LIANDRA Debuts First Solo Runway
Ushering in a new era of LIANDRA as a global lifestyle brand, designer Liandra Gaykamangu presented the debut standalone runway for LIANDRA today showing ESSENCE as part of Australian Fashion Week, at Sydney’s Carriageworks.
Amidst a billowing set of sunset hues, a cast of talent embodying the LIANDRA woman showcased the designer’s latest collection of sustainably and ethically made women’s ready to wear and reversible swimwear, inspired by the designer’s cultural connection to guku (the native honey bee).
Liandra Gaykamangu said, “I invite the audience to reflect on the importance of the honeybee and their impact on our diverse ecosystem, and the bee’s industrious individual nature whilst it simultaneously contributes to connected creative communities.”
“Essence embodies a multi-dimensional story that is translated through my hand-drawn prints, each a contemporary representation of how I see, experience and appreciate guku and my rich family history and culture. I hope my personal inspiration of guku can be translated to your world. I see honeybees as an unwaveringly powerful symbol for the way we all live our beautifully complex lives – busy, buzzing and a reminder to feel the release and savour the sweetness of the slow sweet moments too.”
The opening soundtrack to the show, sung in Yolngu matha (language) by three of the designer’s bapa (dad’s brothers), tells the story of guku. This songline holds special meaning for Liandra Gaykamangu as a proud Gupupuyngu (clan group) woman, from East Arnhem Land (Northern Territory). Guku is culturally significant for Liandra’s clan group and an integral part of how the Gupupuyngu people represent themselves and engage with the world around them. The track, followed by the sounds of the natural landscape and featuring the calls of the black cockatoo, formed a transitional piece signifying the dawn, a night’s end, and the new era, heralded by the sun as it arises.
“Showcasing at Australian Fashion Week this year for the first time signifies a new era for LIANDRA, ESSENCE captures a moment of transition where we are sharing with the world – we are here. After six years, over the last twelve months we have transitioned the brand from being ‘just’ a swimwear label to ready to wear. With this show we present a more complete, and uniquely Australian lifestyle – one that is designed to encapsulate the beauty, and diversity of our nation, our country and our identities across the globe,” said Gaykamangu.
Known for its distinctive hand drawn prints and cheerful colourways, LIANDRA ESSENCE reflects the evolution of the brand from swim into a lifestyle brand, showcasing an increasing offering of ready to wear from the designer – a category that has exploded for the designer since her first resort wear collection shown on the DHL Next Gen runway at Australian Fashion Week in 2023.
Harnessing the essence of the LIANDRA woman, the aesthetic springboards from her expressive prints and embodying the eternal summer, ESSENCE channels playful resort vibes for a woman of the world – effortlessly free, yet grounded and practical, reflecting the reality of the modern woman on the move.
The runway show also introduces the brand’s first foray into accessories with an eyewear collaboration between Liandra x Pared. Pared founder Sam Stevenson-Baker teamed up with Liandra to design an exclusive collection built on 3 iconic Pared shapes. Bright, bold and fun designs featuring gradient lenses and hand crafted frames in bottle green, burgundy, pinks, oranges and flashes of gold were conceived to coordinate effortlessly with the ESSENCE collection. A hand drawn native honey bee by the designer, Liandra Gaykamangu, has been etched into the handmade frames, which are made using sustainable materials sourced from around the world.