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The Business of Fashion released its annual #BoF500, which is the top 500 influential people in the global fashion industry. From those 500, nine of them are Australian. Time to get to know them a little better and find out why they are among the most influential people in fashion.
Photo from Hubert Burda Media’s Flickr photostream.
Kyvetos’ assisted in the revitalisation of Harrold’s, one of Australia’s leading menswear retailers. The acclaimed menswear buyer was selected as the creative director in 2010, and introduced a new generation for the waning store, but announced his departure from the luxury department store in January 2013 for an undisclosed new endeavour.
From sassandbide.com
Along with Sass & Bide’s founders and designers Heidi Middleton and Sarah Jane Clarke, Briskin believes the commercial success of Australia’s first luxury group should not come at a high cost.
Briskin played an important role in the arrangement of selling a 65 per cent stake of Sass & Bide to Myer for $42 million in 2011, and when Myer took full control of the brand for another $30 million. In 2013, he became executive chairman of the company.
Photo from i-D’s Twitter page.
Lee landed his first Vogue Australia cover in 2010, after his first catwalk show at the 2009 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week received industry attention because of his structured, architectural designs.
Lee’s international debut was his Autumn/Winter 2012 presentation at London Fashion Week, which also showcased shoes created by rapper Kanye West – a collaboration that continued with his Spring/Summer 2013 presentation.
Photo from H&M Australia’s Twitter page.
McCann was poached to lead Vogue after three years at Harper’s Bazaar. One of her key goals was to increase digital engagement for the brand. Apart from this, her initiative at Vogue Australia embodied a Vogue-wide healthy body initiative – a commitment, on the editors’ part, to promote positive and healthy body image. She has also pioneered the progression of the Australian Fashion Chamber to support the local industry.
The university student has walked for every major fashion house including Prada, Miu Miu, Valentino, Maison Martin Margiela, has opened for Proenza Schouler, Alexander McQueen and Dries Van Noten, among others, and appeared on the Chanel couture catwalk.
Nobis first appeared on the cover of Vogue Australia in May 2011, has been on the cover of Italian Vogue three times and also graced the covers of i-D Numero, The New York Times T Magazine and W Korea. She has been in editorials for British Vogue, Japanese Vogue, Love, Harper’s Bazaar and Dazed & Confused.
Nobis intends to become an ER doctor through studying a Bachelor of Science and Applied Science at RMIT.
Photo from Eva Rinaldi’s Flickr photostream.
Zhang is currently guest-buying for MATCHESFASHION.COM, which has seen her travel parts of the world and attend New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week. She also has partnerships with Nokia, Milk Studios, and Harper’s Bazaar, and has worked with global brands like Nike and Net-a-Porter.
Photo from Eva Rinaldi’s Flickr photostream
Kerr signed with Next Model Management in 2004 and began her career by walking for commercial brands, as well as appearing in American Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Australian Vogue. Her breakthrough came when she signed an exclusive beauty contract with Maybelline New York.
The popular Angel appeared in the Victoria’s Secret televised runway shows in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Kerr’s inability to commit to the time expectations required by the brand saw her not renew her contract in 2010.
She is now focused on independent modeling contracts, her skincare line and being a devoted mother to her son.
Photo from Zimmermann Facebook page
After graduating from design school, Nicky Zimmermann began making clothes to sell at markets on the weekend. While working the markets, Nicky had two pages of editorial in Australian Vogue and began receiving orders from boutiques around Australia. Soon after, she opened a small store in Darlinghurt, and this is when Nicky’s sister Simone joined her.
Originally a ready-to-wear line, the sisters added swimwear to their collection and became synonymous with Australian style, and 23 years on the brand shows no signs of diminishing.
The Australian sisters have built such a good reputation with their playful swimwear that is showed at New York Fashion Week.
Photo from nataliej’s Flcikr photostream
Their father, Frank Lowy, has become the wealthiest person in Australia after co-founding the Westfield Group, which has 120 shopping centres across Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdon.
Peter Lowy has been working for the family business since 1983 and became the managing director in 1997. Steven Lowy serves as co-managing director of the Westfield Group.
Both brothers were former investment bankers with bachelor degrees from the University of New South Wales, and have overseen the continuing success of the world’s biggest shopping centre operator since 2011. – Simone Poole
Top photo from Business of Fashion’s Facebook page.
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