A model walks the runway during the Gail Sorronda show. Image credit: Getty

At Fashion Week this year, every hour was witching hour. From gossamer veils to moody lace insets, dark, gothic influences made their mark on runway after runway—an unexpected recurring theme for resort shows in a country known outside its borders for its breezy sundresses and high-octane swimwear. 

Gail Sorronda. Image credit: Getty

But this year, there was a darker undercurrent in the air. And it felt like the right step outside of the box of expectations. At Gail Sorronda, the Brisbane-native's presentation embraced the feminine and the macabre at once. Models walked in pouffed and frilled frocks, ivory-white and primly buttoned. But these weren't your average period drama heroines: skin-tight latex boots grounded the looks, adding a punkish edge to the romantic blouses and dresses. Shrouded in black veils, they were like glum, fashionable mourners. 

Anna Quan Image credit: Getty

At Anna Quan, in line with the designer's preference for clean lines and sleek femininity, the gothic influences were more pared-back. But still, they emerged in subtle ways. A slinky slip dress fitted with lace panels at its V-neck bodice and along its thigh-high slit is surely at the top of every goth bride's wish list. 

Injury. Image credit: Getty

Meanwhile at Injury, the gothic was in full view, from the models' vampiric black lipstick to their space-age twisted buns. A luminescent, floor-sweeping gown was macabre at its fashionable finest.  

Injury. Image credit: Getty

Mariam Seddiq. Image credit: Getty

Youkhana. Image credit: Getty

Beauty was the key to unlocking the gothic potential of the collection at Youkhana: models' eyes were rimmed in thick black kohl, cheeks were pallid, hair was plastered down, like a Brontë heroine caught in the rain.  While some of Nathaniel Youkhana's collection was rendered in searingly bright hues, from neon to fuchsia, many of the most powerful pieces were those that let the textural complexity of the label's signature braiding technique shine through in monochrome. Towards the close of the show, two lookalike models walked down the runway together in black and white: one, a gothic bride and the other, her maudlin twin. 

Youkhana. Image credit: Getty

It takes a certain boldness to push against the expectations. By giving into an exploration of their sartorial shadow selves, these designers did just that.