing at madre natura.
What’s your favourite part of the design process?
The development stage. I love when an idea starts becoming physical through draping, tailoring and sampling. That process of refining proportion and structure is where the emotion of the collection really starts to emerge.
When do you get your best ideas?
Usually when I’m away from the studio. Swimming, walking, travelling, visiting galleries or being near the ocean are normally when ideas start connecting naturally. A lot of the brand comes from observation and memory, rather than forcing creativity.
Features Editor: Lucy Jones
Photos: Pippa Jasenko
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional owners of the land on which Australian Fashion Week takes place.
