VOGUE Australia: Kirstie Clements.

As Editor-in-Chief of VOGUE Australia, Kirstie Clements is among the most respected in Australia's industry which, if I may say so, is definitely fast-expanding. Over the past couple of years, it's been refreshing to see VOGUE Australia pushing bolder concepts and newer young designers as a driver for what has become known as an innovative Australian aesthetic. Needless to say, I was honoured (excited) to have a quick chat about where she and VOGUE Australia stand for upcoming minutes, seasons, years, you name it.

What do you feel sets VOGUE Australia apart from the rest of the VOGUE world?
I think our magazine has a lot of energy; it’s very upbeat and fresh. I like to think we have a global outlook, but with a big injection of local Australian talent, especially with the models and photographers.

Which VOGUE editorial from 2011 has most reflected your personal wardrobe?
Probably Meg Gray's story in Mexico in the March 2011 issue. It was inspired by the S/S Prada show, which was just a knockout collection. I bought the striped shirt, the flounced skirt and the black white and silver woven shoes.

What is your ultimate photographer-model(s) combination?
It changes all the time. The magic is in the pairing. I think Nicole Bentley does a great job with model Codie Young.



Who was your favourite New Generation designer from Rosemount Australian Fashion Week?
Anna Westcott. Very colourful, brave and nicely made.



Number 1 wishlist item?
At the moment I'm on the waitlist for Tom Ford black cat eye frames. I have the sunglasses, now I want the spectacles! Any Gucci blouse would be welcome too.


First thing learnt from this? That I would quite like to go to Mexico wearing Prada. Just saying. Thanks to Kirstie for her time and insight, and to Renee Lynch also!

I hope you all enjoyed Vogue's Online Shopping Night last week - there will definitely be more to come, so watch this space.

*love*

xx

Raffaele Ascione.

Raffaele Ascione is a ball of talent and energy if I've ever known one. Having worked under Max Mara, Julia Clancey and Gareth Pugh, a few solo shows in Frankfurt and London under his belt, his fantastic FW11 collection stomped down runways at London Fashion Week last year, and some love from Lady Gaga, Raffaele is definitely on an upward trajectory with his intriguing structural ideas, and contrasting textures to match. Needless to say, I was more than excited (not going to lie) to catch up with the goings on in Mr Ascione's headspace and career:

Hi Raffaele! How’s it going?
Hey there, I am good…feeling a huge anticlimax right now in my life. I have just finished my MA in Womenswear at Central Saint Martins and I have to say it was the toughest thing I have done so far. It wasn’t even about the work load as I can handle pressure well, but it was more about learning about myself and how far I could be pushed with my design work. So now, I am catching up on sleep and getting myself out there with my work.

Can you give us a rundown on how you started out with design?
I always wanted to be a designer or dancer, when I finished school back in Germany I could either go to Drama school or Art school. At the time I went for the dancing and did it professionally for 3 years. But then I had the urge to go back to Art and Fashion, I started with my HND in Ireland in 2003 and continued my BA at UCA in the UK, spent a lot of time interning and eventually went working for MAX MARA in Italy until 2009. When I got accepted on to the MA course at CSM I moved back to London.

What would you describe as the vibe of your work?
My aesthetic is always very focused on feminine qualities. I am a sucker for fluid fabrics, lace and flattering silhouettes. I love making clothes that women feel empowered in. Detail and surface application play a big role in my work too. I just really feel strong about making beautiful clothes, nothing cutting edge or wired it should always be something interesting and desirable.

I suppose if I had to wrap it up in a sentence it would say:
“It’s a feel of delicate and intricate under garments accompanied by a strong outerwear piece that holds the quality of a protection shield.”

I really love the a-lines and strong structures in your latest collection – where did you source your inspiration?
My inspiration originated from looking at women during their pregnancies. Focusing at the characteristics such as deformation, re-shaping and juxtaposition. Designers such as Cardin, Christobal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy were important references. The A line silhouette happened by accident, I was toiling until I received something strong and new that hadn’t been around in a while that could support the rest of the very structured tops and uppers of my collection.

Which are your personal favourite pieces?
I really love the sister looks, that are composed together of the panelled jumpers mixed with different tweeds, black ottoman wool and the rubber/lace yoke supported with the strong a line dresses underneath. I also love the curved high waisted pants and the white Rubber coat with the Lace applications. And my accessories and shoes are things that I am very happy with too. The shoes were an exciting collaboration with shoe designer Claire Davis.

Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time?
Hard question, but I suppose I have always had goals that I have fulfilled so far. So my next step is to get a job with an exciting house and then in a couple of years time go and start my own label.

Who would you most like to see wearing your designs?
It needs to be a very strong woman who has balls to wear certain things and who is very comfortable with her sexuality. If I had to name a celebrity I think it would be someone like Chloe Sevigy or my friend up and coming designer Sorcha O’Ragghlaigh.

Where do bloggers stand for you in the design game?
I was very sceptical of bloggers a couple of years ago, but I suppose with time when I discovered some really good blogs with great content and interesting posts I changed my mind. I think they are very important in today’s society, as they have a voice that can matter a lot.

One of my previous interviewees, designer Clare Press of Mrs Press, would like to know: Tell us about your biggest hair mistake!
My biggest hair mistake….ha ha ha I have had a lot of them, but I think the worst was when I glued two strips of long black hair to my shaved head that worked like a long fringe. And it wouldn’t come out anymore, so I had to run around with this filthy all knotted fringe for two weeks….bad move!

And last of all, what’s a random question would you guys like to ask the next interviewee?
My question to the next designer is based on my love for Britney Spears. What was your most exciting Britney Spears moment?

Thanks Raffaele!

I'm very much in love with the panels and that burgundy colour happening in the collection. Be sure to check out the rest right HERE.

P.S. so sorry about the relative silence over the past couple of days - first-time law essays are not a strength of mine and I'm battling pretty hard to get to this mid-semester break. Having said that, a ridiculous amount of exciting happenings are about to go down. Watch this space.

P.P.S. Facebook love? No? No?

*love*

xx

Teatum Jones: Catherine & Rob.

Teatum Jones has a new and special place in my list of designers to stalk on an hourly basis. What I love about the latest AW11/12 collection is the diversity in colour palette and boldness. The mish-mashed purple prints are elegantly undercut (and flawlessly paired) with the opposite end of the spectrum in dusty shades of pink and blue. Then on top of that, we have classic tailoring vs. more fluid cuts and fabrics.

Ultimately, I need every drape as much as I need the next pleat. Obsessed with those trousers!

I caught up with designers, Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones, to give you all an idea the workings of this exponentially developing label:

How did you two start out with Teatum Jones?
We met whilst working together for an international brand in Italy where we became enamoured with one another’s sense of escapism. We made the decision to launch our own label and spent several years researching and developing our ideas for what we envisioned as a contemporarily relevant womenswear brand. After being chosen as one of the 10 finalists for the Fashion Fringe competition in 2009, we launched our debut womenswear collection for SS11 in London.



What would you describe the Teatum Jones vibe as?
Teatum Jones’ signature is within our anthropological approach to design, we are fascinated by human behaviour and exchanges. As such, we are always going to be drawn to dark, sinister and often tragic stories from which we will creatively interpret beautiful and refined conclusions in the form of beautiful and refined collections. As Designers we are conceptual in our approach to design but we remain loyal to an ethos of authenticity, desirability and quality.

The sheers, high waists and beautiful prints have got to be my favourites of the winter collection! What’s the story behind that one?
Teatum Jones’ AW11 collection is a submission into the experiences of two of the most famous women to have survived the First World War; Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm. We wanted to explore the story of these two women through intensely graphic prints combined with sheer tonal paneling and traditional men’s tailoring references that subtly exposed the strongest structures on a woman’s body.

In particular, the Endurance print echoes their experience of the dark, gravely flooded trenches where men’s uniforms were saturated from the hem upwards. The Disintegration print commemorates the aerial photography of Ernest Brooks, revealing the oddly beautiful forms yet horrifying reality of explosion dust clouds.



Which are your personal favourite pieces from that collection?
If there were three pieces we had to take with us to a desert island it would be the Eva Moore Shirt Dress in the Endurance Print, the St. Quentin Dress in Mocha Silk and the Gabriel Jacket in Dusty Blue wool.



Where do you see Teatum Jones in 5 years time?
In a studio three times the size with a team double the size, focusing on the international brand recognition we're currently experiencing and having successfully translated that into creative and commercial ventures.



