The Gala Dinner 2025
The Theme
Celebrating Fashion & Design
The theme for the gala and award ceremony was Fashion & Design and fashion looks from Australian designers such as Kirrikin, R.M.Williams, Camilla and Qantas were showcased throughout the event space. Industrial design was also a key feature, with a gallery showcasing some of the best industrial design work from Australian designers spanning various industries. Allowing guests to re-live memories and admire the breadth of Australian design across the decades.
The Chef
We were delighted to have Prue Freeman create the menu for the gala – which she made with the theme of fashion and design in mind, woven together with Australia's unique and native ingredients. Prue Freeman is the founder of the Daisy Green Collection, a group of vibrant venues where contemporary art, culture and design combine with authentic Aussie hospitality to create beautiful, unique and inspiring spaces across London.
The Entertainment
Australian West End singers Ash Roussety, Naarah and Sarah Morrison are gracing London’s West-End with their talent, having made the move to the UK. They sang a number of toe-tapping and sing-along songs from Australian musicals and ABBA even made an appearance. To end the night we were joined by Honorary Award Winner – Bill Bailey who led the crowd in a sing-along of ‘I Still Call Australia Home’.
The Award Winners
Marc Newson CBE
Australian of the Year in the UK
Marc Newson, CBE, has been described as one of the most influential designers of his generation. He has worked across a wide range of disciplines, and his clients include companies such as Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Hermès, Nike, Dom Pérignon, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Ferrari. He also served as Creative Director of Qantas Airways (2005-2015) and Designer for Special Projects at Apple since his first involvement in the design of the ‘Apple Watch’. In 2019, Marc and Sir Jonathan Ive founded the creative collective LoveFrom. Born in Sydney, Australia, Newson graduated from The University of Sydney in 1986. With the aid of an Australian Crafts Council grant, he staged his first solo exhibition at the age of 23. By 25, Newson had created the now iconic ‘Lockheed Lounge.’ This piece has since set four world record prices at auction for work created by a living designer. As a long-term supporter of the charity (RED), Newson together with Ive curated a design auction in 2013 which raised US$46 million for the organisation. Newson is the only industrial designer represented by Gagosian, and is also represented by Galerie kreo. Leading museums around the world have hosted solo retrospective exhibitions of his work. His designs can be found globally in the permanent collections of over 40 institutions.
Bill Bailey
Honorary Australian of the Year in the UK
Bill Bailey is an internationally renowned comedian, actor and television presenter, as well as being a multi-instrumentalist musician and competition-winning dancer. His stand-up career has gone from strength to strength - winning best stand up at the UK Comedy Awards in 1999 and being voted the seventh best stand up of all time in Channel 4’s 100 greatest stand-ups. He has regularly toured Australia with shows such as Part Troll, Qualmpeddler, Larks in Transit and 2024’s Thoughtifier, which played 16 shows in theatres and arenas around the country. Alongside his comedic and musical prowess, Bill has a long history of supporting environmental and animal rights causes. His most recent book was entitled My Animals and Other Animals, he is a patron of International Animal Rescue and has campaigned for and supported the Sumatran Oraguntan Society. He has presented several wildlife documentaries, is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the Australian University of the Sunshine Coast and also has a carnivorous plant named after him in Borneo. He recently combined his love of nature and walking and his affinity with Australia to write and present a four-part travelogue in Western Australia.
Natasha Porter
Young Achiever of the year in the UK
