Fashion Stylist Sydney

Congratulations Katie

2011-02-24T21:36:00.000-08:00

The two photoshoots I did with Katie Pashley last year have been highlighted in the International Aperture awards for the category of Fashion/Commercial/Advertising.

This beautiful image from, Core of My Heart my Country, shot in celebration of the iconic designer Linda Jackson for Le Magazine, came 23rd and was awarded a silver award.

This image was awarded 49th and was given a bronze award.

Our closing image from Hyperbole was also awarded a Bronze Award and was placed in the top 100.

Congratulations Katie and Team, we should all be proud.

Hyperbole

2011-02-06T23:41:00.000-08:00

PHOTOGRAPHER KATIE PASHLEY
FASHION EDITOR RHIANNON BULLEY
MAKE UP FELICIA YONG @ LOOK
HAIR LUKE BRIAN DAVIS @ DLM
MODELS MENUELA LAZIC & ELIN LEDSKOG @ PRISCILLAS

SHOT ONE
LR (MANUELA) DRESS BY KONSTANTINA MITTAS, HOSIERY BY LEONA EDMISTON, SHOES WORN THROUGHOUT CUSTOM MADE BY VICTORIA CHU, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, NECKPIECE BY BAANU COUTURE, (ELIN) BODYSUIT BY MISS UNKON, LEG WEAR BY FLOWERS FOR A VAGABOND, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, NECKLACE BY DESIGN BY JUDE, HOSIERY WORN THROUGHOUT (BOTTOM TO TOP LAYER) BY LEVANTE, AMBRA, MIMCO, SHOES WORN THROUGHOUT CUSTOM MADE BY VICTORIA CHU
SHOT TWO
LR (MANUELA) DRESS BY OPUS NINE CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, LEG WEAR BY FLOWERS FOR A VAGABOND, HOSEIRY WORN THROUGHOUT (BOTTOM TO TOP LAYER) BY LEVANTE, VOODOO, MIMCO, NECKLACE BY BAANU COUTURE, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, (ELIN) DRESS BY OPUS NINE CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, LEG WEAR BY FLOWERS FOR A VAGABOND, NECKLACE BY GAIL SORRONDA, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE.

SHOT THREE
CORSETS BY AURELIO COSTARELLA, WIRE BRA STYLISTS OWN, BRA WORN UNDERNEATH BY VOODOO CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, BRIEFS BY VOODOO, LEG WEAR BY FLOWERS FOR A VAGABOND, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, NECKLACE BY PAULA WALDEN

SHOT FOUR
DRESS BY KHYRSALIS COUTURE, SKIRT WORN AS COLLAR BY AMY DAVIDSON, NECKLACES BY YAMILA GUEDEZ

SHOT FIVE
LR (MANUELA) CORSET BY KHYRALIS COUTURE, BRA AND NIPPLE TASSLES BY AGENT PROVOCATEUR, BRA WORN UNDERNEATH BY VOODOO CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, BRIEFS BY SABATINI WHITE, (ELIN) TOP BY GAIL SORRONDA, BRA BY VOODOO CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, SKIRT BY PHOENIX

SHOT SIX
LR (ELIN) DRESS BY OPUS NINE, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, NECKLACE BY GAIL SORRONDA, (MANUELA) DRESS BY OPUS NINE, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, NECKLACE BY BAANU COUTURE

SHOT SEVEN
TOP BY FLOWERS FOR A VAGABOND, SKIRT BY PHOENIX, SHOULDER PADS BY DESIGN BY JUDE

SHOT EIGHT
LR (ELIN) VEST BY WORLD, SHORTS BY KONSTANTINA MITTAS, NECKPIECE BY OPUS NINE, NECKLACE BY BAANU COUTURE, (MANUELA) BRA BY SABATINI WHITE, CORSET BY BODY ULTIMATE, SHOULDER PIECE BY A CONCEPT, PANTS BY WORLD, OVERSKIRT BY KONSTANTINA MITTAS, NECKLACE BY PAULA WALDEN

SHOT NINE
CORSET BY PHOENIX, BRA WORN UNDERNEATH BY VOODOO CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, PANTS BY AMY DAVIDSON, SHOULDER PADS BY LOVE CHILE, NECKLACE BY BAANU COUTURE

SHOT TEN
TOP BY FLOWERS FOR A VAGABOND, SHOULDER PADS BY DESIGN BY JUDE
SHOT ELEVEN
LR (ELIN) JACKET BY PHOENIX, BRA BY VOODOO CUSTOMISED BY STYLIST, SKIRT BY PHOENIX, SHOULDER COLLAR FROM SNOG THE FROG, (MANUELA) JACKET BY PHOENIX, SKIRT FROM SNOG THE FROG, NECKLACE AND SHOULDER PADS BY DESIGN BY JUDE.

Air X-Press-Tangent Magazine Issue Five

2011-02-05T04:43:00.000-08:00

Art Direction. Gregory Skibinski
Fashion and Creative Direction. Rhiannon Bulley
Photography. James Broadhurst
Special thanks to Ace Props

Image one and two
(Neck from top to bottom) Dior neckpiece, Lanvin feather necklace, Lanvin necklace, Holly Fulton neck plate and Lucy Hutchings necklace both from offtherunway.com.au, Lanvin cuff and bags, (inside bags from L-R) Theo Fennell necklace from Gregory Jewellers, Lanvin necklace, Pamela Love necklace and Mania Mania necklace from offtherunway.com.au

