Redefining the Runway: How Isabel and the Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival are changing fashion for good

After more than 15 years in the corporate world, Queenslander Isabel Yap made an unexpected leap—from business meetings to the backstage of runway and fashion shows. The Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival was born from a commitment to inclusivity and diversity, offering genuine opportunities for people of all colours, races, and ages to take part in fashion and modelling.

From a career in finance management to personal styling and producing fashion shows, Isabel took a leap of faith—now leading Australia’s largest fashion creatives incubator and one of the most innovative platforms for emerging designers and models. Credit: Lucid Dreams Imagery, The Bella Styling Co (Instagram)

Key Points

• The Ilongga-born Isabel Yap transitioned from a 15-year career in the corporate world to the fashion industry.
• Launched in 2022, the Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival was built on a vision of genuine inclusivity and diversity.
• The festival provides opportunities for people of all colours, races, and ages to step into the world of modelling and fashion.

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Redefining the Runway: How Isabel and the Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival are changing fashion for good

SBS Filipino

35:36Filipino

Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival's Isabel Credit: Fire Mark Photo Media via The Bella Styling Co (Instagram)

Starting as a stylist, Isabel quickly found her calling in curating inclusive runway experiences, driven by a clear mission: to challenge outdated beauty standards and create space for real representation.

The Flower Show at the 2024 Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival held in Gold Coast, Queensland. Credit: Lucid Dreams Imagery via The Bella Styling Co (Instagram)

That mission led to the creation of the Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival, a groundbreaking platform born out of Yap’s vision for authentic diversity in fashion.

The festival provides opportunities for people of all colours, races, and ages to step into the world of modelling and fashion—many for the first time.

“Inclusivity isn’t just a buzzword,” Yap says. “Everyone deserves a chance to be seen and celebrated.”

Isabel was 14 when she attended her first fashion show at her high school in Iloilo, Philippines. She moved to Australia at 20, built a 15-year career in the corporate world, and later shifted to fashion, where she's now creating opportunities for Australians from diverse backgrounds. Credit: The Bella Styling Co (Instagram)

More than just a fashion event, the festival is a movement—redefining who belongs on the runway and proving that style has no limits when representation is real.

With her passion in the fashion industry, Isabel infuses her Filipino heritage into both her work and the way she uplifts those around her. Credit: Supplied by The Bella Styling Co

As she builds her name in the Australian fashion industry, Isabel weaves her Filipino identity into everything she does, showing care not only in her craft but in how she treats the people she works with.

"Raised in the Philippines, I was shaped by my parents’ tough-love approach—what we call carino brutal. That blend of honesty and care now defines how I lead and support others through QAFF."

'At the Queensland Arts and Fashion Festival, we see no colour, no gender, just people.' Credit: CELGFX via The Bella Styling Co (Instagram)

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