‘No one can prepare you for failing in such a public way’: how former WAG Nadia Bartel rebuilt her brand

The lifestyle influencer and fashion designer opens up to The Australian about rebuilding her personal, and professional, brand after controversy.

Nadia Bartel has learned a lot from public failure and built a new brand. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Nadia Bartel knows what it’s like to publicly fail. In 2021 the lifestyle influencer, fashion brand owner and ex-wife of Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel became a national story when a video of her appearing to snort white powder at an illegal gathering during Melbourne’s strict Covid lockdowns was published and went viral in 2021. It sparked enormous backlash, the loss of supporters, business opportunities and a fine of more than $5000. Bartel owned her mistakes and vowed to do better, saying that her choices at the time “disappointed people whose opinions mean the world to me.”

“It changed me big time. It changed me forever. No one can prepare you for failing in such a big, public way. It’s very humbling. I lost everything that I’d worked for. It was hard, but it did give me a big opportunity to really step away, reflect and evaluate everything,” Bartel tells The Australian.

Nadia Bartel has become a savvy force in the fashion industry. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Diego Fedele

“Sometimes you need to have boundaries where you can be really open and sometimes vulnerable. But I’ve been quite naive in the past. I know I can’t trust some people or I don’t understand the way that other people think, and that’s when terrible things can happen.”

The online commentary at the time (and even today) was vicious, cruel and overtly sexist. It ran the gamut of calling her a bad mother, questioning her romantic life and eviscerating her appearance.

She retreated. Learned some lessons, but doesn’t dwell on the dark chapter of her life – she’s instead rebuilt herself as one of the most formidable and savvy names in fashion with her burgeoning label, Henne. Founded alongside her sister Michelle Ring and friend Laura Broque, the line boasts clothes that are effortless, timeless and sustainable (not to mention regularly sold out).

Just a few years later Henne is huge, although Bartel calls it a “slow burn”.

It was the breakout star of the 2023 Australian Fashion Week and earlier this year opened its first physical store in Sydney’s exclusive Five Ways precinct in Paddington. Fans include breakfast radio star Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, who stayed up late to attend a preview of the Paddington store recently. “I love her stuff,” Henderson said.

The magic of the label is in its simplicity and striking the right balance between sophisticated styling and the enduring “stealth wealth” trend. No logos, no garish accents, just chic monochromatic tones, numerous variations on beige and ivory, sexy evening wear and denim that is more formal “Canadian tuxedo” than smart casual.

A recent campaign shot from Australian fashion brand Henne.

Bartel isn’t the only ‘WAG’ (wife and girlfriend of a sports star) making waves. Her Melbourne cohort of creatives, includes the wildly successful entrepreneur Rebecca Judd and Emma Hawkins (wife of Geelong Cats star Tom Hawkins) to name just a few, who have carved out careers away from the glare of the spotlight of their significant others. A lesson in hustling, gritty determination and a deep loyalty around seeing friends and other women succeed.

“We’re so supportive of each other. We’ve got each other’s backs until the end. It doesn’t matter if it’s some small or big thing that they’re doing or some event somewhere, I genuinely always want those girls to do so well. We have such long term relationships and friendships and we’ve been through a bit as well. We will always make sure that each of us knows ‘you’ve got a friend’, just as much as you’ve got a cheerleader as we all move ahead with different ventures. We’ve got a little crew now – like (designer) Effie Kats and (stylist) Lana Wilkinson – the talent pool just continues to grow,” says Bartel of the bond between the women.

Bartel says lessons learnt from previous enterprises, including a shopping portal for Australian designers, have helped build Henne into a success.

A recent campaign shot from Australian fashion brand Henne.

“The lessons from my time blogging and working with an array of clients over the years really pushed us to create our own brand. With a lot of businesses we were working with there was so much waste. We’d go to showings and there would be so many units, so many styles. I said to Michelle when Henne was in its infancy that I really want to produce things that we want to wear in smaller batches, customer orders helped guide us. Even now, we sell out a lot but that’s due to efforts around sustainability and exclusivity to a degree,” she says.

“That’s why we have back in stock features for people to put in their email if they love a specific piece. That way we can really gauge how many people want it and then we produce those pieces. There is still a long way to go with eliminating waste and getting manufacturing more robust here in Australia, but I’m optimistic creatives and consumers are on a unity ticket on those issues,” Bartel says.

As well as juggling Henne, her home life with her two sons and a busy social media presence, Bartel just appeared on (and exited from) Channel 7’s Dancing With The Stars.

In between learning the cha-cha, alongside former AFL stars Ben Cousins and Shane Crawford, Bartel said one of the benefits of doing “reality type TV” as well as becoming an ambassador for ovarian cancer research, has allowed her find her calling as a “connector of women”

“I love how empowered women feel when they wear my clothes. But it’s deeper than just fashion. I receive so many messages about them and I also love when I connect with them on so many topics from co-partnering, starting a business, divorce, self-worth, fitness and wellness. That’s what I think my purpose is. I want everyone to know they have an incredible power within them. More than they realise.”