Image Three
(Arm from top to bottom,) Holly Fulton cuff from offtherunway.com.au, Dior cuff, Fallon cuff from offtherunway.com.au, LM&LM ring from lovemeandleaveme.com, Dior clutch, (inside clutch from L-R,) Anna Design ring, Alexander Wang sunglasses and Natalia Brilli cuff both from finalepisode.com.au, Kenneth Jay Lane ring from lovemeandleaveme.com, Dior ring

Image Four
Kenneth Jay Lane cuff from lovemeandleave.com, Gucci bag, (hand L-R) Theo Fennell rings from Gregory Jewellers, Pamela Love rings from finalepisode.com.au, (inside bag L-R) Mania Mania ring and Erickson Beamon ring both from offtherunway.com.au

Le Magazine Issue Four, Le Femme Fatale, Shoot No1, Fatale Instinct

2010-12-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

It is has been a long time in the making but earlier this week Le Magazine Issue Four, Le Femme Fatale, finally went live. I had the absolute pleasure of working with some incredible creative people on this issue of Le Magazine. From the photographers, to the make-up artists and hairdressers, the models, the art directors and of course the designers whose wonderful garments were the basis for my vision. And then there was my writers and interviewee's who will need an entire post of their own!
So lets start with the editorials. It is an honor to have seen the editorials of this issue bloom into full blown theatrical visions.
Early in the piece I knew this issue had to channel something brave because fashion has been bolder and braver than ever of recent. (See the opening page feature, The Marriage of the Fearless Femme and The Modest Mistress) as soon as the theme Femme Fatale was decided, I knew I wanted a shoot with boys in it, this issue needed to be all about the girl who wears her men as well as she wears a garment!
So the first shoot we worked on was Fatale Instinct, early in the piece our photographer James Broadhurst, a Le Magazine favourite, bought the idea of the movie Fatal Instinct to the table and Sharon Stone quickly became our muse for this shoot. Her modest style masked the raging femme fatale hidden underneath, who lured men to their death bed with her beauty.
Her intelligence and power was another thing we felt we needed to command, these are the elements of at the core of every woman and the one's who know how to command them are the one's that become unforgettable. The final element of the shoot was the idea of directly contrasting the modest exterior and the bold interior of this woman, so her provocative corset wearing alter ego was born.
Eilika from Viviens Model Management was the perfect girl to embody this complicated character. From the moment we said, "Fatal Instinct and Sharon Stone," she was transformed! Keith Archer from Strobe Hair and Corrine Grbevski performed the physical transformation and our first femme fatale was born.
Shoot number two, Lolita-Lights Camera Blossom and our amazing face to watch and cover girl Alexis Whelan are coming soon but for now enjoy, Fatale Instinct.

Core of Heart My Country- With thanks to Linda Jackson

2010-12-12T16:32:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned I had the pleasure of working with many incredible creative people in the making of Le Magazine Issue Four, not least of all Australian fashion icon, Linda Jackson.
Linda worked with us on a special Le Projet for this issue, sharing her fashion story from the early days with paper cut outs and a singer sewing machine, to her days with Jenny Kee and the iconic days of Bush Couture.
She loaned us some of her amazing garments from her journey and together with Katie Pashley, Marnie Simpson from Chadwicks and Lisa Sciberras we turned them into a modern day multicultural extravaganza, with a touch of pop culture thrown in. Neon binding belts, hand painted stockings and vintage jewel brooches were our recipe for bringing these iconic garments into the future with their symbolic multiculturally binding nature at the heart.
It was an absolute honor and pleasure to work with Linda Jackson, she is a true icon with a humble heart and a deep pure passion for the beauty of her country and the traditions of many others.
After the shoot was done and dusted another very amazing woman emerged from the photos, my best friends mother Merilee who tragically passed away in an accident earlier this year. Without hesitation the team gave their love and support to the idea of dedicating this shoot to Merilee Whish. From my childhood years into my adulthood my fondest memories of Merilee are her brightly colourful clothing, neon running suits, brilliant scarves just like Linda's and tribal like garments layered one on top of the other. Merilee had such a vibrant spirit, just like Linda and it was a pleasure for me to honor both of them with this shoot, Core Of My Heart My Country.
These are the images, immortalizing two amazing women in a modern way through the amazing eyes of Katie Pashley, the hair and make up of Lisa and the energy and physical beauty of Marnie.
The message, be colourful, be bold be vibrant, be pure in your expression of natural beauty.

Le Magazine Issue Four, Le Femma Fatale, Shoot 3- Mistress of Mystery

2010-11-16T22:41:00.001-08:00

Mistress of Mystery was the result of a whole lot of different things falling into place. The first was what I like to call the "Modern Materialistic Marie Antoinette." I wanted to play with the idea of modern excess in a way that was subtle but not over the top and our marvelous photographer Hamish Ta-me had been playing with the idea of doing a shoot on Sydney's Oxford St. at night by the light of ad. billboards.
Somehow the idea worked a modern Marie caught in the bright city lights of materialistic ads thrusting messages in the faces of passes by on one of the busiest and most eccentric streets in Sydney.
Then another character came into play, I was researching 'femme fatale's' and the name that seemed to keep appearing was Mata Hari. I had never heard of her before but once I started reading about her I became infatuated with her oriental burlesque style and her intriguing escapades,multiple disguises and controversial death. It was completely clear why her name is one of the names most commonly associated with the infamous, 'femme fatale,' character. Have a read for yourself.
The story was complete, showgirl style headpieces, metallic dresses and bloomers, cotton undergarments, bras exposed for all to see and ultra modern costume jewelery, "pimp daddy," is the new diamond necklace. All thanks to Snog the Frog who really deserve a post all of their own!
Our model, Emily Keily, from EMG models, with her doll like bone structure was the perfect person to play our modern Mata Hari, Mistress of Mystery.
And the rest is history...or is it?

