Introducing the 2026 Australian Style Institute Awards
The Australian Style Institute Style Awards honour the students and graduates who are building their place in the world of styling with intention, creativity and purpose.
Across personal and editorial styling, creative direction, content, business, and emerging talent, the awards celebrate work that demonstrates creative skill, professional growth, commercial awareness and a thoughtful understanding of style as more than what we wear.
Today’s stylists are not defined by one narrow role. They are image-makers, educators, content creators, business owners, creative collaborators and trusted voices in the way people and brands communicate through style.
The 2026 Australian Style Institute Awards recognise the individuals contributing to that evolution, celebrating not only the final outcome, but the thinking, intention, professionalism and standard behind the work.
The Theme of 2026
This year’s theme is Moments That Matter.
In styling, success is not always defined by one major milestone. It can be found in the first client, the first photoshoot, the first time you put your work into the world, the moment you said yes before you felt ready, the piece of content that started a conversation, or the opportunity that helped you see what was possible.
These moments matter because they reveal more than talent. They reveal taste, judgement, initiative, resilience and a deeper understanding of the role stylists now play across personal style, image-making, content, business and brand communication.
Nominations
- Open: Thursday, 18 June 2026
- Close: Wednesday 8 July 2026, 5pm AEST
Open to Australian Style Institute graduates and current students, subject to category eligibility. Submit your nominations here.
This year, we are celebrating the many ways stylists are creating impact through personal styling, editorial storytelling, creative direction, content, business and human connection.
You do not need to feel completely ready to nominate yourself. You do not need the perfect body of work, the biggest audience or the most polished business. What matters is that your work shows thought, intention and action.
Sometimes, nominating yourself is part of the breakthrough.
If there is a part of you wondering whether your work is enough, we invite you to submit anyway.
Back your progress. Let your work be considered.
Recognition
- Finalists announced:
- Recipients announced:
Being recognised by Australian Style Institute can support your professional positioning, strengthen your brand, elevate your portfolio and create opportunities for PR, media features, social content, client trust and future industry conversations.
An award does not define your potential, but it can help amplify it.
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Finalists are announced Friday 24th July on ASI’s Instagram: @australianstyleinstitute
Awards will be announced on Thursday 13th August 6pm AEST (Online)
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HOW TO APPLY
2026 Categories
Recognising outstanding work across personal styling, wardrobe development, personal shopping, client consultations and style transformation.
This category celebrates a thoughtful, human-centred approach to personal style, with work that goes beyond clothing selection to consider the client’s lifestyle, identity, confidence, body, goals and personal expression. The stylist should demonstrate strong styling principles across their client work, including trend interpretation, intentional use of colour, body shape and proportions.
What to include in your submission:
You may share paid client work (with permission), portfolio work, assessment work, self-directed styling projects, wardrobe edits, personal shopping examples, client consultations or documented personal styling transformations.
This category is not just about showing a good outfit. It is about showing how the stylist understood the client, interpreted their needs and created a result that felt aligned, wearable and meaningful.
This could be shown through:
- A short client brief or explanation of the styling challenge
- Client goals, lifestyle, preferences, body shape, proportions or style direction
- Before and after imagery, outfit examples or transformation images
- Wardrobe edits, shopping recommendations, lookbooks, outfit formulas or capsule plans
- A brief explanation of key styling choices, such as colour, fit, proportion, silhouette, texture or styling details
- Client feedback, testimonials or reflections, where appropriate
- Evidence of impact, such as increased confidence, clarity, self-expression or ease in getting dressed
- A clear supporting document that helps the judges understand the process, not just the final result
Eligibility:
Open to graduates and current Australian Style Institute students who are undertaking or have completed any of these courses: Certificate of Personal Styling, Advanced Certificate of Fashion Styling or Masters Certificate of Fashion Styling.
Recognising outstanding fashion styling created for editorial, image-making and visual storytelling.
This category celebrates a strong fashion narrative through clothing, mood, concept, composition and collaboration. The stylist should demonstrate a clear creative point of view, with work that feels intentional, visually resolved and connected to a compelling visual outcome.
What to include in your submission:
You may share published editorials, unpublished editorials (if not embargoed), test shoots, campaign-style imagery, portfolio work or assessment work.
This category is about showing how the stylist understands the way fashion images are built. The work should feel intentional, visually resolved and connected to a broader creative idea.
