Behind The Seams | Discover The Inspiration For Resort 24 'Element'
In celebration of the 15th anniversary of Aje, Co-founders Edwina Forest and Adrian Norris returned to the Afterpay Australian Fashion Week with the debut of their Resort 24 collection, entitled ‘Element’.
Captured In the midst of preparations prior to its runway debut on the 16th of May, the duo invite you to enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration that led to the collection.
From glimpses at intimate fittings to final alterations with model muses in Aje’s Sydney atelier, continue reading for an up-close look at Resort 24 ‘Element’ and the story that inspired it.
Embodying the evolution and essence of Aje, Resort 24 ‘Element’ draws on 15 years of house codes, reimagined.
While designing, Co-founders Edwina Forest and Adrian Norris felt compelled to return to the components that have defined the house since its inception, distilling their design process down to its pillars—the elements.
Raw beauty. Femininity with an edge. A sense of duality anchored in unexpected contrasts. An artisan sentiment. Australian roots.
Grounded in these codes, Resort 24 ‘Element’ took form. Imbued with the house’s coastal-to-urban style, each piece speaks to an intrinsic love of craftsmanship: from the hand-painted prints to appliqué accents, always with a sense of the ‘undone’ through considered deconstruction.
Envisioned as a crescendo from its founding codes to more recent eras, early Aje signatures appeared reinvigorated with contemporary touches: ivory denim details with hand-embroidered patchwork, exaggerated whipstitch accents, and floating silhouettes heightened with cascading ruffles, plissé pleats and undulating wire hems.
“With this collection, we reminisced on our coastal beginnings, deciding to introduce swimwear for the first time–something we took our time to create so as to capture the real essence of Aje.” — Edwina Forest, Co-founder and Creative Director.
Recalling the years of sultry Australian summers that inspired the house’s coastal-to-urban style, swimwear was introduced for the very first time. Crafted from a sculpting ottoman rib knit and finished with bold, organic metal beads, the considered piece was created to serve as both swim and daywear.
Closing the collection with vibrant occasionwear, a nod to the house’s contemporary core, Aje’s appreciation for artisanal work and signature techniques came to the fore, most notably through dramatic ombré cascades of hand-beaded sequins, intricate knife pleat frills and delicately ruched tiers.
Capturing 15 years of design codes reimagined, Resort 24 epitomises Aje in its element—then, now and onwards.