Le Magazine Issue Four, Le Femme Fatale, Shoot 2, Lolita-Lights Camera Blossom

2010-11-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

Lolita-Lights, Camera , Blossom came from the idea of flowers. Nothing says spring/summer and femininity like flowers. Then we found our face and the story grew from there. Alexis Whelan is one of Vivien's Model Management's newest gems, the day after I booked her, after having had my eye on her for months, her father rang me. Very unusual, I got a little fright when he said who he was, I thought I was about to receive some lecture, she is only fifteen after all, but no her father was ringing to tell me that, if I wanted to interview Alexis as our Face To Watch "I should know she has had a very interesting life...she grew up on yacht!" Yes Alexis spent her childhood sailing round the world on a yacht, learning different languages and attending school in foreign countries including Africa and Spain.
I was intrigued, suddenly my one page interview turned into two. "Ask her about the time we nearly sank and the time we nearly got robbed by pirates," he told me. I did. Read the full feature to find out the details.
On set Alexis was so mature, not like a fifteen year old at all, a little timid at first but keen to give us her best and the transformation was amazing. She went from being a school girl to a young beauty and when her hair was swept back for the final shots..well she turned into an elegant woman and suddenly, Lights, Camera, Blossom turned into Lolita-Lights, Camera, Blossom because Alexis was like a fifteen year old woman!
The most delightful moment of the whole shoot was when we explained to her that part of the concept was the idea of today's self made models, so she had to hold a camera and pretend to shoot herself and just like that Alexis came out with, "oh you mean selfies," and we all laughed, there was the fifteen year old girl!
This was our sugar sweet, butter wouldn't melt in my mouth femme fatale, flowers became overt nipple adornments and the idea of a garter poking out from underneath the sweetest dresses, sometimes covered in flowers bought on a rapture of high school nostalgia from me. For the days when I used to wear thigh high stockings under my long dull gray skirt, somehow knowing I was wearing them made me feel a little more daring. Alexis completely understood.
Ampersand Bookstore in Paddington was the perfect location for the end of the shoot, all the books and old world charm captured the intelligence of a true femme fatale and the elegance that lies at the heart of every female.
Tim Kindler was our talented photographer for this one and Michael Halader and Ashleigh Croker pulled off our Brigitte Bardot meets Audrey Hepburn make-up and hair transformation respectively.
Enjoy the photos and don't be afraid to wear a few flowers!

Tangent Issue Four- Digitopia

2010-07-22T07:13:00.001-07:00

Digitopia is my latest styling venture for Tangent Magazine and although there were no real people the principles were exactly the same.
This project went through many stages of creative conversation before it eventually came to life. There were changes in approach, changes in story board but at the end of the day the objective was always the same to create an artistic shoot, that lept off the page, featuring the best of the best in Digital Prints from SS1011 and equally vivacious accessories.
The process of bringing it to life went something like this...First there was the process of selecting the dynamic prints that would be the second skin of the beautiful figures drawn by Annika Wester and then there was the all encompassing task of finding the accessories to make a truly 'psychedelic' look- as per the brief.Finally Tangents very talented art director Lloyd McAlister and I sat down to the chore of putting it all together et voila!It was a great project to be apart of and the outcome well...it speaks for itself.

To see Tangent Digital Unlimited Issue Four in Full go to http://tangentmag.com/fashion-magazine/tangent02.html

Mouring the Magic

2010-07-15T03:41:00.000-07:00

This week when I was asked to write the couture wrap up for Tangent, the very thing that normally fills me with butterflies and gets me chatting away like a nutter, I'm so inspired, my mouth went a little dry....what was I going to say? 
Last week I blogged about the opening show, Christian Dior, which had the aforementioned positive affect on me. After that I went strangely silent no? Well that wasn't the end of the goosebumps but they were few and far between. 
The Givenchy show had by far the most "paralyzingly amazed" effect on me. Every dress carved the body (literally) in detail. Lace, satin, silk, porcelain and pearl and crystal beading created their own skeleton on top of a skeleton. The collection managed to surpass the gothic notion that could easily have enveloped it and instead settled somewhere in the realms of ethereal beauty.  
The other show that awed me was Mr. Invisible, Maison Martin Margiela and again it was the detail that got me. Recycled lizard, snake and crocodile clutches dismantled and patched together into whole garments. Genius. The effect was a coarsely captivating textural collage of detail. 
And the rest well this is the part that leaves my mouth dry...the rest was little more than amazing ready to wear. Beautiful tailoring, a few flurries of extravagance, a little bit of theatricality, but nothing to leave you weak at the knees. 
The couture runways are something I look forward to like many others as a chance to be inspired by the awesome power of the human imagination, to be awe-struck by the detail and care that is so absent in our fast paced lives today, to be wooed by romance, to be transported to another world where the magic that flowed within us so freely as children is a real life force at work again. Needless to say this couture lover was more than a little disappointed. Read my full wrap up here

My very own love affair with Mrs. Jones

2010-07-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I stumbled across an article about London designer Fee Doran and her charismatic wearable costume/couture label.
The article was discussing the iconic costumes she had created for big name musicians including Duran Duran, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, The Scissor Sisters, The Killers and many more. It also unveiled her collection for Oxfam and I thought anyone who can make such artistic yet wearable and totally left of centre stylish garments from people's left overs is someone worth finding out more about!
This week I shared what I found out about Fee Doran with Tangent Magazine. We discussed everything from her latest collections and collaborations to her own outrageous style and her child hood hero Mr. Benn.
This was an education itself, being before my time, I had never heard of this imaginary little man and his fantastic costume inspired adventures, but now that I have I think I kind of idolize him too.
Fee's charismatic charm is as overt as her designs. She is certainly a lady to look up to in terms of creativity, personality and a fearless expression of both.
Read my full article here

