Alpha60 is a computer. At least it is in Jean-Luc Godard’s science fiction film classic Alphaville. Naming a fashion label after a fictional computer system will definitely not occur to anyone. It did, however, to Alex and Georgie Cleary. The Melbourne-based brother-sister duo founded Alpha60 in 2005. Since then they have established themselves as one of Australia’s best-known fashion labels with twelve boutiques across their home country and showrooms in Paris and New York.

Clearly, Godard’s 1965 film is an inspiring work of art. But why name a label after its inhuman protagonist? After all, designers do not dress machines. Alpha60’s minimalist S18.4 collection serenely proves that. With an unobtrusive colour scheme and classic cuts, the line puts clear emphasis on the human being under the fabric. The simple, yet sophisticated clothes seem to float around the body, hiding and highlighting its silhouette at the same time. Vulnerability is not a bad thing here; on the contrary, it is the aspect the designers want to stress. The discrepancy between Alpha60’s name and their product thus appears to be highly intentional.

It is, however, another discrepancy that I like most about this collection: while the clothes look incredibly light, they also emanate the calm of something well-grounded. This air of a lightness of gravity struck me at once. When asked about their inspiration, Georgie fittingly responded:

Our motto is keep your feet on the ground and head in the clouds.