Audi and InStyle present 2012 Women of Style Awards

ZETLAND, AUSTRALIA – May 16, 2012: More than 300 people attended the fourth annual InStyle and Audi Women of Style awards in Sydney last night to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of successful Australian women.

In total, 14 women were recognized for their contribution to the Australian community through their work in nine categories including Environment, Charity/Community, Beauty, Fashion, Arts/Culture, Business, Design, Lifestyle and News/Entertainment.

The overall Reader’s Choice award was presented to Australian supermodel and businesswoman, Miranda Kerr, founder of KORA Organics.

In addition, the InStyle and Audi Style Scholarship award was presented by Audi’s General Manager, Marketing, Janet Markus, to Alyssa McClelland.

With acting roles on Home and Away and All Saints, McClelland is no stranger to lighting up the camera, but her lifelong dream is to be behind one. After forming production company ‘Pickled Films’ in 2009, McClelland’s first short film, Emilia Eckle, was shown at 10 film festivals worldwide.

“The hardest thing for me, and most film-makers, is getting funding for projects,” McClelland said.

After winning the Scholarship at last night’s award, a thrilled McClelland said she plans to invest the $10,000 prize into her film Sleep Tonight, a short romantic script she’s written and plans to direct.

Audi Australia’s Janet Markus is a judge for the InStyle and Audi Women of Style awards and says that the brand is proud to support young, talented women in their career progression.

„Alyssa has already achieved great success as an actor, and with the scholarship she will now be able to complete her next film project, further boosting her career as a film-maker. She also plans to study comedic directing in Chicago,“ Markus said.

Audi has been the major sponsor of the InStyle and Audi Women of Style awards since it’s inception in 2009, as it fits perfectly with Audi’s brand values of sophistication and progressiveness.

The brand supports the award to celebrate the achievements of Australian women, and to recognise this success formally, as an inpiration to future generations.

Kerrie McCallum, Editor of InStyle said, “The InStyle and Audi Women of Style Awards are the country’s premier awards recognising the efforts of outstanding women who not only display innovation and passion, but also have a special place in Australian culture today.”

Guests at the Sydney event included Collette Dinnigan, Layne Beachley, Sally Obermeder, Erika Heynatz, Kate Ritchie, Melissa Doyle, Kylie Gillies, Lara Bingle, Rachael Finch, Brooke Satchwell, Jessica Rowe, Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Jodi Gordon, Lisa Ho, Samantha Harris, Charlotte Dawson, and Rachel Gilbert.

All winners were selected by the InStyle and Audi Women of Style judging panel which included: Deborra-lee Furness, Actress and Human Rights Advocate; Collette Dinnigan, Fashion Designer; Layne Beachley, Entrepreneur and Environmental Campaigner; Jana Wendt, Journalist and Author; Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, Director, Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia; Gillian Armstrong, Film Director; Louise Olsen, Designer and Creative Director, Dinosaur Designs; Katie Page, CEO, Harvey Norman Holdings; and Janet Markus, General Manager—Marketing, Audi Australia.