Eurovision 2026: The couture vision behind Delta Goodrem’s celestial Eclipse gown
- Kyriakos Tsinivits
- 28 minutes ago
- 5 min read
For Eurovision Song Contest 2026, Delta Goodrem isn’t just delivering a song — she is delivering a full visual spectacle.
Representing Australia with her soaring anthem Eclipse, Delta’s Eurovision performance has already captured attention for its ethereal styling and dazzling couture craftsmanship, based on the sneak peek photos and snippets released so far.
At the centre of it all is a custom-made gown that blends mythology, glamour and emotional storytelling into one unforgettable creation.
Designed by Sydney couture house Velani by Nicky and elevated with a handcrafted heart centrepiece by House of Emmanuele, the look is a celebration of transformation, celestial symbolism and Australian creativity on the world stage.
The chiffon gown, adorned with approximately 7,000 Swarovski crystals, pays homage to Vienna’s signature sparkle, with around 500 hours of craftsmanship poured into its creation.
A gown designed to embody light and protection
For designer Nicky Apostolopoulos, the vision behind the gown was deeply symbolic from the very beginning.
“So we designed that eclipse that protects her heart space and is like a shield,” she explained. “There’s this quite beautiful meaning behind the whole gown — gold obviously being the sun, silver being the moon.”
The result is a couture piece that balances softness and strength. Flowing chiffon and intricate crystal detailing create an almost celestial movement on stage, while the central heart structure grounds the look emotionally and visually.
Nicky revealed that functionality was just as important as beauty throughout the design process, especially given the demands of Eurovision rehearsals and performances.
“The gown had to have wearability to it as well,” she said. “It wasn’t just a one-off. She wears the gown about eight times throughout the whole process with rehearsals, photos and performances, so there’s a little bit of costume-making behind the process of a tour gown.”
Some of the Swarovski crystals were so large they required additional reinforcement by hand.
“I actually had to physically glue them down and then rescue them by hand sewing them,” she said.
Bringing the ‘Heartspace' Burst to life
To elevate the emotional core of the look, Nicky brought long-time collaborator Emmanuel Tsakiris into the creative process.
“I recommended bringing Emmanuel on board because this is his third Eurovision,” Nicky explained. “If anyone’s going to do something out there and amazing, it’s our fellow compatriot Emmanuel.”
Emmanuel’s contribution — known as the 'Heartspace' Burst — became the defining visual centrepiece of the gown.
“The Heartspace Burst took seven days to create,” Emmanuel said. “It was meticulously handcrafted using 222 Swarovski crystals to form the Eclipse centre and radiating three-dimensional starburst rays.”
The craftsmanship behind the piece is staggering. Each crystal was secured with four claws, resulting in 888 hand-set claws throughout the entire centrepiece.
“It required incredible precision, patience and craftsmanship,” he said.
For Emmanuel, the symbolism behind the piece came naturally.
“When I think of Delta, I naturally see her as a powerful force with a deep sense of spirituality and emotional presence,” he explained. “My intention was to create a piece that felt like a living, beating chakra at the centre of her body, radiating power, love and light outward into the performance.”
At the same time, he wanted the design to feel protective — “almost like a talisman or sacred shield surrounding the heart space.”
Drawing inspiration from mythology, divine femininity and celestial symbolism, Emmanuel described the final creation as “a modern relic for a goddess in motion.”
A creative partnership built over years
Both designers already shared strong creative relationships with Delta long before Eurovision entered the picture.
Nicky has previously designed gowns for Delta’s events, concerts and milestone celebrations, including her 40th birthday.
Earlier this year, she also created the shimmering silver gown worn in Australia’s official Eurovision promotional material.
“When Delta was announced as Australia’s representative, I nearly fell out of my chair,” Nicky recalled. “I needed to have this.”
Meanwhile, Emmanuel’s creative history with Delta dates back to 2012.
“One of our earliest collaborations was helping create a magical piece for her Logies performance of Sitting on Top of the World,” he said.
Since then, the pair have worked together on numerous performances, tours and television appearances, including The Voice and Delta’s crystallised Mardi Gras look.
“What makes working with Delta so special is that she fully embraces transformation, glamour and storytelling through fashion,” Emmanuel said.
Greek pride and Eurovision passion
Beyond the couture, both designers share another connection — their Greek heritage and lifelong love of Eurovision.
Nicky described herself as a “passionate Greek Australian” and admitted she has spent weeks passionately analysing the competition, voting strategies and odds.
“I’ve been telling all my cousins, friends and clients overseas to vote for Delta,” she laughed.
She also revealed she had jokingly suggested Delta perform a slowed-down cover of Helena Paparizou’s iconic Eurovision winner My Number One to appeal to both Greek and Swedish audiences.
Emmanuel’s connection to Eurovision runs equally deep.
“Growing up, it was always something we watched together as a family,” he said. “Eurovision is one of the last global stages where music, fashion, theatre and emotion all collide so unapologetically.”
Having previously designed memorable Eurovision pieces for Dami Im and Sheldon Riley, he sees Eurovision as a place where creatives can “dream bigger, push fantasy further and truly create iconic visual moments.”
Thoughts on Greece’s Eurovision 2026 entry
Both designers also shared admiration for this year’s Greek representative, Akylas.
Nicky believes Greece could become one of Australia’s biggest threats in the competition.
“Everyone’s talking about Finland, but I’m a little bit scared of Akylas,” she admitted. “It’s the first time ever I don’t want Greece to win.”
Emmanuel praised the artist’s authenticity and individuality.
“He represents this exciting new wave of young Greek talent — fearless, expressive and completely unapologetic in their individuality,” he said.
He also confessed that Greece’s entry Ferto has become impossible to escape.
“I catch myself trying to belt out Delta’s ECLIPSE while driving or working, only for it to somehow spiral straight back into repeating Ferto over and over again in my head,” he laughed.
A couture moment built for the Eurovision stage
For Australia, Eclipse is more than just a Eurovision entry — it is a complete artistic vision. Through couture craftsmanship, symbolism and storytelling, Delta Goodrem’s performance look captures the scale and theatricality that Eurovision thrives upon.
Together, Nicky Apostolopoulos and Emmanuel Tsakiris have created something that feels distinctly Eurovision: dramatic yet emotional, glamorous yet deeply personal.
From thousands of Swarovski crystals to celestial mythology and handcrafted symbolism, the gown transforms Delta into something almost otherworldly — a radiant figure suspended between moonlight and sunlight, vulnerability and strength.
And when Australia takes to the Eurovision stage in Vienna, the result promises to be exactly what Eurovision fans love most: unforgettable.
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