This could be shown through:
- A clear creative concept or visual narrative
- Strong fashion direction and styling choices
- Cohesion between styling, model, location, hair, makeup, photography and mood
- Evidence of originality, relevance and creative risk
- Strong garment selection, proportion, layering, texture, colour and detail
- A considered approach to the full image, not just the clothing
- Published work, portfolio work, campaign imagery or self-directed editorial work
- A written explanation of the creative intention behind the shoot
Eligibility:
Open to graduates and current Australian Style Institute students who are undertaking or have completed any of these courses: Certificate of Editorial Styling, Advanced Certificate of Fashion Styling or Masters Certificate of Fashion Styling.
Recognising outstanding creative leadership across a fashion styling project, campaign, editorial, content series, brand shoot or visual concept.
This category celebrates the ability to lead the overall creative vision, not just the styling component. The nominee should demonstrate how they shaped an idea from concept through to execution, bringing together mood, storytelling, styling, casting, location, art direction, visual references, team collaboration and final outcome.
What to include in your submission:
You may share campaigns, editorial shoots, content series, lookbooks, student projects, brand shoots, fashion films, personal brand imagery, retail campaigns or concept-led visual work.
This category is about showing how the creative direction was considered, intentional and central to the strength of the final result. It should demonstrate the entrant’s ability to think beyond individual outfits and contribute to the full creative world of a project.
This could be shown through:
- A clear creative concept or visual direction
- Evidence of moodboarding, references, planning or concept development
- Strong alignment between styling, model, location, hair, makeup, lighting, art direction or set
- A cohesive final outcome across imagery, video, campaign assets or content
- Originality and relevance within the current fashion or cultural landscape
- Leadership in shaping the overall look, feel and message of the work
- Professional collaboration and execution
- A clear explanation of the creative problem, objective or idea behind the project
Eligibility:
Open to graduates and current Australian Style Institute students who are undertaking or have completed any of these courses: Certificate of Editorial Styling, Advanced Certificate of Fashion Styling or Masters Certificate of Fashion Styling.
Recognising outstanding style-led content across social media, video, written platforms, education, commentary, digital storytelling or personal brand channels.
This category celebrates creators who use content to inform, inspire, educate, entertain or shift the conversation around style. The creator should demonstrate clear thinking, strong creative direction, consistency, audience understanding and a distinct point of view.
What to include in your submission:
You may share content from Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Substack, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, video series, written articles, educational content, styling commentary or digital campaigns.
This category is not judged purely on follower count. It is about showing the quality of your thinking, originality, relevance, consistency and ability to communicate style in a meaningful way.
This could be shown through:
- A clear content concept, series, campaign or body of work
- Strong visual presentation and styling relevance
- A distinct voice, perspective or message
- Consistency across content, captions, video, imagery or written work
- Evidence of audience engagement, growth or impact
- Educational, inspiring or thought-provoking style content
- Content that builds trust, authority or community
- A clear explanation of the intention behind the content
Eligibility:
Open to graduates and current Australian Style Institute students who are undertaking or have completed any of these courses: Certificate of Personal Styling, Certificate of Editorial Styling, Advanced Certificate of Fashion Styling or Masters Certificate of Fashion Styling.
Recognising outstanding progress, professionalism, commercial thinking and business development within the styling industry.
This category celebrates stylists who are building a sustainable, credible and commercially viable styling business. The entrant should demonstrate growth, initiative, client experience, brand development, service innovation, visibility and the ability to turn styling skill into professional opportunity.
What to include in your submission:
You may share personal styling businesses, editorial or commercial styling businesses, content-led businesses, styling services, workshops, digital products, brand partnerships or other styling-related commercial work.
This category is not about having the largest business. It is about showing momentum, clarity, professionalism and commercial growth relative to the stylist’s stage of business.
This could be shown through:
- Clear business progress in the last 18 months
- Evidence of client bookings, revenue growth, partnerships or commercial opportunities
- A strong personal brand or business positioning
- Professional client experience, systems or service delivery
- Creative approaches to offers, marketing, content or community
- Evidence of resilience, initiative and strategic thinking
- Client testimonials, case studies or campaign results
- A clear explanation of the business challenge, action taken and outcome achieved
Eligibility:
Open to graduates and current Australian Style Institute students who are undertaking or have completed any of these courses: Certificate of Personal Styling, Certificate of Editorial Styling, Advanced Certificate of Fashion Styling or Masters Certificate of Fashion Styling.
