On Monday, October 6, the penultimate day of Paris Fashion Week, Zimmermann presented one of the last shows of the season. The collection, titled Kindred Spirit, was Nicky Zimmermann’s ode to collaboration and community, inspired by the artists of Sydney’s Lavender Bay in the 70s. “They inspired each other to boldly express themselves and had a lot of fun along the way,” explains Zimmermann. “I always design with a multitude of women in mind, a diverse group who bring their distinct personalities to the garment.” That mix of freedom, kinship and exuberance became the thread holding the season together.
Below, we break down everything from the collection’s inspiration, a surprise appearance from Lana Del Rey and more.
The show was staged at Le Carreau du Temple in Paris. The historic venue carried the atmosphere of an artist’s studio, echoing the creative collectives that inspired the collection.
IT WAS INSPIRED BY THE COMMUNITIES IN LAVENDER BAY
Courtesy of Zimmermann
The collection celebrated artists who flourished outside the mainstream, building support systems and pushing one another into bolder self-expression. That ethos shaped silhouettes that exaggerated space and movement: skirts flaring from the waist, sleeves blooming into capes, peplum tops floating away from the body, cylindrical flares bouncing in step.
THERE WERE MANY 70S REFERENCES
Courtesy of Zimmermann
The 70s references were unmistakable but never literal. Psychedelic florals warped into dizzying graphics, acid tie-dye poured across strapless dresses and lace arrived in bright colours that stripped away its usual delicacy. Painter’s overalls came in tan leather and cotton twill, layered with plunging bodysuits. Tailoring shrank into vests and micro-shorts paired with sharp blazers. Denim carried hand-stitched bird motifs, while organza “super-fluff” erupted in tiers that turned gowns into bouncing sculptures.
AND GREAT ACCESSORIES
Courtesy of Zimmermann
Accessories came through a series of wooden platforms, leather sandals in lilac, peach and mustard grounded the looks. Raffia slides knotted with floral fabric tied into head-to-toe print stories. Bags came patchworked, tiered, or tied into exaggerated knots. Jewellery played with nostalgia and national pride: koala figurines dangled from earrings, golden flora bloomed on pendants. And then the sharp interruption – shield sunglasses slicing through the softness like punctuation.
THERE WAS A SPECIAL APPEARANCE FROM MS. DEL REY
And then there was Lana. More than just front row attendance, her 2020 poem What Happened When I Left You was played over Mimi Xu’s soundtrack, perfectly backdropping the collection. It was peak Lana, cinematic and melancholic, set against Zimmermann’s explosion of colour and movement.
Head to the gallery to check out images from the full collection.