Floral magic at Dior

2010-07-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

I couldn't let this show slide by without publicly expressing my love for it. Diors Fall haute couture collection was ironically the spirit of spring. Girls appeared on the runway looking like lavish bouquets of colourful blooms in every colour and size.
Galliano's colour palate was superior to that of mother nature herself, dresses and skirts were imbued with graphic floral prints or soft graduating rainbows of colour.
The Dior runway was like a prism in the sunlight, each piece generated it's own dizzying pattern of colours creating a hypnotizing effect.
Skirts shaped like tulips wafted out onto the runway stealing the show from the signature Dior silhouettes.
Raffia belts tied it all up and milliner Stephen Jones topped the look off with head gear reminiscent of florists wrapping.
The whole show was like a wonderland of floral magic, a true vision of beauty, just as fashion should always be.
Dior will be a hard act to follow this season!

Image Source http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/F2010CTR-CDIOR?page=2

The Master and The Miss

2010-06-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Master and the Miss was a photoshoot I did with the very talented Miss Anastasia Blades (who has since left me for New York,) back in May. The rest of our team consisted of Kaori Harigae, who did the hair and make up and Kirsty Macphail from Viviens who was our model.
The concept of The Master and the Mass came about whilst Anastasia and I were having coffee in a French cafe, we were throwing ideas up in the air and this one landed with a loud thud, we knew this was the shoot we wanted to do.
My brain immediately started speeding away and before too long I had a shopping list consisting of paper doilies, pink body paint and white bandages.
I commandeered my very talented friend and milliner extraordinaire Wendi Nutt from Philadelphia Philpot Millinery to make me some gorgeous paper doily hats, ( you are going to hear more about this very multi-talented woman very soon,) and began looking for garments with a showgirl meets ballerina look.
The night before was a frenzy of bandage shredding (very therapeutic if you have ever had a bad day) and wrapping and layering on the body.
On the day we incorporated the pattern of the edge of the doilies onto Kylie's eyes and decolletage to add a strong textured feel to the shoot and I wrapped the bandages around her upper body and lower arms. The hair was teased and rolled and just kept getting bigger and bigger until we felt we had our very own aristocratic showgirl ballerina.
This shoot was all about the attention to detail in the layers and carrying those details through to the make up and skin.
At then end of the day Anastasia and I were both exhausted but elated. For me, this shoot was not inspired by a specific concept or mood or emotion, although they were all part of it, it was very much about a girl and watching my little Miss come to life was an insanely enriching experience and to this day she is still dancing strongly in my mind and I hope she will dance on in yours too.WORLD top, SOPHIA JOCELYN corset, MISS UNKON tutu, SNOG THE FROG tutu worn underneath, WORLD leggings, MINTY MEETS MUNT shoes, PHILADELPHIA PHILPOT MILLINERY hat, SNOG THE FROG bow tie
SALLY JONES bra, JAY AND MIKES VINTAGE suspender belt, MINTY MEETS MUNT stockings, DE COCO COLLECTABLES gloves, SNOG THE FROG cuff, ADORNE necklaces, PHILADELPHIA PHILPOT MILLINERY hat

GAIL SORRONDA dress, SALLY JONES bra worn underneath, WORLD leggings, MINTY MEETS MUNT shoes, CHERRY MORRIS necklace and brooch, Make up artists own headpieceMISS UNKON scarf, ZAMBESI tops worn underneath, MISS UNKON leggings, CHERRY MORRIS belt, MINTY MEETS MUNT shoes, DE COCO COLLECTABLES gloves, Stylist’s own briefs, Make up artists own headpiece

SALLY JONES bra, WORLD skirt, SNOG THE FROG bow tie, TOM GUNN shoes, DE COCO COLLECTABLES gloves, Stylist’s own stockings, Make up artists own headpiece
BEC AND BRIDGE bodysuit, SALLY JONES bra worn underneath, SNOG THE FROG tutus, TOM GUNN shoes, MINTY MEETS MUNT heart clip, Stylists own stockings, Make up artists own headpiece
RACHAEL CASSAR dress, MINTY MEETS MUNT skirt worn underneath, SNOG THE FROG white tutu worn underneath, MINTY MEETS MUNT stockings, MINTY MEETS MUNT shoes, DE COCO COLLECTABLES gloves, PHILADELPHIA PHILPOT MILLINERY hat, Stylists own bow tie worn as belt

THE LAST ROMANTIC dress, RACHAEL CASSAR veil, MINTY MEETS MUNT stockings, MINTY MEETS MUNT shoes, SNOG THE FROG gloves

Discovery of the week

2010-06-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

I was trawling one of my new favourite sites for inspiration , trendland, this week and boy did I find some, or should I say someone.
I stumbled upon the very talented designer, Anne Sofie Madsen, who graduated from The Danish Design School in 2009. I have long declared myself a fan of Danish of design and this collection certainly lives up to what I have come to expect from the innovative nation.
Anne Sofie Madsen's graduate collection Tiki-Mania-Maori was an abstract take on traditional Maori motifs from braiding to carving and tattoos. One of their most prominent mythical characters is the bird woman and Anne Sofie Madsen's garments were like a contemporary costume for this ancient character, with out a single feather, totally ingenious! Laser cut leather, and shoe laces instead of flax strips also gave the ancient materials a mod makeover. I was totally inspired by her ability to take everyday materials and not only relate them to something so culturally recognized, but make them into something prescient at the same time. She took the ever popular notion of combining the primitive and the classic to a whole unique place.

