Alice McCALL

Alice McCall built its name on women's party dresses, playsuits and separates with a playful, occasion-ready feel, and that flirtatious silhouette is what shoppers pay for. The most repeated buyer note is sizing: many find pieces run on the snug side, so size up or check measurements against a dress you already own. If you love a standout going-out dress more than a wardrobe basic, it tends to earn its keep.

The three pillars of the label have always been party dresses, playsuits and separates, so let the occasion lead. A statement dress is the most photographed entry point and the easiest to justify; a playsuit is the fun, lower-commitment alternative; and the separates let you fold the brand's print-led aesthetic into outfits you already own.

The label is no longer trading. After going into voluntary administration in November 2020 — driven by falling revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of running its physical stores — restructuring efforts fell short and the company went into liquidation in February 2023. New pieces now turn up mainly through resale and remaining stockists rather than the brand itself.

With the label liquidated, the steadiest sources are the resale market and any boutiques still holding old stock. Because the brand once reached 171 stores across 36 countries at its peak, there is a healthy secondhand supply, so patient hunting for your size and print usually pays off.

Alice McCall is an Australian fashion designer who founded her eponymous label, launched in 2004. Before her own line she styled the Stylissimo series for MTV London, made one-off silk tops and customised 1950s-style dresses sold through London boutiques, and designed for Sass & bide back in Sydney before striking out on her own.

The brand made its debut at Australian Fashion Week in 2004, firmly rooting it in the Australian fashion scene. It grew steadily from there, adding an online e-boutique in 2009 and opening its first boutique in Sydney's Paddington in 2010.

Yes — Alice McCall is the label of an Australian designer of the same name, and it launched at Australian Fashion Week in 2004. The aesthetic leans into the easy, party-ready Australian sensibility that put it in magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle.

Yes. Early in her career, before the eponymous line existed, McCall made one-off luxury silk tops and 1950s-style customised dresses that were sold through London boutiques — and bought by model Kate Moss and stylist Katie England. It is a neat marker of the taste the label was built on.

The brand stretched its reach through diffusion lines for Target, Topshop and General Pants Co., bringing the look to a wider audience. McCall also worked with artists Eugina Loli, Alice Babich and Damon Downey on distinctive prints, runway shows and one-off installations — the print-led drama that defined the label.

Since most pieces now come secondhand, treat them gently: check the care label, favour cold hand-washing or a delicates cycle for embellished or printed fabrics, and air-dry flat rather than tumbling. Because the dresses lean party-ready, spot-cleaning and steaming between wears will keep prints and detailing looking fresh.