Who’s someone who encompasses Teatum Jones?
It’s a combination of all the women who we surround ourselves with and who inspire us each season to push the boundaries further. Women of sophistication and irreverence in equal measures.



Thank you both! Be sure to check out the rest of the beautiful collection right HERE.

(Look me in the eye and tell me those purple prints aren't off this planet).

P.S. Sorry about the weekend absence! Law camp was on a happy island of insanity that had no reception unless you waded out waist-deep in water. I do love you all, but it was very cold :)

*love*


xx

Yes, Mrs Press.

The pretty creations of Mrs Press are a rare species, I guess you could call them, of visual addictions that vintagely inclined eyes will go a little crazy for, and those otherwise obsessed will find a special place on a padded hanger for designer Clare Press' structured inspirations. As a VOGUE Veteran, we can all rest assured that Clare knows her stuff in the way a dress should fall, the cut, the colour, and the vibe, but I have to say that what started out as a hobby in thrifting has come a lot further than any hobby I've ever seen! I'm loving the soft earthy tones used with harder lines (crushing on that cape in a big way).

And, might I add, I'm quite enjoying the contrast of structured dresses and Miss Zanita's trademark soft light.

Hi Clare! How’s it going?
“Well, we’re crazy busy in the studio trying to finish the new samples for next summer, while finishing the actual collection for winter in time to deliver to our stores. An intense few weeks! There’s always this mad cross over this time of year, and again in August/September. Me so tired…even though I think there’s a bit of me that loves the pressure. That said, there is also a bit of me that thinks, ‘C’mon, it’s still 28 degrees out there. Why do you need your winter coat drop now? Give me a break!’

How did Mrs Press start out?
“I was working at Aus Vogue as an editor and started taking apart and fixing up vintage frocks as a hobby. Then I started designing my own and a new career was born.”

What would you say is the Mrs Press vibe?
“Elegance. I am obsessed with that word. I’m also a fan of grace, chic and charm. These are always my buzzwords. In terms of the collection, it’s not necessarily a vintage silhouette, but there is often that sensibility there. I like the way clothes used to be made and worn before jeans and T-shirts took over.”



I’ve been loving the sophisticated flirtiness in your latest collections – where did your inspiration come from?
“Vintage deliciousness. Anything from a vintage fashion picture to a vintage garment, or a scene in an old movie, or the buttons up the back of a 1930s wedding dress. And yes, sometimes the costumes in Agatha Christie’s Poirot…I think I was born in the wrong era. As for flirty, well that’s one of the joys of beautiful clothes – I love the idea of clothes giving you confidence, of making your feel desirable. I don’t go in for clothes as camouflage or as a way of fitting in. Stand out, I say!”

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
“I’d love to see Mrs. Press stocked overseas and to open more boutiques in Australia, perhaps one in Melbourne and one in Brisbane. That’s the dream. And I’d like to have written at least two more books – my first is out through Penguin later this year. I’d also hope that in half a decade we’d have renovated our horrible kitchen but don’t hold your breath…”
6. Which is your all time favourite Mrs Press piece?
“Perhaps the 1950s-style draped bodice ‘Violet’ dress from last summer. I still get goose bumps over this dress.”

Who’s your favourite style icon of the moment?
“Oh, too many. For W’11, I was thinking about 1940s screen sirens: Joan Crawford, Lauren Bacall, Hedy Lamarr, and also socialites from the same era: there is the most incredible photo of Slim Keith from around 1945 in this scarlet tuxedo jacket and man-style pants. It looks like 70s Saint Laurent – she was so ahead of her time. Slim is the inspiration for my Lace Bow Dress this Winter.

For next season, I am channelling Jerry Hall and Marie Helvin in 1970s Norman Parkinson shots for Vogue and Carmen Miranda – have you seen her in the Busby Berkley musical The Gang’s All Here? It’s hysterical. Look it up on Youtube – the dancing with the bananas is genius.”



What are bloggers to you?
“Inspiration, information, I am completely obsessed with blogs. I love Zanita (she took our look book photos this season) and Liberty London Girl and Daydream Lily and This Is Glamorous, and Shine by Three of course! I blog myself and I love discovering new ones. Blogs are the new magazines.”

