Karl Stefanovic auctions blue ‘sexism’ suit for women’s violence campaign

UPDATE: KARL Stefanovic’s now infamous ‘sexism’ suit has fetched an incredible price on eBay, raising funds for White Ribbon Australia. So who was the lucky bidder?

UPDATE: KARL Stefanovic’s now infamous ‘sexism’ suit has fetched an incredible price on eBay, raising $10,000 for White Ribbon Australia.

The Today show co-host’s well-worn cheap Burberry knock-off was bought by

Hamilton Island Weddings’ Managing Director, Rohan Gull for $6,400, but he voluntarily increased the bid to $10,000 to support the cause.

“Hamilton Island Weddings also saw the chance to buy Karl’s suit as a great way for the jacket and pants to live on and continue to raise money for White Ribbon,” Mr Gull said. “We’re officially putting the call out to all future Hamilton Island grooms, groomsmen and wedding guests to make a donation and wear Karl’s suit at their wedding.

The suit’s winning bidder Rohan Gull collects the ‘stanky’ suit from Today’s Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson.

“It’s the suit that promises to keep on giving,” he added.

Stefanovic said on the Today show yesterday morning as he handed over the famous threads: “It’s a great cause and we appreciate Hamilton Island Weddings getting on board.”

Stefanovic made international headlines last week after he revealed he had worn the same suit for an entire year on national television to make a point about sexism.

Stefanovic told Fairfax Media he felt very strongly about the prevelance of domestic violence in Australia.

Karl is auctioning off his world-famous blue suit to raise money for White Ribbon.

“This issue needs to be addressed from the highest levels of society in terms of the law and the way our perpetrators are sentenced,” he told Fairfax.

“It needs to stop and it needs to stop now, and men need to play a role in all of that.”

Bidding started at $1000 for the pre-owned item which was described on eBay as “a little bit stanky”, and “may need dry cleaning ASAP”.

The description reads: “You have the chance at purchasing this suit for yourself, imagine how good you’d look in it! Super comfy, super stylish, super cool.”

Karl Stefanovic wearing THE suit earlier this year.

When Stefanovic revealed his year-long experiment, he couldn’t have anticipated the campaign would quickly become worldwide news.

He started the protest in support of co-host Lisa Wilkinson after viewers criticised her outfits. Reflecting on the constant judgment and double standards his female counterparts face daily, the prankster said he set out to “to make a point”.

“I’ve worn the same suit on air for a year — except for a couple of times because of circumstance — to make a point,” Stefanovic told Fairfax Media. “Women are judged much more harshly and keenly for what they do, what they say and what they wear.”

Just 24 hours after the news broke, social media lit up with hundreds of comments in support of his experiment and news groups around the world from the BBC to the New York Daily News even covered the story.

BBC Newsbeat - Australian TV host wears same suit for a year and nobody notices http://t.co/Cu5PdbnzFP

— Sally MacDonald (@SallyMacFox26) November 16, 2014

Male TV host wears the same suit every day for a year to make a point about sexism http://t.co/mNvQ3LWivY pic.twitter.com/9wvpNQju8N

— i100 (@thei100) November 16, 2014

Sexism is often fueled by women, too. We must empower one another. See the positive instead of small and/or superficial flaws @TheTodayShow

— Giselle Ugarte (@GiselleUgarte) November 16, 2014

@Ladyjmo @karlstefanovic Good job Karl. Sometimes the loudest messages don't need a speech.

— Amy Rorke (@honeyandabee) November 15, 2014

Funny seeing reports of @karlstefanovic suit experiment in Middle East! They don't quite get the irony of it ,more about how unclean must be

— Peter Ford (@mrpford) November 16, 2014

Speaking about the response on Today, Stefanovic said: “Some people have called it sexism and reverse sexism and what not ... I don’t know whether it’s that because — can sexism be mainly women judging other women?

“I think in this situation for women on TV, it’s mainly women judging women on what they wear. So is that sexism is my question?”

Karl Stefanovic’s navy suit has been a constant feature on Today for the past year.

Wilkinson said most of the emails she’s received over the past year have been from women, adding: “I don’t know how we’ve got into that space where it leans towards a lack of support ... when I get criticism, more often than not it’s from women.”

Stefanovic told Fairfax he didn’t receive a single complaint or comment regarding the suit over the course of the year. “I’m judged on my interviews, my appalling sense of humour — on how I do my job, basically. Whereas women are quite often judged on what they’re wearing or how their hair is.”

"Talking about these things is how you change and challenge the culture" - @SarrahLeM on Karl's sexism experiment. #Today9

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) November 16, 2014

Just 2clarify on the whole Karl-not-changing-his-suit-4-a-whole-year thing: he HAS been changing his tie, socks & presumably his undies tho.

— Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) November 16, 2014

Karl’s suited-up campaign has now become worldwide news.