The Australian fashion industry is mourning the death of Premal Patel (Prem), the Indian-origin founder and chief executive of Runaway The Label, who has died aged 47 following a brief illness.
News of Patel’s passing was confirmed by Runaway The Label in a statement shared on Instagram and Facebook, announcing that he died peacefully on December 14. The brand described him as its “visionary founder and CEO” and asked for privacy for his family during a period of profound grief. In its tribute, the brand wrote:
“VALE PREM PATEL. 26 November 1978 – 14 December 2025. It is with the deepest sadness that Runaway The Label announces the passing of our visionary founder and CEO.”
Patel had spoken candidly about his health struggles just weeks before his death, revealing he had been rushed to intensive care with critically low oxygen levels.
In a series of Instagram posts, he detailed repeated hospital admissions and described being placed in an induced coma as doctors battled to stabilise his lungs.
“The third time … I wasn’t so lucky,” Patel wrote, recounting how his lungs were so inflamed they could not absorb oxygen.
It is reported that the doctors later discovered vape fluid in his lungs, a revelation that prompted him to warn others against vaping and to take respiratory symptoms seriously.
Tributes quickly flowed from across the fashion and media worlds. Grace Garrick, founder of PR agency MVMNT, remembered Patel as “one of a kind, so generous with his time and energy, and absolutely hilarious”.
Celebrity stylist Donny Galella described the news as “absolutely devastating”, while Gogglebox star Sarah Marie Fahd said his death felt “like a bad dream”. Fellow designer Alex Perry added simply:
“Rest with the highest, my friend.”
Founded in 2014, Runaway The Label grew into one of Australia’s most recognisable fashion brands, worn by high-profile figures and featured across social media, red carpets and reality television.
In 2022, the label launched a collection with Australian model Rozalia Russian, drawing attention from celebrities including Bec Judd, Lana Wilkinson and Snezana Wood.
Patel’s journey in fashion began in menswear, with his earlier brand Premonition gaining prominence on Sydney’s Oxford Street before he shifted his focus to womenswear. That evolution eventually shaped the aesthetic that defined Runaway The Label — confident, expressive and globally appealing.
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