Our last interviewee, designer Jaye Leigo of Somedays Lovin’, would like to know: What did you wear to your Year 12 Formal?
“I grew up in Yorkshire and the formal thing is different in England, but we did have what was called a Leaving Ball, and it was supposed to be black tie but we were all 17 and this was the 1990s so it was more Madonna meets Paula Abdul. It was basically an excuse to get very drunk at home before we arrived on stolen gin. My mum made me a strapless velvet mini dress with a load of scary burgundy faux taffeta ruffles on the skirt and I teamed it with lots of hair spray and a bad girl snarl.”

And last of all, what’s a random question would you guys like to ask the next interviewee?
“Tell us about your biggest hair mistake.”



Thanks Clare! Be sure to check out more of her work right HERE.

Aside: today was my first day of uni! Amazingly daunting. I'm now so exhausted! It's all a bit foreign to me at the moment - I'm waiting for myself to make 4000 mistakes - so we'll see how it all goes!

*love*

xx

Party in my wardrobe.

Some time ago, the lovely Brooke from over at The Style Net asked if I would like to show my wardrobe to the world. Which meant I had to make it respectable (my mother thanks you, Brooke). Today, I finally got the time to sit down and pull together everything I'd filmed, so here it is!

A lot of you ask me how much I spend on clothes, how many articles of clothing I own, how big my wardrobe is, etc. So I guess this answers all of that! Sadly, my wardrobe is fairly unspectacular... but this makes for fun mixing and matching :)

Let me know what you think of my silly editing skills!

P.S. the fabulous Valentine's Day giveaway ends tomorrow night! Get entering HERE.

*love*

xx

Millie loves Min: Julia Softley.

Millie loves Min has been a sweet label that I've been admiring from afar ever since I started shopping for myself. Regardless of the season or how the label has grown creatively, there is always a sense of girlish authenticity in the refreshing angles and soft colours in each collection.

In this upcoming Winter 2011 collection, I'm really loving the more prominent boyish edge than there has been before. Plus - I love me some bold prints, and drapey, square cuts: all of which seem to be satisfied in what I've seen so far!

And so, I was pretty excited to tap into the brains of founder and designer, Julia Softley, about the journey to this point and all the things that go on in her head for Millie loves Min.



The Beginning

In 2008, the label Named after my younger twin sisters, Camille (Millie) & Corinne (Min)… the label blossomed behind my Fine arts & fashion business background as I saw a small gap in the market to find a well priced, fashion conscious, feminine & easy wear label… with this breath of fresh air in my creative world, there are currently 60 boutiques stocking Millie loves Min in Australia.

The Inspiration

Love, life.. Love of life, friends, my illustrations, anything vintage & of course my sisters…



The Future Continue more & better designs in simple shapes & delicious colours… I enjoy receiving emails from girls to say Millie loves Min has made them happy.

The Icon

I would have to say I can't imagine Millie loves Min on anyone particular but the everyday girl, walking down the street... Sporting an item to work, or to a friendly party , in hope they will be complimented on the way… This is where I put Millie loves Min on a pedestal.

On Bloggers

Bloggers are definitely the new form of creative & journalism, I completely respect how well they communicate the world of fashion through wonderful words & beautiful imagery.

Thanks Julia!

Be sure to check out more of Millie loves Min HERE.

*love*

xx

"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." ~ Pablo Picasso.

SO I finally got around to answering all the awesome questions you guys set for me last week. There's a lot of them! I had so much fun writing my answers, so I hope you guys enjoy the really... long... read :)

READY SET GO.

There has been talk in the media about the rise of Asian models in the fashion world. What are your thoughts on this and do you think this will have an impact on the role you have as an influential Asian blogger in the Australian fashion industry?
I think it’s awesome that models of all ethnicities are finally getting more equal coverage out there (wooo Asian pride!), and I think that’s happening in pretty much every field you look at (however slowly or quickly). So, yes, I think it will impact on how accepting people are of up and coming bloggers, though I would hardly say I’m influential.

Come to think of it, a lot of huge bloggers out there are Asian aren’t they? :)

Any beauty tips?
Your usual – always take off all your make-up even if you're passing out from exhaustion. I don’t wear foundation (unless I’m on a stage) which kind of helps in that respect. On really bad mornings, I run an ice-cube around my eyes and stick my head under cold water for a few minutes :)

How did you start blogging and did you have connections in the fashion industry beforehand or has it all been thanks to your amazing blog work that you've been able to access PR agencies, style shoots etc?
It all started with my obsession with Jean Paul Gaultier’s FW09 runway tights. Which I still don’t own. Do you know how depressing that is? :)
And no - when I started I literally knew nobody. I'm so lucky that things started picking up early last year! It's one of those things that is a bit of a domino effect once you meet a few amazing people!

