F.Y.I.

Elle Australia launches inaugural Next Gen Awards celebrating rising creative talent

September 5, 2025 10:11

Elle Australia has honoured the country’s top emerging voices in fashion, music, film, art and literature at the first-ever ELLE Next Gen Awards.

The announcement:

ELLE Australia, the #1 prestige brand for Gen Z women, showcased its commitment to spotlighting emerging creative talent last night, when the country’s top rising stars and industry leaders gathered at Sydney’s Saltbox in Surry Hills to celebrate the inaugural ELLE Next Gen Awards.

Hosted by ELLE Australia editor Jessica Bailey, the Awards – proudly sponsored by Swarovski and OPPO – brought together more than 130 guests from fashion, music, film, art and literature, highlighting ELLE’s role as an incubator of Australia’s cultural future.

The 2025 Next Gen Award winners, selected by ELLE Australia, are:

Next Gen Icon Award: Actor Sophie Wilde

Next Gen Actor Award: Actor Yerin Ha

Next Gen Designer Award: Fashion designer Courtney Zheng

Next Gen Filmmaker Award: Film director Phoebe Wolfe

Next Gen Artist Award: Artist and film maker Hayley Millar Baker

Next Gen Musician Award: Singer-songwriter Kita Alexander

Next Gen Beauty Star Award: Makeup artist, content creator and founder of beauty brand Embellish Rowi Singh

Next Gen Writer Award: Author and advocate Madison Griffiths

Next Gen Model Award: Model Anna Robinson (also the cover star of ELLE’s September issue)

Guests last night included Gemma Ward, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett (Romance Was Born), Maria Thattil, Aubri Ibrag, Maia Mitchell, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Petra Mackova, Achok Akoi, Courtney Zheng and Louise Olsen (Dinosaur Design), plus other leaders in luxury, fashion and culture.

Are Media and sponsor representatives included Sally Eagle, Are Media Director of Content; Anna Quinn, Are Media Director of Sales; Nicky Briger, Are Media General Manager of Luxury; Gonçalo Pinto da Costa, Swarovski Head of Marketing; and Michael Tran, OPPO Director of Global Marketing and Brand Strategy.

Jessica Bailey said: “ELLE has a truly unique ability to connect with young women, and part of that is spotlighting the next generation of Australian talent. Last night was an amazing celebration of our thriving creative industries and the people who are already leading them into the future. Congratulations to all our nominees and to our nine inspiring winners.”

Gonçalo Pinto da Costa, head of marketing at Swarovski, said: “We are proud to stand alongside ELLE Australia in celebrating the bold new voices shaping the future of fashion, beauty and culture. The Next Gen Awards are more than just an event – they are a platform that empowers rising talent to step into the spotlight and inspire the world with their creativity, vision and courage. Supporting this next generation of innovators reflects our commitment to championing fresh perspectives and investing in the cultural leaders of tomorrow.”

ELLE is the largest, most powerful fashion brand in the world, with 50 editions globally, 37 million social media followers and 70 million unique browsers. The brand celebrates its 80th birthday this year.

The 2025 Next Gen Awards winners and nominees will feature across ELLE Australia’s digital and social platforms and in the September issue, on sale Monday, September 8.