82% matchAnna Sui
Printed, Victorian-meets-60s romantic maximalism
What changes: Broader commercial range and lighter on hand-embellishment
Brand profile
Romance Was Born
Sydney fashion house founded in 2005 by Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales, known for narrative-driven, heavily embellished collections and theatrical runway shows.
SydneyOrigin
WomenswearFocus
Avant-gardeStyle
$$$Price
4 brands like Romance Was Born like Anna Sui, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, Yuhan Wang →
What to know about Romance Was Born
Collections are built as narratives
Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales design each season around a story theme, staged through immersive runway presentations rather than standalone seasonal drops.
Hand-embellishment over plain construction
Appliqué, print, sequins and costume-like construction do the work here, which is why the label is best known for its tops.
Museum pieces, not just retail
Garments sit in the Powerhouse Museum and National Gallery of Victoria, and the pair also dress theatre and dance, including Sydney Dance Company.
If you like Romance Was Born
82% match
80% matchCharles Jeffrey LOVERBOY
Theatrical runway narratives, hand-knits and craft chaos
What changes: Rooted in British tailoring and club culture rather than storybook fantasy
76% matchYuhan Wang
Lace, florals and sheer layering with a darker romance
What changes: Quieter, more restrained palette and less costume construction
72% matchNo Sesso
Hand-embroidered patchwork built collection by collection
What changes: Genderless community-led focus, less fantasy narrative
Brand facts
Romance Was Born is a Sydney fashion house founded in 2005 by Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales. The label builds each collection around a narrative theme, using hand-embellishment, appliqué, print, sequins and elaborate costume-like construction, and stages immersive runway presentations. Collaborators have included Australian artists Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson plus Marvel and Lego, and the pair also design for theatre and dance, including Sydney Dance Company. Garments are held by the Powerhouse Museum and National Gallery of Victoria; a Thames & Hudson monograph documents the archive.
- Founded
- 2005
- Origin
- Sydney, Australia
- Made in
- Australia
- Price
- $$$
- Focus
- Womenswear
- Facts checked
- August 2026
- Styles
- Avant-garde, Punk / Grunge / Goth