From a sun-drenched hotel suite overlooking Darling Harbour, designer Juanita Page is applying the final touches to her debut solo runway presentation—an event marking a significant moment in her career.
Her collection, comprised of 25 expressive streetwear ensembles, draws inspiration from her vibrant family gatherings—moments filled with connection, joy, and authenticity.
At 33, Page is a proud Gooreng Gooreng and South Sea Islander woman and one of the few female designers focusing on menswear in Australia. Through her label, Joseph & James, she fuses the relaxed essence of streetwear with the polish of refined tailoring—a combination that has earned her a coveted spot at this year’s Australian Fashion Week (AFW).
“It’s definitely a massive milestone,” she shares.
“We have no-one else to hide behind. It’s just us.”
As she prepares for her AFW debut, Page describes the experience as both intimidating and deeply meaningful. But more than the personal achievement, she’s driven by a larger goal: to challenge and broaden the narrative around Australian menswear.
She questions the double standards in fashion expression:
“We don’t call women eccentric or attention-seeking when they go bold or take risks with fashion. We call it ‘a look’.”
This desire to shift perspectives began early in Page’s career, during her time studying fashion design technology at RMIT. She recalls how most students gravitated instinctively toward women’s fashion, prompting her to explore a different creative path.
“That made me wonder: who is designing for anybody else? It became this creative blank canvas for me.”
Embracing that curiosity, Page began experimenting with silhouettes, textiles, and storytelling in menswear—elements that often go underappreciated in Australia’s fashion scene. Today, a sense of imaginative play defines her label’s identity.
Each of her collections stems from a central narrative, deeply rooted in her Indigenous heritage and community connections.
“Storytelling is a big part of culture for me, and every collection starts there,” she explains.
“For this collection, I thought about what values I learned growing up, and what we loved doing as a family. It always came back to food, gathering, sharing, making people feel welcome.”
Her AFW showcase captures these moments of togetherness—late-night conversations after parties, and family feasts in the backyard. The garments aim to evoke feelings of comfort, confidence, and joy.
“There’s something about gathering over food that breaks down walls,” she says.
“I wanted the clothes to reflect that feeling of ease and confidence, like when you’re really yourself with the people you love.”
Beyond the runway, Page is keen to infuse this ease and emotional resonance into Australian menswear more broadly. She observes that men in Australia often dress with practicality and understatement, and she hopes to encourage more expression in how they present themselves.
Importantly, this shift toward creativity doesn’t come at the cost of sustainability. Though Joseph & James isn’t explicitly branded as sustainable, Page emphasizes that ethical practices are integral to its operations.
The brand employs limited production runs, often below minimum manufacturer requirements, and strictly uses natural fibres.
“We just think this should be the standard,” she says.
“It costs more; it’s harder as a small brand. But it matters.”
As Australian Fashion Week opens at Carriageworks in Sydney, Page takes a moment to reflect. Her solo debut isn’t just a career highlight—it’s part of a quiet transformation in menswear: redefining who it’s for, how it feels, and what it represents.
“If someone wears something they wouldn’t normally try, and they feel good in it, then that’s the win,” she says.
“Confidence builds in those moments. That’s what I want our clothes to do.”
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