Clothing and fashion capability overview

Australia has long had a reputation for quality surfwear, swimwear and lingerie, but Australian designers are also making inroads in the world’s fashion centre with world class, cost-competitive designs.

	Further information is also available at www.stylefile.com.au – an online catalogue of Australian designer products, eg. fashion, accessories and design-led homewares and gifts. Further information is also available at www.Pugglekids.com – an online catalogue of Australian children's and baby products. This website showcases some of Australia's finest designers and manufacturers in this industry.

Men and women’s designers and ready-to-wear
The image of Australian fashion has been boosted in recent years by the style and elegance of Australian Hollywood actors such as Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Cate Blanchett.

Australian fashion has a reputation for being progressive and ahead of its time. The Australian lifestyle is reflected in the freshness and originality of the colours, materials and design.

As well a reputation for quality design and fabric, Australian designers take advantage of seasonal differences to supply northern hemisphere retailers earlier than most other international designers.

Well known Australian designers include Lisa Ho, Collette Dinnigan, sass & bide and Ksubi. Emerging designers now taking the world by storm include Jayson Brunsdon, Leona Edmiston, Kirrily Johnston, Cheryl Weir, Kit Willow, Toni Maticevski and Camilla and Marc.

The Mercedes Australian Fashion Week is an opportunity for buyers around the world to see the depth and diversity of the Australian fashion industry.

Street and urbanwear
Australia is well known for quality street and urbanwear producing hot denim and contemporary casual lines. Many designers working in this area market themselves as wholesale businesses in foreign markets rather than establishing themselves as retail outlets.

Surfer and swimwear
The beach is so much a part of the Australian lifestyle, that many Australian designers have made their mark in surfwear and swimwear. Once the domain of sports labels, such as Speedo, the surfing and swimwear market is now fiercely competitive.

Three Australian surfwear companies, Quiksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl, are famous worldwide for their boardshorts, T-shirts and wetsuits and are now expanding into other sports areas. Other brands to make their mark include Wahine, Funky Trunks and aussieBum.

Lingerie and sleepwear
At Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, many international buyers spend big on Australian lingerie that’s designed to be worn as under or outer wear, including delicate bra tops, satin French knickers and intricate corsets. Buyers from the USA, UK and Asia are snapping up lingerie lines from labels such as Elle Macpherson, Love and Lustre, Willow, Pleasure State, Bare and Mad Cortes.

Sleepwear is often functional, but boring. Australian designers have taken sleepwear to a new level, creating sleepwear that is functional and fun – Peter Alexander’s duckie print pajamas were worn on the American TV program 'Will and Grace'.

Children’s wear
Australian designers are also producing children’s clothes with labels such as Little Pumpkins, Young Purr, Roar and Run Scotty Run.

Sportswear
Big brand names, such as Billabong, Quiksilver, Ripcurl, have expanded beyond the beach and now produce practical gear for extreme sports – skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and golf. They’re now joined by emerging brands, such as Globe, Running Bare and Team Jackets and Lettermans, which are breaking into overseas markets, such as Canada and the USA.

General information
Key markets include New Zealand, UK and the USA.

Annual textiles, clothing and footwear exports are worth A$777 million, of which A$289 million is clothing. These figures do not include high-end fashion manufactured offshore.