at we are immensely proud of,” Aje co-founder and CEO Adrian Norris told Inside Retail. “It was an incredible opportunity to share our unique aesthetic on a global stage, amplify our brand, speak to all our customers worldwide and engage local and global tastemakers – who shape what’s seen, worn and shared,” Norris continued. For Aje, the Paris Fashion Week show served as a platform to engage the full fashion ecosystem, from press and stylists to tastemakers, content creators, and buyers – translating cultural capital into narrative control, placement and reach. A long time coming The Paris presentation was partly the result of 18 months of preparation, with Sydney teams and international outfits collaborating on every detail from set design to communications, to ensure it reflected the essence of Aje. “Edwina and I have been so inspired by the energy, creativity and commitment that this project has sparked withing the business,” Norris said, referring to Aje co-founder and creative director Edwina Forest. “To witness every department unite behind a shared vision and contribute so passionately has been something truly special.” But Aje’s journey to its Paris debut has been longer than 18 months of preparation. Aje has been building a strong presence in France’s capital over the last 10 years with its long-standing wholesale endeavours. “Showing in Paris has always been on our radar and a part of our journey,” Norris said. “Edwina and I were focused on building an incredibly strong Australian business to start with. We were adamant [about doing] the best we could do in Australia and being very ready to show overseas. “Over the past few years, Edwina and I have felt increasingly ready, we were both incredibly aligned with the collections and knew we were ready to show our brand in Paris, the global epicentre of fashion.” That readiness, he explained, came after nearly two decades of refining Aje’s DNA – a distinctive balance of raw beauty and tough femininity that has become synonymous with contemporary Australian design. But Aje’s recent runway at “the global epicentre of fashion” wasn’t just symbolic, it was a strategic decision as the Australian fashion house looks to deepen its relationships across Europe. Paris as a platform Aje has been steadily growing its international presence with three e-commerce websites dedicated to Australia, New Zealand and “Rest of World”, servicing 221 countries abroad and partnering with more than 70 international retailers. “There is a strong demand and interest in our brand overseas,” Norris stated. “We are seeing significant growth through the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States. We have expanded our US distribution through partnerships with Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue, and entered Turkey with Beymen.” Norris said the biggest demand for Aje comes from the US, with 32 per cent of its online customers there. Aje’s sales in the Middle East have grown 31 per cent since last year, with a 118 per cent increase in the UK and a 32 per cent increase within the US. The Paris debut also accompanies Aje’s continued growth across Europe. The brand already holds partnerships with key retailers such as Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, La Samaritaine, and Italy’s LuisaViaRoma. From February 2026, the brand will open its first international concession at premier department store Printemps’ flagship Paris location – a pivotal anchor for its French expansion. Maintaining the brand DNA As Aje journeys further onto the global stage, its success story stands as a model for how Australian fashion can maintain its soul while scaling for the world. The fashion house was founded 17 years ago as a Noosa local label by Norris and Forest. The brand’s continued success positions the pair as one of the strongest creative partnerships in the Australian fashion industry. “It is a ‘family’ business, and so much blood sweat and tears have gone into every moment, every touchpoint and every piece in every collection,” Norris described. “With running a business of this size, we both put on so many different hats each day and [we both have] our own strengths,” he continued. “We consistently challenge each other, and we come at it from different perspectives, but we have the same goals and vision for the Aje brand and love what we do together.” The fashion duo has continually raised the bar and widened the scope of the brand over the years by expanding organically and decisively, evolving Aje into a multi-brand portfolio with the additions of Aje Studio and Aje Athletica. Aje Studio is targeted for a younger, Gen Z consumer, with price points between $79 and $299. “We are always listening to our customers’ needs, focusing this category on Gen Z whilst offering a generational shopping experience across all of our brands,” Norris explained. “Aje Athletica is a way for us to meet our consumers’ needs when she isn’t going to work or to an event. We will continue to create wearable and elevated ranges that fit into all aspects of our customers’ lifestyle.” The Aje customer shops all three brands, Norris said. And just as Aje’s spin-off brands haven’t diluted the brand DNA, neither will the fashion house’s plans for further global expansion. “Since Aje was born in 2008, we have remained true to who we are – a quintessentially Australian fashion house dedicated to raw beauty, tough femininity and effortless cool, designed to bridge the divide between urban and coastal style,” Norris said. “We have never deviated from this.”