Christian Wilkins (model)

Christian Wilkins is an Australian model and actor, best known for his clothing style which challenges gender stereotypes and norms.[2][3][4]

Christian Wilkins
Christian Wilkins, 2014
Born
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1]
Occupations
  • model
  • podcaster
  • television presenter
  • actor
Years active2013 to present
Known forfor challenging gender norms with his unique effeminate and non-binary style
Television
Parent

Career

Returning from Schoolies week after graduating from high school in 2013, Wilkins attended the ARIA Music Awards of 2013 in an outfit which he has referred to as his biggest fashion faux-pas.[5]

In 2014, a gossip columnist in The Daily Telegraph described Wilkins' outfits as "garish" and his style as "eccentric".[6] She also suggested Wilkins' only way to find any fame comparable to that of his well known father would be to audition for reality shows such as Big Brother or My Kitchen Rules.[6]

In 2016, Wilkins was working with the Nine Network's senior stylist Kara Wilson on Nine's Instagram account @Channel9Style.[7]

Wilkins appeared on the three-part SBS Television documentary series Filthy Rich and Homeless in 2017 where he was one of five wealthy people to be documented living amongst Melbourne's homeless community for ten days.[8][9]

In 2018, he began hosting a podcast for PodcastOne with Andy Kelly called Radical Fashionism.[10]

In early 2020, Wilkins was announced as one of the competitors on Network 10's Dancing with the Stars, the show's 17th season.[11] Wilkins made it to the grand final where he placed as the runner-up behind series winner Celia Pacquola.[12] The series aired during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and Wilkins was forced into isolation with his dance partner Lily Cornish after his father contracted COVID-19 after interacting with American actress Rita Wilson, who along with her husband Tom Hanks, had tested positive for COVID-19.[13][14]

Following his time on Dancing with the Stars, Wilkins made his acting debut in the Stan series Eden which was filmed in 2020 and began streaming in June 2021.[15][16][17]

Wilkins co-hosted the red carpet fashion at the 2022 ARIA Music Awards alongside his father Richard Wilkins and comedian Lucinda "Froomes" Price.[18]

In February 2023, Wilkins modelled at the Australian fashion label Romance Was Born's runway show called "Stronger Together", as well as at a WorldPride event hosted by Jean Paul Gaultier.[19][20]

Throughout his career to date, Wilkins has been an ambassador for the Perth Fashion Festival, Wayside Chapel, the Victorian Racing Club, Pantene and Karen Murrell lipsticks.[21][22][23][24][25]

Style
Christian Wilkins with his father Richard Wilkins, 2017

Wilkins has developed a unique non-binary style which has seen him challenge gender stereotypes by modelling outfits not traditionally worn by male models. At the Logie Awards of 2022, Wilkins wore a floor-length backless gown. Wilkins' decision to wear the dress prompted many social media users to abuse him.[26] Speaking about the online abuse he received, Wilkins said: "I got a lot of DMs... People telling me to overdose, people telling me to die. I respect that you're allowed to have your opinions … but the hate was quite intense. That level of abuse is completely unacceptable."[4]

Discussing his style in Body+Soul in 2022, Mary Madigan wrote that Wilkins "effortlessly blends textiles, fabrics, and colours. He creates trends or elevates them instead of just following them. His sheer dress at the Logies was a modern twist on 1950s glamour, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it has been everywhere since."[27] Madigan also bemoaned the fact that if he was a cis woman, Wilkins may be considered a fashion icon, rather than facing accusations of attention seeking, writing: "I’m so annoyed that he isn’t getting the fashion accolades he deserves because I’m certain things would be different if he was a straight woman" she wrote.[27]

In February 2022, Wilkins criticised The Daily Mail for a headline about the outfit he wore on the opening day of the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival, which he described as "completely homophobic and misgynistic".[28] The Daily Mail had headlined an article with "Dude looks like a lady! Richard Wilkins' flamboyant son Christian flaunts his VERY toned figure in a skintight pink mini dress with daring cut-outs", referencing Aerosmith's 1987 song "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)".[28]

Personal life

Wilkins is the son of Michelle Burke and television personality Richard Wilkins.[15] His parents divorced when he was one.[15] His maternal grandmother is Greek.[15]

He attended Anglican Church secondary school, Redlands, Cremorne.[15]

Wilkins is gay.[29][30] Despite becoming known for a non-binary fashion style, Wilkins identifies as male and uses male gender pronouns.[31]

