Mary Fowler rightly deserved her status as Australian sporting royalty – having represented both the women’s national football team and Manchester City with her trademark cool confidence. But, come 29 September, the 21-year-old soccer sensation will be trading her green and gold Matildas jersey and boots for haute couture and heels heels as she makes her debut at Paris Fashion Week – with Mary’s strut down the L’Oreal Paris Le Defile show runway seeing her becoming the first professional footballer in history to take part.
Held against the backdrop of the iconic Hotel de Ville, the annual L’Oreal showcase is a milestone moment – for both sports and style. A celebration of women’s empowerment, Mary will represent Australia, females in sport, and her proud Papua New Guinean heritage, alongside global icons like Kendall Jenner, Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, Helen Mirren, and Eva Longoria, on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.
For Mary, the opportunity is both exhilarating and a little outside her comfort zone. “This will be my first time walking a runway,” she says. “But the chance to walk alongside extraordinary women in a celebration of inclusion and sisterhood is truly inspiring.”
It is also the latest chapter in her beauty journey with L’Oreal Paris. Since becoming the brand’s first Australian and New Zealand athlete ambassador in 2024, Mary has fronted campaigns for a range of products, including the viral Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist and the cult-favourite Revitalift Vitamin C Serum. And while she is known for her fierce on-field presence, she is equally passionate about beauty as a form of self-expression. “Ever since I was young, I have loved experimenting with different looks – both with clothing and makeup. For me, beauty has always been about expressing who I am, both on and off the field.”
That message – of strength, confidence, and authenticity being beautiful in every form – will be at the heart of her Paris Fashion Week debut. And, it is one that resonates with young women everywhere, especially in Australia, where Mary has quickly become more than a sporting hero. She is a style icon in her own right, often celebrated for her fresh-faced looks, effortless hairstyles, and unapologetically modern take on femininity.
Le Defile is famous for blending state-of-the-art beauty artistry with high fashion, and this year’s show promises to be no different. With hair expert Stephane Lancien and makeup artist Harold James curating the looks, and a line-up of powerhouse ambassadors spanning generations and backgrounds, the event will once again live-stream worldwide – democratising beauty in true L’Oreal style.
And, Aussie fans who cannot make it to Paris can still experience the glamour closer to home. On October 4 and 5, La Galerie L’Oreal Paris will pop up at Melbourne’s Collins Street, reimagining a Parisian department store with exclusive giveaways, beauty consultations, and masterclasses.
Mary Fowler might be known for goals on the field, but in Paris, she is about to score a whole new kind of victory – proving that beauty, just like ball skills is about breaking boundaries, inspiring others, and owning your place on the world stage.
Image credits: Tracey Lee Hayes