Fringe, feathers and furry textures imbue the season’s most fantastical dresses and coats with sensual drama.
Bottega Veneta dress and earrings, bottegaveneta.com; and stylist’s own stockings.
Photographs by Levon Baird. Styled by Natalie Petrevski. 
Celine by Hedi Slimane coat, celine.com.
Bottega Veneta dress; Max Mara gloves, au.maxmara.com; and Valentino Garavani shoes, valentino.com.
Sportmax bodysuit, world.sportmax.com; and Ann Shoebridge hat, annshoebridge.com.
Maticevski bodice, maticevski.com; and Bottega Veneta skirt.
Hedi Slimane delves into the traditional attire of England’s elite in “The Bright Young”, highlighting the essence of conservative, tailored fashion.
Photograph courtesy of Celine. Black and white film cinematography, an ancient statue, and a herd of deer—without the publication date attached to “The Bright Young” film, one might easily mistake it for a timeless classic. The opening scene shifts to a young man clad in a tailored, preppy suit, playing the trumpet. Soon after, models grace a runway set amidst an English garden, showcasing Hedi Slimane’s Spring 2025 men’s collection for Celine.
Known for his exploration of London’s music scene, Slimane now turns his attention to the refined, traditional dressing of England’s upper class. This film pays tribute to aristocratic fashion, seamlessly blending historical elegance with modern design.
The collection features a range of pieces, from trim jackets and cricket blazers to boating blazers, all crafted from luxurious summer cashmere flannels. These garments merge the refined sophistication of the early 20th century with contemporary fashion sensibilities, seamlessly merging the past and present.
A standout is the trompe l’oeil couture detailing on a rowing jacket, meticulously hand-embroidered at Celine’s ateliers. The craftsmanship shines with heraldic Celine patches in polished silver cannetille coiling, evoking the look of early 20th-century military uniforms.
Adding to the collection’s charm, Celine’s suits are paired with waistcoats in damask or hand-embroidered with 1920s English field flowers. Underneath the sleek black barathea wool tailcoats, silk faille gilets are adorned with hand-embroidered “English Gothic” floral designs, made from sequins, crystals, and high-gloss pearls in black, gold, and silver.
Slimane’s vision also includes designing English black bicycles in natural leather, featured prominently in the film. With wicker baskets and canoes decorated with Norfolk cut flowers, these elements add a final touch of vintage charm, enriching the film’s immersive, cinematic experience
It’s celebrating with a new edition of the company’s collectible tome, “Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience”.
The Penfolds team, including chief winemaker Max Schubert (centre), during classification in the late 1950s. photograph courtesy of Penfolds. It’s hard to imagine what life was like 180 years ago. In 1844, Thomas Edison had yet to invent the electric light, the preferred mode of transport was horse and cart, and Australia was not yet a federation. That was the year that Penfolds, one of Australia’s premier wine producers, was born. In the decades since, the winery has witnessed a continuum of transition from horse and cart to automobile, to robotics and AI.
Through the 19th and 20th centuries and into the 21st, many wines have been poured into many bottles by careful hands — from Penfolds’ first chief winemaker, Max Schubert, to today’s expert team — in the label’s Magill Estate winery. Influenced by fashion and fad, technological evolution and global revolution, despite being nearly 20,000 kilometres away from the European wineries that served as early inspiration, Penfolds has pushed the envelope with its ongoing commitment to innovation.
It’s not every day that a winery turns 180, particularly given the relative youth of Australia’s wine industry. On this anniversary, the company will celebrate appropriately. Penfolds’ chief winemaker, Peter Gago, has hinted that a new edition of the company’s collectible tome, “Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience”, is on the horizon, following extensive tastings in Paris and Hong Kong. After a pandemic-induced hiatus, Penfolds’ famous Re-Corking clinics are also due to resume this year.
New wine releases are ready, too. The formidable 2024 Penfolds Collection includes a rare Penfolds Commemorative Release, the 2021 Bin 180 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz. Gago also recommends that wine lovers think of the upcoming 2022 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2021 St Henri Shiraz as “drinking investments”.