Images from http://www.dkds.dk/Afgangsprojekter/2009/AnneSofieMadsen

Jeremy Dante the Face of Fashion Blogging

2010-06-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to interview Jeremy Dante one of the revered male voices of the fashion blogging world for Tangent Digital two weeks ago.
I am particularly attached to this self described "know it all" for a few reasons, one his blog is about more than his latest wardrobe purchases, don't get me wrong I love seeing the ensembles of all of fashion's female bloggers as much as the next style obsessed girl but there is something very refreshing about hearing a male voice with a strong opinion on beauty.
The other reason I love Jeremy is because like me his perception of beauty has been shaped by a child hood love of all things fantastical, Cinderella and her glass slipper, Tinkerbell and Snow White, villains, princesses and all those other lovable creatures.
Finding that same excitement and fantasy in the fashion world today and sharing it in an informative way is what Jeremy does best and for this reason he is one of my chosen sources for daily inspiration.
See my full interview with Jeremy on Tangent Digital here

The Ghost and the Girl

2010-06-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

This one has been coming for a while. The Ghost and the Girl was an editorial model shoot for Tangent Magazine that I completed with model/photographer/ blogging sensation Zanita Whittington a few months ago.
We snapped two of the fresh faces on Sydney's modeling scene, Sophia Dishaw who was passing through Sydney's Priscilla's Management from Canada and Melise Williams one of Chic's newest (and my favourite) faces.
Once the setting was confirmed as a beach I knew I didn't want a bikini in sight, ever the queen of a bit of juxtaposition I decided the clothes needed to be as whimsical and appear as other worldly on this setting as the girls looked.
I sought out some special pieces from my favourite vintage ladies and added in a few labels with a sensual yet innocent feeling to them.
The lead up to the shoot involved Zanita and I drooling over some surreal inspiration shots and playing with different fabrics in front of lenses to see what effect we could create and on the day the final selection worked a charm.
This shoot was a dreamy representation of two very real beauties realized.

The Murmur of Gail Sorronda

2010-05-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

So I know I promised it weeks ago and this blogger has been very slack indeed. I have no excuses except that I was temporarily consumed by an extreme dose of post fashion week fever. 
The other day I was reminded though of my promise to blog my love for Gail Sorronda's SS1011 collection Murmur when her look book complete with my pre-order form popped up in my Inbox and the tumultuous decision of which pieces to add to my own ever growing collection of Gail began to plague me into the night, much like the irrepressible Murmur that inspired the collection.
So here it is, finally, my ode to Gail Sorronda in the hopes that by reviewing the whole collection my decision might somehow become easier.  
My love affair with Gail Sorronda began long ago when I was just a naive trend obsessed Brisbane teenager, who never dared to to step outside the compulsory uniform of skinny jeans, singlets and havaianas. I stumbled upon Gail's graduate collection at QUT, in a show of support for my model friend, and her dark romance seeped into my veins. I knew then and there that I would wear an armour of tassles, beads, feathers and ruffles that dripped from my decolletage to my knees and bounced in all the right places in between and today I am proud to say I do. 
So it goes without saying that Gail's show was on of the most anticipated shows of RAFW for me and she did not disappoint. I was pleasantly excited to find gold amongst her usual strictly black and white ensembles and I was delighted by her latest line of exotic instrumental inspired accessories. The crimped beehive buns and tightly braided contrasts in the hair were also a stand out beauty look of the week.
 Murmur, was reminiscent of the drones of continuous modern noise and the collection was weighted with the heaviness of this concept. Silk Georgette, organza and tuelles were twisted, pleated, tucked, folded, ruffled and draped, moving from form hugging to voluminous plumes in a nip, a tuck or a flourish of delicate ruffles.
 Murmur was a textural textile metaphor for the verbal babble of daily routine and the constant call of our primitive instincts and desires. And evoke desire it did indeed.
 Gail has often described her designs as bi-polar and the extremes of difference, the contrast of the unrestrained and the contained and the addictiveness of the unpredictable were certainly deeply cemented in Murmur. Her's is a subtle sort of craziness though, one that oozes sophistication and exults in materializing the childish anticipation of surprise.  
Like all good surprises it didn't fail to delight me, so completely, that like that child I am left longing for more... The list has been closed but is sadly still far to long and one more design will have to be struck off. Another pain staking night of the Murmur of desire awaits.  Which pieces should I get?    

