THEY are an A-list pair who entertained screaming fans on Friday, but Giuliana and Bill Rancic took some time out of their busy schedule for an exclusive interview with reporter LIA SPENCER before they took the main stage outside Fountain Gate’s Myer.
Giuliana, an E!News host and Fashion Police co-star, has been The Westfield’s Style Ambassador for about six months.
She was joined by her entrepreneur husband Bill who was made famous after he was the first candidate hired by The Trump Organization at the end of the first season of Donald Trump’s reality television show The Apprentice.
They also star in their own reality show Giuliana and Bill which gained world-wide attention as Giuliana struggled to have a baby, battled breast cancer and had their son Duke through a surrogate.
The two opened up about Giuliana’s close friend Joan Rivers, their very public struggles and gave hot fashion tips for spring and summer.
Q: Welcome to Australia, how are you enjoying it so far?
Bill – It reminds me of my hometown of Chicago. Everyone’s so warm and inviting.
Giuliana – It’s a great country. And it’s nice to be with Bill this time (she came to Australia previously to tour Westfield sans husband).
We are off to Brisbane then Sydney where we will go to the zoo, feed the giraffes and check out koalas.
Bill – She wants me to box a kangaroo, but I’m not sure about that!
Giuliana – I have also tried Vegemite. It’s really good.
Bill – She’s a Vegemite addict!
Q: You are here to give style tips, what do you think about Australian’s fashion?
Giuliana – I love it! Australian designers are some of best in the world.
I started the partnership with Westfield about six months ago but have been wearing Australian designers for several years – on red carpet, ENews, Fashion Police.
Designers here are doing things no one else is doing – they are very ahead of their time.
I love Alex Perry, Paolo Sebastoin, Dion lee, Lover, Cue, Willow, Witchery, Peter Alexander has the best pyjamas, Wittner shoes care cute and affordable, Sass and Bide, Ginger and Smart, Zimmerman. If I lived here I would never go shopping in New York or LA!
Q: Bill, were you as fashionable now as you were before you met Giuliana?
Bill – Not even close! I Actually I learned a lot about fashion from Giuliana’s father, who is a master tailor.
He introduced me to proper fitting shirts and tailored suits. Before then I had many run-ins with the Fashion Police.
Q: Speaking of the Fashion Police, I am very sorry about (Giuliana’s close friend and Fashion Police co-host) Joan Rivers. (She passed away last month). Did she give you any advice on fashion or family?
Giuliana – Joan always gave great advice to all of us.
We would be shooting Fashion Police and she would tell funny and edgy jokes, then at commercial break she would ask about our lives and any problems we had we could ask her and she always gave us great advice.
Q: You have said before that Joan Rivers was a great mother. You two are also great. You’re son Duke, did he come along for the trip?
Bill – Not this time, we are in a different city every day. It’s too much for him.
Giuliana – He’s with Bill’s sister and we get about five videos of him a day. He’s having a great time, he probably won’t want to come back home!
Q: Do you like playing dress-up with Duke?
Giuliana – I try to dress him up in preppy clothes, but he’s a real boy. He’s not a skinny jeans kind of kid. He’s sports, casual, cargo pants.
Bill – He’s two, so he gets dirty and sweaty.
Q: You have been very public with your struggle to get pregnant and with your battle with breast cancer. What advice do you have for people going through similar struggles?
Giuliana – I think, you know, have to look at the bright side of things and never forget how lucky you are in other areas of your life – you know things can always be worse.
There is no use in being sad for too long.
We always had to pick ourselves up and move forward and that’s the key to life.
You have to move forward and stay positive and realise you only live once – make the best of it.
I also believe everything happens for a reason. If you know this is all part of a bigger place than it makes it a little easier.
Bill – So many people think life is going to be up. But in life, relationships and friendships, there is going to be highs and there are going to be lows – you stay together and lift each other up and fight. That’s what we’ve done.
There are days when she’s down and I pick her up and days when I’m down and she picks me up. That’s life. You have to be realistic.
Q: Lastly, since you are here to give fashion tips. What is one key piece you recommend people to get for spring or summer?
Giuliana – Black and white stripes is very on-trend. Anything with black and white stripes looks modern and you can pair it with colour, too. Also, a black and white sheek blazer. Wear it with white underneath.
