“We Are Taking A Stand”: This Sustainable Label Just Sent An Old Collection Down The Runway At AFW

At madre natura's debut show at Australian Fashion Week, sustainable fashion was thrust to the fore. So much so, that the slow fashion label's founder Jackie Galleghan made the bold decision to buck the industry's obsession with newness in favour of sending an old collection down the runway.

You read that right. Galleghan explains that the inspiration for her runway show titled ‘The Last Season Collection’ is inspired by sustainability, and specifically, zero waste. "That is why we are launching our old collection to the world, and will only launch a new collection when we have sold out of this one," she tells Refinery29 Australia. "[It] is a simple, clean, minimal runway in order for the clothes to tell the story of the craftsmanship, durability and sustainability."

"In short we are taking a stand. A big radical move, but one that is worth taking for the planet and its people," Galleghan says.

As the music started, a bold statement was projected into the back of the runway: THE LAST SEASON COLLECTION. The audio presentation made it clear that the best way forward for sustainability in the fashion industry is to stop producing more, more, more, and to buying well-made pieces that we will wear for years to come.

As such, ‘The Last Season Collection’ presents previous seasons' collections as this season's must-haves. From a design perspective, it leans on the concept of the "nostalgic New Yorker" from the 1960s, as Galleghan tells Refinery29 Australia ahead of the show, through garments made from deadstock fabric or sustainably sourced materials that have been repurposed.

This all makes sense, as the label's name translates to "Mother Nature" in Italian — appropriate for a label best known for creating modern, elevated yet wearable garments made from natural fibres.

Galleghan explains that her label's North Star is to redefine the notion of "modern nostalgia", which, in practical terms, results in pieces that are contemporary yet timeless designs that are inspired from bygone eras. She adds that she is "obsessed with vintage pattern books, magazine and films; there is so much raw beauty and craftsmanship in these eras."

This is also the driving force behind her collection at AFW. "My design elements draw influence from silhouettes and hues from the golden years of the 1960s," says Galleghan. "It is a manifestation of my nostalgic dreaming as I take the wearer, and anyone who sees what they are wearing, back to a time when Andy Warhol lead the pop art movement, working and celebrating life with close friends and creating art and films in his famous New York ‘Factory’."

Galleghan's hopes going into her AFW debut were for attendees to feel uneasy and enlightened, optimistic and "inspired to act today on behalf of those who will walk the planet tomorrow". It's the latter that inspires everything Galleghan creates through madre natura. "I want people to feel optimistic because the future is bright… if we all do our bit, however big or small that is, we’ll see a massive change."

By partnering with The Greener Runway for ‘The Last Season Collection’ show, madre natura is cementing its commitment to responsible fashion in the hopes of creating a better future for the industry.

"Being sustainable is the most important part of my business and our circular program is a vision that we work towards every day in every way," says Galleghan. "We are not perfect, but we are doing our best to create an optimistic future for the industry I love the most."