Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Good afternoon and happy Brownlow Medal day to all those who celebrate.
I’m Gyan Yankovich, and I’ll be hosting today’s red carpet coverage along with deputy lifestyle editor Courtney Thompson, who will be reporting on all the best looks from the big event. Reporter Abby Seaman will be making sure you don’t miss any dazzling outfits, while Hannah Kennelly, Hannah Hammond, Gemma Grant and CBD columnist Fiona Byrne will be reporting live from the red carpet at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium.
We will be handing over to another blog for the Brownlow Medal vote count later this evening. But until then, strap in – there will be some great red carpet looks coming your way, I’m sure.
It’s impossible to walk even 10 metres inside Crown Towers without bumping into an AFL superstar.
Max Gawn and wife Jess were dressed to the nines in one of the upstairs suites, busy being styled and posing for photos. And Carlton captain and dual Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps was spotted deep in conversation with Hamish McLachlan next to the elevators, before dutifully posing for pictures with fans.
Christian Petracca and wife Bella were busy filming content in a waiting room on level three, while Kangaroo Harry Sheezel walked past nearby. And inconspicuously, in the elevator wearing a camouflage cap, was superstar midfielder Zak Butters, surely still busy digesting his recent request to move to the Western Bulldogs.
Before we get into all the fun of the red carpet this year, let’s take a minute to look back at some of the most memorable fashion moments from Brownlow red carpets of the past.
Ask any Melburnian worth their weight in Hector’s sandwiches, and they’ll tell you Bec Judd’s red dress from her Brownlow debut in 2004 is still considered a legend in the history of Brownlow fashion. Designed by the late Perth designer Ruth Tarvydas, the dress plunged below Judd’s pierced belly button and down her back with jewel embellishments.
If we’re talking about iconic Brownlow fashion moments, it would also be remiss not to give credit to Tania Buckley for her prescient white dress from 2001.
When 21-year-old Caitlin Cameron found out she’d be attending her first Brownlow Medal in 2020, she had a week to find a dress.
Cameron had only been dating Brisbane Lions player Charlie Cameron for nine months and was still a university student. She’d never attended an event of that magnitude, let alone had a stylist or couturier on speed dial.
“I raced out to James Street in Brisbane with my mum and just bought something off the rack,” says Cameron, now 28 and married to Charlie. She wore a Michelle Mason black one-shoulder silk-satin gown with a crystal-embellished trim. “I love it, but it was definitely the fanciest thing I owned at the time.”
Crown Towers is already bustling ahead of tonight’s Brownlow Medal ceremony, as the players, WAGs and footy-loving Melburnians gear up for the big night.
There are fans galore in the foyer, with plenty of kids in their team’s guernseys eager to catch a glimpse of their favourite players as they make their way upstairs to get ready. On the floors above, it’s all systems go for players and their partners as they begin getting glammed up.
Many a full-forward, midfielder or retired legend has already been spotted walking around the hallways of the hotel, most wearing hoodies but holding a freshly dry-cleaned shirt. But it’ll be a few hours before we see any of the outfits – there’s a strict no-posting rule until they officially debut on the red carpet.
The Age has stepped inside the organised chaos of stylist Bianca Rose’s Crown Towers suite. This is the engine room where the glam and the gowns come together before AFL players and their partners hit the red carpet.
With flowing champagne and a soundtrack of hits from the Pussycat Dolls, the preparation is in full swing. While the final looks remain strictly under wraps for now, stay tuned as we bring you live, behind-the-scenes coverage from the suites to the red carpet before the vote count begins.
Good afternoon and happy Brownlow Medal day to all those who celebrate.
I’m Gyan Yankovich, and I’ll be hosting today’s red carpet coverage along with deputy lifestyle editor Courtney Thompson, who will be reporting on all the best looks from the big event. Reporter Abby Seaman will be making sure you don’t miss any dazzling outfits, while Hannah Kennelly, Hannah Hammond, Gemma Grant and CBD columnist Fiona Byrne will be reporting live from the red carpet at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium.
We will be handing over to another blog for the Brownlow Medal vote count later this evening. But until then, strap in – there will be some great red carpet looks coming your way, I’m sure.
