Josephine Cafagna and Australian radio’s amazing high-fashion Met Gala connection

When Lila Moss walked the red carpet at last week’s Met Gala event in New York City – wearing a stunning, century-old vintage dress – it was a very proud moment for former Melbourne radio journalist Josephine Cafagna.

That’s because it was Josephine who sourced and painstakingly restored the fragile, jaw-droppingly beautiful garmet which turned heads at the annual high-fashion fundraising gala.

An award-winning radio and TV reporter and newsreader, Josephine was a familiar voice on the Melbourne airwaves in decades gone by, working across stations including 3XY, 3AW and 3MP, as well as Geelong’s 3GL (now K rock).

“Radio was always my favorite outlet,” Josephine says. “That immediacy and talking directly to people.”

But vintage fashion has been Josephine’s hobby and passion for many years.

Today, she runs two small businesses: One as a Comms consultant and media trainer at Cafagna Communications, the other: VintageCaf. 

“I buy antique and vintage pieces to restore or remake and sell to clients – mainly overseas where vintage is far more popular.”

Explaining the process involved in restoring the Met Gala gown worn by Lila (daughter of Kate Moss), Josephine tells Radio Today “At auction I bought a 1920s sequin dress that was in a sad state, needing a lot of fine hand repair work. Luckily there were spare sequins in the seam allowances, so I didn’t have to search for replacement sequins. I also used antique tulle I already had in my collection.”

Once complete, Josephine placed the dress in her online store.

“It was purchased by UK designer Connor Ives. He performed his couture skills on it, restructuring it and fitting it on Lila.”

“I was thrilled to see it sparkle at such an event. It is what such antique treasures deserve – to be worn again.”

“So credit to the original maker back in the 1920s, (wish I knew who that was), to me for recognising and restoring its beauty and credit to Connor for reshaping it for the red carpet limelight.”

“The beauty of vintage!”

Josephine has a long and respected history in Australian media.

After radio, she moved into television, first working at SBS then spending fifteen years at the ABC as investigative reporter and presenter of Stateline, along with stints on Foreign Correspondent.

“I don’t miss journalism,” she says. “I won a Walkley Award and six Quill Awards.  I achieved all I wanted.”

“It’s also a different and much more difficult field to progress in today.”

Images: Instagram and Cafagna Communications