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- We Asked The Bachelor Australia’s Wardrobe Team to Divulge Their Styling Secrets
We Asked The Bachelor Australia’s Wardrobe Team to Divulge Their Styling Secrets
by
Katie Skelly
Network Ten
The Bachelor Australia premieres Wednesday, 21 July at 7.30pm on 10 and 10 Play. While in 2021, We’re gearing up for both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette (to take place in a brand new mansion this year, mind you!), it’s pilot Jimmy Nicholson who will take centre stage first on his quest for higher love.
We tune in for the romance, we tune in for the drama. But we’re equally there for the glitz and the glamour; namely, the cocktail party looks that put literal stars in our eyes as we watch ridiculously good-looking singles hand out suspiciously dewy roses.
This year, the wardrobe department on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have their work cut out for them. Not only will they be styling the leads, but the 23 contestants who will be vying for Jimmy’s affections and the men and women who will be competing for Brooke Blurton‘s final rose.
POPSUGAR Australia caught up with stylist and wardrobe supervisor Kim Hurwitz to find out all the stylist secrets behind The Bachelor and The Bachelorette Australia. Here’s what we discovered.
POPSUGAR Australia: Let’s talk about the arrival night looks, given this fit is the one that will speak to the contestant’s personality the most.
Kim Hurwitz: First night arrivals is my favourite night of the year. I love the transformation from the lady arriving in her casual clothes to when she walks out after being glammed by hair and makeup, wearing a gown and beautiful jewellery. It’s exciting to see the looks come to life!
PS: How does that process actually work?
KH: I set up in a hotel room for three days where I get each lady for a one-hour fitting. She will try on every dress she likes and all the styles I think will work on her too. We want to make sure there is lots of variation in style, that not every woman is going to be wearing black, that what they are wearing suits their personality and they feel amazing. There is a lot to consider!
PS: What about the rose ceremonies. How do you choose the outfits for the ladies for each rose ceremony?
KH: In preparation for a rose ceremony look, I’ll have a fitting with each of the girls individually. In the fittings, there are racks filled with options of gowns, mini dresses, jumpsuits, two-pieces and suits for the girls to choose from. I source items from different labels from all over Australia, working with over a hundred different clothing, jewellery and shoe labels. I pick out some styles that I think would suit each lady best and she can also have a look around and let me know what she likes. We then try everything on and see which she feels best in.
PS: Is there ever a general ‘theme’ for the night, and how do you select who wears what?
KH: For cocktail parties, there generally isn’t a specific theme. I have a few options ready to go for each lady and I try and coordinate them all together so that there is a variety of style and colour for that cocktail party. We have had a few themed cocktail parties over the past seasons which are always entertaining. The ladies love getting dressed up and having a bit of fun with their outfits.
PS: How much input do the Bachelorettes have on the looks?
KH: The Bachelorettes have the final say in what they wear. Sometimes they have a dress of their own or a specific look they were hoping to wear for one of the cocktail parties. I am always open to incorporating that into the mix for them. It’s so important for the ladies to feel comfortable in what they wear. I help them create a look so that they feel beautiful and confident when they enter the cocktail party.
PS: What about dates? Sometimes it seems as if the Bachelor and his Bachelorettes end up matching. Is this coincidental?
KH: Yes, this is definitely co-incidental! I work with the Bachelor on his wardrobe for dates creating looks that are very much his personal style and things he would wear in his everyday life. He needs so many different looks throughout the series. The ladies, on the other hand, choose their own date looks. It’s a great way to show the Bachelor their personal style and express themselves through their wardrobe. So if they land up coordinating these looks, that has not been planned.
PS: What is something we might be surprised to learn?
KH: The dates are a surprise for the Bachelorettes, so if there is a date that requires a black-tie gown or some special wardrobe requirements, I will choose something for them and send it on their date to ensure the whole date is still a surprise for them and they don’t know what the activities are.
PS: What has been your favourite Bachelor look of all time?
KH: This is a hard question, I have a lot! One of my favourites has to be Abbie Chatfield’s finale dress in South Africa. She wore a fully beaded Oglia Loro gown and it just fit her like a glove and everything about it suited her perfectly! I’m so excited to share this season’s finale looks with you, they are definitely up there with some of my favourite looks to date using a new designer we haven’t featured on the show before.
PS: We’ve heard about contestants in the past bringing their own lookbook of outfits. How often does this happen and what does it take to get your tick of approval?
KH: There have been a few girls over the seasons that bring a few items with them. It might be that gown they haven’t had many opportunities to wear or their favourite outfit they wore to their birthday that they felt amazing in. I am always on board to incorporate their own looks. If I know they feel good in it, that gets the tick of approval straight away! It actually doesn’t happen a lot as the ladies are usually very keen to wear something they don’t own and look at all the time. They also get to wear amazing labels from all over the country they may not have had the opportunity to wear before.
PS: How do you work to bring the entire look together from their outfit to hair, makeup and accessories?
I work really closely with the make up and hair supervisor. She has an incredible team that chat to the ladies on the day and create a look based on their outfits. Sometimes it’s the other way around, where the ladies’ hair and make up look will determine their outfit for that day. We can juggle things around a little if need be.
PS: Lastly, what is the process like when you go ‘shopping’ for the outfits?
KH: First I reach out to all the labels I would love to collaborate with for the season. They then send through lookbooks and I can select items from there. Most of the items that the ladies wear are on loan. I set up appointments with the Sydney labels and I have an incredible team as well that help me constantly source and swap product with designers and labels. If I can’t source the specific styles or items I am after then I will head to the shops to purchase more options. I also have all my favourite online stores that I like to order from that can deliver quickly.
The Bachelor Australia will premiere Wednesday, 21 July at 7.30pm on 10 and 10 Play.
