First look at Nagnata’s ‘Return to Earth’ film at AFW 2025

At Australian Fashion Week 2025, Nagnata did what it does best – provoking, grounding, and reminding us that style can be both a visual language and an act of care. With Return to Earth, founder and creative director Laura May unveiled more than just a collection. She offered a philosophy in motion, one that asked not only what we wear, but what we leave behind.

“Return to Earth has been a long time in the making,” May says. The show marked the launch of Nagnata’s first organic cotton denim line, coloured exclusively with plant-based dyes. “It’s our vision of an organic cotton denim line dyed entirely with natural, plant-based dyes while continuing our expression of vibrant colour, staying true to Nagnata’s style DNA.”

Before a model even stepped onto the runway, the audience was immersed in a short film starring Jess Gomes, Nagnata muse and long-time friend of May, wading barefoot through the mud, slicing the waistband off a pair of jeans. “You see her physically connected to the ground. Even something as small as a metal rivet shouldn’t be overlooked if we’re serious about compostability,” May explains. “It’s a symbolic gesture, but also educational.”

The film, created in collaboration with filmmaker Nathan Lewis, was designed to set the emotional and philosophical tone for what followed. “A runway show offers a powerful, immersive moment – but it often leaves little space to communicate the nuance behind a garment’s purpose or process,” May says. “Film allows us to take people a step further – to feel something.”

What followed on the runway was an extension of that sensorial experience: denim dyed with Lutein, Matthiola, Indigowoad Root and Bixin in tones of dull gold, bone white and ruby. “Working with plant dyes demands a kind of surrender and openness to experimentation. It becomes a conversation with nature – one rooted in patience, and deep respect for the earth.” Despite the limitations of natural dye, Nagnata’s colour story remained bold, true to its expressive DNA.

The show’s immersive quality extended to the sound design – composed in the Earth’s key of G major – and a reflective runway that mirrored sky and soil. “We’re always exploring how to make fashion more dimensional; something you feel, not just see,” May says.

More than an aesthetic gesture, Return to Earth was a meditation on responsibility. “Even if a garment is well-made, even if it lasts decades, it should still have the ability to return to the earth without leaving harm behind,” May shares. “We absolutely believe in designing pieces that last… but nothing is forever.”

That’s where the concept of compostability enters – not as instruction, but intention. “Compostability isn’t a directive. It’s an option. A quiet but powerful reminder that what we create has consequences.”

Watching Gomes close the show felt inevitable. “She’s someone who brings a grounded sensuality and strength to everything she does,” May says. “We both returned to Australia during the pandemic – moving through transitions, reconnecting with land and a slower rhythm of living. It was a time of healing for both of us.”

As for what May hopes audiences walked away with? “It’s not about preaching, but planting a seed. A quiet invitation to return to something more considered, more connected.”