Did you go to a normal school or something to do with creative arts?
Nope! Regular girls’ school :)

Pet peeves?
I can’t deal with people touching their pimples. I gag.

Things you don't quite like about yourself?
When I complain, it’s about my proportions. But whatever – nobody is ever going to stare for long enough to judge my proportions anyway. Life lesson, people.

What's your cultural heritage?
Chinese all the way up both sides of the family! Though a lot of people I meet seem to think I’m Eurasian.

What are you planning to study? It better be fashion related!!
Does Commerce/Law count as fashion related? :) I did think quite seriously about studying in fashion, but then I thought Commerce would probably give me a better understanding of how the business world works (because realistically, that’s what everything is now) and Law… so I don’t get sued in the mean time :) Hopefully blogging will help me in learning more about fashion at the same time though – I constantly need the theoretical/creative balance.

If you don't mind sharing, what was your ATAR?
I spent a good 5 minutes trying to decide whether it would seem less up myself to answer this or not to answer this :) But, if I’m answering all questions like I promised, I guess it’s ok to say 99.85

Do you play any musical instruments?
Piano since I was super small, violin since I was less small, and I have an acoustic guitar sitting in my room that get pulled out during Summer bikini times.

Do you have a day job/Where do you work and what as?
Well. I just finished high school at the end of 2010, so I’ve been working a casual retail job that isn’t terribly spectacular – sorry to disappoint :) Over Summer, I’ve also been doing an awesome internship with super special awesome label, Stylestalker – hopefully I can go places with the huge range of things I’ve learnt!

How do you do the french braids into the bun?
With patience. Drink a glass of water and sit before you start. Tip your head forward (almost as far as your knees), then sea-salt-spray and part your hair, then braid from the bottom up and tie it off. Go again on the other side, and hairspray it. Then wrap the ends around each other until they resemble a bun. I swear I’ll do a video tutorial when I get the chance!

Roughly how much do you spend on your clothes/accessories/shoes each month?
To be perfectly honest, I try not to keep track of what I spend, because I’d just get depressed :p Having said that, shopping at markets, online sales, and wearing things inside out, back-to-front, upside-down is key – I definitely don’t have a shoe wall or a walk-in wardrobe.

What are your 3 essential makeup items?
Charcoal eyeliner, eyelash curler, RIMMEL Mascara

How tall are you?
Last time I checked I was 5’5’’ – shut up I’m short :)

Do strangers comment on your outfits a lot when you're out?
Sometimes nice people come up and ask me where I got something from. Judgmental people just glare at me, but I’ve found that if you stare back for long enough, they start to think that maybe they’re the one dressed wrongly. Not that I dress wrongly. You know what I mean.

Top 5 favorite items in your closet?
At the moment, my beloved vintage teal skirt, Staple splatter blouse, Stylestalker sequin tank, YesStyle.com parachute-like maxi dress, greatest pants of my life.

When did you start dressing yourself and buying your own clothes?
I started sewing when I was about 9; at 12 I started cutting up and putting together things Mum bought me; halfway through high school I’d saved enough pocket money to have a ball in chain stores; and I only really got into vintage and local designers in late 2009.

Your header is so beautiful! What type of background do you have in art?
I took watercolour lessons when I was in primary school, and I did a lot of film photography in early high school, but my sketching is just a sort of stress relief that I do from time to time.

What is your main style inspiration?
Would it be weird to say architecture? Because I’m a sucker for amazingly structured buildings. I also enjoy stalking Couture shows on Style.com and mental-noting little elements.

Your voice and writing, as well as your style, is very mature - what or who inspires you?
Painfully cliché, but in the way of writing, reader responses always indirectly inspire me to write the way I do! I don’t really like reading over what I’ve written, so the fact that you guys can make sense of my train of thought is already pretty exciting in itself :p

What is your fondest memory with a boy?
When I was 4 – I convinced him the mud pie I’d made was actually chocolate. Greatest moment of my life.

