If you've found yourself at the ever-exclusive Melbourne Fashion Week or the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup Carnival, chances are you’ve spotted an ultra-stylish pocket rocket of a woman whizzing around in front of Channel 7 cameras. Or, if you’ve got a finger on the fashion pulse, you probably own a pair (or seven) of her Billini-collab shoes. We are of course talking about Rozalia Russian, Australia's fashion it girl. Boasting a healthy 250k followers on Instagram and collaborations with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Fendi, Russian is adding another feather to her hat as this year’s Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup Carnival 2022 Style Stakes Ambassador. We sat down with her to get the goss on spring racing style and the 411 on this year's Style Stakes competition.
We all know the good ol’ Fashions on the Field tent, but this year, instead of being housed in one location and attracting only those who choose to enter, the all-new Style Stakes format will see an army of roving photographers seeking the best trackside fashion. The candid pics end up as your entry in the competition and are shared on screens around the grounds and all over social media just like those street-style round-ups that end up on your Pinterest board. The pics will be judged by a high-profile panel including iconic fashion stylist, Lana Wilkinson, multi-award-winning designer, Jason Grech, celeb hairdresser, Joey Scandizzo, plus our girl, Rozalia Russian, who’ll select not one but two winners! Make sure your ‘fit is one of your best—winners of Best Fashion Moment and Best MRC Member Fashion Moment will score a cool $10,000 each. Take out the People’s Choice award and you’ll take home a $2,500 prize pack as well. So, how do you nail the brief? We've got you.
Embrace Traditional Looks With Added Flare
According to Russian, it's all about making classic race-day attire your own this year. “I hope to see bold, unique looks that give a nod to traditional racing fashion in a more individual way,” she says. So with this advice in mind, try starting with your fascinator, headpiece or statement shoes and construct your ‘fit around the star of the show. As an avid Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup Carnival attendee, Rozalia not only exudes beyond-cool energy but is honoured to be one of the judges of such a massive and innovative style competition. “I’m excited to see entries from those who may not have typically thrown their hat, or headpiece, in the ring,” she shared.
Pop With Statement Colours
Russian suggests swapping out that sleek Melbourne minimalist mindset for bursts of colour and excitement. “For me, this spring is all about pop and statement colours—pink, lilac, yellow” she revealed. Nothing is off the cards. Add playful and bright feathers to sleeves and hemlines, voluminous statement jewellery or even daytime pieces with a hint of sheen. Collections from AJE, Acler and 16ARLINGTON are as vibrant as they are distinctly individual.
Push The Boundary
No one does spring racing like the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup Carnival and no one does fashion like Melbourne. Rozalia could not be more excited to see what her fellow Melbournians bring trackside. “I challenge my fellow racegoers to push their style boundaries, as after all…Caulfield is the place to do things differently and stand out from the crowd,” she says.
Good luck to all of our fellow fashion-forward racegoers and make sure to get snapped at the Neds Guineas Day or the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup Day to be in the running to win the Style Stakes competition. Find more info over here, or on Rozalia Russian’s Instagram.
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Image credit: Rozalia Russian via Instagram