Dad Speaks Out After Beachside Fashion Week Crash

An Eastern Suburbs man who unwittingly became a viral sensation after accidentally crashing a Fashion Week runway show has broken his silence.

David Handley made headlines on Tuesday when he wandered straight into the middle of COMMAS' runway show at Tamarama while he was heading to the beach for a swim. 

Dressed in a relaxed beach outfit, David strolled onto the sand, completely unfazed by the fact he was sharing the shoreline with an exclusive fashion show.

Within moments, he stripped off his shirt, stretched out on the sand like it was any other morning in 's Eastern Suburbs, and casually jogged into the surf for a dip, while models glided past him in designer looks just metres away.

Now, just a day after becoming an online star, David has broken his silence in an interview with the Today show. 

Speaking to a reporter at the very same staircase on Tamarama beach, David recalled the moment he realised he had unknowingly joined a parade of models. 

'When I got to the top of the stairs yesterday, I saw the model, and I thought, 'Well, surely someone's going to be controlling the stairs'. If the show's begun, they must be coming down here together,' he said. 

'And when I got to about here, I suddenly went, 'I'm the lead model,'' he said, pointing to a spot on the stairs. 

David is the well-known entrepreneur and founder of the iconic Sculpture by the Sea, Australia's largest annual outdoor sculpture exhibition. 

He has been putting on the event for the past 30 years. 

It comes after footage of David's accidental runway debut was shared by digital media outlet Refinery29 Australia, whose caption summed it up perfectly: 'COMMAS took AFW to the beach this morning, and Sydney immediately reminded us who actually owns it... Honestly, very on brand for all of us.'

Followers quickly took to the comment section to share their amusement over the hilarious moment. 

'This just made my morning,' one person wrote.

'Unbothered and well within rights. Honestly as the brand I'd be stoked with this coverage too. Perfect,' said another.

'My fave from AFW so far,' added a third.

The amusing moment came during a chaotic start to Fashion Week's beachfront programming,

Some of the nation's most glamorous influencers were sent into meltdown on Monday night after torrential rain crashed Carla Zampatti's outdoor AFW runway show. 

Despite a wet weather forecast, guests arrived at the event primped and preened to perfection, risking their blow–dries for a chance to attend the ultra–exclusive catwalk. 

Unfortunately, things went pear-shaped shortly after the show commenced. A sudden downpour left the models and guests scrambling to shield themselves with whatever object they could find. 

'Celebrities in the front row were absolutely panicking. The second the drizzle started, it became a full-blown frenzy,' one insider told Daily Mail. 

'Some people laughed and used a Carla Zampatti flyer to protect themselves, umbrellas were flying up, and everyone was desperately trying to shield their outfits.'

Among those caught in the deluge was , whose boyfriend Grayson Te Moana was seen attempting to shield her hair from the rain with his jacket.