“She’s a bit of a tomboy and not precious,” said Christopher Esber upon introducing his collection to this reviewer. Those already familiar with the Australian designer know that he has a knack for understated clothes that nonetheless turn heads. Indeed, between his menswear background and his sensitivity to the local lifestyle, his approach comes across as casual without being basic.
Seeing his work for the first time, what stood out most was the confident ease of his tailored pieces—be they dressier suits or casual workwear jackets—along with the individualizing aspects of his knitwear. He held out a dress punctuated with buttons and proceeded to deconstruct it, removing the sleeves and taking out the torso, so that what remained was a crop top and a skirt. Nifty stuff.
Other looks, including a twisted tablecloth dress and a draped jumper, featured silhouettes that followed the body rather than flaunted it. One gets the sense that his change is incremental, which likely allows wearers to feel good about their purchases and to add to them as desired.
With his 10th anniversary around the corner, Esber mentioned that sticking to “quintessential pieces” from season to season has presented its own challenges. “It’s a hard space to be in,” he said. “People generally want bells and whistles; that’s what they read as value. But I have stuck to what I love and what I believe in, and some people have come for the ride, and some haven’t.”
And just as the visit seemed complete, Esber offhandedly motioned over to the sandals in various heel heights and hues. They don’t appear in these images, but they are a new addition to his offering. A system of knotted cords that pass between the toes makes for a unique design. Whether they are comfortable remains to be seen (or felt), but you get the sense they wouldn’t have ended up in the showroom otherwise.
