ALWAYS IN STYLE WITH BROOKE CHAMBERLAIN
Why do we love fashion so much? Whether it’s a couture outfit or our favorite pair of worn jeans, it all counts as fashion. For most people, it’s because what we wear helps us to cultivate a certain emotion and/or sense of confidence. While contrarians will discount the fashion community and industry as superficial, most of the world comprehends that fashion is a tool which allows them to have a sense of control in their lives. Australian Brooke Chamberlain is a successful and lauded actress who has appeared in a host of award-winning and publicly embraced films but she’s also a lover of fashion. When the creators of the series Fashion News Live wanted a host for some of the most important industry events of the year, they selected Chamberlain to assume this position. An actor’s job it to get in touch with their own connection to something and then display this to the viewer; who better than a fashion fan who is a respected and talented actress? As host of the Amazon Prime streaming Fashion News Live, Brooke flew to exotic locations like Paris, Milan, and Tel Aviv to speak with Fashion gurus, designers, and the famous to give viewers access to exciting and exclusive events.
Just as styles and taste will evolve, so does communication. Each iteration of fashion programs is presented by a host or hosts who bring something complementary to the viewers’ perception of the industry and our understanding. BBC’s BAFTA Award-nominated What Not to Wear with hosts Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, Fashion Police with Joan Rivers and a variety of cohosts on E!, and Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning Queer Eye (rebooted on Netflix) with the original Fab Five are some of the well-known fashion centric shows and all have a completely different feel due in no small part to the hosts. Fashion News Live saw a stand out quality in Chamberlain which they felt would be immensely beneficial to the program. Rocco Leo Gaglioti (President of the FNL Network) professes, “It was a pleasure to work with Brooke Chamberlain. She was so passionate about everything she did on camera with FNL Network. It was obvious to the viewing audience that she is both very knowledgeable about fashion and loves it passionately.”
One of the characteristics of fashion programs and FNL in particular is that they feature not only those who create but also those who admire and appreciate these creations. This variety gives a host like Brooke many vantage points by which to approach those she interviews. It also requires her to be empathic to some degree when speaking with them. The eclectic nature of this is exciting rather than intimidating for Brooke. Traditional and contemporary designers display a variety of approaches, such as when she interviewed the legendary designer John Richmond known for his work with Madonna, David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger, George Michael, and the biggest names in music. The host comments, “He was one of my favorite designers that I interviewed. His inspiration from the old rock bands really showed in his designs and he really created a fantastic collection. The passion in his work is inspiring and he was a very humble soul. It’s exciting for me to interview these respected designers because I often never know what they will be like until the camera is rolling.” In addition, Chamberlain often found herself interviewing models like Victoria Secret’s Sara Sampaio and actresses like SAG award-winner Abbie Cornish.
There’s no denying that being natural in front of a camera is a skill. It’s also undeniable that there is a direct link between Brooke’s ease of interviewing others on camera and her many roles and years as an actress. Chamberlain appeared as Melissa in the horror/thriller Daddy’s Girl which won six Australian Screen Industry Network Awards including Best Feature Film. Phoenix Rising, in which the actress appeared as Krystal, was awarded Best Feature Film at the Australian Screen Industry Networks Awards. These films in particular stand out because they display a pensive desperate side that the actress can manifest in complete contradiction to the positive and affable host of FNL. In Chamberlain’s estimation, all of these are part of the cumulative whole. She communicates, “The most rewarding part for me is being able to combine my love for fashion, my love for being on camera, my love for travelling the world into something called ‘work.’ Doing what you love never feels like work and I feel very blessed to be able to call this my “job.”
Author: Kelly King