Recognising an emerging stylist who has shown exceptional progress, initiative, growth and potential from January 2025 to June 2026.
This category celebrates stylists who may be early in their career, but are already demonstrating the mindset, skill, professionalism and commitment required to build a future in the styling industry.
What to include in your submission:
You may share client work, assessment work, portfolio work, assisting experience, creative projects, content, business development, personal milestones, industry opportunities or examples of taking meaningful action.
This category is about progress, not perfection. It is about showing how the stylist has developed their skills, stepped into opportunities and demonstrated clear potential for continued growth.
This could be shown through:
- Significant growth from starting point to current standard
- Evidence of initiative, courage and self-direction
- Strong styling work relative to experience level
- Willingness to pursue opportunities, build a portfolio or work with clients
- Professionalism, reliability and openness to feedback
- A clear sense of personal direction or emerging point of view
- Evidence of overcoming hesitation, inexperience or personal barriers
- A written reflection on growth, learning and next steps
Eligibility:
Open to recent graduates and current Australian Style Institute students who are undertaking or have completed any of these courses: Certificate of Personal Styling, Certificate of Editorial Styling, Advanced Certificate of Fashion Styling or Masters Certificate of Fashion Styling from January 2025 to June 2026.
The highest overall honour presented at the Australian Style Institute Awards.
This category celebrates an individual who has demonstrated an exceptional standard across styling, professionalism, growth, contribution and embodiment of the Australian Style Institute values. It recognises more than a single project or achievement, honouring the stylist who represents the standard, spirit and future of Australian Style Institute.
How this award is selected:
This award is not open for direct nomination. The recipient will be selected by the Australian Style Institute team from the full pool of submissions across all award categories.
This category is about overall excellence. It recognises the individual whose work, growth, professionalism and contribution stand out across the awards as a whole.
The ASI team may consider:
- Consistent commitment to learning, growth and professional development
- High-quality styling work across one or more areas of practice
- Professionalism, reliability and integrity
- Contribution to the ASI community or broader styling industry
- Strong client, creative or business outcomes
- Initiative, resilience and leadership
- A clear sense of purpose, standard and future potential
- Embodiment of the Australian Style Institute approach to style, human behaviour and industry practice
This award recognises the individual whose work, conduct and growth reflect the highest overall standard within the Australian Style Institute community.
Eligibility:
This award is selected by the Australian Style Institute and is open to graduates only who have been actively engaged with Australian Style Institute during the last 18 months.
No public nomination or submission is required.
SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION
PAST CATEGORIES & RECIPIENTS
This award encompasses all of the above categories, recognising the student or graduate that has achieved outstanding success in 2024. Success is defined by someone who is actively going after what they want and getting the ultimate results doing it. They are determined, resilient and future-thinking!
PAST RECIPIENTS:
2024: Simone Molluso
2023: Heather Murray
2022: Becky Fulton
2021: Michelle Beltrame
2020: Brooke Falvey
This award recognises the person that has collaborated on photoshoots and flourished in a creative environment. The winner will have worked on at least three photoshoots in 2023, as either a head stylist or in an assisting role.
PAST RECIPIENTS:
2024: Emma Petterwood
2023: Greta Magistrale
2022: Sophie Torrini
2021: Aaron Mitchell
2020: Antonio Chiocca
This award recognises the person who lives by the ASI mantra ‘say yes and figure out how’. They are making early traction in their studies or business, and show promise that the work they are putting in today will bring success for the future.
PAST RECIPIENTS:
2024: Courtney Blood
2023: Sonya Choi La Rosa
2022: Heather Murray
2021: Becky Fulton
2020: Michelle Beltrame, Emelia Morris
This award recognises the ASI graduate who has experienced success beyond the classroom. They are passionately establishing their styling business whether it be commercially, creatively or through innovation.
PAST RECIPIENTS:
2024: Tamarra McNaught
2023: Justina Low
2022: Fae Jagdon
2021: Melissa Murgana
2020: Jessica Ryan
This award recognises creators who unite creativity and commerce. They excel at communicating fashion and lifestyle to a digital audience, sharing their own brand of style.
PAST RECIPIENTS:
2024: Emelia Morris
2023: Rachael Gough
This award recognises the most conscientious student. They are dedicated to their studies, active within the ASI community and eager to grow.
PAST RECIPIENTS:
2024: Gabrielle Sampson
2023: Maddy Forster
2022: Lisa Naumann
2021: Bec Lenthall
2020: Hope Shadbol
