The now well-recognised fashion stylist religiously reads glossy fashion bibles, cover to cover, and credits the meditative habit to her success in the industry.

“As a little girl, I anxiously waited for mum’s Vogue subscription to arrive in the mail to see what people were doing that season and what was trending overseas,” the Australian fashion icon laughs.

“As a 54-year-old, I am equally excited each month when the post comes.

“In this day and age, there is a lot of conflicting fashion advice out there; however, if you find one hard copy magazine, that suits your style, it’ll become your best friend. I have three besties — Vogue Australia, Vogue Italia and Marie Claire.”

In the fashion world, Kimberly is a stiletto in a room of flats, and her resume is second to none. She has more than 20 years of industry experience working as head stylist for David Jones’ national season launches, the style director of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival, opening shows for Chanel and as a fashion editor for QWeekend and Brisbane News from 2012 to 2018.

But styling runways and rubbing shoulders with Australian celebrities was not always the plan.

“I wanted to work in cinematography,” she tells Weekend.

“After graduating high school in 1983, I moved to Brisbane to study photography, painting, cinematography and animation at the Queensland College of Art.

“I grew up on a cattle property at Springsure in Central Queensland and we only had ABC on our television.

“From a young age, I fell in love with old films, especially The Thomas Crown Affair featuring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, but I never wanted to be in the wardrobe side of it.

“However, I loved the way they dressed and how everything had an effort to it. People never threw on something and ran out the door, like they do today.

“It has been incredible to watch fashion history evolve over the years.”

The fashion world has changed significantly since its humble origins. Within the last decade, we have seen manufacturing and production times shrink, backlash against fast fashion, clothing sizes evolve and technology revolutionise industry practices.

The idea of styling, however, is a relatively new term.

When Kimberley was 19-years-old, she famously traipsed the country as a model for David Jones. She followed her husband and rugby player Julian Gardner to Italy a year later and worked as a professional Italian clothes hanger, for the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, for nine years.

When she arrived back on home soil at the age of 30, David Jones snapped her up as a fashion co-ordinator.

“The job was a whirlwind and having David Jones as my first client opened many doors,” she says.

“Styling didn’t come until a few years later, I was originally called a co-ordinator.

“When I told people I was a stylist, everyone would get confused and think I was a hairstylist. I always laughed because I hate hair. If I had a good scalp, I wouldn’t have any hair.

“My family and friends still don’t know what I do. They think I just play with frocks but it’s so much more than that.”

Before the coronavirus pandemic swept the world, Kimberley lived out of her suitcase for more than nine months of the year and sometimes was on a plane ten times a week.

When asked about her favourite memory over the last 22 years, Kimberley passionately describes the extravagant 2011/2012 Chanel Metiers d’Art Paris-Bombay collection launch in Australia.

“The extravagant production showcasing the glamour of historic India fused with the Parisian chic was incredible and, per usual, the budget was endless.

“Every year, the shows in Australia replicates Paris. I have worked on Chanel shows in Australia for four years and no socials or photographs are ever taken. All the guests are hush, hush.

“I liked it because it’s not vulgar with people boasting where they have been. It was incredible to see beauty, elegance and taste from people with extreme wealth and I felt really honoured to be a part of it.

“There is a whole different industry out there that people don’t realise. The huge dollars spent is amazing.”

Despite living behind-the-scenes, Kimberley is far from a wallflower.

“I am not chic and simple, rather fantastical and over the top,” she laughs.

The Brisbane mother-of-two says she will never, in a million years, buy casual clothing.

“It’s not because I am designer obsessed but because I look horrible in them,” she says.

“I just wear my designer clothes and bring them down with a shirt and a pair of sneakers. It’s a really good way of wearing your clothes, rather than wasting money on rubbish.

“I don’t mind spending because I flog my clothes and wear them all the time, and I always feel great because everything fits me really well.

“My motto is not to mess with the designer because they’ve worked hard to get it all together. “Don’t break a design, if it isn’t broken.”

As spring fashion is in full bloom, Kimberly says it’s the time for novice fashionistas to become smart investors and spend money on quality pieces.

“It’s also the perfect opportunity to embrace new trends, like Bermuda shorts with matching jackets, double denim, 70s tailoring, draped high waisted pants and day dresses,” she says.

“Tropi-cool colours, like bright yellows, bright greens and jewel tones are perfect this season, along with tiny handbags, bottenga venta bags and retro-style Gucci bags.”

The fashion queen’s must have spring items include Prada’s saffiano leather and nylon vanity bracelet ($1,520) and Loewe Paula’s Ibiza oval acetate sunglasses ($500).

When looking forward to 2021, she predicts futuristic and fantastical gowns will make a comeback and splicing present and past styles will be trendy.

“At the end of the day, don’t be afraid to try something new,” she says.

“Whether it’s right or wrong — it doesn’t matter as long as you are putting a bit of effort in and having fun.”

rosemary.ball@news.com.au