Photographed by Cesar Ocampo | AFW 2025 Day 3, Barangaroo Pier Pavilion

There are runways, and then there are moments. Aje’s Resort ‘26 collection, IMPRESSION, wasn’t just a fashion show—it was an immersive sensory experience. One that began long before the models stepped onto the runway.

I arrived early, as I often do, camera in hand, scouting the light and the structure. Barangaroo’s $18 million Pier Pavilion is a location that demands to be felt as much as seen—an architectural masterpiece wrapped in terrazzo infused with crushed oyster shells, standing on 85 steel columns with a view of the harbor that feels like it could swallow you whole.

The space filled slowly—then suddenly all at once—with industry insiders, longtime fans, and creators dressed in the brand’s signature voluminous silhouettes. Everyone instinctively knew the light was golden, the angles forgiving. Aje knows how to draw a crowd and give them a canvas. And as the throbbing pulse of the show soundtrack broke the serenity of the space, we were all transported.

The first model stepped out in ivory—a sculptural gown with a hemline that swept like the Bondi tide. That single moment set the tone for what followed: a dance between architecture and fabric, between coastal calm and commanding structure.

The palette was elemental: chalky whites, sea-glass blues, and lush greens that evoked cliffside gardens and saltwater dreams. Shapes were bold but considered—cinched waists giving way to voluminous skirts, cropped jackets paired with billowing trousers, off-the-shoulder moments and asymmetrical draping that caught both the light and the breeze.

What struck me most through the lens was Aje’s mastery of movement. Even at rest, the garments spoke. Each piece seemed to echo the water just outside the pavilion—fluid, reflective, ever-shifting.

Aje’s co-founders Edwina Forest and Adrian Norris have always known how to balance rawness with refinement. But IMPRESSION felt particularly mature. It was a collection made not just to be seen, but to leave a mark—on the mind, the body, and yes, the camera roll.

Front row guests were treated to more than a show. They were part of a portrait—a scene of fashion’s future steeped in grounded beauty. And I, for one, was grateful to document it from the inside.