On the evening of October 11, T Australia’s editor in chief, Katarina Kroslakova and Polestar Australia’s managing director, Samantha Johnson, welcomed guests at MOD. Dining by Clayton Wells inside the Art Gallery of NSW to celebrate the inaugural Visionary Awards.
Turning the spotlight towards the local disruptors who use their talent and creativity to inspire social and environmental change, the peer-nominated awards recognised winners across eight categories including Arts, Food and Drinks, Travel, Design and Architecture, Fashion, Technology and Beauty. Florist-turned-zero-waste-activist Joost Bakker took home the highly coveted 2023 Disruptor of the Year award at the ceremony hosted by comedian, presenter, and design enthusiast Tim Ross.
Other winners included Veggie Saver (Food and Beverage), July (Travel), Mineral Carbonation International (Technology), Damon Gameau (Arts), Biode (Beauty), Boody (Fashion) and Revival Projects (Design and Architecture).
The awards were judged by a panel of industry leaders including Samantha Johnson (Managing Director, Polestar Australia), Michael Elias (Founder and CEO, UPPAREL), Emma Lewisham (Co-Founder and CEO, Emma Lewisham Skincare), Jonno Seidler (freelance writer, creative consultant and former Creative Lead, Unyoked), Matilda Brown (Australian actor and Co-Founder of The Good Farm Shop), Beau De Belle (Gamilaraay man and RMIT researcher), Amanda McKenzie (Founder and CEO, Climate Council), Victoria Pearson (Digital Content Director, T Australia) and Katarina Kroslakova (Publisher and Editor in Chief, T Australia).
Guests sipped on Four Pillars Dry Gin cocktails and snacked on MOD. Dining’s vegan menu, designed by executive chef Clayton Wells. Florals were styled by Bess Paddington. The evening was captured below by photographer Myles Klaus.
