Pretty Little Thing address South Australia fashion show cancellation

Pretty Little Thing were forced to postpone their first Southern Hemisphere runway event in South Australia – scheduled for November 19 – on Wednesday due to the state’s implementation of strict COVID-19 lockdown measures.

The online retailer released a statement expressing how they ‘sadly had to postpone’ fashion event, while thanking PR agency We Are Komodo for ‘safely managing’ the 75 models and crew already on location.    

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, We Are Komodo’s co-founder and head of public relations Nick Seymour revealed how they managed to send 75 models and crew home safely, and the plans already in place to reinstate the mammoth event.

Scroll down for video 

The brand’s #PrettyLittleRunway had originally been billed as Australia’s largest runway – with a total of more than 200 influencers, media guests and VIPs due to fly in as spectators.

As the date neared, Pretty Little Thing scaled back its operations, by turning the event into a ‘virtual runway’ by taking away the physical audience, limiting the amount of crew on site, and cutting back the number of runway models.

It then became billed as ‘the world’s longest socially distanced runway’.

When South Australian Premier Steven Marshall made his announcement regarding its six-day, state-wide lockdown on Wednesday afternoon, Pretty Little Thing were forced to abandon the runway show entirely.

We Are Komodo’s co-founder Nick said at that point they already had 75 people on the ground in South Australia – 20 models, 20 glam squad members and a further 25 crew and staff.

Acting fast, models, such as Sam Harris, DJ Tigerlily and Georgia Fowler, who had flown in hours before the announcement were put on the next flight out of the state. 

However, Nick explains that due to some of the models being out at the runway location of Lake Bumbunga (a two-hour drive from Adelaide airport), they had to charter three private planes in the ‘best interest to get them out safe’.

It was then the task of staff members to return to some of the models’ hotel rooms to pack up their belongings and return to Sydney with their suitcases.

‘It was frustrating, devastating, and a stressful situation,’ Nick said, but praised his team on acting fast ahead of the midnight curfew in South Australia beginning. 

He said while the models were gutted the show was cancelled, they are looking forward to joining Pretty Little Thing again when the runway show is reinstated.

Nick claims the fashion retailer are on the hunt for another location in Australia where a show will likely take place in early 2021 with a safe crowd and a ‘bigger and better lineup’.

‘We can’t thank everybody involved enough for all their hard work over the past few months, who worked tirelessly to bring this concept to life! We couldn’t have picked a better destination in the world to shoot this campaign, and we are incredibly grateful to @southaustralia Tourism Board for the incredible experience,’ the PR firm wrote on Instagram on Thursday. 

Models Georgia Fowler, Bambi Northwood-Blyth and Samantha Harris jetting into Adelaide on Wednesday for the Pretty Little Thing fashion show.

But just hours after touching down in South Australia, the models were spotted flying back to Sydney after the virtual runway – which was scheduled for the next day- was cancelled due to the state’s impending lockdown.

Sarah, 30, looked downcast as she strolled through Sydney Airport in a face mask, and was likely still reeling from South Australian Premier Steven Marshall’s announcement that afternoon.

Earlier on Wednesday, Samantha and several other models flew into Adelaide ahead of a virtual runway event for the retailer Pretty Little Thing, but learned within hours they were all dressed up with nowhere to go. 

That afternoon, Premier Marshall announced a six-day, state-wide lockdown effective from midnight after two new coronavirus cases were recorded, taking the cluster in Adelaide to 22 infections. 

The runway was scheduled for Thursday at Adelaide’s famous Lake Bumbunga, and was to be streamed worldwide on YouTube and Instagram as ‘the world’s longest socially distanced runway’.  

In South Australia, residents are not even allowed to exercise outdoors as the state desperately tries to control a new supercharged strain of coronavirus. 

Masks will be mandatory, with only one person per household allowed to leave their home for groceries or medical treatment.

Schools will shut, while restaurants, cafés and pubs will close and even be banned from selling takeaway food.

Weddings will be halted and funerals stopped, while factories and the construction industry will stop work. 

Elective surgery except for urgent operations and cancer treatment will be halted and aged care and disability residents will go into lockdown.

Regional travel is not allowed and all outdoor sport and physical activity is banned.

Premier Marshall said the restrictions will be ‘challenging’ for South Australians, but are necessary to stop the spread of coronavirus.

‘We are at a critical point but we will get through this,’ he said.

‘We may be physically distanced but South Australians have never been more united. Together, we will get through this because South Australians are strong, resilient and united.’

The lockdown was enforced in South Australia from midnight Wednesday.