How would you define your style?
Hardest question ever. Imagine taking one outfit from a million different wardrobes and throwing them in my face. That’s pretty much it – everything’s coherent in itself, but if you couldn’t see my face, you’d probably think it was a different person from day to day.

Do you have a favourite designer, if so, who is she/he and why?
Ok – really can’t answer that one :) There are too many upcoming labels out there that I’ve come across and fallen in love with… but a few favourites are f.rau, Gail Sorronda, Rebecca Minkoff, AL&ALICIA, Staple, and Dion Lee. No particular order. And there are a thousand more.

Favourite shop?
Do markets count?

What kind of camera do you use and do you edit your photos?
Most of the time I use a Canon 7D (most beautiful camera ever – so lucky), but from time to time I do use a few friends’ cameras – Canon 450D, Canon D60 (yeaaah Canon). Unless I’ve done something spectacular with crazy colouring (prime example), all I really do is fix up lighting and contrast so you can actually see what I’m wearing.

What's you're future aspiration/dream job?
My mum always gets annoyed that I don’t have some ultimate life goal/job that I want to work towards. Sure, I want to do something major and amazing some day, but I don’t really know what that is yet. Anna Wintour can chill her beans for now. Ha – kidding.

How much do you weigh because you always look beautiful!!
Pretty sure the scales in my bathroom broke when I was 8, because I’m definitely not 24kg anymore!

Do you do your own hair and take your own photos or do you have a photographer?
Yes I do my own hair, and yes I take my own photos with my trusty tripod, unless I’m in a situation where I’d probably die if I used a tripod (prime example), in which case I get Katie or Tash to help me out.

Where do you live it must be sunny and hot there because your photos look like it?
Haha hells yeah! It was something ridiculous like 40 Celcius in Sydney today. I lay on the laundry floor munching ice all day.

Do you plan your outfits like the night before or just throw on whatever you feel like in the morning?
I always tell myself to put out what I’m wearing the night before so it’s not a mad rush the next morning… but that never happens. I’m always grabbing things on my way out the door (which means half my wardrobe is in the bottom of my bag). It works for me since I dress according to mood and weather and general surrounding-world-vibes

How do you make that cute top-knot hair style look so good?
Pretty sure everyone can pull the top-knot hair (if you have enough hair)! I like to think it gives me a few inches of extra height.

What do your parents do?
Party party time. With intelligent people.

What do you usually wear at home?
Stripey tops, denim bottoms, ballet footwear (I dance around the house) and I somehow always manage to have a hat on.

3 words to describe yourself?
Bubbly, analytical, colourful

What was your first job?
Teaching small children ballet.

Any celebrity crushes hehe?
FREDDY FROM SKINS. I don’t even know the actor’s name.

Favourite TV show?
Is it wrong that I don’t watch a lot of TV? Aside from three seasons of Gossip Girl and Skins that I watched in the space of two weeks after a friend got me addicted.

I noticed your post on the vegan cheesecake… how did it taste? Are you a vegan? Or vegetarian, or anything like that?
IT WAS AMAZING – oh my goodness you all have to make the vegan cheesecake (get the recipe from Yasmine at My Purple Grape HERE). Seriously. So good. And I’m not even vegan! I’ve been thinking about going vegetarian, but I keep forgetting and I still have to research the health side of things. Any tips?

What do you like to do in your spare time (hobbies)?
Swimming, sketching, tennis, picnics (compulsory pink lemonade), dancey dance, design, nerdy musical instruments, dressing up for no reason, film photography, vintage adventures...

What did you do for year 10 work experience?
I did some awesome work experience with a solicitor (and actually got to interview super crazy clients!) which I still do from time to time :) Serious people-skills-training!

What are some of your favourite blogs?
Too many to name – check ma blog roll ☞

Do you have any siblings that are fond of fashion just like you? A sister maybe?
Haha – on the contrary. I have a younger brother who declares that everything I wear is ugly. Woo!

You seem to have a lot of freedom with your photography – self-timer or remote?
I use self-timer on a custom setting that takes 10 at a time. Manually focusing is a bit of a pain so I’ve been thinking about getting a remote, but I don’t know how much I’d like having it in my photos. Thoughts?

