RE:BORN

Participants

Romance Was Born
Romance Was Born is a contemporary Australian fashion house with a unique storytelling vision. The renowned duo Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales met while studying fashion in 2005 and went on to establish their inimitable label Romance Was Born together. The pair is known for their ability to transform any theme or seemingly random inspiration into a glittery, glimmering fashion world. Their collections are full of statement pieces and feature covetable prints, hand-worked details of appliqué or embroidery, intricate beading and sequinned elements.Artistic collaboration is an integral part of how Romance Was Born works – they carefully choose collaborators who share their creative passion and dedication to their process. Romance Was Born creates clothing that is more than just beautiful garments, creating an immersive and emotional experience for the wearer. Together they explore a creative common ground and play with the relationship between fashion and art.Romance Was Born is held in costume and textile collections nationally at the National Gallery of Australia, the Powerhouse Museum, the National Gallery of Victoria and the South Australian Museum. Internationally, they were featured in the 2019 summer exhibition Camp: Notes on Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Cultivated
Cultivated aims to change the way we think about furniture waste. Every year, thousands of pieces of furniture are discarded. Left on the street. Sent to landfill. Forgotten.What if these pieces were seen for what they could become, not just what they are today?Since 2013, Cultivated has been rescuing unwanted furniture and giving it new life. Some pieces are carefully restored to honour their original design. Others are reimagined entirely, transformed into something bold, unexpected and new.Working in-house and alongside some of Australia’s most skilled craftspeople and artists, Cultivated reveals the potential hidden within discarded furniture. Through repair, adaptation and reinvention, objects once considered finished are returned to relevance.In a culture shaped by fast furniture and short lifespans, Cultivated presents another way of thinking.

Artbank
Artbank is a unique visual arts support and access initiative that operates under a simple yet powerful philosophy: art is for everyone. For more than forty-five years it has supported thousands of Australian artists, building an impressive collection of more than 11,000 artworks spanning media including painting, sculpture, video and photography.Through leasing works to individuals, companies and governments, Artbank lives up to its policy principle of promoting broad access to Australian contemporary art. With over fifty per cent of the collection out on loan at any one time, it has built a financially sustainable client base and has been a largely self-funding government program for more than twenty-five years.

studio x us
studio x us is a Melbourne/Naarm-based collaborative design collective led by Sonia Simpfendorfer and Sally Evans.The studio brings together designers, thinkers and makers to form carefully shaped teams around each project. Each collaboration is guided by dialogue, context and shared authorship.Its practice moves fluidly between interior, object and visual thinking, grounded in materiality, place and human experience. The studio is interested in how spaces carry memory, how design shapes behaviour and how creative exchange opens up unexpected possibilities.studio x us exists to make thoughtful, resonant work that feels responsive to people, place and moment.

Cult Design and TSAR Carpets
Cult Design is an established voice in contemporary design, representing a curated collection of internationally respected and locally celebrated furniture, lighting and accessories for residential and commercial spaces. For more than two decades, Cult has worked closely with architects, designers and design-conscious clients to deliver considered, high-quality solutions that balance function, longevity and timeless aesthetic value. Alongside its global portfolio, Cult champions Australian design through its Cultivated initiative, supporting local makers and creative collaboration.TSAR Carpets is a Melbourne/Naarm-based studio specialising in bespoke, hand-crafted rugs for residential, commercial and hospitality environments. Known for its collaborative approach, TSAR works with designers, architects and artists to create custom pieces that combine material innovation, craftsmanship and artistic expression. Together, Cult Design and TSAR share a commitment to thoughtful design, enduring quality and the elevation of contemporary Australian interiors.