Fashion Council Queensland

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Our mission is to create a platform for the promotion of QLD fashion and our industry. A platform that can guide and advise newcomers and interested parties. This is a curated group of fashion and marketing heavy weights who want a more cohesive future for QLD fashion. 

The Fashion Council QLD is all about connecting fashion with retail, online with events. The members of the Fashion Council of Queensland all have a history of supporting the evolution of fashion in our state and beyond. Queensland has had a buoyant fashion industry for a very long time and it is continuing with the support of so many of our creative stars. Our fashion industry has the ability to thrive in this financial climate and that ensures the designers, models, educators, marketing and PR, wholesalers, retailers, online shops, couriers, export support, technology sectors, primary industry, sewing machinists, manufacturers, photographers and more, are kept employed. 

Throughout the year we will meet and discuss progress in our industry in QLD, talk through issues and get advise from our learned members. We will support each other in our mission to help the fashion designers and retailers in our state become better known and collectively we will champion QLD Fashion to the rest of our nation and the world. 

If you would like to be part of our Council or sponsor us, 

please reach out..

Founder - Liz Golding

Highly  experienced Brisbane Fashion Stylist and Director Liz Golding, has  always been a one stop shop for her clients. With over 30 years  experience styling shoots and co-ordinating fashion shows, and  twenty-five years of Hair and Makeup experience, she is well known and  respected in Queensland.

Founder - Who's Who Brisbane and Beyond 2021 - Present

Director - Illuminate Management 2013- Present

Director - IlluminateUs PR 2017 - Present

Ambassador - Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - 2019- Present

​Styling Director of Brisbane Fashion Month (October) 2018-2019.  

Former Fashion Editor of U on Sunday Magazine for  The Sunday Mail 2013-2016

Fashion Editor at Q Weekend magazine for The Courier Mail 2012-2013

 Styling Director of the Mercedes-Benz  Fashion Festival 2006 - 2016

 Who's Who of Brisbane and Beyond is a directory of all fashion, interiors, hair, beauty in Brisbane and other QLD city's. It is a huge  success with a magazine based platform to tell all about Who is Who in QLD!

Over  the years Liz has worked with an enormous number of local and national  and international Fashion Designers, Editors, Photographers, Marketing  and PR teams, and Stylists, Hairstylists and Makeup Artists. Liz has had  work published in Vogue, GQ, Marie Claire Magazine, Women’s Weekly,  Cleo, Who Weekly, Elle, In Style, New Idea, The Courier Mail, The Sunday  Mail, Herald Sun,  Gold Coast Bulletin, QLD Brides, QLD Homes, Brisbane  News, Style Mag, Fresh Mag, Scoop Mag, Shop till you Drop, Madison and  The Melbourne Age, Q Weekend magazine, U on Sunday Magazine.  

Some of the contracts Liz has had over the years:

2019 - Current - Style Ambassador for Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - AMP Capital.

Contract with Oracle Boulevard Gold Coast leasing team, consulting and introducing team to potential retailers.

Contract with ISPT Wintergarden leasing team, consulting and introducing team to potential retailers.

Contract with Nine Network - Wardrobe

Running backstage hair and makeup teams for many years for Myer QLD, David Jones QLD.

Harley Davidson - 5 years styling and directing fashion shows throughout Australia and NZ.

9 years running the QLD Brides Expo parades, 13 years running the QLD Bridal Awards.

Bespoke Menswear Label
Wil Valor's purpose is to enhance a man's path by empowering him to create presence.This is done through Wil Valor (our bespoke label) and Suit of Change (their social initiative).
Mark runs a team of fully accredited experts on the influence of colour, mixing patterns and style coordination.

They help you select the correct style for your body shape

Assist you in building a wardrobe which gives you permanent style 

They evaluate your needs for business, smart casual or formal occasions (Weddings). 

You are Guaranteed a Perfect Fit. 
They fit in with your schedule. 

Mark has a passion for connecting people on a business to business level, he is more than a mens suit specialist. Much more.

Clientele includes Rock Stars like Paul Stanley (KISS), Nile Rodgers (Chic), Jesse Williams (NFL), Television presenters and a large number of CEO’s. Great relationships with CPA Australia, Key Person of Influence, CEO Institute.

Michelle Farquhar has worked in many different guises but always at the heart of her  working life is connecting and empowering people, and creating  understanding. She has worked for some of the biggest names in this  sphere including Ogilvy & Mather (London), Hapsburg Auction House  (Geneva), Channel 9, and ABC Radio, as well as in her own boutique  consultancy. Michelle has also learned a lot from government and NFP  engagements in the past. 

She obviously loves people, creative thinking and language.

Michelle's  leadership style is based on a belief that genuine relationships are  essential for maximum productivity. She believe in appreciating the whole  person, and investing in and coaching smart, ambitious people. She strives  to create cohesive teams who value their diverse skills and  perspectives. Creative and critical thinking, resilience and kindness  are values she prioritises in the workplace.

Michelle is a generous  and effective force for change, inspiring others to excel.

Michelle is a board member of the Brisbane Portrait Prize.

With a pedigree in marketing creative and social industries, Liliana creates value by advancing networks rich in skills and knowledge to drive economies and social cohesion. 

Fashion is in her blood and her ancestry of italian manufacturers underpins a lifelong interest in understanding product trends, customer expectations and the changing landscape of retail distribution. 

Liliana holds qualifications in accounting, marketing, franchising, training and more and is an award-winning producer of marketing and customer engagement strategies for the discerning customer.

Natalie Cunningham is the designer of Native Swimwear Australia, which is is a multi-award winning Australian Aboriginal luxury fashion label. The company is the first Aboriginal fashion label in history to showcase at New York Fashion Week in 2015. Leading the way in sustainability and fair trade, all garments are created with quality sustainable fabrics and silk, and exclusive licenses to original artwork ensure that artists and their communities benefit from sales. 

Natalie lives with her family on Gubbi Gubbi Country in the stunning subtropical foothills of the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.As a proud Nucoorilma/Ngarabal and Biripi woman, Natalie’s creative process explores ancient First Nations wisdom told through bold and colour visual prints. She draws from her natural surroundings to develop unique and empowering pieces for active and poolside glamour including swimwear, resortwear, activewear and accessories. Each garment has been designed with inspiration from the oldest living culture in the world - the Aboriginal culture -and Natalie’s own experience through motherhood.Her designs feature clever confidence-boosting support and weaving, as well as UV50+ sun and chlorine protection.  Natalie's achievements are significant, they include:

• 2021 Collection showcased at Australian Fashion Week
• 2018 Finalist of the Queensland Reconciliation Award
• 2016 Collection showcased at Melbourne Fashion Week
• 2016 Finalist at AIM Leadership Awards
• 2016 Queensland Finalist at the Ethnic Business Awards
• 2015 & 2016 Collection showcased at New York Fashion Week
• 2015 & 2016 Winner Sunshine Coast’s Best Fashion Designer
• 2014 Collection showcased at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival
• 2013 Winner of National Deadly Award for Fashion Design
• 2013 Collection showcased at Australian Indigenous Fashion Week.

With a personal belief of optimal functioning in today’s world where the couture lines between Formal, Corporate and Leisure become increasingly blurred, Brendan’s approach to style has always been to achieve a modern sophisticated look, paying homage to classic tailoring whilst accepting modern trends. He aims to harness individuality, at times push boundaries but ultimately have his client command just the right amount of attention. 

Kickstarting his career with boutique labels such as Country Road, Gant, Ralph Lauren and Najee Menswear, he even diversified and gave advice to women on the perfect fit for Gottex Swimwear back in the 90’s. 

Moving away from fashion for a period to lend his creative flair and organisational skills to event coordination and styling, accomodating corporate functions to elaborate weddings hosting up to 600 guests, Brendan has recently returned to the industry, to assist all manner of gentlemen look the part for what the 21st century asks of them both professionally and socially. 

“I enjoy providing a highly professional and efficient service that meets the needs and exceeds the expectations of my clients in a manner that is creative yet professional and when necessary a little informal. I take what I do seriously; I consider myself to be robust, well adjusted and exceptional at working with others in an unswervingly positive up-beat manner. I thoroughly enjoy a challenge that has the potential to both tax and extend my skill set whilst assisting gentlemen to understand and reach their full potential” 

This approach to his craft means Brendan is able to assist anyone meet their sartorial needs. His clients range from sportsmen, property developers and bankers to musicians, actors and artists. He prepares them for the boardroom, the dining room and the dance floor. For their wedding, their promotion or presentation and he will even pack their bags for vacation. 

