There isn’t much that TV darling Sonia Kruger can’t do. Now, the former ballroom dancer turned Mornings and Big Brother host has launched herself into the world of fashion.
She’s no stranger to a serious sartorial moment. Having been dressed by some of Australia’s best designers, including J’Aton and Steven Khalil, she’s regularly asked by Mornings viewers, “What are you wearing?”
It seemed logical to take the next step, teaming with fashion tycoon Danny Avidan (designer Charlie Brown’s husband) and former Mad Cortes designer Mira Vukovic to create the Sonia Kruger Collections.
“I’ve always loved fashion,” says Sonia, 47. “I design for my girlfriends, so I really rely on them to tell me what they think. They will say if their eyeballs are burning.”
And her designs are perfect for women of all sizes. “We’ve incorporated shapes and cuts that are flattering for all women – not just size 8 models.”
Scroll down to see Sonia’s shoot with Woman’s Day!
Drawing inspiration from designer favourites Victoria Beckham and Roland Mouret, Sonia says Aussie women have two different yet equally fashionable sides.
“We have this fabulous laid-back boho chic thing, a bit like Nicole Richie and Elle Macpherson,” she says. “But we have this really sophisticated side to us, too, where we’ll look at designers like VB for something strong and sexy.”
“You learn as you get older what suits you.”
Although Sonia describes her off-duty style as “haphazard”, she’s fine-tuned her sartorial choices since entering her 40s.
“I think you learn as you get older what suits you best and what works for your body type. I’m really broad-shouldered. I remember when I was 18 it was the era of the puffy pirate shirt – thinking back, I seriously looked like a gridiron player.”
Sonia, who was hands-on in the design process, says dressing gets easier with age. “It’s easier to dress myself now because you learn how to accentuate your good parts and hide the not-so-good parts.”
A bargain hunter who favours online stores like The Iconic (theiconic.com.au) and Shopbop (shopbop.com), Sonia loves to mix splurges with more affordable pieces.
“I have a beautiful cross-body Gucci chain bag I can wear with ripped jeans and a T-shirt and feel a million bucks,” she says. “But you can also save money on accessories, with Diva and Equip putting up really affordable on-trend items.”
That’s not to say she doesn’t enjoy a fashion blowout. “I recently bought a Jimmy Choo biker bag – it was on sale and I just had to have it. And I also got a pair of beautiful Giuseppe Zanotti shoes.”
But most of all, Sonia says when it comes to fashion, it’s all down to one important thing: “Have fun with it!”
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