This past year has had a tragic impact on the fashion industry, and in Australia more than ten magazines have dropped out of circulation, including Harper’s Bazaar Australia and Cosmopolitan. In such uncertain times Victoria’s Secret model and New Zealand It-girl Georgia Fowler decided to launch her own website: GeorgiaFowler.net to reinvigorate fashion editorial as we know and love it. Here, she shares with us her empowering journey to rewriting the media.
Words by Charlotte Coquelin. Portrait by Simon Lekias.
When did you launch your website?
Georgiafowler.net was launched in June 2020. Right in the thick of lockdown – which is partly why it happened! Too much time on my hands, and the influx of social media presences along with the desire to want to support and promote brands that I authentically love.
What term defines it best? A blog? An online magazine?
My website is a mix of it all. It’s a space to share with my followers an honest edit of the things that I truly love, am inspired by, or that add to my life in some way, big or small. The blog section delves into some insider secrets from industry experts, conversations with people I admire, as well as the routines and rituals that I follow.
Where did you find the inspiration and the initial idea? How do you describe your content?
The beginning of 2020 was filled with so much uncertainty for so many. I honestly wasn’t sure what was going to happen to the industry I had worked in for over ten years. I was seeing magazines close, despite creatives being more enthusiastic than ever to collaborate. Last year allowed so many people to take a step back from the rat-race and remember why they got into their careers in the first place. I found so many brands as well as photographers, hair and make-up artists and stylists alike wanting to work creatively together in a way that benefitted us all. This meant that there were opportunities to shoot amazing brands with teams of friends in the art direction they had wanted to do, yet weren’t quite able to creatively push for with such rigid boundaries. My content is a mix of shoppable editorials, beauty features with industry experts, and interviews with everyone from businesswomen in the health space to interior designers launching their own ranges. During this difficult time for so many, I thought what a fantastic opportunity to show my support for the brands I truly love and create an authentic space to share them with my followers.
Do you have any new projects coming up on your website?
We have just shot some really beautiful still lifes featuring some of my favourite accessories and homewares. Next year will become more exploratory and I plan to keep filling the website with features of brands and interviews with people I find interesting and hopefully you all will too.
Could you name five people who have inspired you the most in your career?
I’d have to begin with Mum and Dad. They encouraged me to never give up and become the grittiest person I could be. Then there’s Elle Macpherson – not only for her longevity in the industry, but more because Elle has shown such tenacity in being one of the first supermodels to really push her own brands and become an absolute businesswoman. She has now had numerous successes in business, her most recent being WelleCO. Similarly, Miranda Kerr, Heidi Klum and Karlie Kloss have all used their name to create brands and businesses they believe in.
How closely do you follow New Zealand fashion and are there any up-and-coming Kiwi designers that you are supporting at the moment?
New Zealand has some incredible fashion designers, a couple of my favourites are Paris Georgia, and Georgia Alice. I own almost the entire collections of both of them and their pieces have remained in my wardrobe as seasonless staples throughout the years.
After launching your own magazine could you see yourself launching your own brand?
Baby steps, but yes. I would absolutely love to have my own brand. The website is a fabulous stepping-stone into allowing me to see what really resonates with my followers. I hope to bring you all something in the next few years! There’s work to be done, and that excites me greatly.
This is a piece's extract. Find out the full version in the Spring Summer 2021 Issue 6.