The Fashion Designer Profile series is sponsored by Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy
Christopher Esber is one of the most exciting young designers to appear on the Australian fashion landscape in recent years. After his Australian Fashion Week debut at the ripe age of 23, the Australian born designer of Lebanese descent has gone from strength to strength, winning Melbourne Fashion Festival’s ‘National Designer Of The Year’ and the Australian Woolmark Prize before the age of 25.
In anticipation of 2014’s Australian Fashion Week, we profile the designer…
Who:
Christopher Esber began what has been a short but illustrious career thus far at the East Sydney TAFE Fashion Design Studio. After graduating high school at Our Lady of Lebanon College, the young Esber began fabricating his own one-off garments, and soon enlisted the help of patternmakers and production specialists to create his designs.
After finishing his course at TAFE, Esber was selected by his mentor Nicholas Huxley to present his graduate collection during the 2008 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, where he debuted alongside another rising talent, designer Dion Lee.
His Australian Fashion Week debut was lauded for its innovative use of leather, mesh and geometric pleats, arising in conceptual garments that blended experimental shapes with a feminine essence.
Esber’s first solo show in 2010 was reviewed by iconic fashion writer Tim Blanks for Vogue Australia, and the designer’s youth (he was just 23 at the time) was noted alongside praise of his precise, exacting approach to modern womenswear.
His 2012 show developed the core elements of Esber’s repertoire: minimalist tailoring with a nod to menswear and unique fabrications. This collection also introduced a menswear component, with wool suiting and loose, almost feminine cuts.
Esber’s Spring 2013 show at Australian Fashion Week last year was one of the most hyped of the week, and was attended by the most influential of local and international editors and tastemakers. And the designer lived up to the lofty expectations, offering a slick collection featuring razor-sharp cuts, and a clean, tailored aesthetic. The collection also saw classic Esber materials reinvented; linen pieces seemed to hover around the body, sheer organza and exposed seams featured prominently.
Signature look:
Christopher Esber’s designs are all about what femininity means to the modern woman. His designs have been compared to those of Phoebe Philo at Celine, who has been celebrated for a return to focus on daywear and wardrobe staples for the working woman such as the shift, the coat dress, and the blazer.
Textile and cut are of premium importance, and Esber works closely with textile specialists to create unique, exclusive fabrics each season. The results are equally experimental and refined, offbeat and polished.
Known for his restraint, thoughtful, understated approach: immaculate construction and a minimalist take on femininity are the defining features of his label’s aesthetic. Though each season has seen Esber’s approach evolve, with colour becoming more prominent in later collections, it is the label’s strong, unwavering look that has won the designer attention and praise.
Watch the full Christopher Esber Fashion Week Australia 2014 runway below:
The Fashion Designer Profile series is sponsored by Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy
