Style & Substance
ABOUT THE SHOW
Jock Serong, Megan Hess, Sophie Green & Stavroula Adameitis (Frida Las Vegas) in conversation with Alison Kubler
Every outfit tells a story. From the travelling salesman who revolutionised Australian menswear to the history of fashion’s most iconic gowns, from a sparkling celebration of secondhand frocks to a colourful compendium of Aussie kitsch and camp, these enthralling narratives take us behind the dressing room curtain to reveal the many wonders of our wardrobes.
PART OF BRISBANE WRITERS FESTIVAL
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jock Serong is the author of Quota, winner of the 2015 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction; The Rules of Backyard Cricket, shortlisted for the 2017 Victorian Premier’s Award for Fiction, finalist of the 2017 MWA Edgar Awards for Best Paperback Original, and finalist of the 2017 Indie Book Awards Adult Mystery Book of the Year; and On the Java Ridge, which won the Colin Roderick Award and, internationally, the inaugural Staunch Prize (UK), and was shortlisted for the 2018 Indie Awards. He has won praise for his trilogy of historical novels Preservation; The Burning Island, which earned him the ARA Historical Novel Prize and the Historia Award for Historical Crime Fiction (France); and The Settlement, which was shortlisted for the Voss Prize and the ARA Historical Novel Prize. His most recent novel, Cherrywood, was shortlisted for both the 2025 Indie Book Awards and the 2025 ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year.
Megan Hess is an internationally acclaimed artist. Her prestigious clients include Chanel, Dior, and Tiffany&Co. Megan has illustrated for Vanity Fair, Cannes Film Festival and fashion shows such as Christian Dior Couture. Her bestselling adult and children books have sold over 2 million copies.
Sophie Green is an author and publisher who lives in Sydney. In her spare time, she writes about country music on her website, Sunburnt Country Music. Sophie’s novels are internationally published, and each has been an Australian Top Ten bestseller. The Frock Shop is her eighth novel.
Stavroula Adameitis aka Frida Las Vegas is an Australian artist, designer and cultural futurist obsessed with all things kitsch. Her work sits gleefully at the intersection of popular culture, nostalgia, maximalism and futures-thinking.
Alison Kubler has a double major in Art History from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Masters in Post-war and Contemporary Art History from Manchester University, England. She has over 25 years’ experience as a curator in museums and galleries, and on major public art commissions. Alison is a Member of the Council of the National Gallery of Australia, Chair of the Collections Committee, and a Committee Member of Know My Name. She Editor in Chief of VAULT Magazine.
PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES
VENUE
TICKETS
DURATION
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Suitable for all ages
18 months and under free on the knee; all other ages must hold a valid ticket
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jock Serong is the author of Quota, winner of the 2015 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction; The Rules of Backyard Cricket, shortlisted for the 2017 Victorian Premier’s Award for Fiction, finalist of the 2017 MWA Edgar Awards for Best Paperback Original, and finalist of the 2017 Indie Book Awards Adult Mystery Book of the Year; and On the Java Ridge, which won the Colin Roderick Award and, internationally, the inaugural Staunch Prize (UK), and was shortlisted for the 2018 Indie Awards. He has won praise for his trilogy of historical novels Preservation; The Burning Island, which earned him the ARA Historical Novel Prize and the Historia Award for Historical Crime Fiction (France); and The Settlement, which was shortlisted for the Voss Prize and the ARA Historical Novel Prize. His most recent novel, Cherrywood, was shortlisted for both the 2025 Indie Book Awards and the 2025 ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year.
Megan Hess is an internationally acclaimed artist. Her prestigious clients include Chanel, Dior, and Tiffany&Co. Megan has illustrated for Vanity Fair, Cannes Film Festival and fashion shows such as Christian Dior Couture. Her bestselling adult and children books have sold over 2 million copies.
Sophie Green is an author and publisher who lives in Sydney. In her spare time, she writes about country music on her website, Sunburnt Country Music. Sophie’s novels are internationally published, and each has been an Australian Top Ten bestseller. The Frock Shop is her eighth novel.
Stavroula Adameitis aka Frida Las Vegas is an Australian artist, designer and cultural futurist obsessed with all things kitsch. Her work sits gleefully at the intersection of popular culture, nostalgia, maximalism and futures-thinking.
Alison Kubler has a double major in Art History from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Masters in Post-war and Contemporary Art History from Manchester University, England. She has over 25 years’ experience as a curator in museums and galleries, and on major public art commissions. Alison is a Member of the Council of the National Gallery of Australia, Chair of the Collections Committee, and a Committee Member of Know My Name. She Editor in Chief of VAULT Magazine.
