Arnsdorf
(Est. 2006, Melbourne)

Arnsdorf is a modern womenswear label grounded in principles of transparency, ethical manufacturing and sustainability. Created by Jade Sarita Arnott, the label is renowned for its contemporary reinterpretations of shirting, trench coats and suiting, featuring muted palettes and a modern approach to tailoring.

For Fashion Now, Arnsdorf presents two outfits from its autumn–winter 2022 season inspired by the concept of home, which continues the label’s ongoing exploration of harmony and balance. While working with architects on a renovation of her home, Arnott became fascinated by architectural and philosophical notions of ideal spaces, energies and structures, and began pondering which places and pieces we choose to inhabit and why. Combining form and function, Arnott has redefined traditional tailoring in liveable, comfortable and wearable pieces that celebrate silhouette and materiality.

The Alessandra trench, 2022, is a contemporary take on a wardrobe staple. Cut with an easy fit and swing in the skirt, it features an open front which can be belted with a detachable sash and mother-of-pearl effect Corozo buckles cinching the cuffs. The coat is paired with the Joan jacket and Relaxed trouser, designed to be worn slouchy, creating a sophisticated suit that references classic menswear but reflects a more relaxed, contemporary approach to dressing. Influenced by nineteenth-century men’s knitwear, the Viola knit vest is similarly versatile and can be worn individually or layered. Also on display is the Lucienne dress, which features sculptural tucks and ruching that give the satin a liquid drape, skimming the body for an easy fit. These trans-seasonal garments are all created using either premium recycled or otherwise sustainable fabrics.

Arnsdorf was first launched in 2006, two years after Arnott graduated from RMIT University’s fashion program. By 2012, the designer was exhausted by the relentless cycles of the fashion industry and decided to close. After moving to New York, where she studied photography at the International Center of Photography and industrial design at the Pratt Institute, Arnott relaunched the brand in 2016 with a radically new approach. Arnsdorf now releases only two limited-quantity collections per year, with all garments designed, cut, sewn and finished in-house at their Collingwood factory. Arnsdorf became an Ethical Clothing Australia certified label in 2018, and in 2019 was the first leading fashion label in Australia to achieve a B Corp Certification. They won the inaugural Sustainability Award at the National Designer Awards in 2019.