‘Everyone’s watching’: Our last man standing on the Paris runway

The first time is always hampered by the pressure of expectation, especially when it takes place in Paris. Will they like it? Will it feel good? Does this cut-out goddess dress show enough hip?

Unimpeded by first-time nerves, the second runway show at Paris Fashion Week from Australian designer Christopher Esber exuded confidence, clavicles and feathers in a showcase of relaxed tailoring, sculpted goddess dresses and scuffed leather suiting.

“The first time you’re always over-prepared,” says Esber, 37, before the show at the Palais de Tokyo. “You think of every possible scenario. This time it’s a calmer energy. The whole process has been quite seamless.”

One scenario Esber hadn’t anticipated, while toiling with toile in his Redfern studio, was banking one of the fashion industry’s top prizes, valued at €300,000 ($483,000), in June. The ANDAM prize, which includes a mentorship from Saint Laurent designer Anthony Vaccarello, thrust Esber into a spotlight formerly occupied by past winners Martin Margiela, Viktor & Rolf and Iris van Herpen.

“There’s definitely a lot more visibility on the brand,” says Esber, who launched his label in 2010, steadily finding a following from social media supermodels Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber.

“The thing is, I’ve always worked and created collections like everyone’s watching.”

This time Esber gave the front row plenty to look at with leather coats and tapered pants scuffed back to suede like a pair of beloved R. M. Williams boots, sheer dresses worn over petticoat-style skirts with ’90s racerback tops and floating clouds of ostrich feathers, given life on the runway by pregnant Estonian supermodel Carmen Kass.

“I was trying to capture something as delicate as a dandelion,” Esber said. Feathers were hand-beaded to a floating lattice frame, creating delicate spheres encircling the body.

“Giving people a show is important. There’s more of that this season. I don’t want to call it theatrics, but there’s more drama.”

Esber’s latest collection is the first flag-waving moment for Australians on the official fashion month calendar, with Dion Lee absent from the New York runway following the shuttering of his label. Nicky Zimmermann will keep the green and gold – with undoubtedly a floral touch – coming when she returns to the Paris runway on Monday with her ever-growing label.

While Esber might be the last bloke standing, it is women who are always at the centre of his work.

A feminine force was present, with embellished, flower-like sculptural details loaded with reproductive references snaking across the abdomen of intricately draped dresses.

“I’m always thinking about the woman and creating a fantasy for her, just as much for everyone in the audience.”

While Zimmermann returns to Paris in six months to showcase their next autumn collection, Esber will wait another 12 months and continue with his own rite of spring.

“There’s more people out and about in spring and, being Australian, that’s what people are looking for from us. Now there’s just more people looking.”

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