A Sequinned Mirage with Aje.
Established in 2007 when the stars aligned for the two creative forces behind the label Aje. Adrian Norris and Eddi Robinson. This womenswear label is known for it’s “effortless glamour, tough femininity and disheveled elegance” which shines through each opulent piece the design duo creates. Having their Mercedes Benz Fashion Week début in 2012, where they transformed the Sydney’s Paspaley flagship store in Martin Place into a vibrant underwater world, models walked the runway in hand embellished sequinned gowns that shimmered in timeless golds to envious emerald greens.
Since their 2012 show Aje. always triumphs over all glamour with each collection that walks down the runway, this years collection steered away from the typical strides down the catwalk. Adrian and Eddi decided to portray their vision in an installation piece at Carriageworks in Sydney, for the Spring Summer collection “Aje Married Adventure.”The whole collection was an ode to one of the first female adventurers Osa Johnson, When speaking to Marie Claire the two creatives spoke about what they loved about Osa “After researching Osa, we fell in love with the woman who was as comfortable walking the red carpet in couture as she was trekking through the Serengeti in a safari suit, and we wanted to tell her story through our SS14/15 collection ‘Aje Married Adventure’. Osa Johnson completely epitomizes the Aje brand” (Read Marie Claire’s full interview with Aje. here).
The room glowed with candles laid out all around the safari tent setup, that was home to women draped decadent designs that played with the textures of leather to the softness of sequin on a black mesh blouse. The Aje. beauties interacted with the flashing camera’s around the magical safari set up from day dreaming glances to lounging in long lavish pieces in their bed underneath the night sky. The installation was nothing short of perfection and emulated the essence of a bold woman who is well dressed and knows the scope of the world inside out just like their inspiration Osa Johnson.
With such an understanding of how to keep their aesthetic prominent within their collections and presence it is no wonder that in such a short space of time their label has taken off internationally. As fashionista’s around the globe are able to find their pieces not only stocked in their homeland of Australia, but in the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, London and New Zealand. The two designers have dabbled in the art of fashion before, with Eddie working within the fashion magazine Russh and Adrian who had studied at the Venetian Art School. It’s these experiences that have flowed into their love for design in Aje. which won them the 2009 Chambord Shine Designers of the Year award. There is no doubt Aje. is sky rocketing to new heights with each collection, so make sure to follow the journey of Adrian and Eddi via their social media: