The emerging designers who were rejected

“This should be on the official schedule,” says FDS alumni Gary Bigeni, who is showing his coming collection on Wednesday. “FDS gave us Zimmermann, Dion Lee, Romance Was Born and Michael Lo Sordo, who all became AFW mainstays. It makes no sense.”

Zimmermann left the AFW schedule for Paris Fashion Week years ago, but creative director Nicky Zimmermann will be front row at the FDS show today.

“Whether it’s within the AFW schedule or otherwise, young designers need a platform to present their collections to a wider industry audience,” Zimmermann says. “It’s really important that we are nurturing creative talent and getting behind students in fashion in tangible ways, particularly those who demonstrate potential and have that desire to put themselves out there.”

Having endured the stress of whether the show would proceed, the emerging designers are still processing their transition from the schoolroom.

“This marks the moment when we stop being students and start being designers,” says Cooper, who uses leaves foraged from the Blue Mountains to create ethereal prints. “We will always be learning, but this is an important step.”

AFW may also have learned from the experience, with Hush keeping open the possibility of FDS returning to the schedule next year. To borrow Klum’s other catchphrase, it might be auf wiedersehen instead of goodbye.

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