Every Stylish Brit I Know Is Clambering to Get Their Hands on These 9 Australian Brands

Since relocating from London to Sydney at the start of the year, I’ve been constantly surprised by the reaction of stylish Brits, mouth agape and eyes full of shock, when I tell them the piece they’ve stopped to ask me about is actually an Australian fashion brand. “That’s Australian?” is typically their response when I mention the St. Agni woven leather bag or DISSH dress, just to list a few, I’m wearing hail from down under.

I find this lack of insight, specifically a recognition that these established brands originated on Australia’s sandy shores, a testament to how our local talent transcends our somewhat isolated location to become global institutions in their own right. Australian designers have garnered such a cult following here in the United Kingdom because they’re creating pieces that the market has never experienced.

Style Notes: Who What Wear's Ava Gilchrist wears DISSH's Milano dress, an Australian fashion brand to know that was founded by a mother-daughter duo in the sunshine state of Queensland.

There is a sort of grittiness and dark romanticism that underscores designers who originate from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales because of the culture and history embedded here. In Australia, our overall lifestyle is quite nonchalant and relaxed, which seeps through to what we wear. Silhouettes are understated, sophisticated and never overtly complicated, which is a complete antithesis to the artistic or intellectual designs of leading British designers like Simone Rocha, Sinéad O'Dwyer, 16Arlington or Chopova Lowena.

The Australian fashion brands to know promote an unfussy attitude. These are clothes that can speak for themselves and don’t rely on heavy styling to make an impact. Shapes are breezy, fabrics are light, and the energy is high octane. These principles underscore the brands that cross over, making them a worthy wardrobe addition against the structured tailoring, fitted cuts and functional fabrics you’ll see throughout the city.

Style Notes: Taffy Msipa also wears a dress from the brand; the Gabby midi dress.

Now, thanks to the on-the-pulse buying teams from iconic department stores like Harrods and Selfridges and these Australian brands’ continued international expansion, these languid and dreamy designs are available to shop directly on home soil. (Saving you the hundreds of dollars you’d typically spend on shipping costs and customs fees to import these designs.)

To help you in your shopping endeavours, I’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the top Australian designers to know. Ahead, you’ll of course find household names like the sister-founded resortwear brand Zimmermann and Sydney’s king of skin, Christopher Esber. But you’ll also discover locals-only labels that have begun making a splash or emerging players you mightn’t have realised are Australian, like Posse or Faithfull the Brand. Effortless elegance, incoming…

Style Notes: Hailey Bieber wears a fine-knit top from beloved Byron Bay-based label, St Agni, while in New York.

1. St. Agni

Style Notes: Founded in 2014 among the blissful waters of New South Wales' Northern Rivers district, St. Agni has transcended its beachy alcove to become one of the most revered and formidable patrons of contemporary luxury. Co-founders and designers, Matt and Lara Fells, have remained unwavering in their commitment to a minimalist aesthetic. However, as the brand has grown, this ethos has evolved from coastal staples like slouchy linen trousers to city-ready styles like slick tailored pants, refined knit tank tops and sharp basics.

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2. SIR.

Style Notes: SIR originally began under a very simple premise—creating timeless sets, intimates and ready-to-wear. (Hence the name). The brand began in 2014 amid the nascent wave of social media, making it one of the first-ever viral exports to originate in Australia. The lens of the brand is both masculine and feminine, where structured blazers, floor-length linen dresses and a best-selling cut-out silk dress mingle without difficulty. Vintage prints, like baroque florals, and archival-inspired silhouettes, including the '70s wrap dresses or '80s velvet minis and '90s halter necks, set this brand apart, too.

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3. Matteau

Style Notes: Matteau is living proof that sustainability should never compromise on style. Born in Noosa, a luxury beach town on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Matteau makes clothing that is designed to last and not dictated by trends. Using ethically sourced fibres and the industry know-how of the brand's fashion stylist and consultant co-founder, Ilona Hamer (who shares the brand with her sister Peta Heinsen), Matteau personifies the concept of a tropical paradise with broderie anglaise throw-ons, ruched bandeau midi dresses and floaty minis with shirred bodices.

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4. Christopher Esber

Style Notes: In the 15 years since Christopher Esber began his eponymously titled womenswear brand, the label has consistently been at the forefront of the sartorial landscape at a pace that makes him on par with some of the biggest luxury houses in the world. Always sensual and fluid, his pieces pioneer and set trends, as is the case with his stone studding, pierced orbit flourishes, wired cut outs, open twist tops and lace trims.

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5. Zimmermann

Style Notes: As one of Australia's biggest success stories, it should come as no surprise that Zimmermann arrived on the scene with humble origins. A then-fashion design student studying at one of the top inner-city colleges, Nicky Zimmermann first introduced the brand in the early 90s at Paddington Markets after the clothes she was making during lessons and in her family's garage piqued the interest of her social circle. Fast forward nearly 30 years, the brand has become entrenched in the glamorous wardrobes of the well-travelled jet set. From the beaches of Capri to the heart of Mayfair, where there's an opulent holiday destination, there's a Zimmermann dress to be found.

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6. DISSH

Style Notes: DISSH is the name on everybody's lips at the moment, and for good reason. A true compliment earner, the brand prioritises simplicity and elegance with clean lines, thoughtful details and a bright colour palette that rarely deviates from chic neutrals. Suitable for tavernas, sophisticated alfresco luncheons at seafood restaurants and romantic date nights at candle-lit restaurants, DISSH makes everyday dressing an occasion.

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7. Faithfull The Brand

Style Notes: Faithfull The Brand is wanderlust in a label. Each collection is inspired by the sights and sounds of a location bearing cultural significance, with the colours of the place's architecture and pieces adorned by their locals distilled and recontextualised under Faithfull's own starry-eyed lens. For designs that make you feel like you're on holiday, invest in the brand's viral Hedy dress, a strapless design inspired by the Greek island of Hydra, stripped polo, which draws influence from the Scandinavian sky in high summer, or linen tops that rival the outfits of St. Tropez locals in the late 50s and early 60s.

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8. Posse

Style Notes: A charming softness underscores the designs of Posse, an Australian fashion brand founded in 2016 by Danielle Mulham. Fusing darling leisurewear with quaint one-and-done dresses, Posse's designs are nostalgic but still current, like butter yellow puff-sleeved blouses, gingham shorts, polka-dot tops and striped strapless dresses, like the ones worn by Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and Katie Holmes.

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9. Rèalisation Par

Style Notes: There's not an It girl in operation today who doesn't own a Rèalisation Par dress. Originating in Sydney but with a strong presence in both London and Los Angeles, the brand is revered for its flirty cuts, head-turning prints, sumptuous silk fabrics and low-maintenance styling. For days that turn into nights and the woman who isn't ever far from the dance floor, this brand will have a piece for you.

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How We Chose

Ava Gilchrist is a Sydney-born, London-based fashion writer with five years of experience in the luxury fashion industry. From sitting front row at Australian Fashion Week, interviewing upcoming and established designers from her native country and keeping her finger on the pulse for emerging trends, Gilchrist is well-versed in the Australian designers to know. Now located in England, she's imparting her knowledge on the stylish brands hailing from down under with Who What Wear readers. This list was compiled based on how well-known the brand is, accessibility in the United Kingdom and if they have a reputable cult-following both here and abroad.

Why Trust Us?

At Who What Wear UK, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognisable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality and real-world wearability.

We regularly try pieces ourselves, everything from bestselling jeans to designer shoes, speak to external experts and fashion insiders and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.