A bitter legal battle has erupted over the multimillion-dollar fashion empire of late Australian designer Premal Patel, just months after his sudden death sent shockwaves through the fashion world. 💔
Patel, the influential entrepreneur behind cult brands Runaway The Label, Seven Wonders The Label and Prem the Label, died in December 2025 at the age of 47 following a brief illness he had publicly linked to vaping. Now, the legacy he spent more than two decades building has become the centre of a dramatic Supreme Court fight.
According to reports, Patel’s long-time partner of more than 20 years, Peter Clarke, has launched legal action in the NSW Supreme Court as he seeks control of Patel’s estate, companies and financial affairs. The move has placed the late designer’s business empire under a harsh spotlight, turning a story of creative success and sudden tragedy into a painful dispute over power, assets and control.
Court documents reportedly show that Clarke is seeking to remove himself, Jai Patel and Charles Hamieh as directors of Mamta Group, the company that trades as Runaway The Label. He is also fighting to have Jai Patel and Hamieh removed from their directorships at Patel’s menswear brand Premonition Designs, as well as Jasper Investment Co Pty Ltd and Cahill St Pty Ltd. ⚖️
Clarke has asked the court to declare the appointments, which were allegedly made shortly after Patel’s death, invalid. Instead, he wants to be installed as administrator of Patel’s estate and sole director across all four companies, allowing him to oversee operations, protect assets and manage liabilities.
The matter was briefly heard in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday before being adjourned to the probate duty list. It is expected to return before the registrar on May 26 for further proceedings.
The case marks a devastating new chapter following Patel’s death, which stunned the Australian fashion and influencer community. For years, he had been regarded as one of the country’s most significant fashion entrepreneurs, building a retail empire that began with Prem the Label in 2002 before expanding with Runaway The Label in 2014 and Seven Wonders The Label in 2015. ✨
His labels became favourites among fashion-forward women, influencers and celebrities, known for sleek silhouettes, bold partywear and a polished aesthetic that helped define a generation of online Australian style. Patel was not just a designer — he was a brand builder, a tastemaker and a force behind the scenes of one of Australia’s most recognisable fashion success stories.
That is why his death at just 47 felt so brutal. Tributes poured in across social media, with friends, fans and public figures expressing disbelief at the loss. Gogglebox star Sarah Marie Fahd described the news as feeling like a bad dream, saying Patel would be missed by everyone whose life he touched. Social media star Aliie Auton called the news heartbreaking, while MAFS star Tahnee Cook also sent love to his family, loved ones and team.
The Bachelor’s Kiki Morris reacted with shock, writing that she could not believe the news was true. 🌹
But perhaps most haunting were Patel’s own words in the weeks before his death. In a chilling social media post shared on November 5, he revealed that he had been hospitalised multiple times and placed in intensive care. He said he had been put into an induced coma with tubes in his lungs before doctors allegedly discovered vape fluid there.
Patel described being given anti-inflammatory treatment simply to keep him breathing. Then came the warning that now reads like a tragic final plea: “We are not invincible.”
Those words have taken on even more emotional weight since his passing. What began as a personal health warning has now become part of the story of a life cut painfully short — a reminder of how quickly success, youth and ambition can be shattered by illness.
Now, as the legal battle unfolds, those closest to Patel are left to navigate not only grief, but the complex future of the fashion empire he created. Behind the court filings and company names is a human tragedy: a partner mourning, a family affected, a business in limbo, and a creative legacy suddenly caught in conflict.
For fans of Runaway The Label, the dispute will feel especially sad. Patel’s brands were built on glamour, confidence and aspiration. Yet the aftermath of his death has become tangled in legal uncertainty and emotional pain.
The court will now be asked to decide who should control the companies and estate left behind. But no legal ruling can erase the shock of Patel’s death or the mark he made on Australian fashion.
Premal Patel built more than labels. He built a world of style, ambition and influence. And now, even as those left behind fight over his empire, his final message still echoes with devastating clarity: life is fragile, success is fleeting, and none of us are invincible. 💔