Even at the top of its game, after 180 years of testing and triumphs, Penfolds still has a long way to go, Gago says: “Volume One at 180 years is now complete, and the journey continues.”
The Penfolds Bin 180 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2021 gift box is avalible to shop now. $1,180 (750ml). penfolds.com.
The campaign showcases reimagined classic designs, captured against the dramatic backdrops of Utah and Nevada.
BOTTEGA VENETA WINTER 24 CAMPAIGN. Photography by Alec Soth / Magnum Photos @littlebrownmushroom. Bottega Veneta’s creative director Matthieu Blazy‘s Winter 2024 collection emerges as a powerful testament to themes of introspection, resilience, and rebirth. Drawing inspiration from the stark beauty of dry, barren landscapes, the collection pays homage to environments where life not only survives but thrives against the odds.
Shot in the remote and dramatic settings of Utah and Nevada, near the enigmatic Area 51, the campaign captures the essence of Blazy’s vision. Photographer Alec Soth, who collaborated with Blazy on the Spring/Summer 2024 campaign in Tokyo, helps to bring this vision to life through images of models set against towering rock formations, desolate roads, distant mountain vistas, sculptural branches, and the resilient flora of the desert.
The collection seamlessly integrates with its surroundings, showcasing earthy tones that highlight its tailored design. Although predominantly understated, it features striking pops of colour, including Bottega Veneta’s signature Andiamo Tote, crafted from woven lambskin, remained in a eye-catching red.
In addition to the photoshoot is a compelling film directed by Rahim Fortune. It opens with sweeping, expansive shots of the barren landscape, echoing Soth’s iconic imagery. The visuals showcase models navigating the vast, empty desert with a dual sense of leisurely exploration and purposeful urgency.
The film’s visual narrative is enriched by close-ups of fragile desert flora, their delicate forms quivering in the breeze. These moments of subtle contrast emphasise the resilience of life in such a rugged environment, aligning perfectly with the collection’s themes of introspection and rebirth.
The film’s soundscape, crafted by Le Motel, further enhances the mood with its suspenseful tones. Crackling fire and ambient wind create a sense of anticipation, perfectly aligning with the collection’s themes of resilience and rebirth. This auditory backdrop, combined with the striking visuals, evokes a profound connection to the stark yet vibrant world depicted in Blazy’s Winter 2024 collection.
Like the Ganni girl, the Danish brand is growing up. Creative director Ditte Reffstrup hints at more sophisticated and refined garments on the horizon.
Photograph courtesy of Ganni. Following Copenhagen Fashion Week, Havaianas, maxi skirts, and sheer fabrics have been seen on streets around the globe — great news for Australia with spring just around the corner. This Scandi aesthetic has surged in popularity in recent years, with Danish brand Ganni a leader in this sought-after style.
However, this year, Ganni’s playful puff sleeves and colourful dresses were notably absent from the runway, marking the second consecutive season the brand has not participated in Copenhagen Fashion Week. Ditte Reffstrup, who co-leads the brand with her husband Nicolaj, admitted it felt strange not to be preparing for the 2024 schedule after 10 years of showing. This hiatus, however, provided the team with the opportunity to rethink and revitalise for its next big move.
This week, Ganni has been announced to debut at Paris Fashion Week in September, marking its first international show outside its home turf. This significant milestone aligns the brand with the world’s premier fashion stage, reflecting its ongoing evolution.
Over the past year alone, Ganni has gone from strength to strength. The brand launched its “Ganni Responsible Denim” line, furthering its commitment to sustainability, and has engaged in high-profile collaborations, including New Balance and jewellery label Mejuri. Additionally, it’s has expanded its global retail presence and garnered praise at numerous eco-conscious fashion awards. This success could, arguably, be put down to the fact that the brand’s core values remain unchanged since Ditte and Nicolaj took ownership 15 years ago.
“Since the very beginning, we wanted to create a brand that was reflective of how my friends and I were dressing at the time, something that felt full of contrast and personality,” she tells T Australia.
“And I love that it still rings true today. The only difference is that back then it was just a handful of us working out of our friend’s apartment. Today, I pinch myself thinking about the team we have grown to be and the global movement behind the brand.”
