Romance Was Born, Song For The Mute winners at Australian fashion awards 2018

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Nov 22, 2018

IMG announced on Tuesday the winners for the Australian Fashion Laureate 2018 held at The State Theatre in Sydney on November 20.

The annual event, which honours those who have made significant contributions to the Australian fashion industry, crowned Romance Was Born and Song For The Mute as Best Australian Women's and Menswear Designers, respectively.

The Emerging Designer award went to Albus Lumen, while Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Edwina McCann took out the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, both for her oversight of the fashion magazine, but also for her leadership in redirecting Australia's official fashion industry body, the Australian Fashion Council.

“It’s a great honour to be voted this year’s Laureate by my peers, whom I respect enormously,” McCann said of the announcement. “I hope this is in recognition of the smooth merger of the Australian Fashion Chamber and the TFIA to become the Australian Fashion Council and also of Vogue’s continued growth in a challenging market.”

Zimmermann, which opened its debut Paris store this month, was tapped as the Best Australian Retailer, and Lucy Folk was named the Best Australian Accessories Designer. 

Rounding out the winners, Adut Akech Bior received model of the year -- the first time such an award was given as part of the ceremony -- while Russell James was named International Impact Honouree.

Established in 2008, the Australian Fashion Laureate is judged by a panel of more than 30 industry leaders. The awards are backed by IMG with the support of the New South Wales Government.