“It’s impossible to ignore the negative impacts we are all having on the world. In order to ignite change, we must use what’s in our own hands to shift and mould the future. Camilla & Marc has taken significant steps over the years to mitigate these impacts and move towards a future that is more circular, responsible and transparent,” said Marc Freeman, Director at Camilla & Marc. 

“This collection is a cumulation of extensive research, responsible sourcing and design, and marks the future of where we are heading.”

Small changes made now help brands achieve significant sustainability goals in the future. The textiles used in Camilla & Marc’s collection were chosen as they have a lower impact on the environment, while maintaining the performance capabilities necessary in sports apparel. 

It’s clear that the Camilla & Marc team is placing firm milestones to becoming a circular fashion business. By the end of 2022, the business is working to ensure 100 per cent of all their garment linings will be made from recycled sources. 

While Camilla & Marc’s newest collection itself provokes an ‘add to cart’ desire, it’s the way the campaign is delivered that is unlike the norm in Australian fashion. Without many of their beautiful boutiques open to showcase the new range, Camilla & Marc threw out the traditional rule book, collaborating with 10 creatives who interpreted aspects of the ‘Future Now’ collection in their own unique way. 

Their work is now showcased online via a zine on the brand’s website and it’s a stunning virtual exhibition featuring fashion photography, film, sculpture, motion and 3D, virtual reality, written words and a movement piece. Each artist encapsulates their perspective weaving in connection to country, air, ourselves and hope. It’s a bold move by a fashion brand and one to applaud. 

Perhaps this is a new standard for fashion. We’ve seen in the past 12 months brands at Fashion Weeks around the world incorporate digital mediums. Storytelling through video and fashion films were seen more than ever before, as any in-person events need to be managed carefully around Covid-19 restrictions.  

Because of such a significant change in showing fashion, some brands are questioning whether runway shows are still relevant. In any case, it is absolutely worth disrupting the status quo to find new ways to highlight an individual brand’s DNA. We’re very much aware of the environmental impact that physical fashion events have when people fly around the world for a short time to attend a week-long event.

For many years, a runway show was the one and only stage for debuting fashion, however video brings the story of that latest collection to the forefront. As a result, it introduces an entirely different way to connect with an audience. It humanises the brand and reveals the raw creativity from which the collection was born. Those stories have not been heard for a very long time. 

Camilla & Marc recognise the benefits of embracing story, particularly with its ‘Future Now’ campaign that not only celebrates a new range, but also embraces Australian talent and their creative abilities. This multifaceted campaign is rich in substance, something that lasts longer than a fleeting runway show. 

Viewers will be moved by actor and activist Aggie Choi’s contemporary motion dance piece, they will be fascinated by how the bomber jacket was created with circular fabrics through the short video 3D artist Dylan Buzolich created and they will remember the powerful words Indigenous artist and activist Lille Madden wrote dedicated to First Nations voices and climate change.

We are beginning to see some of Australia’s leading fashion brands turn over a new leaf, forging a better future. One that is healthy for people and the planet. Now comes the work in sustaining that change while showcasing each range in a way that is personal, authentic and relevant to a brand’s engaged audience. 

This is the new norm in fashion. The global pandemic only accelerated what was on the horizon. Anyone waiting for things to go back to the way they were will be left behind. The only thing worth going back to is the original story that needs to be reawakened in all of us to rebuild the Australian fashion industry.