Aussie Merino bites the Big Apple
The collections of Josh Goot and Jayson Brunsdon were very well received at New York Fashion Week, held in February
Australian Merino has wowed the New York fashion scene with its modern versatility and style. In February, two leading Australian designers, Josh Goot and Jayson Brunsdon - who work in partnership with AWI - showed their autumn/winter 2007 collections in the Big Apple.
For Josh it was the second time (his first appearance at NY Fashion Week was in 2006), and Jayson earned rave reviews for his first showing.
Both parades were staged with AWI support and proved an ideal showcase for Australian Merino, with the collections spanning from Josh’s versatile day wear to Jayson’s glamorous evening designs.
Jayson is the eighth Australian designer to debut his label on the New York runway, and it was to 750 guests at Bryant Park.
“To create the mood, the sensuality, the fit, the comfort and the luxury I needed, Australian Merino wool was the perfect textile for the runway show,” he says. “This is the biggest thing we have ever undertaken in New York and it was a big step. I felt it was the right time to open up what we do and talk to a broader audience.”
Jayson is the only Australian designer to be stocked by New York retailer Saks Fifth Avenue, and in his first season his gowns not only made Saks’ Christmas window, they were displayed alongside the work of established, high-profile US evening-wear designers Vera Wang and Bagdley Mischka.
Saks Fifth Avenue associate buyer Twakniqua Morgan told The Sydney Morning Herald: “He’s our one and only Australian star. I loved the flapper inspiration, the sequinned mini and I also loved the wool with the Lurex, the metal treatment over it. He packed the room and to be an unknown Australian designer it’s the product that’s selling, not the name, and that speaks a lot for his work.”
Josh’s collection, which was shown at an old train station converted to a nightclub called The Tunnel, exposed buyers and the media to the true versatility of Australian Merino and the unique applications available today.
Josh’s showcase sparkled with innovative finishes on Merino wool blends, such as transparent gloss laminations, subtle shimmer finishes and textured sparkle finishes, alongside 100 per cent Merino knit classics. The US fashion bible Women’s Wear Daily praised the collection, saying it was “lean, mean, fantastically tough chic”.
Josh was excited to show in New York for the second time, saying his collection was more exciting and diverse this season. “Wool is the world’s highest-quality fibre,” he says. “I have never before worked with a fibre that is so versatile, applicable for all seasons, available to be treated in so many unique ways to give so many astounding finishes.
“It is amazing to receive such fantastic comments and positive applause on the pieces shown. It is fantastic to have the chance to exhibit such unique Australian Merino wool textiles to an audience that understands, appreciates and revels in design.”
More information: www.merinoinnovation.com; www.joshgoot.com; www.jaysonbrunsdon.com
Return to Beyond the Bale Issue 27 index page.