Alana Pallister used to be grid girl — as in one of the hotties on the track at any racing event like F1. Her experience is the latest inspiration for I.AM.GIA's "The Miss Gia Racing" collection.
Throughout, Pallister weaved in her first-hand experiences from the early aughts participating in the Indy 500, while adjusting for today's tastes. Now that F1 has taken the fashion world by storm, it's the perfect time for her to celebrate the fast-paced, competitive and glamorous lifestyle.
I.AM.GIA has been seen on just about everyone: Emily Ratajkowski, Ice Spice, Sexyy Red, Tyla, Sabrina Carpenter, Camila Cabello, Doja Cat, Chloe Cherry, Tinashe and so many more. That's why for the campaign shot by Alana O'Herlihy, Pallister features 10 It-girls, including Gabbriette and Memphy, to portray a pageant in which the girls compete for the title of "Miss Gia Racing 2024."
See the campaign, below, as PAPER caught up with Pallister about the inspiration behind the collection, casting the "contestants" and how the brand continues to evolve.
Tell me about the inspiration behind the collection and campaign!
The collection was inspired by my life before fashion: the fun times I had in the 2000s working with the Ferrari team, as well as my time spent in the Miss Indy competition, which, in the 2000s, was really big in Australia where I grew up. I wanted to encapsulate that time in one collection to pay homage to my younger self and all of the characters from the competition that, in some way or another, have inspired I.AM.GIA along the way. My longtime friend Alana O’Herlihy, who has a deep understanding of the GIA girl, brings our storyline to life in such a fun and entertaining way. She understands the uniqueness of each individual character like no other.
The campaign showcased 10 GIA girls competing for the coveted title of "Miss Gia Racing 2024." We announced the winner at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. I truly felt it was a full circle moment for me and how far I've come considering my past experiences. Emily Ratajkowski was the winner, who was present in Monaco for our unveiling.
How did you cast this? What was it like working with all the girls?
It was really important to first draw up the characters and create the narrative of what each individual character embodied. We wanted to have a lot of fun with the characters, and Alana and my creative team worked closely to bring them to life. The casting was really important for me and was made easy once the characters were brought to life.
The first campaign was such a fun day. In total, we had nine models on set, all with such fun and energetic personalities, so the day was almost like one big party. Our hair and makeup team had locked down along with all of the creatives. Honestly, it could have been a short film.
This campaign and being in Monaco may have been the highlight of GIA’s campaigns to date. We had our very own I.AM.GIA super yacht and walked Pit Lane to shoot Em Rata. It was a wild weekend — one I’ll never forget and one I am so very proud of.
What does it look like for I.AM.GIA to interpret Y2K?
Our collections do capture the spirit of this era. We have always enjoyed incorporating elements from the 2000s into our designs, especially considering this was the era I grew up. GIA herself has elements of all of the icons from this time, so when designing the collections for her, it’s always fun in reflecting the iconic styles of that time in a modern, fresh and adventurous twist.
How has the brand evolved to where it is now?
I'm so proud of where GIA is today. The brand has evolved throughout the years, but we’ve stayed true to our roots. As the founder, I am still involved in all facets of the brand. We enjoy pushing boundaries and experimenting with new styles, which our audience has embraced wholeheartedly. I think over the years the evolution of GIA herself has really come into fruition. Our followers and loyal fans now very much know the character personally. As we design each collection based on where GIA is traveling, or what she is up to next, it’s been really fun for both the customers and us at HQ to continue to develop her character.
What are you excited about for your future?
It's a very exciting time for GIA! Our design team is currently working to expand X-Rated, our lingerie line, to offer collections all year round. We have a very exciting brand to brand collaboration coming up soon, which I am beyond excited about. We will also be introducing GIA herself in a new and exciting way, which I can’t share too much on right now, but I will say watch this space.
Photography: Alana O'Herlihy