...Where you live, when you live, how you live, Live your best life... 

With his company “ A Pocket Affair” and catchphrase ‘At all times look your Best’ Brendan provides a service to enhance peoples natural features based on their personality, profession and style. In addition he offers a range of bespoke pocket squares that often provide the finishing touch to an outfit. He thrives on helping others perfect their personal brand and teaches them how to make not only sensible but fashionable clothing choices that will provide long term wearability with style. 

A Pocket Affair was born due to the ever prevalent need for a company which focuses solely on those intimate pieces that finish an outfit and cement your style. 

Fashion, dictated by the ages, geography, climate and the desire to be able to make a statement, to at all times look your best ... Brendan Harris 

Murrii Quu Couture, based in the gateway to Australia's Great Barrier Reef at Cairns, Far North Queensland.  Cheryl Creed is the designer of this label and a proud Aboriginal woman, a direct descendant of the Gunggari, Pitta-Pitta, Bindal and Quandamooka People. Throughout her career she has developed a keen eye for detail. artistic creation and has led to creating original pieces from reclaimed fabric and materials.  The synergy of a career as a professional artist and lifetime learnings in design from her Mother and Grandmother led to this path.

Murrii Quu designs are inspired by materials of pre-loved garments, recreated and meshed to evolve into works of art, expressing femininity and passion.  Cheryl's goal is to create an exclusive and unique black gown for each wearer to freely express who they are. 

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This is a sustainable brand that hopes to inspire others to innovate, lead, and enhance our world. To make a difference through branding, which transcends fashion trends and market changes, to remain relevant and holistic. To promote quality of life through greater appreciation of beauty in all its forms.

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Cheryl is a mother and doting grandmother, living life to the fullest, with a determined attitude to accept nothing less.  She loves the wonderment of fashion and all the trimmings.

  Carly has a fifteen-year history working closely in the fashion industry having been based in Paris, Los Angeles and Australia. Some of the titles she has held range from Fashion Editor, Stylist, to Creative Director having owned her own label, to then go on and create an annual Fashion Festival where she was the Founder and Director in one of Australia’s largest States. Her experience also stretched into Fashion Curation in Los Angeles where she has a reputation for having an eye for the most likely to succeed emerging fashion designers. She now leads the global community Women in 

Fashion linking together women across the world in the industry.

Lastly, Carly often consults on a marketing and branding perspective lecturing in Universities and working with fashion and luxury companies refining their entire marketing strategy and reach to increase sales and engagement. She has consulted with businesses from university graduates starting out, to managing global teams in cross country campaigns with companies with turnover in excess of $60m. 

She has a passion for sustainability and hopes in every role she takes on to make the biggest impact possible to creating a sustainable fashion world. Her stand out career moments has been interviewing Mr Jimmy Choo OBE and chatting about all things fashion at a private fashion event with Diane von Fürstenberg. 

Carly has been the judge of prestigious Global Fashion Awards – IDA Awards for three consecutive years, where she continues to be at the forefront of the world’s leading emerging designers.

https://www.carlyvidalwallace.com

Lizzie Wagner has over 30 years’ experience as an international keynote speaker, trainer, events manager, and promotions manager/presenter in both the fashion and television industries. She has coached, trained, styled and rebranded, thousands of individuals and corporations in image and presentation; not only for models, actors, politicians, TV and sporting celebrities and CEO’s, but also those individuals who just want to feel good and look great. Her training in the corporate sector has developed into a variety of essential topics encompassing professional development. She was a finalist in the Telstra businesswomen’s Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the International MAXI Awards and BOMA Australia awards, for event management, visual merchandising, styling, and production. Lizzie has produced award winning gala fashion and corporate events, including outdoor events for over 25,000 pax. The Lizzie Wagner Group also liaises with, promotes, launches, and books international talent across the board; from designers, actors, dancers, singers and models, photographers, set designers and creative crew. 

 Being a successful businesswoman, she also liaises with, promotes, and coaches some of the world’s top designers and industry affiliates. Her expertise in business, corporate training and staff management gives her organisation a reputation for providing practical solutions to businesses and she has been regularly featuring in radio interviews, podcasts and television including Australia Broadcasting Commission, SBS, The Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, Channel 10, Channel 9 to name a few.  She has styled and rebranded organisations with thousands of staff and she also shares the tips of the trade, one on one, in a relaxed, fun, and informative manner. 

