The Tamesis
The holiday season is in full swing, and over the past few weeks, blue-chip brands have been hosting multi-day extravaganzas around the world. So for Alémais, joining the action seemed like an unexpected decision. Alémais is an Australian brand founded by Zimmermann alum Lesleigh Jermanus and is known for its kaleidoscopic print designs, which have become a huge hit since the label’s launch in 2020 and currently have more than 600 stockists. But why shouldn’t the brand be better known for its resort wear (Jermanus’ bohemian maxi dresses and richly embellished suits were everywhere last season) white lotus) also hold shows in exotic locations?
So on Wednesday, a mobile army of editors, models and tastemakers – about 80 people in all – were whisked from Menorca’s capital Mahon to the breathtakingly beautiful Illa del Rei, about 15 minutes away by ferry. The decommissioned naval hospital island is now managed by art world powerhouse Hauser & Wirth, and its grand outdoor courtyards serve as the backdrop for a variety of ornate shapes that subtly pay homage to Mallorca. These included woven separates that shimmered like sunlight on water, flowing draped dresses in buttercup yellow and seafoam blue that echoed the island’s Mediterranean wildflowers, as well as shell accessories and decorative fish lures that were woven into the eyelets of dresses and the models’ braids. “It’s crazy,” Germanus said after the show. “We had just traveled from Australia with our entire team on a 35-hour journey and three stops to get to the island, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the locals opening up to us.”
In fact, this isn’t the first time Jermanus has traveled to a far-flung destination to stage a holiday show: last year, she popped up in Marrakech to stage a show in the Zelig-tiled courtyard of a culinary museum, using the show as an opportunity to collaborate with several local artisans. (In addition to her keen eye for color and pattern, Germanus is also known for her artist collaborations—in this case, she teamed up with Mallorcan artist Sophie Wahlquist, who drew particular inspiration from her ceramic work—and her commitment to using low-impact textiles, with most of her designs made from organic linen and cotton or FSC-certified man-made fibers.) It’s all offered at surprisingly fair prices. points, which has helped drive a wholesale boom in her business over the past few years.
As for Why Germanus decided to stage these increasingly ambitious international shows and travel halfway around the world to do so? “I feel like it fits with the ethos of who I am as a person and the brand – celebrating adventure and making clothes that are moving,” she said. “I guess it’s an evolution of what a resort means, and it feels more like a state of mind. No matter where you are, that’s what it feels like.” I think there’s also something distinctly Australian here; given the remoteness of the location, it’s no surprise that Australians are such intrepid travelers. “When it comes to traveling, we have courage,” she added with a laugh.
There’s also a pleasant grit to the collection. While it pays plenty of homage to Menorca’s flora and fauna (and folklore) and the various traditions of local crafts, as well as a wider respect for Menorca’s colloquial name, the “Mother Island” of the Balearic Islands, so named for its allegedly powerful feminine energy, Germanus deftly turns everything around also It literally incorporates these island references into a design language that still feels very Alemai-esque. Take for example the lightly psychedelic knitwear recreated in her studio in India, inspired by local weaving techniques, their contrasting tones derived from the “wild color combinations” she discovered while strolling the island’s fishing piers. Or sculptural tops and mini-dresses embellished with delicate beading that shimmered like tiny barnacles on a treasure pulled from the deep. Or crinkled fabrics that have been treated with salt-dyed and UV-irradiation techniques, as if they had been soaked in seawater and then left in the sun to weather naturally. “It feels a bit like method acting,” Germanus said of absorbing the island’s aesthetic while avoiding imitation. “But most importantly, it has to feel real.”
In keeping with the resort’s attitude, the fashion show was sandwiched between activities that showcased the island’s spirit: a swim at the beach club in a picturesque bay on the island’s northern coast, a visit to the monumental Lithica quarry, and a dinner at the farmhouse at the end of a dusty lane, featuring open-fire grilled seafood prepared by local chef Gabriel Del Humō. After the show, guests gathered at the island’s Cantina restaurant for a Menorcan feast, followed by a wonderful performance by local avant-garde folk musician Anna Ferrer. Fortunately, the weather was mild both days, which echoed Germanus’ first experience on the island. Back in January, while on a design research trip to Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, she remembers it raining until they landed in Menorca. “We got here and the sky opened up, and I had this gut feeling,” she recalled. There was a similar sense of magic at the show, with the scent of lavender and rosemary in the breeze and the setting sun casting a honey-coloured glow on the Balearic stone of the 18th-century former hospital. It’ll be exciting to see where Germanus’ desire to travel takes her next.
