Journalist and Author Lucianne Tonti Shares Her T Australia List

When it comes to sustainable fashion commentary, the journalist and author Lucianne Tonti has cemented herself as an industry authority. As an expert in regenerative fashion systems, Tonti is the fashion editor of The Saturday Paper, and writes a weekly Closet Clinic column for The Guardian.

Last year she released her debut book “Sundressed: Natural fibres and the future of fashion”, an exploratory deep dive into the “art and industry of clothing and an ode to the possibilities in nature” (Black Inc). In “Sundressed”, Tonti draws upon her extensive research in sustainability, alongside personal industry experiences and insights, to examine where our clothes come from, and why it matters that we know (and care).

Here, we tapped the all-round stylish Tonti for her T Australia List – from the collection she can’t stop thinking about to the sounds scoring her summer.

Lucianne_christopher esber — Christopher Esber Spring Summer 24 runway collection. Photographs courtesy of Christopher Esber.

Covet This: Crystals and cut-outs by Christopher Esber

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the SS24 collection Christopher Esber showed in Paris at the end of September. Fluffy high-heels, leather made from enormous leaves, pillowy cottons and drapey georgettes. The silhouettes balance loose volume with precise lines and something unexpected – like metal mesh and leather tassels or low-slung, oversized jeans covered in tulle. The body-con dresses with cut-outs and crystals that made him famous have undergone a welcome evolution, they’re still sexy but the lines are softer and each one contains more fabric and playful textures. The whole collection made me long for warm nights and parties to wear it to. christopheresber.com.au.

Lucianne_napier quarter — Napier Quarter's famous anchovy toast. Photograph courtesy of Napier Quarter.

lucianne_napier quarter_1 — The exterior of Napier Quarter in Melbourne's Fitzroy. Photograph courtesy of Napier Quarter.

Eat This: Anchovy toast (and dry martinis)

When I’m in Melbourne, at least a few days a week, you can find me at Napier Quarter in Fitzroy. The corner café and wine bar has recently been renovated. For me, its charm is that it’s exactly where I want to be at any hour of the day (and incidentally where I wrote a lot of my book). The chairs out the front catch dappled sunlight in the morning when you’re having coffee and their famous anchovy toast. The low tables inside are perfect for a bowl of pasta at lunchtime. When the weather warms up it’s a real pleasure to drink wine outside late into the night. The food offering is sparse, seasonal and always delicious. I like to start with Gildas, oysters and a dry martini with a twist. napierquarter.com.au.

Lucianne_beaches — Photograph courtesy of LesterLost.

Visit This: An east coast summer beach crawl

I’m relatively new to Sydney and still so enamoured by its beaches. Recently, a friend took me to Avalon for the weekend and we caught the ferry from Palm Beach to The Basin. The ferry is made from timber and was built in 1985 and has been painted navy blue, white and yellow. The journey only takes about 20 minutes but from the top deck you get an incredible view of Pittwater and of the houses built into cliffs that can only be accessed by boat. The Basin itself has a very charming, grassy picnic area with lots of shade that backs onto a small sandy beach. It’s in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The inlet is surrounded by a circle of small mountains covered in a mix of gum trees and ferns that run right to the water’s edge. When you swim out into the middle, the water is so clear you can see rays of sunlight reaching towards the bottom and so blue, you feel like you’re in an ad for Tourism Australia.

LUCIANNE_mereki — Photograph courtesy of Mereki.

Listen to This: A Kate Bush-esque record from Mereki

I was very lucky to be in London when Mereki launched her debut album “Death of a Cloud”. The launch was a listening party in the grounds of a beautiful estate in Henley-on-Thames. If there is one way to listen to this dreamy, poppy, Kate Bush-esque album it is walking around a fairy garden, using moss covered stepping-stones to cross the pond and solving a riddle in a maze of hedges (where the hidden treasure is you). Mereki is an Australian pop star who grew up in Noosa and lived in LA for years before relocating to the United Kingdom. The album explores the process of healing after losing someone you love. Musically, it is lilting and transcendent. Emotionally, it’s a prayer. merekimusic.com.

LUCIANNE_good vibes yoga — Photograph courtesy of Good Vibes Yoga Collingwood.

LUCIANNE_goodvibes yoga_2 — Photograph courtesy of Good Vibes Yoga Collingwood.

Do This: Stretch and strengthen beneath the sky

This might sound hyperbolic, but Good Vibes Yoga in Collingwood, is truly one of my favourite places in the world. It is always one of my first stops after time away from Melbourne. I often long for how my life used to be, when I could go there every day. The space itself is architectural with a sweeping, steel staircase that takes you up into the studio. Above the staircase, the ceiling has been replaced by square glass tiles that mean if you get a spot up the back of the room you’re almost practising beneath the sky. My favourite instructors are Rachel, Ryan, Jodie and Hope. They teach dynamic vinyasa that never fails to end up a bit sweaty and play the kind of music you don’t notice until you’re glad there’s a beat to help when the pace gets a bit intense. I promise you’ll float out the door afterwards. goodvibesyoga.com.au.

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