Day four and five RAFW

2010-05-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

There is no excuse for this extra delayed blogging except that exhaustion caught up with me and the after parties stole me away into the early hours this morning, so here it is, better late than never, the highlights from the last two days of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. 
Yesterday dawned as a beautiful day, nothing at all like the threatening vision of the Apocalypse that has been so present in the cinemas over the last year and Kirrily Johnston’s collection Apocolypto, despite its name was nothing like that either. Her vision for the future was not one where the modern world as we know it is thrown into devastation and chaos, but where humanity returns to its modest naturalistic origins and the compelling aesthetics of the collection made that future far from terrifying, it was enticing.
Since her first collection stripes have been a signature element of the Kirrily Johnson look, along with knitwear and draping and all three were present yesterday in all their glory. They were spliced with two other tribal prints and accessorised with tribal printed armbands and towering turbans that completed the Apocolypto vision. The tribal feel was apparent from head to two and layered back with her new line of KJ basics. Kirrily's show was relevant in reference and outstanding in aesthetic. 
The next show, that cannot go without a mention, was the TAFE show that unveils the fresh talents of the industry every year. Each designer showed great potential across a broad range of styles from tribal to overt tailoring. Elliot Ward Fear was undoubtedly a standout with his conceptual broad shouldered and voluminous shapes. His daring proportions were also worthy of mention because of the dizzying height of his wedge heels, which almost had half the models on their knees and managed to succeed in derailing a few completely. The audience was literally holding their breath waiting for disaster to strike and I swear I could actually hear the sighs of relief every time a model returned backstage safely, but then what does fashion exist for if not to take a risk and push the boundaries.
 Next was Gary Bigeni, whose collection was not exactly boundary breaking, but noteworthy nonetheless. It was clean, smart and simple tailoring and draping completed with his signature circular hemmes and seamless sewing that means there is in fact no visible lines or boundaries in his garments to be pushed.
 Dhini's show in the afternoon delivered one of my favourite prints of the week, it was graphic and geometric all at once and was striking emblazoned on leggings and sheer shirts and dresses throughout the show, enhancing the softly draped and tailored pieces that composed the rest of the collection.  
Saint Augustine Academy was pristine punk, juxtaposing traditional suiting and rambunctious rock aesthetics to create a new smart street style with attitude.
Michael Lo Sordo followed with a collection that was anything but hard rock, instead it was romantic, clean and crisp, with a dynamic print in a vibrant array of summer colours. The collection was one of the most cohesive classically contemporary collections of the week. 
Fernando Frisoni started the evening off late but in stellar style. My favourite thing about this collection was the strong colour blocked structural layers in opposing pinks and reds. Models came out in quick succession, which was nearly enough to put the night back on schedule, but not quite, it did however; personify the strength of his garments. The Frisoni girls and boys were nonchalantly sophisticated and fearless in their layered style statements. 
The final show of the evening was Gail Sorronda, a personal favourite of mine, (I've been sporting her divinely dark form of textile romance all week,) she is such a favourite that I am not even going to mention her any further in this blog because I just don't feel I could do her justice in one paragraph so stay tuned for the full blog on her SS1011 collection Murmur next week.  
And so that brings us to Friday, the fifth and final day of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2010. My day began with the debut solo collection of a Le Black Book favourite designer, Miss Unkon. The Brisbane turned Sydney based designer, Courtney Meyer, did not disappoint when it came to her penchant for girlie romance so of course I loved loved loved her collection, A Journey of Young Love. Frills, and lingerie style pieces were a dominant feature in soft sumptuous fabrics. Dresses ranged from short and sweet to long and lavish in a colour palette reminiscent of the creamy pastel icing on cupcakes and the whole look combined was so sweet you could almost taste the icing, not just visualize it. Miss Unkon was dreamy, innocent and charming and as unforgettable and irreplaceable in it's style as the emotional experience of young love.  
The New Generation show, where Courtney made her RAFW debut last year, produced another few gems this year namely Garth Cook and Flowers for a Vagabond, whose collections were both dark and conceptual. These two are both definitely worth watching. 
My final mention for the week is Annah Stretton, whose collection had a strong underlying message about animal cruelty that was communicated through Annah's contemporary take on the style of her moral and aesthetic muse, Brigitte Bardot. For my full interview with Annah about the message sewn into the garments head to Tangent. 
So there it is another fashion week over and my verdict is in. The week was an eclectic representation of Australian style. Each collection had its own gems and if you plucked them all out and combined them you would have a very fine wardrobe indeed. Romantic tailoring, dark and detailed, structural and sleek, printed and punchy, splice them and combine them however you want to, the runways, after all, are where the trends emerge, but style is what happens in the wings after the lights have gone down and the communal buzz is silenced by individual interpretation and fearless flights of everyday imagination. 
My imagination is certainly a buzz with them now so keep your eyes peeled for what eventuates over the coming months, but for now I am resting my weary eyes ready for another day of fashion frantic work tomorrow before my Sunday Sabbath of peace. So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night
 Rx

