For both pre-fall and fall 2024, Christopher Esber is exploring the different facets of nostalgia.
“I wanted to create this idea of summer past and present for day-to-evening and also express the idea of erosion and decay in textiles,” he explained via Zoom from his studio in Sydney. That translated into some compelling plays on texture, for example in pleated, crushed viscose (one of several sustainable materials here) and what he described as a “grittier” take on the endless-sunshine lifestyle that’s usually associated with Australian fashion brands.
The designer also tapped into a 1970s-inspired “mood ring” vibe. Highlights from the pre-fall collection included a colorful, watery “aura” print on a metal glo-mesh dress and skirt, thermo-sensitive resin pebbles on a dress that changes hues with body heat and other heat-sensitive materials that gave jersey tees or outerwear an added cool factor.
Most designers are doing their best to wrest lace into modern wardrobes this season, and Esber gamely rose to the challenge by painting latex onto French lace, or pairing lace with suede, ribbing, or flip-flop jellies in recycled rubber. “I’m always really fascinated by things that aren’t what they seem, that feel different,” he said.
In terms of tailoring, the designer ventured into fresh territory. A skirt suit with cigar-colored suede trim was one example of his approach to more structured silhouettes. A boxier khaki blazer looked like a winner, and a blue jacket shown here had a T-bar cutout under a trench-style back, “a bit of ventilation without exposure,” Esber offered.
In his main fall collection, Esber continued his musings about heirlooms, giving outsized volumes to a white cashmere coat informed by the idea of repurposing vintage fur, or a shaggy coat in looped merino knit. The notion of jewelry passed down from one generation to the next resulted in a jewel print on a hoodie top, a double belt printed in blue on a sleeveless white dress, and silver piercings along the edge of a black calf hair trench.
He also circled back to lace, inspired in part by Nicole Kidman’s opening scene in Eyes Wide Shut, and in part by a wedding dress he recently made for a friend, which involved piecing together swatches of her grandmother’s vintage lace. Esber’s customers tend not to shy away from states of undress; this fall offered his base plenty to take a shine to.
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