Bikini boss Erin Deering opens up on why she decided to run for deputy lord mayor

Style queen Erin Deering has opened up on the life-changing phone call that led to her decision to run for deputy lord mayor of Melbourne.

Erin Deering will always remember the day she was asked to enter politics.

The bikini boss richlister of cult brand Triangl, mentor, author and mother of four received a call watching her young son Oscar playing tennis.

Usually “a screener” and one to let the calls go straight to message, this time it felt different.

And just like that out of the blue she made the life-changing decision to enter the political fray, joining Lord Mayor Aaron Wood’s ticket as deputy for November’s Town Hall elections.

“It had never entered my mind before and I thought this is the perfect way of giving back, giving service to community and to the city of Melbourne which I so love,” Deering told Page 13 in an exclusive interview.

“My business skill set, everything I’ve learnt along my journey, I thought I can apply to this – and my love of connecting to the customer – it all applies the same to the ratepayers of the city of Melbourne.”

Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne candidate Erin Deering. Picture: Mark Stewart

The initial call on that warm April day was to ask if she wanted to run as mayor. While she had immediately realised politics was the next step for her journey, it didn’t take long to make the call she needed to realign things.

“I entertained the mayor role for about two weeks and then thought not a chance,” Deering laughed. “They need someone who has been in council to really lead. And then I met Aaron and he is just such a lovely guy and has so much integrity and I thought ‘I’m sold’ and well, that was it.”

After making a motza from her cult Australian swimwear brand Triangl with her then partner, former AFL player Craig Ellis back in 2012 worn by celebrities from Kendall Jenner, Margot Robbie and Hailey Bieber, Deering had wanted to try something new and more importantly give back.

“After Triangl I went on this journey of wanting to share everything I’ve been through,” she said.

Nadia Bartel wearing a Triangl bikini.

Getting married last year to business owner Zachary Keene, having cancer removal surgery to her face and rawly sharing her pain and recovery to her thousands of followers to help remove a stigma around health and writing her memoir Hanging By A Thread wasn’t enough.

Nor was the mentoring she had done.

“When things don’t feel right I just don’t do them,” Deering said. “But I also don’t do things by halves.”

“There is so much going on but I love that,” she said.

She has already recognised the scrutiny that comes with being a woman entering the dirty world of politics, but she does not have a fear of failure, putting it all on the line and taking risks is part of her DNA.

“It’s been a steep learning curve initially but I have loved that.”

Aaron Wood and Erin Deering, who have promised to transform Melbourne into the nation’s most festive city if elected. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Wood and Deering will have their campaign launch on September 17 at Marvel Stadium’s Amphora room with none other than Havana Brown, DJ Piero and Rav Thomas also entertaining the crowd, which sounds about as far from stuffy Town Hall as you can muster.

Wood said it was exactly that, which made Deering as deputy on his ticket so exciting, that she offered something completely different to what we seem to get in politics these days.

“I think people are a bit sick of the spin, waffle and broken promises from many political operatives,” Wood told Page 13 on Friday.

“The fact Erin is a self-made, globally successful, business entrepreneur and she’s putting her hand up to help revitalise Melbourne is hugely exciting.

“On a personal level, we’ve clicked and share a lot of the same values and I think that bodes well for a united vision on how to get our city back on track.’

Originally published as Bikini boss Erin Deering opens up on why she decided to run for deputy lord mayor