Australian Christopher Esber scoops $480,000 fashion prize in Paris

The late designer Carla Zampatti used to lament about Australian fashion’s brain drain. And to quote another great Australian, Bill Heslop in Muriel’s Wedding: “You can’t stop progress.”

So, as the industry holds both of these truths concurrently, designer Christopher Esber received €300,000 ($483,000) as part of winning the ANDAM Fashion Award, making him arguably the most decorated Australian fashion designer of his era.

Christopher Esber has won the international ANDAM prize.Credit: Nathan Yamniak

Known for his technical prowess with a cutout (sans wardrobe malfunctions), his designs are worn by women of all ages and stages, including celebrities Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber and Jennifer Lopez. The brand is stocked in more than 150 outlets globally, and European customers already account for about 40 per cent of sales.

Speaking of brain drain, Esber validated his decision to sit out this year’s Australian Fashion Week (he had been an early contender for the opening show, which ultimately went to Albus Lumen), to focus on launching swimwear and jewellery in time for the European summer.

That decision appears to have been rewarded with Esber, 37, winning the 35th annual prize over labels 3.Paradis, Pièces Uniques and Maeden, all of which won minor prizes. The award also includes mentoring from Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello.

Esber, who founded his namesake label in 2010, is firmly Sydney-based. He was raised in the western suburbs and graduated from East Sydney TAFE, now known as Fashion Design Studio. But after showing in Paris last year, and now winning the ANDAM, the question must be asked: could a move to Europe be on the cards?

Not immediately, the designer says, but part of the prize requires the winner to set up a base in Paris to take full advantage of the mentoring components of the award. “Paris plays such an important role in the future expansion of the brand,” he says, adding that the prize will assist in achieving “our global ambitions, elevating our quality, craftsmanship and positioning”. He also confirmed he will once again show in Paris this September.

Models in Esber’s debut Paris runway last September.Credit: Getty Images

Esber has already won most of the major Australian fashion prizes, including the National Designer Award (2012), Australian Fashion Laureate Designer of the Year (2023) and has represented Australia in the finals of the internationally renowned Woolmark Prize.

Unlike some of his college peers, whose businesses have fallen on hard times – or, voluntary administration in the case of Dion Lee – Esber has taken the slow path to success.

Past winners of the ANDAM prize, a joint venture of the French Ministry of Culture and Defi Mode, include Martin Margiela, and Iris Van Herpen whose retrospective exhibition, Sculpting the Senses, opens at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art next week.

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