Several years ago, I had the chance to attend Australia Fashion Week, and one major thing stood out: Australian designers have a very strong point of view in the world of vacationwear. With local brands including Matteau, Christopher Esber, St. Agni, and Bondi Born, their directional takes on summer fashion is something I always take note of. With the resort 2023 collections recently debuting in Sydney, designers showcased the trends that are primed to be huge next year.
To learn more about the most talked-about trends from the collections and what everyone was buzzing about on the ground, I spoke with Moda Operandi’s buying manager, Lisa Ruffle. After attending the shows in person, Ruffle unpacked the six major trends that will make the biggest impact and the cool brands to pay attention to. Ahead, see which ones make the cut and start shopping them now if you’re an early adopter.
“Strapless tops and dresses feel minimal, seductive, and oh so ’90s for resort ’23. St. Agni’s Curve Seam Wool Mini Dress is chic and understated for a night out when everyone else is in sequins.”
“Column skirts feel like an understated take on the noughties trend. For day, Matteau’s relaxed tailored skirt is loose and slouchy with a wider silhouette and lined for a more polished look. Worn with an oversize oxford, it’s CBK vibes all the way. For evening, it doesn’t get cooler than St. Agni’s slinky viscose skirts, designed to be worn low on the hip—so ‘Kate Moss at Cannes’ paired with the matching tube top. There is a reason matching sets are perennial best sellers for us in Trunkshow, especially during the resort season: They are the easiest to pack for vacation and are so versatile, worn together or separately.”
“The hottest (literally) trend of the moment, Y2K, is certainly relevant for resort ’23 if the runways are any indication. Iconic silhouettes and motifs of the era—such as exposed midriffs, column skirts, low-slung trousers, cargo pants, and strapless tube tops and dresses—were all over Sydney’s runways, with St. Angi and Bec & Bridge leaning into the aesthetic.”
“We saw the tailoring trend reemerge for fall ’22 (after a two-year COVID hiatus), and we certainly see it continuing for resort ’23. Tailoring was everywhere on the streets as well as on the runway: Wynn Hamlyn, Michael Lo Sordo, Esse Studios, and Beare Park gave us strong, oversize, and sophisticated suiting.”
“Low-slung trousers are the cool-girl pants of the resort. Aje’s white Gracious Pant is silky and worn below the navel for a more laid-back look and gives a feminine crop top a more nonchalant feel.”
“Exposed midriffs that are sexy and skin baring—Matteau’s maxi dresses have big resort energy and are easy to slip on after a day in the sun and more refined than the smocked and ruffled dresses that have become ubiquitous with getaway dressing.”
