‘Disgusting Behaviour’: Jason Grech Calls Out Australian Stylist Who Stole His Show-Stopping Dress For Awards Show
One of Jason Grech’s dresses lead the best-dressed last night at Australian TV Award Ceremony, the Logies. The Maltese-born designer dressed TV icon Sophie Monk (presenter of Australia’s version of Love Island) in a dress so extra it actually works!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzUsEDngUaV/
https://www.facebook.com/JASONGRECHcouture/videos/2608094849401863/
The dress, named after Wonder Woman’s real identity, The Diana, was made after four painstaking fittings as the outfit travelled with Jason over the year. Grech worked with famed stylist Natalia De Martin, with the designer saying that the dress was always intended to be a moment for Sophie herself.
The Diana is a strapless silhouette, made from a metallic foil and has a removable skirt. Grech told Lovin Malta that this choice was made to allow Sophie to attend the afterparty in comfort, as the customisation enabled Sophie to show her stuff on the dancefloor.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByZUDAbHkUW/
E! Online had Sophie’s name alongside the likes of Kelly Rowland, and for a Maltese name to be leading the best-dressed at one of Australia’s most popular televised award shows is a huge feat. After all, Jason Grech has been making waves internationally for years now, so it’s no doubt that this evening had caused a slight stir down under in the fashion industry.
However, this is where things get a bit controversial.
The story goes that Australian designer Donny Galella had asked to borrow the dress. As Jason had worked tirelessly for months with the intentions of having Sophie wear it – he literally said it always had her name all over it – he politely declined.
Cut to the Logies getting into full swing, and Home and Away star Ada Nicodemou steps out wearing an almost identical dress. Grech had reportedly been contacted back in April with the request, and the team behind Ada’s look had responded to the backlash stating that she had always asked for a Grecian-style dress in gold.
“How shameful that he thought it was OK to replicate,” Grech said on Sunday night. “If you’re going to replicate my work, the least you can do is make it better. DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR.”
The culprit dress was put together by Steven Khalil, backed by Donny’s comments.
“Gold and high splits are both really popular trends at the moment, as we saw on the red carpet last night,” the statement read. “Designer Steven Khalil based Ada’s dress on a design that he is about to show from an upcoming collection, but created in gold for Ada.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzUrJmuFBsF/
Jason Grech wasn’t having this though, and responded in turn.
“Since showing this gown for the first time at Virgin Australia Melbourne fashion festival in March, we have continued to remodel and tweak the design numerous times with different fabrics and playing with the length of the underskirt,” Grech said.
“I have invested so much into this design. I hate drama, but I had to call it out.”
Jason had shown off the dress while in Malta, having done a shoot for the gown with local photographer Matthew B Spiteri in Budapest, so you can really see how much of a labour of love the ensemble has been for the designer.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162077049815624&set=a.10151743400275624&type=3
It’s clear to see which dress came out on top, though Steven Khalil will be taking his *ahem imitation* dress over to Paris Haute Couture Week later in the year.