PRESS RELEASE: Couture from the Country: Sonlia Fashion Stars in National Docuseries

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fashion Feature | Australia | June 2025

A new documentary series is stitching together a bold narrative—one that places regional style, creativity, and couture firmly in the national spotlight.
Episode Two of You Can’t Do That in the Bush—the groundbreaking online docuseries celebrating extraordinary regional innovation—will shine a spotlight on Sonlia Fashion, a boutique millinery and fashion house based in Mareeba, Far North Queensland.

Led by founder and designer Liana Hastie, Sonlia has become known for its statement headpieces, intricate detailing, and a distinct aesthetic that blends tropical flair with timeless elegance. From race-day glamour to wearable art, Sonlia’s creations have graced catwalks, weddings, and editorial shoots across the country—proving that the bush can, in fact, rival the runway.

“This series flips the script on what we think rural Australia is capable of,” says series creator and associate producer Laticia Braving. “Liana isn’t just making fashion—she’s shaping culture from the heart of the Tablelands. Sonlia’s story is one of grit, grace and serious creative firepower.”

Produced by Blue Clay Creatives in collaboration with HOLGRO, the series profiles trailblazing innovators across regional and remote Australia. Episode One premiered to a full house in Cairns and featured an Indigenous-led solution to marine plastic waste. Now, fashion takes centre stage.

The fashion episode—Rural Runway—launches Thursday 12 June 2025 on YouTube, and is a must-watch for those tracking the next wave of independent Australian designers redefining what it means to be stylish, sustainable, and regionally rooted.

Watch Episode Two: ‘Rural Runway’
📅 Online Launch: Thursday 12 June 2025
📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@YouCantDoThatInTheBush

For media enquiries, interview requests or high-res images:
Laticia Braving 📧 [email protected] | 📱 0413 342 735

Media Contacts:

Name: Laticia BravingCompany: [email protected]Email: [email protected]Phone: 0413342735

Attachments:

June 6, 2025/by Reland Pigte

About [email protected]

HOLGRO HOLGRO exists to cultivate regional leaders and elevate their voices. Through powerful storytelling and executive wellness coaching, we celebrate regional leaders and support them on their journey. From paddocks to boardrooms, coastlines to deserts—we’re growing stronger regional leaders. Because the future of leadership doesn’t only live in cities—it lives in the paddocks, shopfronts, sheds and sea ports of regional Australia. And it all begins with their stories… BLUE CLAY CREATIVES Blue Clay specialises in crafting strategic content for purpose-driven businesses making a positive impact in the world, empowering purpose through business-focused strategies. With nearly 15 years of experience, they are a passionate full-service creative team whose mission is to tell unique stories in a way that inspires and builds excitement. LATICIA BRAVING With over 20 years in journalism and marketing, including roles at the BBC, Fairfax, The Seven Network, and Southern Cross Austereo, Laticia Braving has dedicated her career to uncovering and sharing the stories that shape people’s lives. Now, as the founder of Blue Clay Creatives and HOLGRO, her focus is on elevating voices from all walks of life, revealing the extraordinary within the everyday. Her work blends strategic brand building, content creation, and storytelling with a deep commitment to purpose and impact. Through both Blue Clay and HOLGRO, she champions messages with meaning, brands with purpose, and people doing good in the world.

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