Before there were influencers, Nicole Warne was one. In actuality, that was before Instagram even existed. Warne is one of the first pioneers of street style, sitting next to some of the fashion elite. The fashion blogger established her own online business in 2009 by founding the hugely successful Gary Pepper brand, where she offered meticulously chosen antique clothing. She became one of the first digital style stars in the fashion industry and the first blogger ever to sign with IMG. She is currently one of Australia’s most well-known voices, with 1.9 million followers and a global online audience of more than 2.3 million. The half-Japanese, half-Korean model, who is from the Central Coast of New South Wales, has appeared on the cover of nearly every glossy publication ever. US Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, In Style, and Elle are just a few examples. She has achieved success on her own terms. Warne has received recognition from a number of lists, including Business of Fashion’s “The 500 People Shaping the Global Industry” and Forbes’ “30 Under 30.”
Along with her professional successes, her personal accomplishments, such as her stunning wedding to photographer Luke Shadbolt and the birth of her daughter, Suki, have been documented on social media. However, you might not be aware that, in terms of her personal life, Warne is also adoptive. The 31-year-old Adopt Change ambassador sits down for this interview with Mamamia to discuss her diverse background, which includes her South Korean ancestry, upbringing on the Central Coast, and eventual return to her second home of New York. Warne was only five months old when she was adopted. Warne claimed that his natural mother was a single parent, which was uncommon at the time. Says Warne to Mamamia. “I was informed that mom wanted a better life for me because she simply had the resources to support a child, which was very, very typical in the late 1990s,”
Nicole Warne (aka Gary Pepper Girl), a pioneering digital influencer, with 1.7 million Instagram followers and an almost nine-year-old online presence. She launched Gary Pepper Vintage, an online vintage shop, in 2009, when social media was still a bit of a mystery. She offered for sale their apparel that was modelled after the Tokyo Harajuku girls’ colorful, daring looks. She wanted a moniker that seemed slightly peculiar and exciting because she is a branding genius.
Gary Pepper Girl was formed because “I liked that Gary sounds like a man and Pepper like a woman, but my main purpose was to create something distinctive.” Nicole fell head over heels for a photographer, just like any influencer worth her salt would. She recalls how she and Luke (Shadbolt) met through common friends at a Christmas dinner. It seemed strange that we hadn’t already met as we both grew up in the little seaside town on the Central Coast in NSW, Australia. However, as soon as we did, there was an immediate chemistry.
I’m inspired by Nicole’s struggle tale and happy for her.
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