Day Three RAFW

2010-05-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

So day three dawned, less than bright and sunny, adrenalin kicked in some where after my second long black in an hour and Kate Sylvester bought all my senses back to my life.
It began with a charming invitation style card on my seat referencing style makers such as Loulou de le Falaise, Proust, Alessandra Colombo and Scott Schuman and of course Chanel. Ahhh what a breath of fresh air and Kate's simple tailoring and subtle colour palate was very refreshing indeed. The look was effortless chic and timeless simplicity, knotted with leather belts and finished with large pristine pressed white bows and checkered collars around the neck. Her collection A Charming Man was contemporary gentlemanly ingenue.
The next show to vibrate on my aesthetic radar was Manning Cartell, a label I have come to know and acknowledge as one of great texture, elaborate detailing and finely fitted forms. Their hand crafted lace and heavily beaded bib style tops confirmed this for me today. Outfits ranged from suiting to runway sweeping dresses all threaded together by their underling inspiration of old tales from the Scottish Highlands. Manning Cartell certainly has a unique point of difference and an armour of strong aesthetics.
The following show, was Bianca Spender's RAFW debut and her inspiration and overall look could not have been further from the deep history of the Scotish Highlands. Avatar style characters once again made their entry on the catwalk. Feather eyebrows and braided and teased hair were a strong beauty look that contrasted the finesse of her garments perfectly. Draping and folding featured throughout in silks of all shapes, lengths and styles. Bianca had the apparently simple yet deeply detailed look down to a fine art.
Ready to Wear was a mixed bag of mens and womenswear with an overall dark ambiance. The standout for me was a Concept whose designs were exactly that, conceptual. They varied from the strong to the outwardly daring with striking jackets that took the power shoulder to a new extreme. Overall it was a fashion editorial dream.
The evening began with Australian favourite, Jayson Brunsdon, who delivered his structurally theatrical forms at his usual high standard. There were strong elements of fifties style, which were spliced with contemporary cuts and alternate detailing. Jayson Brunsdon proved once again he is a master when it comes to refreshing, richly embellished, pure elegance.
Next on my agenda was one of my personal favourite designers Karla Spetic, who won me over with her dreamy style garments at RAFW last year. The look was once again, much to my delight, quite dreamy and dominated by the colour flavour of the season, pastels. Karla Spetic is one of those labels that has radical cuts with a classic simplicity sewn down to a T. Karla is definitely still in my good books and getting better all the time.
The final show down at Circular Quay and yes, once again, the best in my opinion, was Konstantina Mittas, who had me captivated from the moment I read the press release on my seat. Her inspiration included two of my favourite things surrealist art and mythical characters. The lights went down and the sound of sirens rose up, rock sirens, Jared Underwood vs. Flutter Lyon and Jessica O'Donoghue, who were staged in the back corner filling the OPT with strangely endearing sound. Models glided out with masses of teased and tightly tucked ringlets on their heads and splashes of colour around their eyes, the only colour to be seen. Konstantina's designs were a modern day myth turned textile art to wear. Textures were vast and varied and scintillating gold pieces added a notch of rock goddess charm. The one shoulder silhouette, traditionally associated with goddesses, was overarching throughout the show but was given a contemporary and unique structure in each garment. Konstantina delivered a collection, where no piece out did the other, even the one pair of jeans was armed with their own characteristic style and coming from a girl who is renowned for never wearing jeans that is saying something. The final line of her press was release was "The Night of Enitharmons Joy alludes to the awakening universal strength, beauty and mystery of all women," and her collection was certainly a pleasant awakening of each of these for me, both artistically and stylishly.
And it is with pleasant thoughts of this collection, which has been my favourite so far (although Aurelio still leaves me stunned,) that I bid you, so long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night
Rx

Day two RAFW

2010-05-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

So day two and the weariness is starting to set in already, which means unlike yesterday I am not saving the best till last, though my last show was the highlight again.
Nicola Finetti, or as we so fondly nicknamed him on Tangent Digital tonight, "The King of Techno Chic," and in my opinion there is no better way to describe his designs. I would like to take credit for the fitting name, but truthfully it was my creative director Emmanual Giraud who came up with it, but there was no dispute from me or Nicola when we offered him his new title.
His dresses were indeed chic but the techno part is where it becomes ambiguous for me, his sculptural and embellished accentuation certainly had a mod-culture feel to them but the 'tech' part of it went even further.
I was, once again, as I was last night at Aurelio Costarella, blown away by the sheer craftsmanship of his garments. Accordion pleats that stood on their own legs, whether they were on the back, hips or most outstandingly the ribs and decolletage, showed a sheer devotion to the shape of the female form and its movement. Detail was abundant and no matter what the colour, nude, white or black mainly, these dresses had a motive all of their own, that when placed on a living being became a persona of confidence, sensuality, sophistication and modern femme power. We didn't call him a king for nothing
Other highlights of my day, ( keeping it short my bed is mocking me as I type,) were Flannels pristine, sophisticated, effortless chic outfits with stand out pieces in, yes you guessed it leather and Zimmermann whose prints took on a fresh structured form of geometric cut up layering and high waisted figure hugging ingenue elegance.
I also embraced the return of the cropped bodice at Sara Phillips, with loving open arms and the knit lingerie style pieces of New Zealand label Sabatini White.
The standout at the Ready to Wear show, one of my favourite catwalks to discover the next big thing, was Sally Koeswanto, whose pieces persevered beyond strong into the hard edge of rock fashion. Needless to say, yes, there was more than enough leather for my liking.
So there it is, day two in short, there was plenty of print and tailoring but for me the structure and embellishment took the cake again.
Day three looms slightly closer than I would like it to be, with work still yet to be done and so it is with tired eyes, risking becoming exhausted that I leave you once more.
So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night
Rx

