Australian Fashion Success Stories

Fashion designers come and go, with many of them not ‘having what it takes’ to establish a brand that is not only sought after in Australia but also worldwide. All the training in the world cannot turn a mediocre designer into one of the fashion icons everyone looks up to. The following are some of the greatest success stories in the Australian fashion scene:

Alex Perry

Best known for his glamorous gowns that are worn to red carpet events, Alex Perry has solidified his place in Australian fashion with a signature look that often includes bejeweled corsetry, sheath dresses that are incredibly sexy, and gown that are dramatic to say the least. Australian-born and trained, Alex Perry opened his first fashion workshop in 1992 and has become widely recognized over the years as one of Australia’s greatest designers.

Kym Ellery

The Ellery brand is a relative newcomer to the Australian fashion scene (2007) but has already established itself as noteworthy. Kym Ellery is well known for bringing vintage into the limelight, with styles designed by the Australian-born reflecting distinct tailoring features reminiscent of the 1970’s. She has been featured in a number of top-notch fashion magazines, Vogue Australia and Harper’s Bazaar Australia to name two. Famous women such as singer Rihanna and actress Cate Blanchett love the Ellery brand.

Carla Zampatti

Although born in Italy Carla Zampatti has lived in Australia since the age of nine, and over several decades has established herself as one of Australia’s fashion icons, influencing many designers who followed her path. Zampatti was one of the first fashion designers to branch out into swimwear, sunglasses and perfumery. She was honored by being offered the opportunity to design Ford’s Laser model in 1985 and both the Laser and Meteor car models in 1987. Zampatti was awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate in 2008, the highest honor in Australian Fashion circles.

Dion Lee

Having the vision and foresight to stage the first ever runway fashion show at the beautiful Sydney Opera House is just one of the accolades Dion Lee has under his belt. Lee is known for providing classy but functional work apparel for professional women. On the flipside Lee also dresses the party girl. He is known for being extremely detailed with his designs, and has received recognition as being one of the most exciting and innovative designers to ever come out of Australia.

Lisa Ho

With a lifelong love of everything to do with clothing, Lisa Ho’s own label hit the stores at the beginning of the 1980’s and she has been steadily growing her brand to where she is now internationally recognized for her excellence in fashion design. Lisa Ho clothing is designed for every stage of a woman’s day, from work, play, and evening wear. Her clothing has been worn by famous women like model Elle Macpherson, singer Jennifer Lopez, and actress Sarah Michelle Geller. Ho is also noted for having designed the gown Australia’s very own singing sensation Olivia Newton-John wore at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Jacqueline Hunt and Lisa ‘Jack’ Dempsey

Known as Jac+Jack this pair have been working together to build their brand in the luxury knitwear fashion arena and others. Using luxurious yarns and cashmere, the duo design for both women and men and tend to direct their designs towards those looking for contemporary clothing that are top quality with a strong focus on comfort and ease of wearing. The two have been on the fashion scene in Australia since 2004 and have since expanded to several stores in Australia as well as a coveted spot in David Jones department stores. Their first London store has recently opened in Soho, giving them their first presence in the international market.