Paul Vasileff


Paul Sebastian Vasileff is an Australian fashion designer who is the founder and head designer for Paolo Sebastian, an internationally known atelier based in South Australia.

Personal life

Paul Sebastian Vasileff was born in Adelaide. Vasileff showed an aptitude for the arts as a child, and attended private art lessons from the age of three. Much of his introduction to sewing was under the guidance of his grandmother. He later went on to take private pattern-making lessons. At age eleven, Vasileff made his first design for a childhood friend.

Career

The designer launched the label, Paolo Sebastian, in 2007 with his first runway show. The launch was part of his senior year of high school, and featured sixty three designs. He often states that the success of this launch is shared with the family and friends who supported the event.
Vasileff won a scholarship to Milan's Istituto Europe di Design in 2010, living abroad for that year as he attended the school. Whilst at the institute, one of Vasileff's designs was featured at London Fashion Week.
Upon his return to Australia, Vasileff worked from his home studio, designing custom pieces for clients. As the business expanded and clients began to approach him from interstate and overseas, Vasileff moved into his first atelier in suburban Adelaide, slowly expanding his team. January 2015 saw Vasileff move his business into the Adelaide CBD, opening the Paolo Sebastian atelier. The designer launches two couture collections each year, priding himself on close attention to detail and the creation of a grand story through couture.
Vasileff's designs have been worn to The Academy Awards, the Daytime Emmy Awards and the Grammy Awards.
In October 2015 and 2016 Vasileff closed the Adelaide Fashion Festival with two sold out Paolo Sebastian runway shows.
On 9 November 2016, Paul Vasileff received the 2017 SA Young Australian of the Year Award. In 2017, he won the Young Australian of the Year award for his work in founding and running Paolo Sebastian.
Paul Vasileff was awarded Best Australian Evening Wear Designer in the 2017 Prix de Marie Claire Awards.
October 2017 saw the Vasileff collaborate with Disney on an exclusive thirty-four piece couture collection entitled Once Upon A Dream.

Media

Vasileff has appeared as a fashion commentator on The Morning Show, and for Who Magazine. Paolo Sebastian designs have also appeared on the following television programs: The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, Home and Away.

Notable clients