Growing up in Broome, Western Australia instilled in Amalina Aman a love of the bush.
The outback, she said, fuels her inspiration, and is the muse behind her latest collection.
The Gypsy Wanderer line is a reflection of her childhood and, Amalina told Daily Mail Australia, a nod to the 1986 Australian film, Crocodile Dundee.
‘I was in my studio one day and the famous movie, Crocodile Dundee, was on TV,’ Amalina, 30, said.
‘He was so strong … and very sophisticated the way he was talking.
‘In one of the scenes [a woman] was wearing a net around her hat and to me I found that very beautiful … she was modest but at the same time so beautiful and very strong and feminine.’
But it was not just the film’s leading roles that inspired her design, but the scenery.
‘I was inspired by nature, the green, the red, if you go up in to the Northern Territory or Wagga Wagga you see this beautiful colour scheme,’ Amalina said.
‘I used a kind of peachy red, so the sand or the setting sun.
‘Then the white I did with lace.’
Amalina showed the inspired collection this week at the Indonesia International Islamic Fashion festival – the second time she has participated in the coveted event.
‘I was one of the first Australian Muslim designers to showcase internationally,’ Amalina said.
‘My main motivator as a fashion designer is I want to show hijab fashion is very modest, but at the same time it’s very stylish.’
The Australiana collection is a step away from Amalina’s previous lines that have used bright colours and bold prints.
But Gypsy Wanderer is in keeping with current trends, with a 1970s vibe of billowing skirts and long sleeves.
‘I’m very inspired by the 1970s and 1980s,’ Amalina said.
‘The hippy era and the era of the gypsy nomad.
‘Every time I do a collection I throw back to the 1970s and look at how the clothing was like in the boho era.
‘It’s a trend that never dies.’
While her focus is hijab fashion, Amalina said her design could be worn by any woman who wants to feel modest, or alternatively, use the kaftans as a beach cover-up.
‘I love what I’m doing and I even love being in Indonesia – I feel so inspired by the fashions here,’ she said.
‘Modest fashion is a growing market.’
Amalina was joined at the Indonesia International Islamic Fashion festival by fellow Australian designers Hanadi Chehab and Eisha Saleh.
The festival, held on September 9 and 10, is held in Jakarta and showcases designers from Indonesia and Malaysia.
As well as a number of fashion shows, there are exhibitions, talk shows, workshops and and meet and greet opportunities.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