RAFW Day one done and dusted, permed, printed and sculpted

2010-05-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

So day one of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in it's 15th year...How did it end up? Permed, printed and sculpted, with outstanding splashes of ruffles, fur, feathers and sumptuous leathers in between.
Sydney's Circular Quay was a buzz of stylishly dressed individuals, armed with computers, iPhone's and Blackberry's this morning when I arrived and the up to the minute texting, uploading typing and camera flashes continued the whole day.
The day held many a juxtaposition and many a new direction, whether it was the old turned new or the new purely out dating the old.
Oyster said it first on their front cover earlier this year "Print is dead." That statement was very much true and very much not at fashion week today. On the runway print was well and truly alive, with the first three shows at the Overseas Passenger Terminal delivering exactly that.
Ginger and Smart, The Seventh Wonderland and Camilla all had their fair share of vibrant graphic prints but the front row..the front row on the other hand was all about the internet. Laptops rested on specially installed trays and images streamed live onto the internet so if you weren't there you my as well have been.
And so it is, that this delayed blogger, can only offer you this, my personal reflections and favourites from the day.
The Seventh Wonderland did indeed deliver a wonderland fantasy, as a long time lover of the label and loyal wearer I may be slightly bias, but every season this swimwear label seems to blur the boundaries of beach and day wear more and more.
Models meandered out in clean cut, hand sculpted, hand designed prints that offered a sophisticated chic to modern day swimwear. Designer. Bonnie Coumbe, did not disappoint when it came to her background in customized prints, graphic lines and a myrid of vibrant colours interacted in a mesmerizing display of swimwear fantasy.
The next not to be missed, with an equally vivid array of colour and prints, was Camilla, who deserves a special note for her showcase, which began with the beginning of the ground breaking digital movie Avatar and ended somewhere between its success and it's enormous scale production. Camilla successfully encompassed both.
Models stormed out in vibrant prints complete with headpieces, colourful make up, permed hair and in the end wigs and plastic helmet style hats. No stone was left unturned and no colour was ignored.
After that, with eyes spinning in colour, it was time for the harder style of Lucette where crimping and braiding still ruled supreme in the hair but with an entirely different wardrobe and state of mind. This was one of my favourites of the day.
One of the increasingly consistent trends to emerge so far made its debut, corseting and leather bodices and suspender style waist adornments. Body harnesses and rock style 80's pieces were softened with flowing print skirts and dresses creating the perfect juxtaposition of soft, hard and no where in between. It was a delightful visual sensation to be apart of, with multiple pieces that can be de-constructed and re-constructed to speak a thousand different words. In short a stylists dream.
The first ready to wear show was a pleasant surprise unveiling the talents of Uscari and Carly Hunter, two labels that are definitely worth watching. Carly Hunter's polka dot sheer dresses were certainly a favourite of mine and the construction and simplicity of Uscari won me over within a heartbeat and the first wave of music.
Zambesi, was Zambesi at its best delivering wearable pieces in an androgynous style, with strong elements of each gender splicing up the aesthetic. Always a show not to be missed and a style not to be underestimated.
The final show on my setting first day of fashion week horizon was Aurelio Costarella, a designer who has caught my eye and my admiration ever increasingly over that last year. His show confirmed my feelings that he is one of the finest designers in Australia today, with an attention to detail that is second to none.
Pleats bounced under cascading ruffles and sculptural corsets and leather bodices bound them at the their routes. The colour palette went from dark to light seemingly symbolic of a journey into the light and indeed his collection was like the sigh you breathe when you finally reach the end of that journey. His was a painless journey though, one where your breath was not stifled by the darkness, but by the sheer magnificence of the beauty of the light that dances amongst the shadows along the way.
Without getting to metaphorical and romantic on you, the collection was a work of art where not only the detail stood out, but the simple elements, that framed them, which took on a life of their own. The textures were so vivid it was hard not to leap onto the runway and touch them. It was simplistic, sculptural, delicately detailed design divinity, that hugged both the body and the heart of fashion as an expression of beauty at the same time.
Nothing more needs to be said.
That is where day one ended for me and it couldn't of ended on a higher note.
In summary the favourites were all there, the prints, the colours, the fluid tailoring and the sculptural dresses and of course the leather. Loving the leather.
The hair and make up was above and beyond and it seems any of us who threw out our crimping irons may have to hunt them back down. Hair is big, crimped, braided, teased and twisted, it has a textural personality of its own! I'm calling mine back in right now...though I think the 2005 multi-styling model might not suffice for such a smooth crimped style. We will see.
Day two holds new promises of pattern, print and textural magic, be it white or dark magic, it's magic nonetheless so lets hope tomorrow is even more magical than today. The standard has been set high though.
So for now, so long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night.
Rx
For more of my more up to the minute coverage head to Tangent Magazine and Le Black Book

I can sing a rainbow

2010-04-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

As I reflect upon this colourful shoot, ironically, I am surrounded by blackness. I came home tonight from my long weekend away to find that I had inadvertently forgotten to inform my electricity company that I had been issued with a new visa card and as a result have without warning had my electricity cut off due to the direct debit failure.

Sitting in the darkness, with nothing but candlelight, (thank god I buy a lot of candles,) it is blatantly clear to me that colour is a vital part of life and a vital part of a wardrobe.

No person is entirely black or grey and the colour that we choose to adorn ourselves in is a reflection of our colourful character and there are a lot of very colourful characters out there. Whether you consider yourself one of them or not though, I can sing rainbow, is the motivation to try to see your wardrobe that way.

I can sing rainbow, Le Magazine Issue Three’s cover and title shoot was born from my own love of colour. I used Le Black Book’s most vibrant garments as a foundation and stared at colour wheels for days building harmonious and analogous top to toe outfits around them. Layered one on top of the other, pink, orange, blue, yellow, purple and green all confounded to contrast and compliment each other.

The background of the shoot was a process of trail, error and endless debate with my wonderful and very patient photographer Kent Johnson, who eventually won me over with the simple inspiration of Paolo Roversi’s nudes, with all this in place strong images began to form.

Then the Wednesday night before the shoot I awoke with a start in the middle of the night and knew I had to have those adorable colourful little clips we all used to wear as little girls and the model had to have her hair in those famous nineties Princess Leia buns on top of her head, (you know the ones I’m talking about!) Easier said than done. I searched high and low, up and down for those clips and apparently like the buns they had gone out with the nineties. I could not find the right ones anywhere! I even resorted to making my parents rummage through their storeroom for my old ones. No luck. But like every great stylist I wouldn’t let the vision go and so on the morning of the shoot, around the corner from the studio, on my last ditch attempt to find them, I succeeded and my vision for the shoot was complete.

Our talented young model Emily Page, from Viviens, got right into the spirit of her colourful little buns (she knew what I was talking about from the start,) and our visionary hair and make up artist Lisa Sciberas developed some bold make-up from the inspiration pictures I had shown her to ensure Emily’s face was as vibrant as her hair and her clothes.

Voila, my rainbow was sung and painted and here it is for all of you to share in. I hope its lyrics of colourful childhood magic linger in your head and leave you smiling all day and hopefully encourage you to paint a rainbow of your own.

And with those words, a waning laptop and phone battery and not even a battery radio to put me to sleep I leave you, to blow out my candles and put myself into a sleep of colourful dreams amongst the darkness.