Singer Ruel makes Australian Fashion Week debut at Commas show
The 18-year-old singer, Ruel, said fashion was “another way of expressing emotion and art”.
Confidential
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The tide turned for young singer Ruel, who was smashed by the waves in his first catwalk appearance at Australian Fashion Week.
The 18-year-old put his best foot forward however as he headlined the early morning Commas Resort 22 showing on Tamarama Beach.
“I’ve never done a walk like this, where tides are moving on location,” Ruel told Confidential. “It was good fun though. I love fashion so it was an honour to be a part of it.”
Confidential wondered what was going through the singers mind as he made his way along the sand in front of the packed front row.
“I was really just thinking about that wave that was coming,” Ruel said. “We had one in rehearsal and it wiped out everyone and got all of the clothes wet. When it hit, you’ve just got to wade through it and it was good fun, it made it even more special.”
Ruel has been a star on the rise on the Australian, and indeed international, music scene since releasing his debut single, Don’t Tell Me, at the age of 14. He even caught the attention of music icon Elton John, who has pushed his music on his Apple radio show.
Fashion, explained Ruel, is “another way of expressing emotion and art”.
“The more expressions we have the better,” he said. “I just want to delve into this world a little bit more."
Ruel said he will have new music out by the year’s end.
“That is really exciting for me right now,” he said. “And I am just waiting to get back on the road obviously.”
Among the celebrity guests sat front row were Georgia Fowler, Bambi Northwood Blythe, Tom Derickx and Vogue Australia’s Edwina McCann.
FASHION WEEK’S TRIBUTE TO CARLA ZAMPATTI
Carla Zampatti’s legacy will live on for many fashionistas to come.
The late designer has been remembered at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week with organisers naming the main runway in Gallery 1 at Carriageworks after her.
From now and for years to come, it will be known as the Carla Zampatti Runway.
“I hope that by naming this runway after her, a little bit of her drive, her determination, her self belief will be part of the journey of the designers that show here,” daughter Bianca Spender, also f a designer, said. “And that a little bit of her magic will help them reveal their ideas to the world.”
Zampatti died a the age off 78 in April after a serious fall at an outdoor performance of La Traviata at Mrs Macquarie’s Point a week earlier.
Her three children — Bianca, along with sister Allegra Spender and brother Alexander Schuman and their families — were on hand on the first day of Fashion Week to pay tribute to their mother.
Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop also spoke, referring to Zampatti’s creations as “timeless, flawless and elegant without pretension”.
“A fashion designer par excellence, she influenced and indeed defined Australian fashion for decades with her sophisticated yet practical style,” Bishop said.
“Her designs transcended fads and trends and the fact that she remained a the top of her game throughout her life is a testament to her skilled mastery in a notoriously, let’s face it, capricious industry.”
Reflecting on her mother’s many achievements, Bianca Spender meanwhile remembered growing up backstage at fashion events.
“She loved the magic of it all,” she said. “She knew it pushed her creatively and that is why she did it. She loved the collaboration, the wonderful musicians, stylists, hair and makeup artists, models, backstage and front of stage, PR, seating, shoes, jewellery, accessory designers, it was such an orchestration.”
Of her mother’s legacy, Allegra added: “It has been overwhelming but also incredibly comforting to see what she did. For us, it is how do we make sure what she did, we continue on and support. It is quite a mean feat to be honest, there is a lot to do but that is our mission. We are incredibly proud of what she achieved and we want to really continue on with the messages that she had.”
Zampatti moved to Australia in her 20s, setting up her eponymous label in 1965 and opening her first boutique in seven years later. She held her first fashion show at the iconic Sydney Opera House in 1965.
She also worked across business, sitting on boards and consulting for various organisations.
“We have been incredibly touched by how many women she did touch and how many people she supported and championed, pushed, encouraged and celebrated,” Bianca said. “She walked with them through their lives, whether it be with clothes, or on boards, multicultural Australia, or the arts, there are so many worlds she touched people through.”
Georgia Fowler takes to the runway wearing baby bump
Georgia Fowler showed off her growing baby bump as she took to the runway.
The pregnant Victoria’s Secret model closed the opening show of Afterpay Australian Fashion week, walking for Jason Dalah, the twin brother designer of her partner, Nathan Dalah.
“I had to do it,” Fowler told Confidential, revealing the gender of the baby for the first time. “I think it is quite special. It will be amazing to tell our daughter that she was out strutting her stuff on the runway before she was even in the world really.”
Fowler, originally from New Zealand, is one of our top modelling exports. She has been based in Australia through Covid with Dalah’s show the only she will walk as part of Fashion Week.
Sat front row at the parade at Carriageworks in Eveleigh were fellow top models Jessica Gomes and Victoria Lee.
“Jordan is such a creative talent,” said Fowler, who is believed to be around five months pregnant. “It is pretty special to be able to walk the first show of Australian Fashion Week, it has been a while. I feel very lucky to be here.”
Bold and beautiful makes a comeback
Swimwear designer Kristian Chase does not have any time for basic.
The fabulous fashionista says it is Australia’s time to shine with the world looking our way now more than ever before.
“I have puffed sleeves in swimwear this season, it is a very directional look,” Chase told The Daily Telegraph. “We are bringing poolside glam to swim again rather than keeping it minimalistic and simple neutral colour tones. Summer is fun, it is supposed to be loud. If you are going to be decadent, why be boring with just a flesh-colour bikini.”
Chase’s brand, Aqua Blu, is one of more than 70 labels showing as part of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week at Sydney’s Carriageworks from today.
With the world continuing to be ravaged by the global pandemic, it is the first major in-person fashion event anywhere in the world in more than a year. Last year’s Australian Fashion Week was cancelled due to Covid.
“It is monumental,” he said. “The industry itself has had a massive shake-up so it is great to be back in our element doing an in-person show that we haven’t been able to do. Australia being the first to be able to do this, it is a huge step for the fashion industry as a whole.”
All fashion shows have been stripped back to ensure organisers adhere to strict social distancing guidelines.
With our international borders closed, designers have had to be creative to capture the attention of consumers globally.
“The thing that is going to really define this year’s Fashion Week is the Afterpay partnership allowing our designers to capitalise on the global direct-to-consumer marketing trend,” Vogue Australia’s Edwina McCann said. “Covid allowed them to work on their online businesses and stores and this week gives them the platform on which to show, in particular American audiences, exactly who they are.”
More generally, McCann noted that consumers were keen to ditch their casual attire to “dress up again”, which is positive for our designers.
“Our designers are showing their resort collections, which is relevant to other parts of the world going into summer,” she said. “More than ever before, Australian designers have never been better placed to take advantage of online sales globally and speaking directly to their customers.”
Fashion Week will kick off with a traditional Welcome To Country today before Jordan Dallah opens with the first show of the event. A Tribute will be held to the late Carla Zampatti while other designers showing today include Rebecca Vallance, MacGraw, Bondi Born, Romance Was Born and Alice McCall.
“This is our comeback,” Chase said.
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