Just like the brand itself, the Ganni girl has grown up over the years. Reffstrup notes that the team’s designs will naturally progress with this evolution, hinting at more sophisticated and refined garments on the horizon—something she’s truly excited about.
“You can expect a lot more tailoring and elevation in the pieces, but always with a sense of humour and that Ganni Twist,” she adds.
With the dates for Australian Fashion Week 2025 now set for May 12 to 16, there’s hope that Ganni might make its next international runway appearance Down Under. But in more promising news, when asked about the possibility of more Ganni stores coming to Australian cities, Reffstrup advised us to “watch this space”.
Ganni’s debut Paris show, under the creative direction of Ditte Reffstrup, will take place on Tuesday, September 24th, at 3:30 PM. Ganni will unveil its Spring/Summer 2025 collection.
She shares the local labels she’s loving right now and an underrated cafe in Sydney with a standout corned beef hash.
Beare Park's co-founder and creative director Gabriella Pereira. Photograph courtesy of Beare Park. Cast your mind back to Australian Fashion Week 2021: it’s a cool Wednesday afternoon at the Sydney Opera House, and the Abbotsleigh Girls Choir performs a beautiful rendition of “Song to the Siren” in the forecourt. The scene is quintessentially Sydney, setting the stage for Australian label Beare Park’s debut on the runway. In hindsight, it was a perfect introduction.
The label, co-founded by friends Gabriella Pereira and Angela Krantz, has since emerged as a leader among Australian slow fashion labels, known for its elevated tailored pieces. Every garment is designed in the same city where it mades its debut, and crafted in limited runs by a close-knit community of master tailors and makers in Sydney and Melbourne.
If you weren’t already familiar with Beare Park’s elegant silk gowns, felt coats, and signature blazers, there’s a chance you spotted the brand earlier this year. The CommBank Matildas, Australia’s star women’s soccer team, made a strong statement, wearing personalised off-field Beare Park suits before their two-nil victory over China PR in front of a record home crowd at Sydney’s Accor Stadium (we’re convinced the statement ‘fits gave them the confidence for such a stellar win).
T Australia caught up with the label’s co-founder and creative director Gabriella Pereira to reflect on Beare Park’s journey since its 2021 debut, and to share her recommendations for a T Australia List.
Dressing the Matildas was a major moment for Beare Park! I still pinch myself that it happened. The Matildas are peerless in the way that they have positively influenced Australian sport and the inspiration they provide — especially for women. It was a supreme privilege to be able to provide the players with a custom Beare Park suit.
We had numerous conversations with the players themselves and Football Australia about what they wanted from their Official Formalwear and how they wanted to feel when wearing it. We were lucky enough to meet with all the players in the early stages of developing the suits and were able to show them our different shapes and fabrics.
We then secured 100 metres of a deep navy wool twill (crafted from 100 per cent Australian Merino Wool), which featured a golden pinstripe from one of our family-owned suppliers in Melbourne. We knew the fabric could not be replicated and so it was exclusively ours. It felt like the most perfect fabric for the uniforms as there was just enough to make the suits for the CommBank Matildas.
I love Albus Lumen and Nagnata for activewear.
I really love Zinc in Potts Point for breakfast and lunch. The atmosphere is unpretentious, and the food reminds me of very good home cooking – produce and flavours are always so fresh. There is a slight traditional British influence with corned beef hash and a sensational smoked trout Kedgeree sitting permanently on the menu. Definitely my favourite Sydney brekkie spot (good coffee too).
I am very fortunate in that I get to travel internationally very frequently with my work. I think my next ideal holiday destination would be somewhere in Australia that perhaps I could drive to, with my dog and relax for a couple of weeks. Maybe a farm stay somewhere like Orange or Mudgee with lots of countryside walks, play a bit of tennis and enjoy a few slow winery visits.
Music is a huge part of my life and am forever obsessed with Anohni and the Johnsons. In July 2023 they released a new album: “My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross”, I’ve had it on repeat almost constantly since its release. That’s a standout album that comes immediately to mind.
