PARADISE, RELOADED
PARADISE, RELOADED
Words by Danae Jones
How Cairns Fashion Week Put The Far North On The Global Style Map
Under the neon glow of a tropical dusk, beneath a sky heavy with monsoon-blue clouds and that unmistakable Far North Queensland electricity, Cairns Fashion Week (CFW) 2025 unfolded like a secret finally ready to be told. Long romanticised for its gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, its rainforests ancient as myth, its beaches golden and unhurried – Cairns has long been a destination. But this year, it emerged as something more: a fashion capital in its own right.
For six days, the city pulsed with creativity. From the glittering opening night at The Vine Room, where ocean views shimmered beneath evening cocktails, to two back-to-back designer showcases that electrified the DFO runway, Paradise Reloaded – this year’s theme – delivered a moody, seductive reinterpretation of tropical glam. Forget hibiscus prints and resort clichés. This was the tropics in chiaroscuro: bold, sensual, subversive, and utterly unforgettable.
“It was amazing – the designer collections were striking and proved Cairns is a true fashion destination,” said Cairns Fashion Week Founder Jade Turnbull, her voice still buzzing from the high-voltage energy of the week. “The emerging designers were incredibly grateful to be showcased. The established designers were just so delighted to be contributing to the Cairns Fashion Week momentum and being a part of another Australian iconic fashion destination where they can also holiday while here and enjoy the amazing environment we all get to call home. My hope is that for the newer designers, like in previous years, that this event really cements their place in the fashion industry and builds their profile for even greater success.”
THE RISE OF A FASHION FRONTIER
For decades, Australia’s style scene revolved around Sydney and Melbourne. But Cairns Fashion Week proved what locals have long known: the Far North is a crucible of originality, shaped by its landscapes, its multicultural influences, and the fierce independence of regional artists who carve space for themselves far from the city runways.
This year, that creative pulse beat louder than ever. Designers from across the country – and even across the world took their place beside Far North originals in a lineup of 27 designers and 25 models across Friday and Saturday night’s shows. The result was a compelling fusion: daywear infused with island modernity, couture shaped by rainforest myth, streetwear pulsing with bold colour and global rhythm.
The growing reputation of CFW as an international platform was undeniable. But what set this year apart was the unapologetic showcasing of local talent — names that may not yet be household, but absolutely should be.
THE LOVERS COVE: A TROPICAL LOVE LETTER TO WOMEN
Among those breakout stars was The Lovers Cove, the Cairns-based resortwear brand that made its runway debut on Saturday night to a roar of applause. Founder Melanie King stepped into the spotlight with a ten-piece collection that was everything the Far North stands for: breezy, bold, joyful, and deeply personal.
“A lot of resort wear is so beautiful but so unsuitable for the tropics,” King shared. “So I wanted to make clothes that I love to wear – easy and breezy but bright and colourful.”
Her pieces flowed down the runway – vivid prints, soft fabrics, and silhouettes made to move. But beneath the beauty was a philosophy: to design for real women, real bodies, and real lives.
“Women’s bodies fluctuate so much,” she said. “I hate it when clothes don’t make us feel really great about ourselves, so all of my clothes are adjustable with ties, shirring and elastic.”
It was fashion with empathy. Resortwear with permission to breathe. A reminder that paradise is not just a place, but a feeling – one she stitched thoughtfully into every seam.
SONLIA FASHION: A RUNWAY BECOMING
If King delivered joy, Sonlia Fashion brought soul. The Mareeba-based label presented Fashion with a Purpose, a collection layered with intimate storytelling and stunning artistry. Each piece felt like a manifesto – bold shapes, intricate details, and colours that carried emotional weight.
“Young girls these days feel like they need to fit into boxes to fit in,” said designer Liana Hastie, speaking softly but with steel underneath. “The collection is about being your authentic self and not worrying about judgement.”
On the runway, the message resonated deeply. Models walked with quiet defiance, their garments telling stories of self-acceptance, courage, and rebellion. There were garments that whispered, pieces that roared, and everything in between – a visual diary of a designer who understands the power of clothing to change how we see ourselves.
Hastie described the moment she saw her work on the catwalk as “an extremely rewarding moment”. After months of designing, crafting, refining, the runway transformed the pieces into something alive – a shared language between creator and audience.
