Fashion house Aje: Resort 27, Australian Fashion Week

​SøEdited Team
Article: Hattie Bulpitt
SøEditor-in-Chief: Chris Saint Sims 
​SøFashion Director: Savannah Barthorpe

​Fashion house Aje unveiled Resort 27, Siren, at Australian Fashion Week, a collection that felt both deeply connected to Australia and undeniably global in its execution. The showcase marked a defining new chapter for the founders, Adrian Norris and Edwina Forset, following their recent momentum in Paris. Their vision and mutual love of the arts creates a sense of raw beauty, tough femininity and effortless cool using untamed volume with structure and signature statement pieces alongside seamless essentials, with a key study into texture, movement and striking monochrome dressing.

The show opened with a bold leather look halter top, where modern minimalism meets statement form, paired with a sheer, embellished wrap skirt, traced with artisanal beading, the light catching and intricately detailed. This installed the tone of the runway. The disparity between rigid leather and delicate embellishment established the collection’s central tension: strength softened by romance.

This look was highly polarised by the stage, at The Lands by Capella, as the sun began to set, the immersive runway transformed the venue into an extension of the Aje world. Soft rose-toned carpeting and seating surrounded the space, creating an atmosphere that mirrored the collection itself: romantic, earthy and quietly dramatic. The show traced a journey across the Australian landscape, from coastline to outback, where softness met strength and untamed beauty was reimagined through contemporary craftsmanship.
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Leather became a defining language within the collection. A micro vegan leather black bandeau paired with sleek low-rise tailored leather trousers and the oversized Tate Fringe Scarf captured the essence of tough femininity, clean lines muted through movement and texture as well as grounding the softer draped looks with a sharper edge. This use of leather echoed the sharp sensuality of Saint Laurent through its monochrome tailoring and strong silhouettes. Elsewhere, suede sets in rich, directional hues reinforce the collection’s balance of structure and ease, particularly within the oversized Varleta silhouette that closed the show with understated drama.

Fine sheer organza appeared in sculptural volumes and cinched forms, contouring the body while creating tension between opacity and transparency.  A soft blush silhouette brought a moment of romantic fluidity to the collection, gracing it with its soft blush pink that mesmerised with every stride. The look felt like a clear celebration of femininity, where sculptural elegance met with contrasts of leather straps, a plunging gown defined by drape, folds and voluminous tiered movement. The tone remained distinctly Australian, drawing natural comparison to the celestial grace of Zimmermann.

One of the standout elements throughout the collection was the emphasis on tactile surfaces and artisanal detailing. Embellished separates traced with complex beading caught the light as models moved through the space, while sequins and tassel fringing introduced rhythm and fluidity. The Radieux pieces, radiant embellishment meets fresh proportion, particularly delivered event-ready glamour with high-impact embellishment and fringed hems that shimmered in motion.
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What made Siren feel especially compelling was the way each garment appeared sculpted directly onto the body. Draped folds, plunging gowns, exaggerated proportions and tailored cuts all worked together to create silhouettes that felt fluid yet intentional, proving Aje’s ability to elevate classic forms into something modern and distinctly recognisable. While many contemporary luxury brands are leaning into minimal restraint, Aje continues to embrace drama through texture and volume, giving Siren a distinctly emotional quality.

​The front row reflected the brand’s increasing global presence, with Maia Mitchell, Gabriella Brooks, Gemma Ward, Montana Cox and Inka Williams in attendance, while international model Emma Balfour closed the runway. Yet despite its international appeal, the collection remained grounded in Australia, in its landscapes, textures and natural light.

With Resort 27 Siren, Aje reaffirmed its place as one of Australia’s defining fashion houses. Through craftsmanship, contrast and a deep connection to place, Adrian Norris and Edwina Forest delivered a collection that felt both personal and progressive, an ode to Australia that was elemental, elegant and entirely modern. Siren did not simply showcase clothes, it presented a distinctly Australian vision of modern luxury.