Australian womenswear retailer Cue will present its first-ever solo runway show at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, as the brand unveils an elevated new direction.
Speaking with Ragtrader, Cue executive director Melanie Levis confirmed the showcase will include 50 looks in a 400-600 ticketed show.
"We've always offered elevated styling, however, we've taken it to the next level this time," Levis said. "So really sourcing fabrics from around the world that we probably would have put in the too-expensive basket before."
Levis said new fabrics include 100% silk - a first for the brand - and a venture into denim.
"There'll be some silks, but then also in the tailoring, we've got a holographic pinstripe,” Levis said. “We're definitely having some fun with our fashion while sticking to our DNA, but really taking the customer and the industry on a little bit of a journey with us.
“To counteract that, we're also putting in a lot more casual styling than what we've done before. So we're introducing a little bit of denim with a new different type of wash, and really just playing with different silhouettes in doing that. It’s really combining the casual with the more elevated product and playing on that diversity.”
Levis cited changes in post-pandemic shopping trends for the shift into new categories.
“There is definitely more of a casual approach to dressing to the office. The stitched-up, poly-viscose banker suit probably isn't as in-demand as it once was. However, tailoring is still very much in demand, but it's got a little bit more of a fashion element.
"If we're asking people to come and shop with us, and prices are increasing everywhere (life in general is getting harder), there needs to be a reason to buy."
The runway show will offer consumers an exclusive preview of Cue's Summer 23 collection, which will be released later this year. Levis said some of the collection will be runway-only styles sold online.
“We are creating a small collection, which will be very limited pieces only, that we will cut 50 to 100,” Levis said. “Some pieces will be online only, but then maybe just some in select stores - some of the really high-end pieces that we'll only cut a small quantity of. We've got limited fabric.
“But the bulk of the show will be more customer-facing and more readily available, or there'll be another option that will be more accessible to the customer.”
Cue's runway show will go live on Thursday, May 18 at 8:00pm.