Cable Conversations: A Stylish Exchange with Brooke McAuley

Renowned for her flawless dance career, former Australian ballerina Brooke McAuley has effortlessly transitioned from the world of ballet to the forefront of fashion.

As the face of our latest collection, La Vie En Rose, Brooke brings her distinctive style and magnetic flair to every stitch and silhouette.

Here, we talk to the model and creative content creator about her daily routines, the evolution from ballet to fashion and the influences that have left an indelible mark on her artistic spirit.

What does your typical day start with?

Uno espresso!

What or who is your greatest source of inspiration?

 
When it comes to a source of inspiration, I'm more of a 'what' than a 'who'. My 'what' is music, travel and my surroundings.

I listen to music from the moment I wake up, then throughout the day… until Netflix is turned on in the evening.

If I have free time, I'm often on the beach, air pods in, thinking up creative concepts or future planning and dreaming.

Experiencing different cultures whilst travelling always inspires me and encourages me to think differently. There's just something about travel that gets my creative juices flowing!

I've always thought it's great to use others as a source of inspiration, but never compare! You should always be your greatest inspiration, too.
 

Describe your wardrobe in three words.

Playful, textured, short (in hemlines).

What effect has your ballet career had on your approach to life?

My ballet career truly shaped (almost) every single piece of who I am today.
It taught me to have resilience; it taught me confidence from a very young age, and my favourite lesson, which my Russian teacher always told me, was, "Work smarter, not harder".

At the time, when I was still dancing professionally, I didn't realise how much I would carry these strengths into everyday life and the industry I work in now.
It gave me some extra tough skin, that's for sure!

 

When did you realise that fashion was more than a passion?

I've never thought about this, as it was such a gradual occurrence.
I’ve always loved playing dress-ups; I've been collecting Vogue magazines since I was 13 (and still have every issue!).

The penny-drop moment was the positive response I was receiving from my community online when I was organically sharing outfits I had worn.

As brands started reaching out to partner with me, I realised it had become more than just a passion, and I am so grateful to call this work!

 

How do Cable clothes make you feel, and which styles do you gravitate towards? 

Cable clothes make me feel ultra-chic, strong and feminine. I especially love Cable's suiting; the tailoring is absolute perfection.

Brooke is wearing the Elton Check Suit Blazer and Pant.

You travel a lot – is this for work or pleasure?

Both! Work and play! It's a real balancing act, which I still struggle to nail. I can't help but get excited when I see an amazing location and want to shoot for a client there. I love that the nature of my job means I can work and travel simultaneously. However, strong boundaries of when and where work needs to be set ahead of the holiday, that's for sure.

 

Can you tell us about the creative people that have inspired you?

My dear friend Alison has always been such a creative inspiration to me; we've been childhood sweethearts and besties since high school. We would always do creative things together as teenagers — like making collages out of runway clips from Vogue magazines or doing cringe photo shoots, which we thought were so cool at the time.

Now, Alison owns her own business as a florist and is dabbing in the art of film and photography. I'm always so inspired by Alison; she is a quiet achiever, always curious, and creates the most incredible works of art.

This girl has an eye! (in case you're curious, you can follow here here @the_petalproject ).

Brooke is wearing the Poppy Dress.

 

You've recently moved from Melbourne to Sydney? Where are your favourite spots in Sydney, and what are you missing from Melbourne?

I have! And I am absolutely loving it here in Sydney. My favourite hangs are 'My Flower Man' for a coffee — a great little spot to have a break from work and chat with other creatives.

'Kutti Beach' is also a magical spot I've been hanging out in lately; it's a quaint little beach in Vaucluse that feels like you could be in Majorca. (But with sand, not pebbles!)

Sydney needs to up their croissant game, though; that's something I really miss from Melbourne, plus their super cool and moody wine bars.

 

What is your guilty pleasure?

Eating dessert before dinner (but I don't feel that guilty about it, life's short.)

 

Do you believe in New Year's Resolutions, and if so, are you willing to share any with us?

I do. However, I like to call it a New Year's 'Theme' rather than a 'Resolution'. I find setting an overall theme for the year is a more gentle, organic approach to improving and achieving things.

For example, this year, my personal theme is 'connection', specifically in my relationships with my friends, husband, family, and community on social media and my relationships within my work industry.

This year, I really want to work on staying in touch with all these people on a deeper level.

I also want to eat healthier, but we will see how long that resolution lasts; I did have Betty's Burgers on January 1st.

Brooke is wearing the Philly Embroidered Shirt. Pants coming soon.

Brooke is wearing the Chambray Dress.