lara UNFILTERED

It's been two decades since she stepped into the spotlight, but the 35-year-old model, entrepreneur and mother tells Harriet Sim she's finally found her groove

-  Harriet Sim

In the opulent lobby of an exclusive New York hotel, an esteemed import has gone missing. After thumbing anxiously through guest records, concerned staff discover the “traveller” taking refuge inside a private waiting room. The VIP guest in question was not marie claire’s celebrated cover star Lara Worthington, but rather the dazzling Dior dress for her cover shoot. Such is the pulling power of Australia’s fashion darling, she can summon a designer dress to New York from Paris via Sydney.

With the crisis of the missing gown averted, the cover shoot on Long Island goes ahead and Lara shimmies in and out of a series of looks like a seasoned pro. And why not? When not being snapped on the red carpet with her husband, actor Sam Worthington, on his Avatar 2 press tour, Lara has been cementing her fashion icon status and is well and truly in with the cool crowd. “I had dinner with Max on the weekend,” she flippantly says of Ferragamo’s new 27-year-old creative director, Maximilian Davis. “He’s so fresh and directional and I love his use of colour. I always enjoy wearing his designs; they feel like they complement my personality.”