After a leap into the big time at New York Fashion Week, the founders of Australian label Aje are confident their business can stretch further than a pair of athletic tights.
The intimate showing on Friday for magazine editors, influencers and buyers was a push into the crowded capital of consumerism for founders Adrian Norris and Edwina Forest.
“This presentation was part of our bigger plan to hopefully, one day, show on the New York Fashion Week schedule,” Norris says. “But we needed to build up to it.”
Aje co-founder Adrian Norris at the label’s debut presentation for New York Fashion Week.Credit:Sean Davidson
This running jump on the US market started with acclaimed shows at Australian Fashion Week and an explosion of Aje boutiques around Australia, including nine dedicated Aje Athletica stores since August last year. Alongside their increasing popularity at home, Aje’s optimistic and overwhelmingly feminine designs have also found favour in the US.
“We know that the US is where the majority of our online sales are coming from, so it has always been the logical next step for taking the brand into the future,” Norris says.
By showing in New York, Norris and Forest have their eyes on customers beyond the bridges and tunnels of Manhattan, living in cities that sometimes sleep.
Pink, print and cut-out pieces from Aje.Credit:Getty
“In terms of markets, we have sold the most pieces by the brand in New York, LA, Dallas and Chicago,” says contemporary and resort wear buyer Kelsey Lyle from leading US e-tailer Moda Operandi. “However, Aje’s most loyal clients are in the southern US: Atlanta, Coral Gables, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
“With their breezy Australian sensibility, it makes sense that Aje’s bright, dramatic dresses are a dream for warm weather black tie weddings or dressed up dinners that are particularly popular in the South.”