How Bec Judd’s red dress elevated the Brownlow into fashion history

The evolution of the Brownlow red carpet over the past fifteen years has seen the night for the WAGs become less about hiring a babysitter and more a platform to showcase local fashion designers on a national stage. And it all started thanks to that red dress.

The beginning of the Brownlow as we know it didn’t begin with a big bang, but rather a little red dress.

After Rebecca Judd, then Twigley, wore that frock on football’s night of nights in 2004 — 15 years ago — resistance was futile: fashion had officially overtaken the footy and the Brownlow became affectionately known by fashion watchers as the “Gownlow”.

When the designer of the dress, Perth-based, Ruth Tarvydas, passed away in 2014, Judd paid tribute to the designer saying, “You changed my life with your red dress.”

In one night, Judd gave new meaning to the term ‘football siren’. A star had been born and the ‘AFL Wag’ — as the wives and girlfriends of the players came to be known — was an accessible, girl-next-door celebrity we all wanted to be or know.

The red dress that changed it all.

The then little known Rebecca Twigley caused a stir in this gown.

While some questioned the partners of the players stealing the spotlight right from under their spouse’s nose on a night intended to honour the league’s best and fairest, there was no ignoring the best dressed lists either.

Occupying the important territory between A-lister and the mainstream; aspirational and accessible, the wives and girlfriends of the players quickly became the most influential style bellwethers of Melbourne with brides, bridesmaids and even celebrities clamouring to copy their red carpet looks of influential names like Nadia Bartel, Jessie Murphy, Emma Hawkins and Brit Davis.

The evolution of the Brownlow red carpet over the past fifteen years has seen the night become less about hiring a babysitter and booking into the local hair salon, as the wives and girlfriends confidently stood in the sartorial spotlight, hired stylists and embraced “the Charlie” as a platform to showcase local fashion designers on a national stage.

Jessie Murphy’s 2018 look was pretty in pink.

Nadia Bartel has long been a red carpet stand out.

But as the attention on the fashion grew, so too did the criticism and the women wearing the coveted couture gowns faced nasty rebukes from commentators and gutless keyboard warriors.

Stylist Renee Enright, who attended football’s big night numerous times on the arm of husband and Geelong great Corey — and also helped co-ordinate the red carpet looks of fellow partners of the players — said she was grateful recent years have seen a shift away from the criticism.

“Thankfully things have changed and settled since my early days of attending when we were asked to stand and pose on a rotisserie or would wake up with the fear of being included in the dreaded Brownlow email that was circulated around the country,” she said.

Corey and stylist Renee Enright at the Brownlow Medal.

Tom Hawkins and wife Emma.

“I think people are starting to respect the fact that we are just partners coming to support our guy, and show a certain empathy that we are not all lovers of fashion or work in the industry.”

“I think the Brownlow red carpet is a much more respectful place now and it feels more about the stories of the people attending and giving local designers and businesses a platform to showcase their hard work.”

Among the local designers making gowns for Monday’s event is Georgia Young, creative director of Carlton bridal studio Georgia Young Couture.

Young, 32, was still in high school the night Judd wore the red dress and said she still remembers seeing it.

Joel Selwood helps soon-to-be wife Brit Davis get the perfect shot.

“I knew by then that I wanted to be designing red carpet dresses, and that was such an iconic moment,” she said.

Young has created an astonishing seven gowns for Monday’s red carpet, including designs for AFL star Daisy Pearce as well as Mardi Dangerfield, wife of current favourite and former Brownlow winner Patrick Dangerfield, and Jessica Todd, fiancee of Melbourne’s Max Gawn.

“I’m so excited to be involved in the Brownlow,” she said. “There is a lot of around the clock work but it is worth it.”

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“Even in recent years the red carpet looks have evolved and I think the women are willing to take more risks now than ever before.”

“That doesn’t mean they want plunging necklines or want to flash more skin, but that they are willing to experiment with colour or silhouette and aren’t afraid to be more daring with their dresses.”

Young is among a growing roll call of the country’s most celebrated designer talent for whom the Brownlow proved to be a launching pad.

Jason Grech, Sonia Cappellazzo, One Day Bridal and Oglia Loro are among the other names whose gowns will be on display tonight.