Greek Australian fashion designer Nikki Poulos is taking on the big guns, trying to get her collection launched at popular American fashion houses Macy’s, H&M or Saks Fifth Avenue through the latest in reality TV, Fashion Star.
Poulos grew up in the Australian outback on a 54,000-acre cattle ranch and says being incredibly isolated – with no electricity or television led to her daydreaming about fashion and fantasising about the world outside her own, which included being flown to school in a small plane by her parents.
When she was eight years-old she began sewing her own clothes and imagined that one day she would see them on big stars.
Now those dreams have become a reality as the 43 year-old designer is one of 14 designers to compete for her collection to be launched at either of the three labels.
Being on the show “is perfect timing for me,” says Poulos, who moved to the US about 10 years ago to study marine biology at the University of Miami.
“I’m at the point where I’m ready to take the next step, and I needed a really good launching pad for that.”
But Poulos isn’t the only Greek element on the hit fashion show. Celebrity trendsetter and menswear designer John Varvatos is one of the mentors for the designer wannabes.
“I felt like he very much connected with every designer on an individual level and really engaged us in a dialogue about what we were doing and why we were doing it,” says Poulos about Varvatos.
Hosted by Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson, the show centres on the 14 designers trying to win the lucrative deal to have their collection in store. The show’s final winner will scoop a multi-million dollar contract to launch a clothing line stocked by three of the largest US retailers.
Fashion Star screens Monday night’s on channel 11 at 8.30 pm.