Nadia Bartel’s new dress code

Nadia Bartel has lifted the lid on family, business - and what life is really like behind the scenes.

Nadia Bartel was once the queen of the sky-high heel.

“Even when I was pregnant with [first-born] Aston, I was tottering around in high heels,” she tells Stellar On Friday.

Now, the influencer turned fashion designer is almost ready to throw them in the bin.

“I’m now a sneakers girl. My sneaker collection has grown immensely,” she says.

“I have an incredible support system.” (Picture: Cameron Grayson)

“I always loved relaxed dressing, but since COVID my wardrobe has become even more relaxed. It’s about oversized pieces and nothing too tight.”

And while restrictions may have lifted, the mum to Aston, 5, and Henley, 2, isn’t changing up her style too much.

“I’m chasing after two boys, so I need to be comfortable. I can’t bend down at the park if I’m wearing leather pants or denim.”

It’s an aesthetic Bartel has taken into her own fashion line, Henne, which means “her” in Swedish. The fashion influencer started the business in July 2019, and since then the fan base for her line of quality basics has grown to include the likes of A-lister Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

“I have two fashion icons and one of them is Rosie [the other is Hailey Bieber],” Bartel says.

“I don’t know how she found us, but I can’t believe she did.”

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Last year, Bartel closed the online fashion store she ran with her sister Michelle Coppolino so she could focus entirely on her growing line.

“When we started The Connection, the intention was always to grow our label. It was sad to make the decision to say goodbye, but it’s also bittersweet because it meant Henne was in a good position.”

Professionally, Bartel is thriving – and nearly two years on from a much-publicised separation from her husband, former Geelong Cats player Jimmy Bartel, she says she’s in a good place personally, too.

“I’m lucky I’ve got Henne and the boys to keep me busy,” Bartel says.

“It’s good for my mind to be busy. Plus I have an incredible support system around me, who keep me grounded.”