Melbourne designer Sam Oglialoro,a veteran of 10 Brownlows (although he admitted that even he’d lost count),made eight gowns over a seven-week period. He said this year’s trends were “cleaner lines,simple silhouettes and detail”.
So,why do it when he clearly doesn’t need the exposure? “It’s a passion,” he said,adding that his phone will ring hot for the next few days as he fields post-Brownlow inquiries from brides and women needing black-tie gowns for the next 12 months.
Having made gowns for former Brownlow “queens” including Jessie Murphy (wife of former Carlton great Marc Murphy),Oglialoro,whose label is Oglia-Loro Couture,was excited to be working with a mix of regulars,such as Alex Pendlebury (wife of Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury) – in shimmering tangerine – and Annalise Dalins,the partner of Collingwood’s Josh Daicos,who wore a sheer ice-blue gown.
After making her Brownlow debut last year,Dalins’ social media following doubled overnight,creating a year’s worth of work opportunities for the 22-year-old model and influencer,who appears in Forever New’s current campaign. Dalins,along with her potential sister-in-law Arlette Jones (who dates Nick Daicos),are among the new crop of partners shaking up the red carpet.
Still,there were plenty of style lessons from several masters of the Brownlow red carpet,including Emma Hawkins,who bypassed the main red carpet in a scarlet red Cappellazzo Couture gown and her trademark sense of humour.