Lizzie travelled globally in the corporate sector and went yearly to outback Australia, working on indigenous empowerment programs and self-esteem initiatives. She currently is a lead coach on image and personal and professional branding, in the Asperger’s and Autism sector, Australia and Asia. Lizzie launched her first of a series of books, skincare products in 2009 and is a much sought after national and international speaker, producer, and event manager. 

www.lizziewagner.com.au 

Lainey Loneragan was the first to bring the Italian fashion designers to Australia. Names like Giorgio Armani , Fendi, Laura Biagiotti, Valentino, Franco Pugi, and more,  and one French label Balenciaga.
She and her sister had great success as the eighties were about 

long lunches and spending.
She also exported the iconic brands RM Williams and Driz as a Bone to the USA.
She had a hand in the start of Queensland labels such as Daniel Lightfoot, Lyn Hadley, and in her agency represented Roz Taylor, Sue Spork, 

Sabot and many more. 

Lainey started the Cotton Parades at the Brisbane Ekka, and was chosen by the Federal Government to represent Australia alongside The Seekers at the World Expo in Osaka. This was the start of sales of Qld  Cotton to Japan. Qld Cotton was also a client in her PR company The Promoters, alongside other iconic names such as XXXX Brewery, Southern Pacific Hotels, The Broncos, and many more. 

Lainey worked in the media at this time also partnering with Billy J Smith on radio, then Channel 10, then Channel 9. Also had a gossip column with a magazine and Qld newspapers. First person to cover socials on Television.
Whilst on The Australian Wool Board, she fought hard for Australian designers to have all uniform sizing.
She still operates and heads Etiquette and Manners Australia teaching in most Schools , Corporate and all facilities at QUT.

  A true advocate for the Australian fashion industry, Thuy Nguyen has devoted more than 25 years to her trade and to the development of fashion entrepreneurs. Combined with an analytical mind, Thuy pays meticulous attention to detail and possesses excellent competency in her technical expertise alongside the ability to apply her creativity to beautify real purchasing customers. 

Thuy immersed herself in the textile clothing and footwear industries working for numerous fashion companies including Addable, Daniel Lightfoot, Sass, Little Workers and Maiocchi whilst freelancing for many other smaller businesses such as Le Femme Collections and Montego Designs. Aside from these full-time commitments, she also managed to operate a small bridal couture business, a platform that allowed her total free expression of creativity. Thuy then positioned herself to become a Vocational Education Trainer (VET) for 3 years, which then seamlessly shaped a pathway into her previous position of Fashion Development Manager for QUT Creative Enterprise Australia (CEA), a venture company of the university QUT set up to support Creative Start-ups and SMEs.

Thuy says that the 8.5 years at CEA was the environment she needed to transfer all the knowledge and skills that she had accumulated over the years into promoting and driving early-stage fashion start-ups and emerging designers. The opportunity allowed her to utilise all her experience to develop structured Fashion Business Programs under the sub brand, Fashion360, as well as provide 1:1 mentoring and Product Development Services to numerous creatives. 

Her specialist areas include design and range planning, styling, sampling, production management, pattern development and specialised grading. Her expertise has moved across a diverse market from women’s, men’s and children’s fashion attire to corporate wear, swimwear, active wear and through to exclusive couture one-offs. Thuy’s passion for ensuring that our future fashion creatives understand the necessary components required to produce a quality, market-ready fashion brand, is ingrained from the first day they seek her services, until the day they unveil their final concept for market.

2020 brought challenges for the university sector resulting in the closure of QUT CEA. Thuy realised this was her time to lead by example and so proceeded to acquire the Fashion360 brand to her new Company, and since then, has restructured to provide design and product development services as well as deliver programs focused on up-skilling Fashion enthusiasts and provide early-stage fashion businesses with all the required information to running a successful and sustainable fashion business.

