Looking back, there’s really one thing that unites the Brownlow looks that have been remembered: skin.
Bec Judd’s sultry dress from 2004. Nadia Bartel’s flash of thigh in her 2019 J’Aton Couture. The embellished backless gown Maddie Antonis turned heads in last year. And basically anything Brynne Edelsten wore.
But if you ask Melbourne-based couturier Zian Assaad what makes a Brownlow dress really stand out, he says it’s all about making sure it’s tailored to perfection.
“Fit is everything,” says Assaad, who has been designing Brownlow dresses for two decades. “If a dress fits well, it will look incredible, no matter what the style is. It will sit right, and the woman will look and feel amazing.”
Nicky Apostolopoulos says the strongest dresses also give us a better understanding of the woman wearing it. “Someone who’s authentic, and brings their best self to the red carpet will always set themselves a part,” says Apostolopoulos, founder and designer of Sydney-based couture label, Velani.
“But at the same time, the strongest women on the red carpet are also ready to take a little bit of a risk and step outside of their comfort zone.”
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