A resurfaced photo of model Jennifer Hawkins walking the catwalk in 2002 has revealed how much Australian Fashion Week has changed in recent decades.
This week saw the launch of AFW 2024, with influencers, reality stars and celebrities flocking to Sydney’s Carriageworks arts center to see the latest in local fashion.
However, Australia’s biggest fashion festival wasn’t always the extravagant extravaganza it is today.
Earlier this week, influencer watchdog account Celeb Spellcheck uploaded a photo taken during what appeared to be a comparatively lower-budget show at Australian Fashion Week in 2002.
The image shows former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins strutting her stuff at the launch of Elle MacPherson’s now-defunct swimsuit brand Expozay.
A resurfaced photo of model Jennifer Hawkins walking the catwalk in 2002 (left) has revealed how much Australian Fashion Week has changed in recent decades. (Pictured on the right is a model walking in the Michael Lo Sordo show at AFW 2024)
Looking every inch the early 2000s icon, Jennifer was photographed modeling a black and white floral print tankini, rimless sporty sunglasses, a red silk scarf, and a purse with a small dog inside.
The fashion show took place inside what appeared to be a conference room in Sydney’s Circular Quay, in front of an audience that appeared to have an average age of around 50 years old.
In fact, back then tickets to Australian Fashion Week were reserved for fashion executives, buyers and journalists with well-established careers.
The viral image shows former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins strutting her stuff at the launch of Elle MacPherson’s now-defunct swimsuit brand Expozay. Jennifer (left) appears in the same show with other models and pop star Sophie Monk (center).
The fashion show took place inside what appeared to be a conference room in Sydney’s Circular Quay, in front of an audience that appeared to have an average age of around 50 years old. Nowadays, parades are much more elaborate. (Pictured: Backstage at The Romance Was Born show at AFW 2024)
In the early 2000s, Australian Fashion Week was also known for attracting international media and celebrity guests, including supermodel Linda Evangelista, who walked for Alex Perry in 1997.
Since then, things have changed, mainly due to the advent of social media.
A quick look at this year’s event shows how most of the guests are influencers in their twenties, many of whose main goal is to be photographed and get a free gift bag.
Australian Fashion Week once had star power, with the likes of Bella Hadid (pictured walking for Misha in 2016), Linda Evangelista and Elle Macpherson walking the catwalk.
The guests were also high profile. Mischa Barton (left) attended Kirrily Johnston’s show in 2008 and Lara Bingle (right) sat front row at Ksubi’s show in 2007.
A quick look at this year’s event shows how most of the guests are influencers in their twenties. (Pictured: influencers Bella Varelis, Jadé Brycki, Natalie Roser and Jessica Vander Leahy sitting front row at the Third Form re-FORM show at AFW 2024)
Interestingly, there is one element of Jennifer Hawkins’ photo that has managed to make a comeback recently: the speed dealer’s sunglasses.
These once-trendy glasses, worn by both Jennifer and a woman in the audience, have once again gained popularity among Australia’s influential crowd, with the likes of Brooke Warne wearing a pair at the PE Nation show on Tuesday.
The blonde seemed to have been inspired by her father Shane, who died in March 2022, as she wore a pair of white glasses similar to the athlete’s signature silver glasses.
Interestingly, there’s one element from Jennifer Hawkins’ photo that has managed to make a comeback recently: speed dealer sunglasses, with the likes of Brooke Warne (left) wearing a pair at the PE Nation show on Tuesday. (Her father Shane Warne is pictured on the right)