Last night, on day four of AFC Australian Fashion Week, we saw one of the most magnetic and stylish shows I have seen at Fashion Week. But L’IDÉE WOMAN was more than beautiful dresses on beautiful women.

It had energy.

Held at Hickson Road Pier, the show started with that familiar Fashion Week buzz, then suddenly tipped into a kind of beautiful chaos as we all made our way into the room. Once we got there, the setting had heat. Creatively directed by Pip Edwards, the space felt like a 70s lounge crossed with old Hollywood glamour: moody, rich and cinematic.

Then the music hit.

The track was upbeat, the models walked fast and the whole room shifted. It felt like watching the most magnetic woman in the room move past you, all pleats, shine and confidence.

Taylor Hill opened the presentation, joined by Shanina Shaik, marking a major moment for L’IDÉE WOMAN and for Australian Fashion Week. But what stayed with me most was not only the famous faces. It was the women. Mature women looking incredible. Women with curves. Top models. Different bodies, different ages, different versions of glamour.

It felt intentional.

Returning to Australian Fashion Week four years after its debut, L’IDÉE WOMAN marked a new chapter with 30 looks that brought together the brand’s signature sculptural pleating, saturated colour and fluid silhouettes with key moments from the Fall/Winter 26 collection. The pleats, custom engineered in collaboration with one of the world’s oldest pleating houses, moved beautifully, catching the light as each model passed.

Inspired by the icons of the 1970s disco era, the collection leaned into after dark glamour. Liquid shine, glossy textures, statement sequins and rhythmic pleating gave the runway its pulse. It was occasionwear with impact, but not the kind that feels impossible to wear.

That was what I loved most.

Yes, the setting was striking. Yes, the energy was electric. Yes, the casting felt refreshing. But the real power of the show was how attainable the clothes felt. You could imagine women you know wearing these pieces. A friend at a wedding. A sister at a birthday. A mother or daughter walking into a room and feeling incredible.

For occasionwear with this level of presence, the pieces also felt surprisingly within reach.

Sometimes Fashion Week can feel like theatre only. Beautiful, but distant. L’IDÉE WOMAN gave us the theatre, the 70s glamour, the pace, the shine and the spectacle. But underneath it all were clothes real women could see themselves in.

For the brand, this presentation felt like both a reconnection and a reset: a return to craft, movement and architectural pleating, while signalling a more defined era ahead.

The L’IDÉE woman is not one woman. She is many. She is confident, expressive and ready to be seen.

Last night, she was everywhere.

Before the runway began, we sat down with L’IDÉE WOMAN founder Breeana Smith for The Tastemaker Chronicles to talk about the brand’s return to Australian Fashion Week, working with Pip Edwards, the evolution of its signature pleating and why movement, colour and confidence remain at the centre of the L’IDÉE WOMAN world.

For a label built on how fabric moves, catches light and transforms on the body, the conversation gave us the perfect lens for what came next: a runway that made occasionwear feel glamorous, modern and made for real women.

Four years on from L’IDÉE WOMAN’s Australian Fashion Week debut, what made this the right moment to return to the runway?

Returning to the runway four years after our debut show in 2022 was intentional.  So much has evolved since we identified ourselves as a pleating concept brand – slowly and intentionally we have associated ourselves with after dark / occasion wear, and the vision continues to be anchored around this, however the overall feel of the brand is so new, whilst still so identifiable. We like to think of the return to the runway as the perfect platform for us to redefine, reinforce and realign the vision.

The caption says this is “a distilled expression of the L’IDÉE WOMAN, as she is now.” Who is she now?

She’s no longer defined by a single occasion or moment – she’s travelling, hosting, celebrating, creating. This collection reflects that evolution: it’s refined, self-assured, and more distilled in its expression, while still embracing the bold femininity and sculptural movement that has always been signature within  L’IDÉE WOMAN.

When you started shaping this show, what did you know had to remain unmistakably L’IDÉE WOMAN and what were you ready to challenge?

The pleats. The power of pleats was undeniably the driving force behind the return to the runway. We honoured them throughout the show while challenging the codes of the house through striking new fabrics and bold moments that interacted beautifully with the namesake product – introducing a renewed vision that reflects where the brand stands today.

L’IDÉE WOMAN has such a recognisable language: pleats, movement, colour and boldness. How do you evolve a signature without diluting it?

Thank you. It has been a delicate balance to honour the concept and vision we initially put forward while continuing to diversify and introduce newness. We are extremely conscious of not diluting the strong foundations of the brand – our desire has always been to remain instantly identifiable, and we’ve worked passionately to build that recognisable reputation. The evolution has happened slowly and naturally; it’s not something we’ve done overnight. Over the last several seasons, we’ve intentionally introduced subtle new elements – pieces that align beautifully with the vision of the brand while offering a fresh perspective for L’IDÉE. Exploring new fabrics and techniques has been incredibly inspiring, and through this process we feel we’re learning more and more about the multidimensional woman who wears the brand. By embracing this sense of newness, we’ve been able to truly capture the essence of event dressing. If anything, it has further inspired us to re-engineer our heroic pleated product, creating a cohesive story around after-dark dressing.

Pip Edwards has worn and championed L’IDÉE WOMAN for years. What made her the right creative partner for this particular moment?

We’ve admired Pip for many years, an incredible business woman and her creative vision is strong. Pip has worn L’IDÉE WOMAN more times than I can count  – she wears it impeccably well – we’d  been looking to partner with her on some level creatively – once we knew the show was happening it  -having her as the creative directors for the show was the first thing we discussed!

Is style, for you, more instinctive or more constructed?

Instinctive – that might be the southern italian version of me  speaking –  most things I do are based on “intuito” (intuition )

Pleats are often seen as decorative, but for L’IDÉE WOMAN they feel architectural and emotional. What do pleats allow you to say that another fabric language can’t?

To work with pleating is to work like an artist while thinking like an engineer. It adds an entirely new dimension to the design process. Everything begins with the pleat form – even fabric selection must be approached with consideration, understanding how each material will react to the high temperatures and mechanics of the pleating machines. Only then does the design process truly follow: what can be constructed from this pleat form as a garment, and how can it evoke the feeling that emerges when a woman wears it?

It’s magic, really, to see it come to life. Pleats are incredibly complex – each dress must be carefully measured and considered entirely around the pleat structure itself. I think we’re drawn to that challenge; it introduces another layer to the creative process. There is so much involved, and when the garments finally come to life, it’s like a symphony of boldness and beauty.

We’re all complex creatures, and perhaps that is what feels so compelling about the complexity of the concept we’ve chosen – it reflects something internal, an expression of many layers.

How do you think women are approaching occasion dressing now, especially in a moment where style feels less trend-led and more personal?

I think women are undeniably searching for something that evokes emotion when it comes to occasion dressing. These pieces are often worn for life’s most special moments — the moments where you feel the most. I imagine many women want to feel a connection to the dress because it will ultimately hold the memory of that experience.

In terms of trends, I can’t really speak to that. I keep my focus entirely on the concept of the L’IDÉE woman. Some may see that as tunnel vision, but for me it’s what allows me to remain true to the brand.

After the runway lights go down, what do you hope people understand about this next chapter of L’IDÉE WOMAN?

The moment the lights go down, the runway transforms into an exclusive after-party – the perfect transition from runway to real life. In a sense, the next chapter begins immediately. Shop the collection