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Australian brands move towards Los Angeles and U.S. markets

By Sara Ehlers

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Fashion

This year, it seems that the trend of Australian fashion has grown in North American markets. As a result, various Aussie brands are moving to expand in the U.S., specifically in Los Angeles.

Last week, the Australian Fashion Chamber (AFC) had hosted showroom previews of six newcomers. These emerging designers were showcased to members of the U.S. and various department stores. The labels included Sarah & Sebastian, Aje, State of Escape, Macgraw, Albus Lumen, and Pared Eyewear.

These brands were able to show off their Resort 2017 collections, further supporting the argument to build out these labels more in the U.S. “I’m probably a little bit biased, but I think [Australian brands are] stronger than we’ve ever been. We’ve got more successful brands that are globally attractive," general manger of AFC, Courtney Miller, told Forbes in an interview.

Just earlier this month, Aussie brand 2XU announced that it was moving it headquarters to Santa Monica. The activewear brand was known for its compression garments worn by professional athletes. In moving towards the L.A. area, the brand confirmed that it was looking to expand more in the U.S. "We chose the Los Angeles market for our North American Headquarters because the community is active, fit and always on the leading edge of the hottest trends," said Brian Anderson, Interim U.S. President.

Australian Fashion Chamber makes the case for Aussie brands in the U.S.

2XU isn't the only Australian brand to also capitalize on North American markets. While established brands such as Zimmermann and Dion Lee have already created large followings in the U.S., there are still emerging talents that are eying the market for expansion. Contemporary brand BNKR also opened up a boutique in Los Angeles this year in downtown.

According to the L.A. times, Aussie brand Gorman also aimed to move more towards the West Coast markets. The beaches, the mountains, all this space and the lifestyle,” Lisa Gorman, founder of the Melbourne, Australia, brand Gorman, told the publication. “Being in a city where we could stock the same collections we have in Australia was really important.”

Currently, it seems that with a similar climate and aesthetic vision, Australian labels could fare well in L.A. As the AFC plans to expand and continue to build out Australian brands, the U.S. may start seeing a lot more of these emerging labels.

Photo: Zimmermann

Aje
Albus Lumen
Australian Fashion Chamber
Macgraw
Sarah & Sebastian
State of Escape