Romance Was Born Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear

Romance Was Born, celebrating two decades in the fashion industry, has embraced a new approach for its Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear collection. Shifting away from the conventional runway show during Australian Fashion Week, the Sydney-based brand instead partnered with Cultivated, Cult Furniture's sustainable furniture refurbishment initiative, for an exhibition at Melbourne Design Week. This unique project showcased recycled furniture pieces reimagined with the brand's signature elaborate embellishments. Luke Sales, one of the designers, expressed his excitement, stating it was a long-held aspiration, especially after their milestone 20th-anniversary show the previous year. The brand assures devoted followers that seasonal collections will continue.

This season's collection draws heavily on the designers' diverse interests and their studio's location within the Powerhouse Museum Sydney. This access has provided a rich source of historical textiles, including traditional French lace and handmade Art Deco wallpaper by Auguste Thomas, which served as the collection's primary muse. The resulting aesthetic embodies a sense of modern antiquity, evident in the sleek bias-cut dresses fashioned from vintage Italian bedspreads, some featuring capes or sleeveless designs, adorned with feathered trims and evening gloves. More contemporary pieces include an embellished denim pencil skirt paired with a flannel shirt, and a modish mini-dress worn over vibrant, contrasting coral tights.

The collection was photographed within the Powerhouse Museum, allowing the garments to interact with the displayed furniture, as Sales explained. He pointed to an embroidered patchwork jacket with a fuchsia feather collar that, upon closer inspection, complements an upcycled couch positioned nearby. This vibrant, curated environment evokes the feeling of a silent film brought to life with contemporary technology. While some might find it whimsical, the designers' penchant for the extravagant and their unique sense of humor are integral to their work, as Sales noted, "There is kind of a weird humor in what we do."