It’s Paris or bust for Australian fashion’s next big thing
Amy Lawrance was already on her way to being the next big thing in Australian fashion, but now it’s official.
The creator of starched silk dresses in raw greige, which attain a delicate beauty through pleats and perforations, won the National Designer Award at the Melbourne Fashion Festival and a cash prize of $20,000 on Tuesday night.
“Her work demonstrates true innovation,” says designer Akira Isogawa, a member of the judging panel. “It requires an incredible level of time and patience.”
The work of National Designer Award winner Amy Lawrance modelled by Ana Miljanic, Priyanka Wright and Nyamut Peter (left to right), at the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne. Credit: Jason South
Isogawa was impressed by Lawrance’s use of the needlework technique faggoting, where panels of fabric are joined by evenly spaced, crisscross or looped stitches. The haute couture staple is also used in expensive lingerie to create a feeling of lightness.
“With so many garments being quickly made with fast fashion, this attention to detail takes things to a different level,” he says.
Making her runway debut at Australian Fashion Week in May, after winning the Next Gen award in 2023, Lawrance was immediately earmarked by US Vogue as “one to watch”.
Some of Lawrance’s dresses take 15 hours to construct, but winning the award validates her time-consuming process.
“To receive this affirmation from such a highly esteemed panel of experts is astonishing,” says Lawrance, who trained at the Kangan Institute and RMIT in Melbourne.
“The financial support of the prize will also make a big difference to my very, very small label.”
The $20,000 cash prize is a welcome accessory to the honour of joining past winners Romance Was Born, Alemais, Toni Maticevski, Haulier, Dion Lee and Christopher Esber on the award roll call. But honour doesn’t guarantee success.
While 2012 National Designer Award winner Christopher Esber won the prestigious ANDAM prize worth €300,000 ($483,000) in June and is preparing to show at Paris Fashion Week, 2010 winner Dion Lee finished trading in November because of financial difficulties.
To smooth the journey, award sponsor David Jones this year committed to a minimum buy from the winning designer’s collection, valued at $50,000. The festival also shifted the award ceremony from a private VIP event to a public runway.
“We wanted to give more value to the finalists who now get to see their work modelled at the festival, and hopefully find new customers,” says Caroline Ralphsmith, Melbourne Fashion Festival chief executive. “As a result there were more finalists this year which is a good thing.”
Saskia Baur-Schmid of Hyph-n received the $10,000 sustainability prize, with Anna Pipkorn of Lovaan given the People’s Choice Award. Their work appeared on the runway beside Alix Higgins, Boteh, Christopher Hrysanidis, All is a Gentle Spring, Madre Natura, Jude and Liandra.
“This was the first time I’d met the designers,” says Lawrance. “We all follow each other on Instagram, but this is different.
“We were all just patting each other on the back for having made it this far.”
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