RE:BORN A Transformative Exhibition Exploring Design, Fashion and the Power of Reinvention

Melbourne Design Week 2026 | 14–23
May 2026 | Artbank Melbourne, Collingwood

Melbourne, Australia — Romance Was Born and Cultivated, supported by Artbank, studio x us, Cult Design present RE:BORN — an immersive exhibition opening as part of Melbourne Design Week 2026.

On show from 14–23 May at Artbank Melbourne in Collingwood, the exhibition marks the most
expressive iteration of Cultivated to date – a maximalist, immersive showcase where fashion, art and design converge.

An Act of Design Activism
At its core, RE:BORN emerges from a shared drive to transform the overlooked and discarded, led by two distinct creative forces: Romance Was Born’s bold, expressive and otherworldly approach to making, and Cultivated’s deep understanding of material, construction and form.Through restoration, reinvention and collaboration, the exhibition proposes a new way of thinking: one where nothing is wasted, and everything holds potential.

Romance Was Born — the celebrated Australian fashion house led by Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales — applies its signature imaginative vision and textile artistry to a series of second-hand furniture pieces.
Each object is carefully restored and reinterpreted, transformed into an expressive new form that honours its history while elevating it into something entirely unexpected.
Working in dialogue with Cultivated, a practice dedicated to rescuing and reimagining discarded
furniture, the collaboration reveals the inherent value within objects often overlooked or abandoned.
Together, they demonstrate that reinvention is not only possible, but essential.
Realised through a wider village of designers, craftspeople and creatives across disciplines, it is this breadth of collaboration—and the productive tension it generates—that drives the work and gives it its charge.

A Fully Immersive Environment
Curated by Romance Was Born with spatial direction from studio x us, the exhibition is conceived as a fully immersive environment. Lighting, architectural elements, bespoke surfaces and custom sound combine to create a sculptural terrain that blurs the boundaries between installation and experience.
Built in part from the existing NEWNEW pavilion structure alongside newly crafted elements, the
exhibition embraces a layered, site-responsive approach.

Designed for Longevity
Every component of RE:BORN has been designed with its next life in mind, with each component enduring beyond the exhibition through reuse, recycling or sale.
Prioritising local craft and manufacturing, the exhibition embraces a closed loop that embodies
Cultivated’s belief that considered design and zero waste are not competing ideals, but the same instinct expressed together.
This reflects a broader ethos: that sustainability and creativity are not opposing forces, but deeply interconnected. Through imagination and craft, RE:BORN reframes waste as opportunity and transformation as an artistic act.

Joshua Ellis, Head of Cultivated said “RE:BORN disrupts assumptions. More manifesto than display, the work provokes a shift in perspective around material value: an unexpected invitation to pause before discarding, to find potential in the overlooked, and to recognise that the most compelling design doesn’t always begin with something new.”

Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales, Romance Was Born Co-Founders said “RE: BORN opens a new door for Romance Was Born. A big part of our brand is upcycling and re use of vintage and antique textiles, enriching the life of a piece and creating a new narrative.
Starting with a quality foundation, a lived history, is then explored through the RWB lens. Applying the Romance DNA to furniture, and breathing new life into something that can be cherished forever. This chapter is really exciting to us.”

Sally Evans & Sonia Simpfendorfer, studio x us Co-Founders said “RE:BORN represents everything we founded studio x us to pursue – truly collaborative design that carries genuine conviction. The pavilion structure at the heart of this exhibition was conceived from the outset to be reused, reinvented and handed to a new context, and this collaboration with Romance Was Born has proven that premise beautifully.
Working across disciplines, with practitioners who bring a completely different creative vocabulary, is where the most considered and surprising outcomes emerge.”

Zoë Rodriguez, Artbank Director said “Artbank is thrilled to host Cultivated and the dynamic creative duo Romance Was Born for Melbourne Design Week. We are excited to see Anna and Luke engaging the Artbank collection in this presentation and we can’t wait for everyone to see it as part of Melbourne Design Week. Artbank is all about making great art accessible and promoting the value of Australian contemporary artists. Our leasing program encourages clients to change their art selections regularly, artworks move from client to client, from foyers to loungerooms to overseas embassies – the circularity of the scheme inspires the chance to play and look at artworks with fresh eyes, in new spaces, driving creativity – much like the premise for RE: BORN!”

Rebecca Fox, Marketing Manager Cult Design said “RE:BORN reflects a broader shift in how we think about design today, where longevity, adaptability and material integrity are becoming central to the conversation. Supporting this project is a natural extension of Cult’s commitment to design that endures, and to collaborations that challenge conventional ideas of value and production.”

Visit
Artbank Melbourne, 18-24 Down Street, Collingwood VIC 14–23 May 2026, 10am–4pm Monday to Saturday

For more information Design week Melbourne Event: RE:BORN