Gail Sorronda, known for her dark designs that blend the gothic elegance of Nosferatu with the haunting beauty of Picnic at Hanging Rock, has been celebrated by industry icons like Karl Lagerfeld and Dolce & Gabbana. However, her renowned creations have not been enough to secure a spot at this year’s Australian Fashion Week (AFW).
Despite her long-standing influence in fashion, Sorronda’s application to return to AFW in Sydney with her signature flowing white gowns, black tunics, and dramatic coats was rejected last week. The rejection email, sent with a generic “Dear applicant” greeting, left the designer in a state of shock and disbelief.
“I felt shock and disbelief,” Sorronda shares about receiving the impersonal response. “I’m incredibly disappointed we are unable to celebrate our 20th anniversary at the event that launched my career in 2005.”
The decision came from the Australian Fashion Council (AFC), the new organisers of AFW, who took over the Sydney-based event after IMG’s departure in November. The AFC, headed by Kellie Hush, former Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief, and current brand manager for The Volte, a dress hire platform, has revamped the event’s direction. Hush, who became AFW’s CEO in January, states that after surveying the industry, it became clear that AFW needs to prioritize being a trade event aimed at businesses that are ready for wholesale, both locally and internationally. Sorronda’s application, she notes, did not meet that criterion.
“I’ve spoken to Gail since the letter went out,” Hush explains. “Following a survey of the industry, it has been made clear that AFW needs to be a trade event. We are focusing on businesses ready to wholesale locally and internationally. In her application, Gail indicated that she wasn’t.”
The AFW selection committee, led by Simon Lock, co-founder of AFW, also expressed surprise. Lock, who sold the event to IMG in 2005 before moving overseas to launch The Ordre Group, reviewed the 78 applications submitted to AFW this year. Despite having her designs stocked in cities like London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Milan, as well as a standalone boutique in Brisbane, Sorronda was among the early eliminations.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t interested,” says Sorronda. “I would be interested in focusing on wholesale at a calculated risk. I’m a businesswoman. I’m not a graduate. I’m not naive.”
Meanwhile, Hush and the AFC are still finalizing the brands that will be showcased during AFW, which is set to start on May 12. The number of participants will be influenced by government funding from Destination NSW and future sponsorship deals.
“We will announce the program soon,” says Hush. “We have a mammoth job starting from scratch. IMG had a year to organize AFW, and when I started, we had just 100 days.”
Though Sorronda was excluded from the AFW runway where she presented an impressive show in 2023—resulting in orders from leading Sydney boutique Parlour X—she has found support further south. Her latest collection will be showcased alongside other top Australian designers, including Aje, Bianca Spender, Macgraw, Manning Cartell, Ngali, Romance Was Born, and Viktoria & Woods, at the opening show of the Melbourne Fashion Festival on March 3.
“Gail has a lovely sweet spot of being both creative and timeless in a way that is quite unusual for Australia,” says Caroline Ralphsmith, CEO of the Melbourne Fashion Festival. “She’s proven that she can sell a quality product over a long period of time and belongs in our opening show.”
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