Meet Australian Style Institute’s 2026 Awards Judge, Erin Deering.
Erin Deering has long understood the power of building a brand with a distinct point of view.
As the Founder and Creative Director of Deering, Erin has carved out a place in Australian fashion through creative instinct and an entrepreneurial lens that extends far beyond the wardrobe. A mother of four, published author, podcast host and seasoned entrepreneur, her career reflects the many ways fashion can intersect with identity, business, confidence and culture.
For the 2026 Australian Style Institute Awards, Erin joins our industry judging panel, bringing her perspective to a celebration of emerging stylists, creative direction, editorial fashion, personal style and the next generation of Australian fashion talent.
We spoke with Erin about her take on style, success, creative confidence and why backing emerging talent matters.
Read our conversation with Erin below.
What was the moment you knew fashion was the thing for you?
At 13 I was copying my sister’s style, all Nirvana-era grunge, flannels and petticoats. I didn’t feel like myself, but it was what everyone else wore, so I didn’t know what else to do. Then I saw a Portmans billboard, a model in a jersey cream boat-neck tank and green pedal pushers, and she looked incredible. I asked my mum to take me shopping and bought the exact outfit. From then on I never looked back. I’ve worn what I wanted, styled things my way, and chased that feeling ever since. It’s the biggest joy in my life, and I couldn’t do anything else.
What’s something about this industry you understand now that you wish you’d known at the start? Was there support or mentoring that assisted you?
I started in fashion at 18, on the shop floor in retail, and I hated how serious and joyless it felt. Managers yelled, there was no creativity, it was pretty flat. I wish I’d known that wasn’t what fashion actually was, that at its top tier are deeply creative visionaries doing for the joy of self-expression. I had to learn that on my own, over many years, and I wish I’d trusted it sooner. I didn’t have mentors, but I found comfort firstly in Vogue (cliche I know!). I remember buying it before I even understood it, because I felt I should. Then one day it clicked, and it felt like everything I’d been searching for in fashion was there. When Carrie Bradshaw said Vogue feeds her, I understood exactly what she meant!
Whose work shaped how you see style, and why?
This one shifts constantly, but the Jil Sander 2011 catwalk, with the ball skirts and white t-shirts, has stuck with me more than almost anything. That pairing of a super dressy bottom with something casual on top has stayed at the forefront of my mind ever since. I was so obsessed with it that I remember thinking I’d get married in a white t-shirt and a white ball gown skirt. I still think about that collection all the time!
What has been one of your ‘moments that matter’ or a standout moment in your career?
There have been quite a few, but what comes to mind first is more recent: women telling me how much joy she feels wearing my clothing, and how she understands the deeper meaning behind what I’m putting into the world. That matters more to me than financial success or a magazine cover. If what I’m building makes people feel something, feel better, that’s the moment that stands out, and always has.
When you were starting out, what would it have meant to be seen by people already established in the industry?
It would have been incredibly motivating and reassuring, a sign I was on the right path. Creatively you can get stuck in your own head, unsure if what you’re doing is really any good. Having experts notice my work would have opened something up in me, given me the confidence to keep going!
What do you think recognition like this means for someone early in their styling career?
I’d hope it gives them even more room for creative expression and joy in what they’re doing. This industry means so much to me, but it should be born from joy first. If being noticed helps someone access that more deeply, I’d hope they feel it through the recognition they’re given.
What are you hoping to find in the finalists’ work?
Freedom, joy and independent thinking. We’re all constantly referencing everyone else, so it’s a real art to find your own creativity through that process. At the end of the day, it’s a feeling, and hopefully one they’re accurately translating into what they produce.
What separates good work from work that genuinely stops you in your tracks?
A feeling, an embodiment of what the person is creating and what’s being seen. I’m not a designer myself, so technical delivery isn’t what I respond to first. When something makes me feel a certain way, and it’s unique, inspired and confident, that’s what stops me in my tracks.
Success is for those who…
…know what success means to them first, and understand it isn’t linear, and it isn’t a destination. It’s a feeling you can carry with you for years, something you embody within yourself, and then let become an extension of everything you do.
Share some straight shooting wisdom with us.
You have to do what you love. If you’re fortunate enough to wake up every day and do the work you actually want to do, that’s what carries you through the tough days. Listen to negative feedback and use it as fuel to get better. Don’t be afraid to completely pivot or change direction, I’ve reinvented myself in terms of style more times than I can count, and that’s okay. Failure is just a lesson, and if you learn from it, it makes you better. Don’t fear failing, you can use it as your advantage if you keep going.
Follow Erin at @erinkdeering
Learn more about the 2026 Australian Style Institute Awards here.