References
  1. Wilkins, Christian (5 March 2018). "My very first Mardis Gras as an adult gay man". 9Honey. Retrieved 26 February 2023. As a born and raised Sydneysider, I can't imagine a world without the Mardi Gras.
  2. "Christian Wilkins stuns in racy new campaign". news.com.au. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  3. Rocca, Jane (18 October 2022). "Christian Wilkins brings non-binary style to Flemington". Domain. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  4. Marchese, David (16 February 2023). "'I wore a dress, get over it': Christian Wilkins on being his authentic self". Hack. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  5. "Christian Wilkins opens up about biggest red carpet regret: 'Ghastly'". The Daily Telegraph. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  6. Reines, Ros (29 May 2014). "Why Richard Wilkins' teenage son, who now calls himself 'Prince', is in need of a little direction". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  7. Clarke, Jenna (24 September 2016). "Richard Wilkins' son Christian is Nine's star on the rise". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. Jabour, Bridie (27 June 2017). "Filthy Rich and Homeless: a safe, distant lens the middle class needs to empathise with the poor". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  9. Vollmer, Tim (29 June 2017). "Overlooked, spoken-for and patronised. Why do we treat the poor this way?". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  10. Gunn, Nikole (9 November 2018). "Radical Fashionism: the podcast". Radio Today. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  11. Fowler, Bella (15 January 2020). "Channel 10 announces Dancing With The Stars 2020 cast". news.com.au. Retrieved 26 February 2023. Also starring on the show will be Christian Wilkins, the socialite son of Channel 9 entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins.
  12. "Celia Pacquola wins Dancing With The Stars". Mediaweek. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  13. Knox, David (15 March 2020). "Richard Wilkins tests positive for COVID-19". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  14. Knox, David (17 March 2020). "Christian Wilkins, dancer Lily Cornish in self-isolation". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  15. Rocca, Jane (10 March 2021). "Why last year was a period of discovery for Christian Wilkins". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  16. Rocca, Jane (7 November 2020). "Personal Space: At home with actor Christian Wilkins". Domain. Retrieved 26 February 2023. ...says Christian, who has just finished filming in Byron Bay for his debut acting role in a new series, Eden, on Stan
  17. Buckmaster, Luke (11 June 2021). "Eden review – mediocre mystery at the heart of Stan's new paradise-gone-wrong drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2023. Eden is available to stream on Stan from 11 June
  18. Knox, David (24 November 2022). "ARIA Awards 2022: guide". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 February 2023. Red Carpet: Richard Wilkins, Christian Wilkins, Lucinda 'Froomes' Price...
  19. Scanlan, Rebekah (22 February 2023). "Christian Wilkins stuns in Romance Was Born 2023 runway show". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  20. Scanlan, Rebekah (22 February 2023). "Jean Paul Gaultier hosts Sydney WorldPride launch with Vogue, GQ". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  21. Clarke, Jenna (22 September 2016). "Cheeky clothes and checked egos makes Perth Fashion Festival an A-list playground". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. Baker, Kelly (16 December 2020). "Christian Wilkins, the Wayside Chapel's new fashion ambassador, is a rebel with a cause". Mosman Daily. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  23. "Christian Wilkins becomes Pantene's first Australian male brand ambassador". B and T. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  24. "Christian Wilkins is the face of a new inclusive make-up range". OutInPerth. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  25. Poposki, Claudiia (2 September 2022). "Christian Wilkins' big new job finally revealed". news.com.au. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  26. Dover, Sam (30 August 2022). "Christian Wilkins wore a dress to the Logies. What happened next shocked him". Insight. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  27. Magigan, Mary (1 November 2022). "'Christian Wilkins' style should be celebrated, not mocked'". Body + Soul. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  28. Francis, Chantelle (21 February 2022). "Christian Wilkins slams 'homophobic' headline about Mardi Gras outfit". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  29. Ryan, Aine (16 November 2017). "Richard Wilkins pays tribute to son Christian on TODAY following same-sex marriage win". 9Celebrity. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  30. Brown, Vanessa; Spurway, Alexandra (4 July 2018). "Christian Wilkins has opened up about why he never 'came out' to his dad Richard Wilkins". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  31. Cartwright, Lexie (28 October 2022). "Christian Wilkins on dating, pronouns and his milestone Melbourne Cup Carnival role". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2023. I do get asked about pronouns a lot. I think that all gender is non-binary, and at no point do I look at myself and I'm like, 'I'm a man.' But he/him still just does resonate with me more than they/them... I'd say that I'm non-binary, but I also still very much see myself in he/him pronouns.
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