The central topic of discussion at Australian Fashion Week this year had little to do with the runway collections and everything to do with a controversy involving social media influencer Sophia Begg.
Sophia Begg, a 21-year-old Australian influencer widely known by her TikTok alias Sophadophaa, is no stranger to going viral. Her rise to prominence began at age 17 when a TikTok video featuring her in a blue corset sent the item flying off the shelves, cementing her status as a style icon for Gen Z. With nearly three million followers and her own fashion label, Begg’s presence at major events is often a highlight for fashion enthusiasts.
As expected, Begg turned heads at Australian Fashion Week, with anticipation building over the possibility of another viral outfit moment, similar to her recent appearance at Coachella. However, this time, it wasn’t her wardrobe that sparked headlines but rather a disparaging comment made about her by another content creator, which quickly spread online and stole the spotlight from the fashion showcases.
A now-deleted video showed a journalist interviewing creators and asking them to identify a “micro-trend final boss”—a TikTok term typically used to criticize those who follow trends without individual style. While most creators appeared visibly uncomfortable and avoided answering, influencer and celebrity stylist Jamie Azzopardi did not. They named Begg directly, stating, “I love watching Sophadophaa, but I felt like sometimes she doesn’t do fashion the way I do fashion.”
Azzopardi, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, faced immediate backlash for the comment. Critics on social media called out the irony of the statement, pointing out that Azzopardi had worn an outfit from fast-fashion retailer Shein on the second day of the event.
Begg addressed the situation through an eight-minute TikTok video posted Thursday night, which garnered over a million views. In the video, she expressed her disappointment, saying, “I feel like the Australian influencer scene is already so toxic, and we have such big tall poppy syndrome. We don’t need other creators bringing people down. Also, I got named as one of them by someone that wore Shein to Australian Fashion Week, so not sure what that’s about.”
In response, Azzopardi issued a statement on their Instagram story. They backtracked, saying they misunderstood the question and were unfairly edited. Despite this, they expressed disappointment in Begg’s reaction to the incident, commenting, “I think what you’ve said is questionable at best.”
Throughout Fashion Week, Carriageworks’ iconic brick walls served as the setting for a slew of high-pressure interviews, with journalists reportedly attempting to manufacture viral moments. Influencers, including Begg, found themselves under intense scrutiny with highly personal and invasive questions.
During one such interview, Begg appeared visibly taken aback when a journalist asked her how much money she earns. She later described the questioning on TikTok as “diabolical” and “inappropriate.” Speaking to her 1.3 million followers, she shared, “I feel like the interviewers’ sole purpose this year especially is just to catch people out with tricky questions. They’re trying to get tea, they’re trying to get juicy answers, and a lot of the questions are visibly making creators feel uncomfortable.”
Begg recounted another uncomfortable moment when she was asked to reveal the largest brand deal she had ever turned down and to publicly name the company involved. “You can see that I’m like stressed because it’s already a really stressful environment, and I haven’t had media training or anything,” she said. “I’m kind of there alone—like I’m not with my manager or my mum—so I’m freaking out.”
This was not the first time Begg had struggled during a public appearance. At the 2023 TikTok Awards, she experienced a wave of online trolling following a brief and awkward on-stage exchange with presenter Tony Armstrong. During their interaction, Armstrong asked how she was feeling and added, “You look ecstatic and I’m pumped for you.” Begg replied with a nervous laugh, “Thank you. Wow! Stop flirting with me.” Though the clip is no longer trending, Begg admitted the moment still lingers in her memory due to the backlash she received.
In her recent TikTok video, Begg shared how the pressures of online visibility affect her mental health. When asked frequently about her confidence, she admitted, “I’m the least confident person ever. I have raging body dysmorphia, I’m on antidepressants. Like it’s not all what it seems. This was a really negative video, which is exactly what I’m saying that we shouldn’t be doing.”
The events of Fashion Week have sparked a wider conversation about the ethics of influencer coverage, the pursuit of viral content at the expense of personal dignity, and the mental toll that public scrutiny can take on young creators.
Related Topics
- Smart, Stylish, and Comfortable: 5 Must-Have Modern Officewear Essentials for Men
- Wes Anderson’s Quiet Revolution: How the Director Redefined Modern Menswear
- New DXL Store Launches in Syracuse, Delivering Perfect Fit for Big + Tall Men