“It’s so great we have this platform,” she said. “It’s really hard to get to the cities to show our pieces, so it’s amazing we can show them locally. Cairns Fashion Week is critical to regional fashion designers.”
Her gratitude echoed a sentiment shared by many: Cairns Fashion Week isn’t simply an event. It’s an equaliser – a bridge between regional talent and global opportunities.
THE GLOBAL STAGE MEETS THE TROPICAL NORTH
While local designers shone brightly, Cairns also welcomed established and international names. Both Friday and Saturday night shows opened with the iconic Joseph Ribkoff, a testament to the event’s growing prestige.
The Friday lineup was a kaleidoscope of styles from the streetwear boldness of R87 Custom Crews to the cultural allure of Secrets of the East, the couture drama of Flying Dresses, and the refined resort elegance of The Lovers Cove. The show moved like a living mood board: eclectic, surprising, and expertly curated.
Saturday broadened the narrative further. Labels such as Blind Ambition, Salu Keko, River Goddess, and Luna Gypsyy Couture brought edge, sensuality, and artistic experimentation to the runway. Meanwhile, Ellery & Moss and Zartji delivered contemporary silhouettes and luxury finishes that felt ready for any global runway. If Cairns was once seen as regional, the 2025 showcases shattered that perception entirely.
THE MOOD:
PARADISE, BUT MAKE IT DARK
This year’s theme, Paradise Reloaded, could have gone literal – palm fronds, hibiscus, postcard prints. Instead, designers embraced a moody reimagining: paradise after dusk, the tropics under a storm cloud, beauty in chiaroscuro.
The colour palettes simmered with deep greens, molten golds, smoky teals, and nocturnal blacks punctuated by bursts of tropical brights. Silhouettes balanced sensuality with atmosphere – flowing fabrics paired with sharp tailoring, earthy textures alongside high-shine finishes.
The aesthetic shift was more than visual, it mirrored what Cairns Fashion Week itself has become: bold, surprising, and unafraid to disrupt the expected.
THE OPENING NIGHT: WHERE THE SEA MET STYLE
Before the runway lights switched on, CFW set the tone with an exclusive opening party at The Vine Room on the Cairns Esplanade.
Guests arrived as the afternoon slipped into twilight, the Coral Sea glowing beneath them.
Champagne flowed, ocean breezes carried the sounds of conversation, and local and inter national creatives mingled beneath the palms. It felt glamorous, effortless – a fashion world moment with a distinctly Far North soul.
THE AFTER-PARTY:
MEXICAIRNS MAKES MAGIC
When the final model stepped off the runway on Saturday night, the celebration didn’t end. It simply moved directly into the hands of Mexicairns, host of the exclusive after-party where designers, models, stylists, and fashion lovers danced under neon lights and Latin rhythms.
It was loud. Colourful. Joyfully chaotic. Everything the tropics should be.
And most importantly, it was community – the kind of celebration that only happens when people know they are part of something bigger than themselves.
WHY CAIRNS FASHION WEEK MATTERS
Cairns Fashion Week isn’t just a date on the social calendar. It is cultural infrastructure – a vital space for regional creatives to be seen, celebrated, and catapulted onto bigger stages.
For designers like King and Hastie, the event is a lifeline that removes the traditional barriers of isolation. For models, stylists, hair and makeup artists, photographers, retailers, and event professionals, it is a proving ground. For the community, it is pride – a showcase of the extraordinary talent born from the Far North’s unique blend of cultures, landscapes, and stories.\
Fashion capitals aren’t defined by geography. They are defined by vision. And Cairns has that in abundance.
A FUTURE WRITTEN IN COLOUR, COURAGE AND CREATIVITY
As the lights dimmed on the final showcase and the last notes of music faded, one thing was clear, Cairns Fashion Week did more than put Far North Queensland on the map. It redrew the map entirely.
Here, in a place where rainforest meets reef, where culture meets creativity, and where community meets ambition, fashion found new life – vivid, daring, unfiltered.
From the joyful ease of The Lovers Cove to the emotional storytelling of Sonlia Fashion and from the international icons to the homegrown rising stars, CFW 2025 delivered something rare: authenticity. Not the curated kind, but the real thing – messy, magical and radiant.
And if this year was Paradise Reloaded, next year promises something even bigger. Something global. Something unstoppable.
Because Cairns isn’t waiting for the fashion world to notice it anymore.
It’s already leading the way.
