The pair have some experience in the US, having supplied department stores Bloomingdales and the now-defunct Barney’s, as well as independent boutiques. They acknowledge making some rookie errors in their earlier forays into America.

“That wholesale approach … it’s problematic for brands, especially smaller ones,” Ren says. “You lose control of the training of staff, merchandising, discounting; you lose a ton of margin.”

Christian adds: “We weren’t ready for it [taking on the US] then like we are now.”

Gaining exposure to overseas markets is critical for many Australian brands to thrive, especially considering that the population of California is roughly the same as the whole of Australia. Even with Sunday’s announcement that Australian Fashion Week will go ahead next year with new backers following US-based IMG’s divestment of the event last month, brands are looking for new avenues to get in front of international buyers, media and influencers.

On Monday, the Australian Fashion Foundation, co-founded by expat public relations executive Malcolm Carfrae, will award scholarships to two graduate designers to further their training in the US “so that they could develop globally relevant fashion experience and enhance the Australian fashion industry both locally and abroad”, he says.

And last week, a new trade show, Splash Paris, was announced for May 2025 in Sydney.

Atkinson hopes the We Wear Australian residency in New York, if successful, can be replicated in other cities, too. “This is an opportunity for [brands] to dip their toe in [to the US] without getting burnt,” she says.

Of course, cautionary tales are abundant. Dion Lee went into liquidation this year after its key backer, the Cue group, withdrew financial support. And Alice McCall closed last year, citing various issues, including a failed venture to license the brand in China.

Melbourne-based public relations executive Kate Keane, who last week announced the expansion of her agency into the US, says brands need to understand that the ingredients for success in the US differ from the domestic Australian market.

“The perception of our quality is high, particularly across apparel and skin care,” she says. “But the distance can make it harder to get a grasp of your target market.”

Christian Kimber hopes the New York pop-up will help convert some of the romanticism US consumers have about the Australian lifestyle – and our sense of style – into dollars and loyal customers.

“More than ever, American consumers are looking at Australian brands. With the help of Zimmermann and others such as Aesop, Australian fashion is more than swim shorts,” he says. “There’s opportunity to push our aesthetic and lifestyle. The challenge is always geography – we’re still so far away from the rest of the world.”

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.