Romance Was Born Designer Fashion | Australian Fashion Review Blog

Romance Was Born Fashion Brand

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Innovative, tongue-in-cheek and exquisitely detailed womenswear from design duo Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales.
View recent Romance Was Born Collections on Australian Fashion Review Blog

Australian designers, Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales, started their womenswear label Romance Was Born, when they formed a friendship, whilst studying Fashion Design at East Sydney Technical College. Following graduation the duo were selected to attend the Fourth International Talent Support Awards in Italy, where they infamously rejected an internship with fashion industry legend, John Galliano. Instead the pair decided to concentrate on Romance Was Born, returning home full of inspiration and bags of exquisite Galliano laces and silks as a parting goodwill gift.

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Since inception the Romance Was Born fashion label has embarked on a number of high profile collaborations with some of Australia’s finest artists and retailers, including Archibald, price-winning artist Del Kathryn Barton and Australian retail giant, Sportsgirl. Each collaboration allows Romance Was Born to explore their own artisan abilities, which leads to the creation of unique and exciting capsule ranges.

The Romance Was Born brand also stands out for its exciting and innovative presentations at Australian Fashion Week that embrace the theatrical nature of their collections. At the 2009 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) the brand hosted an unforgettable show for their collection entitled, ‘Dollies and Pearls, Oyster and Shells’ at the Sydney Theatre Company. Since then Romance Was Born has proved to be one of the show-stopping highlights of RAFW season after season.

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As of 2012, the Romance Was Born collections were available in selected boutiques across Australia, as well as through a growing number of international boutiques including Hong Kong’s Bauhaus, Japan’s Dual and the United Arab Emirates’ Valley dex.

Romance Was Born: Key Dates

2003: Romance Was Born approached Karen ) of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to dress her in a one of creation for her Australian tour. After checking out the sketching, Karen O decided on a red tulle and lace halter-top, covered with plenty of googly eyes in Jim Henson style.
2005: The first official Romance Was Born collection is launched to much critical acclaim.
2006: Romance Was Born begin collaborating with renowned Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton to create limited edition digitally printed fabrics.
2008: The Romance Was Born fashion label, engages in it’s most successful collaboration with Del Kathryn Barton, entitled ‘The Garden of Eden’, which exhibited at the Kaliman Gallery in Paddington. The sell out exhibition featured some of Barton’s work, as well as, 12 one-off Romance Was Born outfits. Also this year, Romance Was Born wins the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Award presented by Woolmark.

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2009: Romance Was Born collaborate with Sportsgirl to release a one-off twelve piece capsule collection named “Clownin’ Around”. Also this year, the brand collaborates with Australian artists Patrick Doherty and Esme Timbrey to create unique prints for their Spring/Summer 2009-2010 collection.
2011: Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton, co-artistic directors of Sydney Theatre company, invited Romance Was Born to design the costumes for their production on ‘Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness’ written by Scottish playwright Anthony Nelson.
2012: The Romance Was Born gfashion label is honoured with opening Mercedes Benz Fashion Fashion Week Australia, with their Spring/Summer 2012-2013 collection inspired from and with a partnership with marvel comics, which feature plenty of graphic prints, bright colors and sequins.

Romance Was Born: Design Aesthetic

“Romance Was Born create clothes that are more than just the sum of their parts they create a clothing experience.” – Romance Was Born.

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Each Romance Was Born collection manages to forgo current trends and fad, whilst still being recognised for their unique aesthetic – irreverent and fun-loving, with innovative fabric and colour combinations, and bold, vibrant prints. Their tongue-in-cheek, yet luxurious aesthetic often features intricate craft work including appliqué, crochet and tie-dying. Romance Was Born continues to support the Australian fashion industry, by producing their entire collection on home shores, which ensures the highest levels of quality and attention to detail.

It is the unique Romance Was Born aesthetic that has won the brand a number of celebrity fans, from film starts to rock royalty. The fashion label has previously dressed the likes of M.I.A, Karen O, Architecture in Helsinki, Cyndi Lauper, Deborah Harry, The Veronicas and Lily Allen, as well as being the costume designers of Edward Gant’s ‘Amazing Feats of Loneliness’ at the Sydney Theatre Company at the request of Cate Blanchett.

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