By Cara Waters
Bikini entrepreneur and multi-millionaire Erin Deering is running for deputy lord mayor of Melbourne. The first thing people say to her when they hear is, ‘why would you do that’?
“That’s the question,” a laughing Deering told The Sunday Age over coffee at Pellegrini’s in the CBD.
Erin Deering is running for deputy lord mayor of Melbourne on a ticket with lord mayoral candidate Arron Wood.Credit: Justin McManus
The Triangl Swimwear co-founder is running on lord mayoral candidate Arron Wood’s ticket.
Deering said she understood there may be some bewilderment as to why she wanted to trade her glamorous life for Town Hall.
“It’s actually the culmination of what I’ve always really wanted to do forever,” she said.
“It’s helping people, it’s understanding people, it’s making a positive impact, which I do in fashion because I believe in the power of clothes in making people feel better, but this actually has a lot more gravity to it.”
Deering, 39, made her fortune with Triangl – launched in 2012 with then-husband Craig Ellis. It became famous for its neoprene fluorescent bikinis that became a favourite of celebrities including the Kardashians.
She and Ellis were in 2015 catapulted onto the BRW Young Rich List with an estimated combined worth of $36 million. They lived in Monaco, sailed on super yachts and flew by private jet – until their separation saw Deering leave Triangl in 2016 and return to Melbourne.
Deering last year married Zachary Keane in a lavish wedding – covered by Harper’s Bazaar – and published a memoir, Hanging by a Thread. The mother of four is preparing to launch a new fashion brand, Deering World, in September.
Craig Ellis and Erin Deering, the co-founders of Triangl, in Hong Kong in 2014.Credit: Victor Fraile
“I have a lot on. But I’ve decided I want to do this,” she said of the coming election.
It’s fair to say Deering is not your typical council candidate.
She is a believer in the power of crystals and astrology, mentioning that she “manifested” becoming deputy lord mayor this week because the “Lion’s Gate Portal” was open.
Deering regularly posts selfies of herself on social media, dressed in designer clothes.
Erin Deering at last year’s Melbourne Cup wearing Bottega Veneta.Credit: Justin McManus
For her meeting with The Sunday Age, she’s dressed casually in denim-on-denim – but it’s a Miu Miu shirt, Marine Serre jeans and a Bottega Veneta bag. A quick back of the envelope calculation puts the outfit at about $10,000.
It’s in stark contrast to Wood’s main campaign focus on the cost of living crisis. He has pledged to freeze rates for a year if elected.
Deering says she is ready for criticism that her wealth and designer wardrobe means she can’t understand the pressures voters are facing.
“I had to reconcile that one with myself first, because I didn’t want to seem like this out-of-touch, top-of-the-town lady going, ‘I don’t know anything’,” she said.
“I come from a middle-class family, I’m self-made. It’s really that simple.
“I felt the pinch, I had to decide between putting food on the table, which was canned soup, or putting money into the business.”
Deering said that, if elected, she would focus on culture, fashion and events to get vibrancy back to the city and also improving safety in Melbourne.
“I think a lot of people don’t feel safe in the city,” she said.
“Post COVID, the city has definitely lost a lot of its flair. Walking down the street, I’m always looking who is where and with the empty shopfronts I’m imagining who we could put in there and how could we enable pop-ups for example.”
Deering has never been a member of a political party and hasn’t been to a City of Melbourne council meeting.
“I haven’t seen one yet,” she said.
“It looks like a long elaborate process. It’s definitely a different pace, but I do welcome that.
“The fast pace of the business world – and particularly the startup world and entrepreneur world in fashion – is great, but I do like being able to sit and challenge myself with these more focused activities.”
After a stroll through the CBD, The Sunday Age and Deering met up with Wood at Gimlet for lunch.
It’s a familiar venue: Deering had her wedding reception here and as soon as she’s seated a bottle of champagne arrives, courtesy of chef and owner Andrew McConnell and his wife Jo McGann.
Wood is effusive about his new running mate.
“Erin’s just an impressive business person and entrepreneur but also someone who’s had global success and then has come back to Melbourne and is willing to roll up their sleeves and play a civic role,” he said.
“She kept saying, ‘I don’t know much about politics’, but I think that’s awesome as well, I think that’s fantastic.
“I think it’s really good because there is a pretty dim view of politicians.”
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