How did you manage to blog so frequently while studying for the HSC?
While studying it worked really well as a double procrastination tool. So if I couldn’t be bothered studying, I’d blog. And if I couldn’t be bothered blogging, I’d study. Plus it was like my equivalent of watching TV, since I don’t have Foxtel :)

Who's the most influential person in your life & why?
Probably my brother even if he announces his dislike for all my pants daily. His name is Major. I find that pretty influential :D

Do you exercise a lot? You look so thin and fit!
I end up doing a lot of exercise through my hobbies and interests if that makes sense. Tennis, swim training, and dance (which I’m getting back into now that HSC is done) is a lot more exercise than you realise. Plus I don’t drive (yet) so I bus, train, and end up walking places.

Favourite song at the moment?
A Golden Glove of Humility – Minute 36

OVER. And out.

*love*

xx

Poke my brains.

I think I've only ever done a Q&A about me once before, and, if I may say so, a lot of new and exciting things and changes have happened since then! So, I thought it would be nice to ask you guys what you would like to know, given the pretty decent increase in email-questions as of late!

Go ahead and literally - ask me anything in a comment below, and I'll pull together my answers in a few days!

I'm a bit excited to see what you all come up with :)

*love*

xx

Somedays Lovin': Jaye Leigo.

As seen lately, I've been a bit of a fan of fresh new label, Somedays Lovin', and its spot on flag-bearing of Australian Summers (which, I must say, I am currently enjoying a decent amount... hate to rub it in :D). With the label's emphasis on imagery, prints and sharp cuts for a pleasant sea change on the frills storming Bondi (not for much longer), designer Jaye Leigo runs a thread of relaxed badassery through the High Summer collection.

Think of it as a cocktail of roadtrips and animal prints that will last you through the seasons if you try hard enough - though, most suitable for too much sun, and introduced to you all by yours truly (Northern Hemispherers, start saving to buy the lot once the snow stops :p)

Hey hey! How’s it going?
life’s good thank you!

Can you tell us a bit about how your design work came about?
I’m really lucky to work with some amazing artists, so collaborating with them is my usual starting point & then scratching around for random references and vintage pieces to inspire me.

What is the Somedays Lovin’ vibe?
Relaxed , understated, effortless

The imagery and prints in High Summer certainly define Summer for me – what was your inspiration?
Really drawing from our environment and I always feel Australia as a worn and gritty feeling along side allot of arid beauty so I wanted to tap into that a little

Where do you see you in 10 years time?
Not sure – life’s short.

Which are your personal favourite pieces?
I love the wild horses 1-piece its def my fav!

Who would you like to see wearing your pieces?
Easy: ABBEY LEE.

Our last interviewee, designer Lisa Brown, would like to know: What is a must have that every girl should have in their wardrobe?
Vintage scarves

And last of all, what’s a random question would you like to ask the next interviewee?
What did you wear to your year 10 formal!

Thanks Jaye!

Is anyone else seriously in love with the photography that Jaye's mildly faded prints lend themselves so well to?

Get drooling HERE.

*love*

xx

Myia Bonner.

It was definitely an honour for me to catch up with the talented and star jewellery designer (recent winner of EC One Unsigned), Myia Bonner. With her out-of-the-box design ideas and perfect structural combinations, Myia will be taking on the world and its streetstyle in the less-than-distant future for sure!

Hey hey! How’s it going?
Hello! I am very good thanks!

Can you tell us a bit about how your design work came about?
The Diamond Collection is inspired by my interest in science, nature, trends and traditions. I like to create jewellery that I would want to wear, it tends to be big and bold, even though i'm only little. I started by looking at the current ideas surrounding diamonds, why people wear them, and the associations that people have towards them, from there I experimented with lots of forms a diamond could take, and eventually got what I was searching for!

What is the Myia Bonner vibe?
The Myia Bonner vibe! Let's see... bold dramatic chic

Borderline obsessed with your latest work and congratulations on EC One! The concepts in your pieces are amazing! What was your main inspiration?
Thank you very much, yes I was unbelievably happy to win the EC One Unsigned competition, there was some very amazing designers I was up against, and it was great to meet them all! I would say my main inspiration comes from fashion, I enjoy the sculptural manipulation of creating new forms to wear against the body, and i am also slightly obsessed with Gareth Pugh's creations!

Where do you want to be in 5 years time?
Wow! that's very far ahead!
I plan to continue building my diamond collection, as I feel there is so much more I can do to pursue my theme as a narrative. But I guess, I would love to just be designing and making for the rest of my life!



