The quintessential Melbourne menswear label makes its debut in resortwear. The goal? To reignite men’s appetite for the “ritual” of intentioned holiday dressing.
Like many men’s fashion designers who ground their work in a sartorial vernacular, Christian Kimber is loath to sacrifice romance on the altar of practicality. On the contrary, in his world, the two qualities basically come bundled together.
The Anglo-Aussie designer has proven adept at making aspirational, seemingly lived-in menswear multiple times over the course of his career. But with the arrival of Christian Kimber Resort 27 (his eponymous brand’s third outing at Australian Fashion Week) that instinct is being trained on ‘destination-wear’ in hitherto explicit ways.
In so many words: these are clothes for those embarking on, or merely anticipating, their next warm-weather getaway.
It’s not the first time Kimber has tackled menswear using a layered thematic of seasonal travel. What does feel novel, however, is the degree of specificity that he and his team have conjured onto the AFW runway. Following days of erratic and inclement weather, it seemed as if the Harbour City itself chose to grace Kimber’s show with a touch of serendipity.
Amid the MCA’s seafoam marble columns, splashed in rays of mid-morning light, guests took stock of a collection conceived for, and under the influence of, the Aegean Islands. Pre-show notes cited the resort island of Paros as Kimber’s primary inspiration — drawing on grand natural vistas in pursuit of a colour story told in three parts. “Sun-washed, mineral” visions of green, azure, and beige abounded: a siren song to those who yearn for more elegance, and a greater sense of occasion, on their next session at Club Rose Bay.
Such geo-locating is intentional. Although the bones of the collection are rooted in a freeness and refinement redolent of the Mediterranean lifestyle, it would be facetious to ignore how readily that translates for a specific kind of Australian setting.
Little mental exertion is needed to predict that the show’s new signatures—like bomber jackets in coastal ‘camo’, or a chore-inspired suit cut entirely from sheer linen —will delight the denizens of Sydney’s well-to-do, beachside leisure class. That, as Kimber explains to me moments after the show, is very intentional.
“I’m increasingly interested in a vision of our brand that goes beyond the quintessential ‘Melbourne look’,” says Kimber. “Clients already know we do things like black tie and custom-made tailoring really well — this resortwear collection is a chance to broaden our team’s field of expression.”
Long-time supporters (some of whom have followed Kimber for more than a decade now) should feel reassured, though. Stripy knit polos and drawstring trousers; cargo pants sporting mid-thigh pockets, worked in noble fibres with plenty of ease: the new collection was peppered throughout with nods to previous seasons and familiar favourites, albeit now in fabrications reflecting Kimber’s captive fanbase in Bondi and Brisbane.
Renuka Kimber, the brand’s Director and Co-Founder, concurs. “We’ve built a strong foundation in cooler seasons, and this collection allows us to extend that into a complete wardrobe for our client — where they can move through the year with a consistent point of view.”
“It’s an important step in our growth, and a signal of where we’re heading next.”
Crystal ball predictions aside, it’s evident — from a quick post-show survey on the ground — that Kimber’s precise brand of sartorial nonchalance, rooted though it may be in familiar tropes, still has everything necessary to get men excited.
Nearby, I spy Marco Polo actor Remy Hii, surrounded by a gaggle of congratulating fans. The Asian-Australian thesp was one of several notable, non-traditional models cast for Resort 27. His sand-and-stripes ensemble evokes the image of a modern-day Michael Corleone; and show now concluded, I’m finally able to get a clear run at the field shirt-esque inner layer he’s wearing.
Well-made and slubby in texture, there’s a temptation to adorn such garments in the language of escapism: “the ultimate shirt for a long lunch down by the beach at Naoussa”, and so forth.
Many men, myself included, won’t need such contrived rationalisations. Buy the shirt first, and go wherever it may take you.
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