The 6 Australian Designers You Need to Know

It's tough to peel your eyes away from Cannes—we know, we know. But, we'll all have to split our focus this week. Because while Kate Moss is slaying the red carpet (seriously, let's look again), Bella Hadid is making waves at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. The week of shows wraps on Friday, and showcases the best in Aussie fashion. Speaking of which: here are the top labels you should know to be fluent in #MBFWA. (You know. In case you run into Bella and want to talk shop.)

The Jenners, Kardashians, and Jennifer Lopez are among the reported fans of this Melbourne-based brand. Designer Michelle Aznavorian is best known for simple, elegant pieces with strong silhouettes, and has described her target customer as: "The intelligent party girl with a love for beautiful things." Its Monday-night fashion show saw models (including Bella!) wearing fringed cocktail frocks, nude trench coats, and black lacy dresses. Also, this is your early warning that satin wraps are the new choker.

Brides-to-be, take note. Steven Khalil is one of Australia's preeminent bridal and red-carpet-couture designers, and counts Kylie Jenner among his fans. He's known for a high level of craftsmanship, and an eye for unique designs. We think it's safe to assume his customer is not a shrinking-violet type, wouldn't you say?

Sisters Beth and Tessa Macgraw are behind this contemporary label, which prides itself on signature prints and wearable silhouettes. Their designs pack feminine, upbeat vibes. And talk about a "party girl"—their customer wears gold-glitter booties. We're also digging the use of Pantone's pastel hues of the year, here.

The Croation designer is based in Sydney, and has an it-girl following that includes Solange Knowles and blogger extraordinaire Susie Bubble. Her romatic collections are inspired by her hometown of Dubrovnik; the resort collection she showed this week was marked by sheer fabrics and a pretty lavender print. Also, Spetic's girls were all about the flats. 

There's also sister power behind this brand, which is helmed by Cheryl, Vanessa, and Gabrielle Manning. The sisters are devoted to manufacturing their collections in Australia, and the latest runway looks include slinky dresses, palazzo pants, and deconstructed jackets. 

Contemporary womenswear label By Johnny is all about classic silhouettes with a modern edge. For this week's runway show, models walked in white dresses with black floral patterns, digital prints, and artfully placed ruffles.