Australian Paralympic gold and silver medallist Kelly Cartwright is set to make her runway debut at this year’s Angels with Wings couture show, the first fashion runway to have a Paralympian model. Dressed in couture body paint by Gold Coast artist, Tracie Eaton, Cartwright, who is a multiple world record holder and cancer survivor, will be the finale model to walk down the runway.
The event is showcasing haute couture, bridal couture and couture body art by national and international couture fashion houses, including Maison De Challie Haute Couture; Belluccio; Coo Culte Australia; Black N Bling; Stephanie Browne Australia; Helena Bridal Studio; the Spectre Collection; Couture Studio; Chavez Inc. and House of Ikons.
The runway’s sci-fi nature theme, Sky Forest, is set to transform the venue into a futuristic forestry wonderland. Intricate designs, textures, and visual art will be used along with lighting techniques and sounds of nature. All models will don butterfly wings, a symbol to promote that beauty comes in many different forms.
“The production team have worked over time to put this together,” said show producer Andrew Claridge. “Couture is something Australia does so well, I’m surprised a show like this had not come to exist sooner.”
Miss World Australia 2015, Tess Alexander will open the event as the Face of Angels with Wings 2018.
“Fashion is art,” said executive producer Neva Weber. “And beauty comes in many forms. It is both inside and outside, it is in your grace and your triumph over adversity. We want to promote both beauty and diversity in one and we believe Tess and Kelly exemplify this.”
Weber hopes to take the fashion events to new heights and has her eyes set on Angels with Wings events in Sydney 2019 and New York 2021.
The event will be held at Peninsula Docklands, Melbourne on October 25.