Queensland’s largest and most prestigious fashion runway event – Brisbane Fashion Festival – kicked-off tonight in triumphant style with the W Brisbane Fashion Show, opening with iconic, world-first Driza-Bone and Rossi Boots collection launches, as worn by some of Australia’s Olympic gold, silver and bronze-medallist swimmers.
Now in its 17th iteration, Brisbane Fashion Festival is this year showcasing an expanded program of events over a record six days, from Sunday, 25th August – Friday, 30th August. Hosted in the heart of Brisbane City, at King George Square and City Hall, the Festival is expected to welcome upwards of 4,000 guests throughout the week.
Fresh from the Paris 2024 Olympics, medal winners Shayna Jack, Elijah Winnington and Jack Cartwright joined some of Australia’s other best-loved and most successful swimmers on tonight’s runway, including Mitch Larkin, Brendon Smith and more. A total of 10 Australian swimmers proudly walked in the show alongside top local and national models at the limited edition range Driza-Bone opening, which also featured a collection of matching Rossi Boots and jewels by Margot McKinney and McKinney Welch Jewellery.
Brisbane Fashion Festival Director, Lindsay Bennett, was thrilled to launch the world-first collections of much-loved Australian labels Driza-Bone and Rossi Boots in spectacular style, with the Festival the first event to launch Spring/Summer fashion retail collections nationally.
“As Queensland’s premier annual fashion event, Brisbane Fashion Festival provides a vital platform to celebrate our local design talent on a world-class stage, connecting designers and fashion curators with an audience of fashion media, industry representatives, and most importantly, potential retail customers,” Mr Bennett said.
“The W Brisbane Fashion Show was the ideal event for the world-first launch of the reimagined Driza-Bone and Rossi Boots, with both brands representing the pioneering spirit of the Outback and underpinning our national character.”
Olympic patron Gina Rinehart recently purchased Driza-Bone and Rossi Boots – emblems of Australian heritage, resilience and style – as the latest acquisitions of S. Kidman and Co.
Driza-Bone is synonymous with Australian culture, with the iconic Australian brand having featured across rural Australia and in many milestone events over its 124-year history. This includes our veterans in wars overseas, the 1982 classic Australian film, “The Man From Snowy River”; the brand worn by PM John Howard and 19 World Leaders at the 2007 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); and it has also been proudly worn by the Australian team at several Olympic Games.
Mrs Rinehart was excited to see these unique Driza-Bone coats, which she had personal involvement in creating, on the Brisbane Fashion Festival catwalk as modelled by Australia’s top Olympic swimmers. Each highly covetable coat features stunning, colourful Australiana linings in select bespoke themes or a pioneering map of Australia, honouring some of our famous pioneers, or two Indigenous prints from Cairns designer Brianna Enoch for the Jarawee brand.
“This fashion partnership with Brisbane Fashion Festival – which I’m delighted to support, as Queensland’s premier fashion event – will see us take Driza-Bone and Rossi Boots to additional new heights globally, including travel and evening event ranges,” Mrs Rinehart said.
“Our investment in Driza-Bone and Rossi Boots maintains important legacies, added to which we are embarking on exciting plans to expand Driza-Bone’s and Rossi Boots’s appeal, making them a staple not only for those on the land but also introducing lighter-weight material for travel wear, and new colourful and comfortable boot ranges for special events and eveningwear.
“This is a pre-collection release and sample of what’s to come for the brands when we unveil the expanded collection and new innovations over the coming months.
“Traditionally, Driza-Bone has been favoured by those in agriculture and rural areas. We are aiming to enlarge its appeal to include those in the cities, outdoor-enthusiasts, and anyone who values durability and style. Our aim is to retain the brand’s loyal base while attracting new Driza- Bone customers around Australia and the world.”
Fashion lovers can shop the unique show looks, from the runway to the red carpet, by purchasing the Driza-Bone coats via customerservice@drizabone.com.au wholesale@drizabone.com.au and www.drizabone.com.au; Rossi Boots via www.rossiboots.com.au: and McKinney’s Jewellery via www.mckinneys.com.au and www.mckinneywelch.com.au.
The W Brisbane Fashion Show also featured top Brisbane and Queensland designers and retailers including AUR OCEÀ, Kristian Williams The Brand, UNE PIECE, Miss Henry, Silk Laundry, Camargue, sass & bide, Perri Cutten, Edward Street Brisbane, Wintergarden and QueensPlaza.
Re-live all the runway magic of the W Brisbane Fashion Show by watching the Runway Live Streams, presented by Hancock Prospecting, at www.brisbanefashionfestival.com.au As Brisbane Fashion Festival evolves, what remains the same is its passionate dedication to driving fashion retail for Queensland.
For interviews with Brisbane Fashion Festival Director, Lindsay Bennett, contact Festival Media Manager Nicole Carrington via 0418 285 208 or email nicole@lindsaybennett.com.au