Aside from the extraordinary commitment, Thuy has demonstrated to the industry and to our past and present designers, 

she’s also one of the truest people you’ll ever meet.

https://fashion360.com.au/

Deborah Miller was fortunate in having and maintaining natural good looks, early in life and because of this her destiny was pre ordained, having been sort after by photographers and the media. Whilst in her late teens she was promoting QLD’s Gold Coast nationally and internationally and in her day has been on the front page of every major news paper in Australia, NZ, South East Asia as well as many magazines. Known for her poise, class and professional attitude Deborah became a sort after model for many years. Following that she gained experience in all facets of the industry, retail, wholesale, design and production, event management. Deborah then went on to establish her own modelling agency in Brisbane which merged with Vivien's eventually. Deb discovered such names as supermodel Kristy Hinze and her worked with some of the biggest Supermodels in the world. one would be hard pressed to find anyone so intimately associated the the fashion industry in QLD.

Deb's love of fashion was the catalyst for starting the Facebook Group FASHION IS MY PASSION. Enabling all like minded people to enjoy and contribute. Now hosting fashion networking lunches which are enormously successful. 

Annabel Falco is a Brisbane-based Fashion Journalist, Stylist, Blogger…  and Mum of two.

She is Q Weekend Magazine Fashion Editor, ambassador for Queen Street Mall and ambassador for Brooklyn Beauty Bar.

From  styling fashion parades/celebrities with Westfield Australia; styling  fashion spreads for NewsCorp; hosting events with David Jones; producing  styling videos for Sass & Bide; creating blog content for Mimco;  and hosting in-store styling events with Aje; Annabel utilises her three  skill sets (writing, styling, public speaking) to pass on her industry  knowledge in a way that is both informative, innovative and inspiring.

With  over 10 years of experience within the fashion field, spanning print  journalism, publishing, public relations, event management, styling and  content creation, Annabel is passionate about educating men and women on  how to look and feel their best everyday through the simple art of  getting dressed.

Her Instagram platform and blog (The Style  Formula), is a space dedicated to all things fashion, beauty and  lifestyle where advice, tips, insider tricks, brand reviews and industry  news are broken down, re-worked and re-written for those ‘not in the  know’.

From the benefits of palazzo pants and a good retinol  through to wardrobe essentials, interior decorating, beauty tricks and  trend forecasting, @annabelfalco and The Style Formula is your fashion  bible.

Master of Art (Research) Qld.UT, Bachelors Degree of Fine Arts in Fashion Merchandising and Management Pratt Institute USA, Diploma of Fashion Design Queensland College of Art.

Deborah is a lecturer in Fashion Studies. Her approach to education focuses on developing a design mindset through  innovative education, industry/student engagement and practical  experiential opportunities for authentic learning. This approach to  curriculum development and applied activities develops critical thinking  attributes and innovative creative solutions to the design challenges  for the future. Her research interests encompass fashion and identity,  women’s relationships with clothing through material culture, personal  branding and design thinking. 

Discipline Leader - Fashion at University of the Sunshine Coast 2018 - Present.

Discipline Leader - Fashion at University of Canberra 2013 - Present.

University Lecturer - QUT 2002 - Present.

  Liz Clift is a multi-award winning Fashion Designer based on the Gold Coast. She is about to open a Pop Up shop at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre Brisbane post Covid-19 at the start of June 2020. 

In early days Liz went into the QLD Designer Awards and won every award, she then opened a boutique on the Isle of Capri. In those days it was a lineup of the who’s who of fashion including Prue Acton, Carla Zampatti, Trent Nathan. 

Her designs were out selling the other labels, so she decided to go to Paris and do a course at the Paris American Academy, her tutors were Karl Lagerfeld, Sonja Rykiel and Chantal Thomass. 

Once back in Australia Liz went totally into designing full time and gave up the retail and went into wholesaling, also manufacturing uniforms for cruise ships, international hotels, resorts, uniforms for Hamilton Island for 10 years for Keith and Thea Williams. She designed wardrobe for movies and would go out on location supervising the filming. Liz has designed gear for rock bands and has  done the theatre wardrobe for Rocky Horror Show.

Liz Clift Couture gowns were sold in Beverley Hills, Worth Avenue in Palm Beach in Florida. Some of the highlights over the years include having sell out fashion shows in USA and a TV show with her designs. Liz also now lectures at the fashion school in Paris where she studied and she is now their global representative and when everything is back on track after Covid-19 she will be going around the world promoting the fashion school. 

Women enjoy wearing Liz Clift clothes because of her sense of fun and colour which lift the spirits of her customers.

www.lizcliftinternational.com