Australian supermodel Abbey Lee is not an obvious stand-in for the Brazilian Victoria’s Secret angel Alessandra Ambrosio.
But Lee has taken over from Ambrosio, following the angel’s flight path as the special guest of the Landmark by Lexus marquee for Derby Day in the Birdcage at Flemington Racecourse.
Unlike Ambrosio, who turned heads alongside actor Matt Damon at last year’s race, Lee didn’t reach angel status when she modelled for Victoria’s Secret, and didn’t return to the runway for this month’s return of the lingerie brand’s annual spectacle.
She might not have the wings, but Lee has the high fashion credibility from long-standing partnerships with luxury brands Gucci, Saint Laurent and Chanel, making her Derby Day role a sign that labels are taking a second look at the races.
Abbey Lee at the NGV Gala in 2023 wearing Schiaparelli. The model will be the guest of Landmark by Lexus at Derby Day.Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images for NGV
Unlike some fashion brands that have shied away from being associated with horse racing, fearing a backlash from animal rights activists, Lee embraces the spring carnival’s festive atmosphere.
“I grew up in Kensington, near Flemington, so I remember being young and watching all the women in their outfits and hats on the street near my house as they made their way to the racecourse,” Lee, 37, says. “The spring carnival always lit up the area. I left home at 17 to begin my career, but I did attend a few racing events during the carnival before I left to work overseas.”
Working in Paris, Milan and New York, Lee became one of Australia’s most successful modelling exports. Since appearing in Mad Max: Fury Road, she has been focusing on transitioning into acting, where her love of horses has reached a new level.
“I fell in love with horse riding while I was filming Horizon with Kevin Costner,” Lee says of the western. “I had an amazing riding coach on set who spent a week with me before we started filming. I was adamant about wanting to do all my own horse riding on screen, so she got me galloping in a few days. It’s one of the most exceptional experiences on a film set I’ve had to date.”
Back at Flemington, Lee is only the model-thin edge of a growing luxury wedge bringing glamour back to the starting gate.