In a refreshing departure from the conventional fashion calendar, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett, the visionary duo behind the Australian avant-garde label Romance Was Born, have unveiled a vibrant continuation of their recent design narrative. Just two months after the initial release of their spring collection, the designers have returned with a secondary installment that serves as a direct, energetic evolution of their previous work. For a brand known for its maximalist tendencies and whimsical sensibilities, this decision to bifurcate their seasonal offering is less about a traditional mid-season update and more about a sustained exploration of a singular, evocative source of inspiration.<\/p>\n
Speaking via FaceTime from Rome, Luke Sales described the new collection with a sense of creative liberation. "I guess we\u2019re calling it part two," he noted, highlighting the fluid nature of their current design process. The inspiration remains tethered to a specific, historical archive that has become the bedrock of their current creative output: a collection of vintage wallpaper scrapbooks discovered within the Powerhouse Museum Archive, where the brand maintains its headquarters. By immersing themselves in these antique patterns and textures, Sales and Plunkett have found a wellspring of ideas too vast to be contained within a single presentation.<\/p>\n
While the first installment of the spring collection leaned into a more structured, formal aesthetic, this latest set of looks pivots toward a festive, spirited mood. Despite a brief, unexpected appearance of denim\u2014a material that feels almost restrained in the context of their ornate output\u2014the collection avoids anything resembling \u201ccasual\u201d wear. Instead, it invites the wearer into a world of high-octane ornamentation, where every piece is meticulously crafted to command attention.<\/p>\n
The hallmark of the Romance Was Born aesthetic has always been its refusal to embrace the minimalist trend, and this latest chapter is no exception. Embroidery and jacquard take center stage, serving as the primary vehicles for the brand\u2019s storytelling. A striking observation across the entire collection is the complete absence of solid-colored, unadorned fabric. Every surface is an opportunity for embellishment. A mock-neck striped button-down, which might otherwise serve as a simple wardrobe staple, is entirely transformed through the application of dangling, three-dimensional flora. This technique creates a sense of movement and depth, as if the garment itself is blossoming in real time.<\/p>\n
Feathers, a long-time favorite for the brand, return with a renewed sense of purpose. They are deployed with a rhythmic precision, circling hemlines, collars, and cuffs to create a wispy, ethereal silhouette that contrasts beautifully with the heavier, structured nature of the jacquards. The color palette, while grounded by deep, moody tones, feels invigorated by the addition of intricate detailing. Black and navy lace are utilized to provide an edge, yet they are handled with a complexity that belies their dark hue. In one instance, lace is fashioned into a floral embroidered dress featuring a bold front slit, offering a provocative take on traditional romanticism. In another, it serves as a demure, delicate trim on a funky, green vintage-inspired set, demonstrating the duo\u2019s ability to balance the daring with the refined.<\/p>\n
The decision to treat these collections as an ongoing dialogue with their source material speaks to a shift in how designers are approaching the pressures of the modern fashion industry. Rather than feeling compelled to force every disparate idea into a single, cohesive runway show, Sales and Plunkett have opted for a more deliberate, serial approach. Sales admitted that these last two collections only scratch the surface of the antique wallpaper book that sparked the initial vision.<\/p>\n
"I just think when we do something, we have so many ideas and it\u2019s so hard to condense them all into one collection," Sales explained. "It\u2019s nice to be able to spread it out and take our time with something and really explore it and really see it all through." This philosophy of "taking their time" is a luxury that few modern brands can afford, yet it is clearly paying dividends for Romance Was Born. By allowing themselves the space to exhaust a specific creative vein, they are able to achieve a level of textile development that feels authentic, considered, and deeply personal.<\/p>\n
The implications for their dedicated customer base are significant. Romance Was Born has built a reputation on the back of its signature textile-heavy designs, and the designers promise that their followers can expect to see much more of this experimental development in the coming year. The brand\u2019s commitment to the Powerhouse Museum archive suggests a deep-seated respect for historical craft, which they then translate into modern, wearable art.<\/p>\n
As the industry continues to grapple with the demands of constant production and the environmental impact of rapid fashion cycles, the approach taken by Sales and Plunkett offers a compelling alternative. By viewing their collections as chapters in a larger book rather than ephemeral moments meant to be discarded after a season, they are fostering a stronger, more enduring connection with their audience.<\/p>\n
The "party" energy of this current collection is not just a stylistic choice; it is a celebration of the creative process itself. There is a sense of joy in the way they handle the wallpaper prints\u2014reinterpreting antique florals and geometric patterns through the lens of modern embroidery and feather work. The clothes do not just exist; they perform. They are designed to be seen, to be touched, and to inhabit space with a vibrancy that is uniquely their own.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, the momentum generated by these two spring installments suggests that Romance Was Born is entering a particularly fertile period. The ability to pivot between formal and festive, between the architectural structure of a mock-neck shirt and the fluid, decorative nature of feathered cuffs, indicates a brand that is comfortable in its own skin. They are not chasing trends; they are curating a legacy.<\/p>\n
For those who have followed the brand\u2019s trajectory from their early days to their current standing as icons of Australian design, this "part two" serves as a reminder that the most interesting fashion often comes from a place of curiosity. By diving deep into the archives and allowing their ideas the room to breathe and evolve, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett have reaffirmed their status as masters of the decorative arts. The spring season, as presented by Romance Was Born, is no longer a destination\u2014it is an ongoing, evolving journey through color, texture, and the endless possibilities of the textile medium. As they continue to unpack their antique wallpaper archive, the fashion world will undoubtedly be watching to see where this thread leads next, confident that whatever comes will be handled with the same meticulous care and irreverent spirit that has come to define their work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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