“I think we're going to see a lot of creativity from even some of the hair and makeup… we’ve been locked up for two years, so it’s going to be a big show and I can't wait,” she says.
Her clients this year – journalist Abbey Gelmi, model Simone Holtznagel and influencer Pia Muehlenbeck – all want to “have a moment” on the red carpet and Lana plans to deliver.
Abbey’s outfit will be “epic”, Simone will look like a modern Marilyn Monroe and Pia will be leaning into the Old Hollywood vibe too, so keep an eye on the red carpet.
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Having styled so many big-name celebs, from Megan Gale to Anna Heinrich and Bec Judd, Lana reveals there’s one golden rule to making her star clients look incredible every time.
“I always make each person I'm working with feel like number one,” she says. “My focus is one million per cent on that client, making sure that they're feeling themselves in all the best ways.”
It’s that approach to fashion that helps Lana create some of her favourite red carpet moments, like when Rebecca Harding attended the 2017 TV WEEK Logie Awards.
She arrived that night as Andy Lee’s plus one and became a darling of the Australian fashion scene overnight thanks to the look Lana helped create – and her custom Cappellazzo gown.
Like with many of her star clients, Lana paired Rebecca with the designer that would work best with her own personal style and vision, and what a vision the model was that night.
Lana adds that she’d hang up her boots – or should we say sparkling heels – before forcing a client to wear something they didn’t love, just because it was on her agenda.
“I really do believe that when you are feeling yourself, you project that everywhere,” she says fondly.
“You have that moment in the mirror where you're like, ‘Geez, I look good’. When I get that in a fitting, I know that we're good. And I've been lucky with all three of them [Abbey, Simone and Pia] thus far I've had that.”
With over a decade of experience styling glamorous women for the TV WEEK Logie Awards and her role as The Star's Style Ambassador for the event, Lana also has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to red carpet do’s and don’ts.
Lana steers clear of certain fabrics that crease easily or don’t photograph well, which can lead to a fashion faux pas – or “mishap”, as she diplomatically calls it.
Her golden rule is to collaborate with her client and work to enhance the things they like about their bodies and draw attention away from the things they don’t.
She only works with designers and hair and makeup artists who will listen to her clients and makes sure every last detail enhances the overall look, including jewellery and accessories.
“There's nothing worse when you see a beautiful gown with a big chunky bag,” she laughs. “Or when someone has maybe tried to make a statement that’s not right for the event.”
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Just like you wouldn’t wear a sundress to a black tie wedding, it’s probably not a great idea for celebrities to ignore red carpet dress codes just to make a statement.
And she doesn’t just focus on her A-list clients; Lana has plenty of fashion advice for everyday Aussie women who are rediscovering their style after the pandemic.
“It's about looking for people that you feel you relate to… look at how they're dressing themselves, look for the body types that you’re like,” she says, adding that style really is all about what makes you feel good.
Lana also encourages women to follow stylists and influential women whose clothes they can visualize themselves in and take tips from the many fashion experts sharing them on social media.
“You don't have to pay for all this advice either, it's out there. People like me, I'm sharing different things all the time… it's just about finding those things that feel organic and authentic to you.”
