A fashion insider has revealed why Australian Fashion Week has gone from one of the country’s most prestigious events to one that A-list celebs are now avoiding.
For 27 years, fashion leaders and international stars were snapped alongside the runway – but now it’s been taken over by reality stars and micro-influencers crowding the shows and the coveted front row.
Top fashionistas were nowhere to be seen on the first two days of the 2023 event, with ‘it girl’ and front row regular Nadia Fairfax-Wayne, Bondi influencer Elle Ferguson, and celebrity stylist Elliot Garnaut notable no-shows.
Jasmine Stefanovic and sister Jade Yarbrough also found other things to do.
And while the Kardashians, Paris Hilton and Bella Hadid have been seen along the runway in recent years, don’t expect them to show up again over the coming days.
Margot Robbie is currently in Sydney but did not attend fashion week
Kim and Khloe Kardashian with Lara Bingle at Australian Fashion Week in 2008
‘Influencers’ and former MAFS contestant Nasser Sultan (yellow shirt) attend the AFW 2023
Fashion influencer Nadia Fairfax-Wayne skipped this year’s event
Daily Mail Australia is told that even Barbie actress Margot Robbie won’t be making an appearance despite being in Sydney.
On Monday the Gold Coast-raised beauty was photographed at Potts Point eatery, The Butler, with her actor brother Cameron Robbie, producer husband Tom Ackerley and Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Christine Centenera.
Centenera, who is based in the US, did manage to support local fashion with the mum-of-two attending Michael Lo Sordo’s Monday night show alongside former editor Edwina McCann.
However, newlywed couple Rita Ora and Taika Waititi, who have never shied away from coordinating outfits at international fashion shows, are yet to drop in to see any local designers despite being in Sydney.
Model and influencer Dominique Elissa left left little to the imagination in a bareley-there bra
Vogue Australia Editor-in-Chief Christina Centenera (left) alongside former editor Edwina McCann (right) at AFW 2023
Sammy Robinson (right) made a statement as she arrived to Australian Fashion Week on Tuesday
Model Jenifer Hawkins – once a staple at the event – was nowhere to be seen amongst the fashion set, while Delta Goodrem has chosen to perform in the Maldives.
The event, which kicked off on Monday, has instead so far seen a steady stream of former reality stars and unknown influencers descend on Eveleigh Carriageworks in Sydney.
Last year’s Married At First Sight ‘villain’ Olivia Frazer ruffled feathers when she attended Fashion Week last year. But that didn’t stop her from landing a seat in the front row at a number of shows on Monday and Tuesday.
Former MAFS contestants and now podcasters Domenica Calarco and Ella Ding channelled a 1920s-esque look in INSTOCK glitter and sheer tights, while embattled influencer Jadé Tuncdoruk bounced back from her eyebrow-raising faux pas at last year’s fashion week when she wore head-to-toe Louis Vuitton.
Imogen Anthony, famous for being the former partner to radio host Kyle Sandilands, sat front row at the Yousef Akbar show wearing a knitted skirt and matching headpiece with a white tank top.
According to an anonymous fashion publicist, celebrities have been avoiding the spectacle in recent years.
Back in 2008, Kim Kardashian sat front row with her sister Khloé at the Ruth Tarvydas runway show.
Podcasters and former reality stars Ella Ding (left) and Domenica Calarco had their ‘street style’ snap ahead of Michael Lo Sordo
The O.C. star Mischa Barton was also a front row fixture at Kirrily Johnston’s show that same year.
Paris Hilton stormed the runway for Wayne Cooper’s show at Australian Fashion Week in Melbourne back in 2003.
Years later, Bella Hadid dropped in from Cannes to walk the runway at the Misha Collection Resort 17 show in May 2016.
‘Fashion week in Sydney is for the fashion industry traditionally, and something reality stars and influencers aspire to, not celebrities. If you have style, you don’t need to run around fashion week changing outfits four times a day. It screams desperation.’
The industry insider added that designers and PRs have to pay the big name celebrities to attend and even then, it’s rare.
‘They don’t want to be part of the circus outside amongst those desperate to have their photo taken.’
Jeniffer Hawkins hasn’t attended Australian fashion week since 2018
Paris Hilton stormed the runway for Wayne Cooper’s show at Australian Fashion Week in Melbourne back in 2003
And right on cue on Tuesday, serial red carpet pest and former MAFS star Nasser Sultan was seen sitting in the second row at the Erik Yvon show among a sea of relatively unknown social media identities.
He was escorted out by security after he was busted masquerading as a reporter.
An insider revealed: ‘Nasser was posing as a journo, asking the silliest questions. It was clear he was out of his depth. But it was quite a laugh until security got wind of it.’
‘Security told him that they remembered him from last year and that he was on watch. They wanted him to stay clear of shows he wasn’t invited to because brands clearly didn’t want him there.’
