Meet Dyspnea: the brand normalising wearing sequins every day
Ahead of AAFW, DYSPNEA said they’re excited to debut a “Priscilla Queen of the Desert meets Bridgerton” runway show.
By Elizabeth Whitehead

AUSTRALIAN FASHION LABEL Dyspnea designs elaborate garments that seem almost like jewellery for the body. Their pieces classically feature sequins, beads, fluff, ruffles— pretty much anything ‘extra’ that you can imagine.

Their trademark sequin-spangled outfits evoke the unapologetic maximalism of the ‘Y2K party girl’ aesthetic. (It’s no coincidence that Paris Hilton, the blueprint Y2K party girl, follows Dyspnea online.) The brand is resurrecting the glitz and glamour of the early aughts, but with a body-positive outlook that was absent from the original era. The result is clothing that feels fun and celebratory — not simply worn, but adorned by the wearer.

Harper’s BAZAAR caught up with Dyspnea’s designers Jameen Zalfen and Rachel Motteram, amid their hectic schedule preparing for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week. We chatted to them about Dyspnea’s rise to cult-favourite status online, celebrating the self through clothing, and embracing maximalist fashion.

The name Dyspnea comes from the medical term for ‘shortness of breath’. And taking your breath away is exactly what Jameen and Rachel have set out to do with their designs. The designer started their label eight years ago when they met at TAFE:

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