City Life’s Designer Picks for CFW 2025
LABEL: THE LOVERS COVE
Resortwear Reimagined
Designer: Melanie King
Based: Cairns, Queensland
A newcomer destined to become a household name, The Lovers Cove made a vivid and heartfelt debut at CFW 2025. Creator Melanie King designs from a place of joy, practicality, and body positivity. Her philosophy? Resortwear should feel as good as it looks.
King’s ten-piece runway collection delivered breezy silhouettes, saturated colours, and tropical prints that felt like sunshine stitched into fabric. With adjustable ties, shirring, elastic, and clever construction, her garments adapt to women’s changing bodies — a refreshing antidote to the rigid, size-locked world of traditional resort fashion.
More than a label, The Lovers Cove is a love letter to the tropics — clothing made to move with the climate, embrace individuality, and celebrate the women who wear it.
Signature Look: Billowing maxi dresses, adjustable fits, bold tropical hues.
Why She Matters: King is redefining what tropical fashion should be: wearable, inclusive, joyful.
THE LABEL: SONLIA FASHION
Where Couture Meets Meaning
Designer: Liana Hastie
Based: Mareeba, Queensland
Sonlia Fashion didn’t just present a collection – it presented a message. Designer Liana Hastie’s runway story, Fashion with a Purpose, explored identity, vulnerability, and the courage to live authentically. Her pieces combined structure and softness, darkness and light, creating a collection that was both artistic and emotionally resonant.
“Young girls feel like they need to fit into boxes,” Hastie said. Sonlia’s response is a celebration of individuality – garments that encourage wearers to embrace who they are, not who they think they should be.
Seeing her work move down the runway was a deeply rewarding culmination of months of creativity. For Hastie, Cairns Fashion Week is more than an event; it’s a vital platform for regional designers who rarely get the chance to show on city runways.
Signature Look: Intricate craftsmanship, symbolic embellishments, storytelling details.
Why She Matters: Sonlia represents the soul of regional couture – bold, meaningful, and unapologetically authentic.
THE LABEL: BLIND AMBITION
Edgy, Urban, Undeniably Bold
Blind Ambition crashed the runway with a high-voltage mix of street attitude and couture edge. Their aesthetic blends sharp tailoring, unexpected textures, and urban grit, making them one of the standout disruptors in this year’s lineup.
Signature Look: Streetwear meets high fashion.
Why They Matter: They brought tension and contrast to a tropical-themed runway.
THE LABEL: LUNA GYPSYY COUTURE
Runway Romance & Free-Spirited Drama
Floating fabrics, ethereal silhouettes, and a delicate bohemian drama defined Luna Gypsyy Couture’s runway moment. Their pieces brought softness to the darker Paradise Reloaded aesthetic.
Signature Look: Sheer layers, romantic textures, moonlit palette.
Why They Matter: They offered a dreamlike counterpoint to the week’s moodier looks.
THE LABEL: JOSEPH RIBKOFF
International Icon, Tropical Stage
Based: Canada. But have just opened a new store at Cairns Airport.
Opening both major showcases, Joseph Ribkoff brought international prestige to the Cairns runway. Globally recognised for sophisticated ready-to-wear, the label introduced a sleek, contemporary edge that perfectly balanced the bold experimentation from emerging designers. Ribkoff’s presence reaffirmed Cairns Fashion Week’s evolution into a global event – a tropical destination runway where world-renowned brands seamlessly share space with rising Far North creatives.
Signature Look: Modern silhouettes, luxurious knits, elegant womenswear.
Why They Matter: Their participation signals Cairns Fashion Week’s growing international clout.
THE LABEL: R87 CUSTOM CREWS
Streetwear with Pulse
R87 delivered raw energy – a bold mix of prints, oversized silhouettes, and youth culture spirit. Their presence helped establish Friday night’s show as a celebration of individuality and attitude.
Signature Look: Bold prints, relaxed fits, unapologetic street appeal.
Why They Matter: They connect fashion with youth identity and grassroots artistry.
THE LABEL: ZARTJI
Artistry in Motion
With a focus on texture, movement, and originality, Zartji brought a distinctive artistic flair to the runway. Their looks felt hand-crafted, expressive, and deeply personal.
Signature Look: Textural layering, statement pieces.
Why They Matter: Zartji showcased the artisanal side of the Far North’s fashion identity.
