Aussie fashion designer Alice McCall shares ‘terrifying’ health battle

Just over a year after her fashion label went under, owing $1 million in debt, Alice McCall has given a tragic update on her life.

An Aussie fashion designer has shared a “terrifying” health update, just over a year after her prestigious brand collapsed, owing $1 million in debt.

Alice McCall has revealed that six months before her fashion brand of the same name went into liquidation, she began experiencing a strange physical symptom that she said has left her no longer able to feel touch on her body, something she’s still living with today.

At the same time, the struggling fashion designer said she also “suddenly” started to feel “disconnected from the world”, describing it as though she had been “unplugged energetically from my surroundings”.

“I experienced a loss of sensation on my whole skin surface... It feels like my whole somatosensory nervous system had deregistered,” she wrote.

“There was a real sense of numbness and disconnect.

“Both sensations have not come back. It’s extremely difficult to experience.”

Australian fashion designer Alice McCall has shared a ‘terrifying’ health update a year after losing her business. Picture: Instagram/AliceMcCall

Ms McCall, who launched her once hugely successful brand in 2004, went on to state her poor health had left her mental health in tatters.

“Every day I feel detached and depressed, but try not to focus on it and just get on with it,” she explained to her 30,000 followers.

“I have tried countless modalities, seen neurologists, naturopaths, GPs, energy healers, psychics, plant medicine you name it.

“Some have been very helpful but I have had no resolve with the actual issues.”

She went on to describe her symptoms as an “abstract condition” that has been hard for health professionals to “understand and diagnose”, leaving her feeling incredibly isolated.

She said doctors have been unable to diagnose her condition, which has seen her lose all feeling of touch to her body and feeling ‘disconnected’. Picture: Instagram/AliceMcCall

Fans of the fashion designer were quick to comment, sharing their support and suggestions, in a bid to help Ms McCall find some resolution.

“Lots of love @alicemccall ♥️ clearly not a doctor, but it’s very possible these symptoms are stress related. The timeline makes sense? I hope you find relief and can feel like yourself again soon,” one said.

“Sending love, hope and healing Alice. Thank you for being brave enough to share your journey with us. I believe a silver lining will come from it.” another shared.

As one wrote: “How terrifying. I hope you find answers soon.”

She said her struggling health had left her feeling ‘depressed’. Picture: Instagram/AliceMcCall

Fans speculated it could be stress following the sudden collapse of her fashion label last year. Picture: Instagram/AliceMcCall

Her unexplained health battle comes just over a year after Alice McCall Limited was liquidated, owing $677,922.93 to the Australian Taxation Office.

The business’s second biggest debt category was the landlords of Alice McCall’s 14 stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

All have been shut down, with clothing stock sold off in slash sales.

Ms McCall explained on Instagram that the company fell into hardship during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nine months after the shock closure of her fashion label, Alice McCall copped heavy criticism for partnering with Chinese fast-fashion brand SHEIN on a limited-edition collection.

SHEIN has been marred by controversy since its inception in 2008, including allegations of labour abuse, poor quality and unsustainable and unethical manufacturing output.

Fans of the beloved Australian brand were quick to express their “disappointment” and “devastation” at news of the partnership in November last year, given the Chinese conglomerate’s reputation – dubbed the “worst of the worst” by fashion ratings website, Good On You.

Ms McCall insisted she “did (her) due diligence” before entering into the collaboration, after former customers took to the brand’s official announcement to question whether it was “a joke”.

“I’ve travelled to China and met with the SHEIN team. There, I was able to visit their operations and facilities where my collection is manufactured and they are up there with the best that I have worked with in my career,” she wrote at the time.

Ms McCall added she was “confident the clothes have been made ethically”.