Australian Fashion Week recently returned to Sydney’s Carriageworks with marquee names, new designers and megabrands debuting collections for 2022. Among them was Melbourne-based luxury menswear creator CHRISTIAN KIMBER, and MAXIM was there to help ring in his latest offering…
Christian Kimber’s presentation of his latest menswear collection was a decidedly intimate affair, with a few dozen or so media and VIPs gathering at Sydney’s Chin Chin restaurant for a dinner and accompanying fashion show. On hand to help launch the collection was a delegation from department store Harrolds, an early supporter of Kimber and his premium, season-less approach to menswear. Also present was John Mutton, managing director of Capri Holdings (the parent company of labels like Michael Kors and Versace). The message was clear — Melbourne’s most feted menswear designer is taking Sydney.
As guests wined and dined, models circled the tables in luxe outerwear and simple knit ensembles in a warm, autumnal palette. The looks were a mix of new designs and updates from Christian’s permanent collection. Kimber’s version of a buttoned down, knit polo was a highlight that’ll look stylish from the office to the yacht club. Judging by the diversity of his models, the Christian Kimber man can range in age anywhere from 20 to 60. Men who appreciate the finer things and crucially, have the disposable income to buy them.
The collection pays homage to Australia’s outdoorsy lifestyle said Christian, himself an Aussie via England. “Australians have always looked abroad to define their sense of style, but over the past year we have realised our lifestyle is the most enviable in the world” he observed. While the clothes may be designed to reflect our distinct, antipodean way of life, they’re Italian made — from the outerwear to the hip loafers — giving Kimber’s designs a luxurious finish.
A couple days later, I caught up with the man himself to take in the collection up close. Well-groomed, sharply dressed and bespectacled, Christian is the very type of man who buys his label. After moving to Australia a decade or so ago, his entry into the fashion industry began with shoe design before switching to clothes and winning the prestigious 2019 National Designer Award at Melbourne Fashion Festival. In just five short years, the Christian Kimber label has become a cooler, more Australian alternative to Zegna and all the other designers your dad wears.
Carefully making my way through the racks, the garments felt just as luxurious as they looked on the models. Texture is an important component of the Christian Kimber experience. The clothes also have a deliberately washed-in look, allowing the wearer to go from a casual day at the firm to an evening engagement without feeling over or under dressed. Put simply, they occupy a space between formal and casual that makes them nearly universally appropriate wear. They’re also noticeably lightweight, a reminder that it never really gets that cold in Melbourne, and even less so in Sydney.
What makes home grown labels like Christian Kimber most exciting is that they indicate how much more enthusiastic Aussie men are about dressing well. Where Europeans once sneered at Aussie blokes as a style-free zone, we’re now increasingly eager to balance our cars and watches with a wardrobe to match. It’s a sentiment Christian agrees with when describing the loyalty and fervour of his customers, including a gentleman who squirrels away extra cash in a jar to go towards a new piece from Kimber.
In addition to designing the range, which runs from approximately $250 for a shirt to $2,500 for outerwear, Christian manages his own stores in Armadale and Fitzroy. On a practical level, these customer interactions provide vital insight and feedback. It’s also a refreshingly organic approach to building a client base. After all, when was the last time Thom Browne or Kim Jones spoke with their customer on the shop floor? Naturally, the next step for Christian Kimber is expansion. More Australian stores are in the pipeline, and a return to some normalcy following the pandemic offers much hope and excitement.
Although largely a domestic operation at this stage, the brand is taking early, auspicious steps into international expansion with stockists like Bloomingdales in the United States and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong. One could certainly imagine the suave set of cities like Tokyo and Seoul going mad for the Kimber vision. In the meantime, Christian continues to refine the Australian menswear aesthetic, one knit polo at a time. ■
You can shop Christian Kimber at his Melbourne boutiques, through Harrolds and via christiankimber.com
By REILLY SULLIVAN
For the full article grab the August 2021 issue of MAXIM Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
