Even now, I find myself pinching myself when I think about Australian Fashion Week.
As a small business owner who started by sewing lingerie from a tiny room in my house, the opportunity to showcase my designs not once, but twice at one of Australia's most prestigious fashion events feels surreal. It's an experience I'll carry with me for a very long time.
What many people don't see, though, is everything that happened behind the scenes to make it possible.
At the time, I was fortunate enough to be working with an incredible mentor Bianca Park who encouraged me to apply for Australian Fashion Week. While the idea was exciting, my immediate response was, "That sounds amazing, but how do I actually make that happen?"
Like many things in small business, the answer started with a lot of research.
After what felt like a deep dive through countless Google searches, I discovered the Indigenous Fashion Projects Pathways Program. I submitted my application and before I knew it, I was interviewing with the team.
Being selected for the program was an incredible honour, especially knowing there was fierce competition with applicants from all across Australia. This opportunityto be part of this program made my Australian Fashion Week showcase possible.
Over the following months, we immersed ourselves in designing our collections, refining our creative vision, participating in fashion business workshops, and learning from industry mentors. It wasn't just about creating beautiful garments; it was about understanding the fashion industry, strengthening our businesses, and preparing for a platform of this scale.
The months leading up to the event were filled with excitement, nerves, problem-solving, and plenty of late nights. As any designer will tell you, creating a collection is only one piece of the puzzle. Bringing an entire runway show together requires so much work behind the scenes. Our runway was styled by the amazing Mob in Fashion. Their role in the runway was huge - overseeing our collections and how they would be styled in collaboration with accessory designers, casting and fittings with models as well as the story-telling and music to pair with our collections. I really enjoyed working with the Mob in Fashion team and this gave me some fresh perspective on my brand that I can use moving forward.
Then suddenly, the big day arrived.
One of the most special parts of the experience was having my mum and my best friends fly in to celebrate alongside me. Having their support in the audience made the moment even more meaningful. In an industry that can often feel fast-paced and overwhelming, sharing those milestones with the people who have supported you from the beginning is something truly special.
Watching my designs walk down the runway was a moment I'll never forget. It represented years of building Lazy Girl Lingerie, countless lessons learned, and taking chances on opportunities that felt far outside my comfort zone. The models in my show were from different ethnicities - some First Nations, some plus size, some mature model - and all absolutely beautiful and incredible. I guess opening the showcase with none other than superstar Samantha Harris was a pinch me moment as well!
Australian Fashion Week wasn't just about showcasing a collection. It was about growth, community, representation, and believing that small brands deserve a place on big stages.
I'm incredibly grateful to Indigenous Fashion Projects, the mentors who guided us, the fellow designers I met along the way, and everyone who has supported Lazy Girl Lingerie throughout this journey.
This experience will always hold a special place in my heart, and I'm so excited to continue sharing more behind-the-scenes stories from the journey.
If there's anything you'd like to know about preparing for Fashion Week, designing a runway collection, or what the experience was really like behind the scenes, I'd love to hear from you.
Photography: Daphne Sky Studios