Shreya Pawar
It was a burst of summer exuberance at the recent graduate show of the Australian Academy of Modelling (AAM).
Shreya Pawar, one of two stylists selected for the show, delivered an eclectic riot of colour: gold-toned accessories and metallics; Euro-summer silk scarves and beaded necklaces; Amalfi Coast–inspired prints; and jumpsuits and palazzo pants awash in orange and red, punctuated by zebra prints and gently softened with hints of rose pink.
The 200-odd guests, including industry insiders, lapped it all up, with a shower of compliments for Shreya as the show wrapped up. Weeks before, when Shreya learned she was selected as stylist at AAM graduate show, the nation’s leading modelling and training academy with over a decade of presence, she had felt a rush of excitement – tempered by a flicker of apprehension.
“I have worked with AAM over the past two years – styling commercial and editorial photoshoots,” Shreya told Indian Link. “I sent the founder, Kristina Compagnino, my best wishes for the fashion show. When the styling applications came out, I was hesitant to apply, as I hadn’t built any designer relationships to source garments at a large scale. But then, a friend explained the beauty of saying yes to things and figuring out finer details later. I got a call following my application – and literally figured it all out later!’
She set about celebrating the many facets of summer in her curated looks – bold, unapologetic reverse layering, soft romance and bohemia.
She didn’t shy away from playing with textures either – checkered denim met silk, bling gently fused with ruffles, while bold leather belts accented breezy, flowy gowns.
Growing up, personal style didn’t feature prominently in Shreya’s world. However, after moving to Melbourne as a young adult in 2023, she began to see the link between self-expression and sartorial choice – a realisation that led her to where she felt she truly belonged: fashion styling.
Fashion styling is about how clothes and accessories are presented, as opposed to fashion designing which mainly focuses on conceptual sketching, patternmaking, fabric selection and garment construction. A fashion stylist tells a visual story to bring a designer’s work to life, deciding what works together, what suits the wearer, mood or moment, and how style communicates identity.
“I took a Master’s degree in Fashion Styling from the Australian Style Institute,” Shreya recounted. “And after styling two magazine editorials – Marika and Off Town, the AAM runway seemed the perfect opportunity to bring in the vibrancy of my Indian heritage into contemporary Australian fashion.”
She went on, “As immigrants, we’re replanted trees – always connected to our roots but searching for the right environment to thrive in now. My eye catches extravagance: it’s etched in me, having grown up in a country with exuberance all around us,” she says.
Shreya’s styling ambitions weren’t exactly met with open arms early on.
She recalls an instance of ‘disbelief and doubt on whether a brown woman has the skills and creative knack to pull off contemporary fashion styling, while a senior creative – and supposed acquaintance – withheld support for referrals in retail.’
Some industry insiders advised her to go back to India if she hoped to find success, while also criticising and questioning the need for stylists. “That made me ask: are there Indian-origin fashion stylists in Australia, and who is listening to them? I wanted my voice to matter.”
Despite these setbacks, she’s created her own unique space.
“Don’t get me wrong, I have found supporters and mentors,” she clarified. “But I don’t believe in placing anyone – no matter their success – on a pedestal. Creativity can’t be hierarchical. Different creative outlooks can’t be pitted against each other; that’s the beauty of the industry.”
As Australia’s fashion industry becomes more reflective of its diverse reality, stylists like Shreya Pawar are helping shape that change – one look, one story, one runway at a time.
Photos: APL Photography
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