Even while street style is a powerful institution, it is still in its infancy. Its "birth" dates back to 2007 when photographer Scott Schuman and fashion blogger of The Sartorialist were asked to capture the attendees as they left Milan's menswear shows. Since then, it has quickly established itself as a crucial component of the fashion week routine for the global community, with its appeal and popularity even surpassing that of the runways. Occasionally surpassing them, reported Vogue.
It's easy to see why street style is appealing. Its openness is essential. Observing what our friends and colleagues in the fashion industry wear on a daily basis is a more natural way to discover trends because it is relatable. Images of street style quickly spring to mind when discussing contemporary personal style and how it is documented. When we search for "style," visitors from fashion week overwhelm our TikTok streams and Pinterest boards. Our aspirational influences may now be found in one place: the streets of fashion capitals worldwide.
However, in recent years, street style has become more scripted and predictable, raising questions about the true meaning of "personal style." Since Australian Fashion Week began, there has been a stronger focus on individual expression than adhering to popular fashion norms. However, a critical examination of personal style surfaced this year.
In the week following AFW, some have criticized the street style set on social media for lacking originality and for what they perceive to be an Australian distaste for daring fashion choices. Others are unwavering in their belief that "good" Australian style may be simple and unique, and that, depending on the wearer's preferences, a layered ensemble of color and texture can rival a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The former would argue that visitors are held back by a cultural phobia of taking chances with fashion. Thus, the essential point raised by this heated discussion on the parameters of replica street style is: what exactly constitutes personal style in Australia?
We must examine how street style at AFW has changed over time, both sartorially and as an experience, in order to determine if there is a solution at all. "Street style photography was a brand-new genre when I got started. Simply put, it was what people were wearing to the concerts," recalls Liz Sunshine, a photojournalist. "People weren't dressed by designers for the event. One byproduct of their employment was the elegant yet utilitarian clothing worn by editors and purchasers. Although bloggers were relatively new, they frequently wore a combination of vintage and non-fashion week wardrobe pieces. There was no industry for street style. It was merely documentary photography that gave clothing significance.
However, street style evolved as social media and internet shopping proliferated. Companies began to market the area outside of the performances. This trend expanded yearly, reaching its zenith approximately five years ago when attendees would switch outfits for each show to make sure they were sporting the brand they were attending—often purchased for social media exposure.
There's no denying that the lucrative side of street style contributes to the complex conversation surrounding real style. But in its growth, which was seen during AFW this year by Jonah Waterhouse, news editor and assistant fashion features editor at Vogue, a more thoughtful commercialism of street style has arisen, with attendees unified and devoted to businesses they genuinely love.
"I believe that individuality still exists in AFW street style, despite the fact that it is primarily shaped by global trends and online activity, as well as the presence of paid brand ambassadors on the Carriageworks walkway," says Waterhouse. Since 2021, a new generation of independent designers, including Alix Higgins and All is a Gentle Spring, has taken over at AFW. These designers have brought with them fans who adore the clothing and want to wear it to support the label and watch the events. To witness that effect, all you had to do was glance at the Alix Higgins community, where a large number of people were dressed in the designer's futuristic, holographic pieces.
Sunshine has also mentioned that the development of brand work at AFW is generally beneficial. "To me, that's still somewhat important, but we still have manufactured street style," she remarks. "Every Australian who has an interest in fashion should be involved in AFW, and since organizing a show requires a significant financial investment from brands, it makes sense that the runway experience isn't the only vital aspect of the event. We must encourage local manufacturing if we wish to see it flourish. Purchasing regional brands and focusing more on our own talent than on what the rest of the world is doing will help us create Australian fashion that is distinct from other countries.
As to what sartorial aesthetic defines Australian street style amidst this battle between maximalist and minimalist aesthetics, and a bid to define our cultural personal style, Vogue digital fashion features writer Gladys Lai finds herself instead enjoying the spectrum. “I’ve always looked forward to the range of looks at Carriageworks, and I think it’s great that you can find the whole variety of tastes in the street style photography that comes out of the week,” she says. “In my mind, maximalism and minimalism aren’t enemies. There’s something to admire about the theatre and the effort of an avant-garde or audacious outfit, but who’s to say that effort isn’t present in a simpler, monochrome look? It’s just care, manifested differently.”
It's important to acknowledge the significance of AFW's yearly resort display, as noted by Waterhouse. Maybe a little bit of the occasion and our culture seeping into our looks. "I believe that Australia's love of resort wear reflects a sense of personality. Although others may not view it as wholly "individual," we certainly excel at it, which is influenced by our particular environment as well as our easygoing, comfortable approach to style and grooming.
Naturally, many in the fashion industry are aware that what counts most, arguably, is not so much what a street style guest wears as it is how they wear it. "Everyone participates in fashion week, and dressing for a brand is just one aspect for some people," Lai continues. It is a crucial component of the contemporary fashion industry. However, in an era of algorithmic dressing, what I adore most about style is what seems lived, and that's getting harder to find. Brenda Weischer, fashion editor of 032c, shared a great perspective regarding personal style, emphasizing that it's not just about what you wear but also how you move, talk, order coffee, and greet people. It's wonderful when you can tell that about someone by their attire.
Though some may find the situation of personal style in Australia during fashion week worrisome, Sunshine sees things as constantly improving. "I noticed a shift in street style this year," she says. The scene was established with an assortment of unfamiliar and vintage apparel mingled with surprising merchandise and sports brands. An unexpected twist on fashion week that feels more true to Australian fashion—that is, to what Australians wear on a daily basis.
Whether it's basic or maximal, this true Australian style eventually tends to boil down to unique but equally deliberate styling and a love of unique wardrobe pieces. Something that Francesca Wallace, the digital director of Vogue, has observed for a number of years. "In the past five years, there has been a noticeable shift toward personal style that feels much more genuine than it did when I first started going to fashion week." More than ten years ago, when I was eighteen and volunteered, I attended my first. Even if the design was different in 2012, the colors were more of a risk than unique handcrafted goods or products that individuals had specifically sourced, which is something I'm seeing a lot more of these days. It has transformed significantly, and unquestionably for the better.
The fact that street style offers an unrestricted platform for individual expression remains unchanged for both regular fashion week attendees and enthusiasts. It is essentially devoid of rules, yet it is undoubtedly not without criticism. to go thrift store or designer, or both; to dress up or down. Beauty, like personal style, is ultimately subjective./BGNES