The inside story of the coming of age of Australian fashion and of designers, celebrities and supermodels, and of businesses big and small.

In the Front Row charts the rise of Australian Fashion Week, from one man’s ambition to take Australian fashion to the world, to the glittering international event it is today. Simon P. Lock’s determination placed Sydney on the international fashion week circuit, up there with New York, London, Milan and Paris.
Lock’s story takes you backstage for the twenty years that Fashion Week has wowed the world. It tells the story of daring designers, supermodels and celebrities and details how Australia’s biggest fashion stars—Akira Isogawa, Collette Dinnigan, Peter Morrissey, Wayne Cooper, sass & bide, Zimmermann, Dion Lee and Ellery—got their start. He reveals the parts Miranda Kerr, Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista, Dita Von Teese and Cate Blanchett played in this often drama-filled adventure.
In the Front Row reveals the feuds, frustrations and triumphs of producing one of Australia’s most fabulous international events.


Simon P. Lock, owner and CEO of The Lock Group, is known for his key role in the implementation of international fashion week showcases in the Asia Pacific region. Founder of the Mercedes Australia Fashion Week, Lock currently serves as creative director of Dubai Fashion Week and acts as a creative consultant to fashion and retail brands including Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney. Credited as the 'Godfather' of Australian fashion, in 2011 Lock was the recipient of the prestigious Australian Fashion Laureate award in recognition of his enduring contributions, marking the first time the award was presented to an individual who was not a designer. He has recently established ordre, a global online wholesale platform for the ready-to-wear fashion industry.