The founder of fashion label Kookai has been slammed after she allegedly crashed a luxury Range Rover into a home while over the legal limit and then fled the scene.
Danielle Vagner, who co-founded the $100 million chic fashion brand in Australia, was filmed driving her mangled car down a Melbourne alleyway on June 12.
It’s alleged she had fled the scene of an earlier accident, where she crashed into the front of a South Yarra residence causing $200,000 in damage.
The owners of the residence, Elena and Vladimir Sender, have accused Ms Vagner of showing no remorse and being selfish, labelling the alleged act as ‘low’.
The founder of fashion label Kookai has been slammed as selfish and unremorseful by the couple who’s home she allegedly trashed by driving her Range Rover into it
The damage to the Senders’ home in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra
The owners of the residence, Elena and Vladimir Sender (pictured), have said they can’t comprehend her behaviour and have labelled the act as ‘low.’
‘She did not even make an attempt to check if someone was hurt. She only thought of herself,’ Ms Sender told the Herald Sun.
‘She lives in a different world. A person who crashes into a house, makes a huge amount of damage and may have been drunk is terribly shocking.’
The damage bill to their residence has been estimated at $200,000 and Ms Sender says she will pursue the matter in court.
‘We live in limbo at the moment,’ said Ms Sender.
Vagner was tracked by police officers after attempting to drive down a nearby alleyway with no front tyres and leaving huge gouge marks in the asphalt on June 12.
When the officers finally arrested her and accompanied her back to the station, she allegedly blew an alcohol reading of .099, almost twice the legal limit.
Vagner was born with fashion in her genes: a former model from four generations of beautiful women.
Danielle Vagner’s mother, Marcia, was a model in the 50s and 60s and her grandmother was a model long before colour photography would hit magazine stands.
Vagner was tracked by police officers after attempting to drive down a nearby alleyway with no front tyres and leaving huge gouge marks in the asphalt on June 12
Danielle Vagner, (left) the founder of one of Australia’s leading clothing labels, was born with fashion in her genes. Her mother, Marcia, (centre) and grandmother, (right) were both models
It’s a heritage the designer credits to her brand’s success, and a family ethos that runs through generations.
What started as a spontaneous trip to Paris with her Fijian-born husband and childhood sweetheart, would inspire the fashion entrepreneur to set up what would later become a $100million fashion empire.
But building a fashion empire didn’t come so easy.
The notoriously secretive designer co-owns the brand with her ex-husband Rob Cromb.
Their 25-year journey started with humble beginnings: just one small boutique on Melbourne’s Chapel Street to 39 stores across Australasia and another 160 overseas.
Danielle was pregnant with her first daughter Bianca when the first Kookai store opened in 1992.
The pair met when they were just teenagers at the age of 14.
The socialite founder (left) credits her family heritage to her brand’s success, and a family ethos that runs through generations: sharing the business with her daughter Bianca (right)
The notoriously secretive designer co-owns the brand with her ex-husband Rob Cromb (centre). The pair met when they were just teenagers at the age of 14
Danielle Vagner’s mother, Marcia, (left) was a model in the 50s and 60s and her grandmother (right) was a model long before colour photography would hit magazine stands
An impulsive trip to Paris inspired the couple to take a risk on a concept for a women’s clothing line to fill a gap in the Australian market.
The high-profile fashion queen described her brand as ‘a labour of love’ and the ‘determination to succeed’
Although separated, the fashionable pair share a bond that’s seen them continue to run an ever-expanding business with their two adult children, Bianca and Viktor.
The high-profile fashion queen described her brand as ‘a labour of love’ and the ‘determination to succeed’, in an interview she gave to Footnotes.
‘We had no rules when we started, we made up a lot of things along the way that seemed to work because we were so young, full of hope and so very, very idealistic that anything was possible,’ she said.
‘We took chances and experimented, as only the young do, because we had a sense of freedom and a knowledge that if it didn’t work it was a labour of love.’
Although separated, the fashionable pair share a bond that’s seen them continue to run an ever-expanding business with their two adult children, Viktor (left) and Bianca (right)
‘We are passionate about our family business, it has heart and soul and you only ever attain that with a history laced with many highs and lows,’ Ms Vagner explained
‘Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought this … I punch myself and think wow, I still can’t believe I’ve got this far,’ Kookai’s other co-founder Rob Cromb, 54, told AFR.
Danielle (left) was pregnant with her first daughter Bianca (right) when the first Kookai store opened on Chapel Street in 1992
‘I’ve come from a very modest background and to get as far as I’ve got still to this very day surprises me.’
‘To be honest it’s been a lot of hard work and blood sweat and tears.’
Cromb grew up in the tiny village of Nawaido on the Fijian island of Vanua Levu and, together his his ex-wife, is now one of the most influential figures in the Australian fashion industry.
‘We are passionate about our family business, it has heart and soul and you only ever attain that with a history laced with many highs and lows,’ Ms Vagner explained.
‘Life is always throwing you a curve ball, so you must duck and weave and hope that at the end you have learnt enough about not only yourself but your business to make it a stronger, more powerful place to be.’
A family affair: ‘Life is always throwing you a curve ball, so you must duck and weave and hope that at the end you have learnt enough about not only yourself but your business to make it a stronger, more powerful place to be,’ Ms Vagner said. Pictured with her father and mother
Danielle Vagner (pictured with daughter Bianca), said building a fashion empire didn’t come so easy. It was a 25-year journey which started with humble beginnings from one small boutique