Sheer dresses and special touches abound as Lee Mathews does her own thing

Menswear gets a look in and sequins and gauzy dresses reign as celebrities occupy the runway’s front row.

Annie Brown

Models walk the runway during the Lee Mathews show at Australian Fashion Week 2025. Picture: Getty Images

3 min read

17 hours ago

Lee Mathews likes to do her own thing. As a brand that has withstood the challenges of the fashion industry for 25 years, this is advice worth noting.

For Australian Fashion Week, Mathews says it was important to acknowledge all of the people who have contributed to growing her label from one that started in her kitchen to having the kind of following that roars with appreciation at the end of a fashion show.

Those on the front row included celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, food icon Maggie Beer and actor Isabel Lucas, testament to the brand’s appeal among creatives, busy people and those who simply like lovely clothes.

A model walks the runway during the Joseph & James show Picture: Getty Images

Itwas the Melbourne’s label first appearance at Australian Fashion Week Picture: Getty Images

“This season feels like a nod to everyone who’s been part of the journey; the artists, the makers, the mills,” says Mathews.

The collection included plenty of breezy, gauzy dresses in fabrics such as cotton, linen and checked gingham and that which make one immediately want to frolic in a field or at least have a picnic. Special details abounded, included applique florals, hooped skirts, peter pan collars, lace trimmed sleeves and apron back pinafore dresses. They were pared back with the more utilitarian pieces such as loose trousers with ropes through the belt loops and light jackets. A colour palette of mostly whites and neutrals was occasionally spliced with jolts of red and sheer pink maxi-dresses.

“In many ways, it’s a celebration but also a moment of reflection,” says Mathews of what the show meant to her. “It’s been quite a journey.”

Meanwhile, Beare Park offered a slinky take on dressing up with dresses and spaghetti strap tops featuring twists and trails of silk, some with alluring bows at the back - pared back with sophisticated suiting in colours such as slate grey and taupe. The effect was a languorous glamour for after hours (and presumably having already crushed the 9-5).

A model walks the runway during the highly anticipated Beare Park show at Australian Fashion Week 2025. Picture: James Gourley/Getty Images

The Beare Park runway featured slinky and sophisticated looks. Picture: James Gourley/Getty Images

Designer and director of Beare Park Gabriella Pereira was crowned 'Emerging Designer Of The Year' at the 2024 Australian Fashion Laureate Awards in November last year. Picture: James Gourley/Getty Images

Another highlight was the group Frontier show, which included the likes of Kiwi brands Wynn Hamlyn and Paris Georgia, as well as Amber Keating’s Common Hours, newcomer Amy Lawrance, Courtney Zheng, Matin and Esse.

For Charlotte Hicks, whose collection included luxurious leather separates, sharp coats and a sequined dress with a slinky cowl back, the decision to show a “see now, buy now” collection was about seeking an immediate and “emotional” connection with her woman. “When something resonates deeply, we want to respond in the moment. This format lets our woman step into the world of Edition No. 13 right away – no delay, no disconnect,” she says, adding this season she was thinking about ideas of quiet strength.

The sequined dress at Esse.

Good coats at Esse.

Certainly it was a mood to be found in her plays on masculine and feminine tropes and wearable and appealing pieces.

The group show, adds Amber Keating of Common Hours – who this year pared back her deeply embellished, and extremely personal pieces to be more streamlined with beautifully textured dresses and coats with hot pink lining – created, she says, a feeling of “comradery and support for each other and the Australian fashion industry”.

Byron Bay label Nagnata expanded its offering as part of its debut AFW show with new denim styles that included a pair of jeans, Bermuda shorts and a mini skirt. The muted colour palette, including off-white, rust and bronze, worked just as well across its collection of knitwear, swim and knitted activewear, too.

Key trends so far this week have included draped tailoring, scarf coats, sequins, sheer maxi-dresses and soft leather separates.

Menswear was on the agenda with the AFW debut of Melbourne label Joseph & James, which showed chunky cable knits, quilted vests and an elegant approach to relaxed separates.

Farage closed out the day, in its first runway show at AFW since the brand started 30 years ago.

AFW continues until Friday with Gary Bigeni, Mariam Seddiq, Aje and Romance Was Born to show