Australian brand Zimmermann made its Paris Fashion Week debut

The designer said, “We took the decision during Covid. “We were making films in Australia and we wanted to do something different, and Paris made sense as the business was improving and we were growing.”

The Sydney-based label, known for its beachy floral dresses, resorts and swimwear, has previously showcased its collections at New York Fashion Week. But its presence in Europe has expanded, Zimmermann said, and the brand has outgrown its Paris office, which opened in 2019 and will serve as Zimmermann’s European headquarters.

Zimmermann will open a new store in Florence in a few days and more stores in Spain this year.

“We want to open stores where we want to go. We have very few stores in Europe and it’s a very important market for us,” Zimmerman explained.

Archival photographs from the Wonderland City Carnival became a recurring print in the collection. Credit: Monica Foody

“I wanted to do this story because I live there.” The designer spoke about Sydney, where she has lived for 20 years. “I wanted to make a story about that and now.”

When designing the collection, Zimmerman found archival photographs of the carnival and fused it with beach images to create prints that are among the best seen today – on asymmetrical skirts, mini skirts and silk kaftans. The prints informed the season’s color palette of pastels, warm oranges and sunny yellows, as well as metallic golds, muted rusts and ecru.

Flowers have always been part of Zimmerman’s aesthetic; This season, it looks like images and typography from the early 1900s, such as prints for silk joggers and matching crop tops, floaty flounces and floor-length maxi dresses.

Some were seen wearing wide-leg trousers and large skirts accompanied by bras and corsets. Credit: Peter White/Getty

Other standout tops include crisp white gowns and skirts dripping with lace and boats, as well as sharp dresses paired with voluminous skirts and low-cut pants — for the girl who effortlessly floats between yacht parties and nightly beach clubs.

The luxe beach theme extends to the show’s soundtrack, which features Australian celebrities — Kylie Minogue, Naomi Watts and Rose Byrne, among others — sharing their childhood memories of trips to Tamarama Beach.

“We wanted to make something that people could relate to,” Zimmerman said of the soundtrack.

Top Image: A model walks the runway at Zimmerman’s Spring-Summer 2023 show.