Australian Fashion Icon Anastasia Kogan Champions Melbourne Couture at Paris Haute Couture Week
When the world’s fashion elite descend on Paris Haute Couture Week, every appearance is carefully curated, every invitation highly coveted and every outfit tells a story. This season, Australian philanthropist, art collector and fashion innovator Anastasia Kogan ensured Melbourne creativity had its place on one of fashion’s most prestigious international stages.
Attending exclusive runway presentations from legendary fashion houses including Christian Dior, Schiaparelli, and Elie Saab, Anastasia proudly showcased the artistry of Melbourne-based designer and bridal couture house CON ILIO, turning heads among the international fashion set.
During the week, Kogan was spotted alongside some of the industry’s most influential names, including LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, designer Vera Wang and actress Priyanka Chopra.
While Paris remains the epicentre of luxury fashion, Kogan believes Australian designers deserve a far greater presence within the global fashion conversation.
“When it comes to luxury brand management, Australia still has a lot to learn from France,” Kogan said. “But when it comes to actually producing masterpieces that shine on the global stage, we have amazingly talented designers who can go pound-for-pound with the world’s best.”
Melbourne Couture Takes Centre Stage in Paris
Throughout Paris Haute Couture Week, Kogan wore two bespoke creations by Con Iliopoulos, Creative Director, and Designer of CON ILIO.
The first was a striking sculptural jacket constructed from thousands of pearls. Even within rooms filled with designs from the world’s most celebrated luxury houses, the elaborate Melbourne-made creation immediately became a conversation starter.
“Even in a room surrounded by outfits from the world’s top designers, people were coming up to me asking what it was,” Kogan shared.
Her second statement piece was an extraordinary jacket featuring thousands of individually hand-stitched gemstones. Taking more than a year of meticulous craftsmanship to complete, the design further established Kogan as a bold and fearless style innovator.
“The gem jacket was an absolute hit amongst the fashion elite,” she said. “Everyone was simply saying, ‘Wow’.”
For Iliopoulos, who has catered to Australia’s haute couture market since 2016, seeing his work showcased on one of fashion’s most significant global stages reflected years of dedication to craftsmanship and design.
“Anastasia has been an important supporter of Australian art and fashion,” Iliopoulos said. “She’s always a pleasure to work with, as she’s willing to push the boundaries and let fashion become a statement piece. She’s iconic.”
Why Anastasia Kogan Is an Australian Fashion Icon
Anastasia’s presence at Paris Haute Couture Week is only one chapter in a much broader fashion story.
She has become a familiar and highly anticipated presence at leading Australian cultural, fashion and philanthropic events, where her theatrical and often couture-led ensembles regularly command attention. Her appearances are rarely about simply wearing a beautiful gown. Instead, she approaches fashion as a form of visual storytelling, using clothing to celebrate artistry, craftsmanship and the designers behind each creation.
At the 2024 NGV Gala, held to celebrate the opening of the Yayoi Kusama exhibition, Kogan made a spectacular entrance wearing a rare vintage 1995 Jean Paul Gaultier catsuit, accompanied by an elaborate cape constructed from more than 1,000 flowers. The dramatic fashion moment encapsulated her willingness to embrace art, theatre, and couture on the red carpet.
She has also attended the Melbourne Fashion Festival Opening Night Runway and was among the special guests at the festival’s official 2026 launch at Government House, reinforcing her position as a prominent supporter of Melbourne’s fashion industry.
Anastasia does not merely wear couture, she understands its history, the work required to create it and the cultural value it can carry. Whether dressed in a rare archival piece or commissioning an intricate Melbourne-made design, Kogan consistently uses fashion to make a statement.
Her style is bold without appearing costume-like, polished without becoming predictable and glamorous while remaining deeply connected to art. Most importantly, she regularly uses the attention surrounding her appearances to shine a light on Australian designers.
A Champion of Australian Art, Fashion and Culture
Kogan’s influence also reaches into Australia’s broader cultural landscape.
She has served on the Melbourne Opera Board and has been involved with the Arts Centre Melbourne Foundation, reflecting her longstanding commitment to supporting the performing arts and creative industries. She has also lectured in business strategy and entrepreneurship, combining her creative interests with extensive experience in media, commerce, and luxury-brand management. Please also visit https://melbourneopera.com/melbourne-opera-appoints-anastasia-fai-kogan-to-its-board/
Her support of CON ILIO in Paris therefore felt entirely authentic. It was not simply a red-carpet fashion moment, but an extension of her ongoing commitment to giving Australian craftsmanship greater international visibility.
Beyond the glamour of the week, the trip also included a light-hearted family moment. Kogan’s husband, entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan, joked on social media that their family holidays somehow always seem to end up in Paris during fashion week.
Anastasia, naturally, maintained that it was simply a coincidence.
By Melinda Sullivan
Photography supplied thanks to AMPR
