Romance Was Born Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear

Romance Was Born, despite stepping away from the traditional runway at Australian Fashion Week, continues to thrive. The Sydney-based brand, celebrating its 20th anniversary, has shifted its focus. Instead of their usual theatrical presentation, designers Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett collaborated with Cultivated, Cult Furniture's sustainable furniture refurbishment program, for an exhibition in Melbourne. This showcase featured recycled pieces reimagined with the brand's signature opulent embellishments. Luke Sales described it as an "exciting project," fulfilling a long-held desire after their significant 20th-anniversary show last year. For devoted fans, rest assured that seasonal collections are very much a part of the brand's future.

This season's collection showcases the designers' diverse interests and their unique location. Their studio, situated within Sydney's Powerhouse Museum, grants them access to a rich archive of historical textiles. Notably, this includes traditional French lace and handmade Art Deco wallpaper by Auguste Thomas, which served as the primary muse for the collection. This fusion of modern and antique is exemplified by the collection's slender bias-cut dresses crafted from vintage Italian bedspreads, some featuring capes or sleeveless designs, adorned with feather trims and paired with evening gloves. More contemporary pieces include an embellished denim pencil skirt worn with a flannel top, and a bold mini-dress layered over contrasting coral tights.

Sales explained that the collection was photographed at the Powerhouse Museum, allowing the garments to interact with the exhibited furniture. He pointed out an embroidered patchwork jacket with a fuchsia feather collar that, upon closer inspection, complements an upcycled couch nearby. This vibrant, immersive presentation evokes the feeling of a silent film brought to life with modern technology. While some might find it whimsical, Sales and Plunkett embrace their distinctive, maximalist design approach, acknowledging the "weird humor in what we do."

Romance Was Born may have opted out of the traditional runway circuit for Australian Fashion Week, but the Sydney-based label, which recently marked its 20th year, is far from slowing down. In place of their signature fantastical show, designers Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett participated in Melbourne Design Week, collaborating with Cultivated—Cult Furniture's initiative for sustainable furniture restoration. This partnership resulted in an exhibition where recycled furniture pieces were revitalized with the brand's characteristic extravagant embellishments. Sales expressed enthusiasm for the project, noting it was something they had always wanted to pursue, especially following their impactful 20th-anniversary show the previous year. He confirmed that their focus shifted to Design Week, assuring that their seasonal collections will continue.

The current season's offerings highlight the design duo's eclectic interests and their advantageous studio location within Sydney's Powerhouse Museum. This access provides them with a vast array of historical textiles, including classic French lace and handcrafted Art Deco wallpaper by Auguste Thomas, which heavily influenced the collection. A sense of modern antiquity permeates the collection through slinky bias-cut dresses made from vintage Italian bedspreads—some with capes, others sleeveless—accented with feather trims and evening gloves. More contemporary pieces feature an embellished denim pencil skirt paired with a flannel shirt or a distinctly mod mini-dress worn over contrasting coral tights.

Sales elaborated that the collection's photoshoot took place at the Powerhouse Museum, enabling the garments to "talk to the furniture." He referenced an embroidered patchwork jacket with a fuchsia feather collar that, upon closer inspection, harmonizes with an adjacent upcycled couch. This vividly constructed world creates an impression akin to a silent film restored with contemporary technology. While potentially perceived as quaint, Sales and Plunkett's penchant for the theatrical and over-the-top is central to their artistic vision, as Sales noted, "There is kind of a weird humor in what we do."