Which are your all time personal favourite pieces?
Definitely 'Diamond Ring One' which embodies the molecular structure of a diamond. It is the piece that people look at, think about, and then laugh. I love getting a reaction like that. I am currently developing it and it will be on display at the Science Museum in London in 2011.

Who would you like to see wearing your pieces?
I have always thought it would be fun if Marina Diamandis from 'Marina and the Diamonds' wore one of my diamonds purely for play on words!!

Our last interviewee, designer Lisa Brown, would like to know: What is a must have that every girl should have in their wardrobe?
A little black dress and a lot of diamonds to wear with it!

And last of all, what’s a random question would you like to ask the next interviewee?
What is your guilty pleasure?

If you check out some more of Myia's work HERE, you'll definitely be agreeing on her conceptual design genius!

*love*

xx

Sassi Jewels.

As much as I go through phases of hippied-out jewellery (entirely possible that I'm currently in one), I always end up coming back to simple, but shiny, pieces for nights. By the same token, I'm not a close follower of what celebrities wear, but when I do spot something I like, it tends to be jewellery, which makes me love Sassi Jewels more for making certain shapes and cuts accessible to we mere mortals - cough-Kate-Middleton's-ring-cough.

So, naturally, I was very happy to catch up with the brains behind Sassi Jewels.

Can you tell us a bit about how Sassi started out?
After travelling around Europe I saw so many stunning jewels however they had sky high price tags attached so when I returned I wanted to
create gorgeous jewels that were still high quality yet affordable and online was the way I wanted to go so our customers could be from anywhere.

What is the Sassi Jewels vibe?
Sassi, Savvy and always Stylish

Where do you want to be in 5 years time?
We are really excited as we are continually creating new jewels, in the future we plan to continue to do this and also to take advantage of new and innovative materials as they are created.

Which are your all time personal favourite pieces?
I love bling, the more the sparkle the better! I love the A-List pave band and also the new Aruba Blue Cocktail Ring as I can imagine I'm sipping a cocktail on the beach when I wear it!

Who would you like to see wearing your pieces?
Our very own Kylie Minogue

Our last interviewee, designer Lisa Brown, would like to know: What is a must have that every girl should have in their wardrobe?
As many gorgeous earrings as possible, a girl should never leave the house without earrings in!

And last of all, what’s a random question would you like to ask the next interviewee?
What do you think the most iconic piece of jewellery in history is?


How awesome is the intense sparkliness! Check out some more HERE. I actually wasn't kidding about Kate Middleton's ring :)

P.S. today was the first day of my internship with the lovely ladies of Stylestalker! So exciting and I learnt so much just by listening. Back I go tomorrow!

*love*

xx

Call me Gigi.

As we know, my weakness for vintage is almost (almost) as kapow as my weakness for shoes - a pretty significant contributor to this borderline obsession has been the beautiful finds of Miss Gurmeet Grewal (otherwise known as Gigi Vintage) based all the way across the world in the UK. What I've been falling for is the quirky, Grannie-eating-sequins type vibe floating about the shop, which I definitely lap up in the way of inspiration and wishlisting! I caught up with Miss Gigi herself about her vintage outlook:

The Beginning:
I’ve always had an extremely strong passion for fashion and my love for vintage clothing and accessories has grown since my days as a young girl raiding my mother’s and grandmother’s wardrobes. Being an avid vintage clothing shopper, both in the UK and around the world, I just felt there wasn’t a vintage boutique that was relevant to young catwalk trends, as well as a stockist of highly sought-after and unique pieces. The ever-increasing success of E-tail meant that there was definitely a gap in the market for a modern style online vintage clothing boutique which is what led me to set up GiGi Vintage (www.gigivintage.co.uk). I gave up my full-time job and scraped some funds together to design the website, travelled the world to handpick every product, photographed and styled the website imagery and worked with PR in time for the launch to place my brand on the fashion map. The website launched about 16 weeks ago and things are only looking up!



The Name:
GiGi Vintage was actually inspired by my own name. My initials are G.G. and (with a penchant for all things French!), I enhanced it by drawing on the French name, 'GiGi'. ‘GiGi Vintage’ had a great ring to it, a certain je ne sais quoi, so I decided it was the perfect name for my new business venture!

The Vibe:
Think electro glam meets punk rock meets catwalk style! All our original vintage pieces are handpicked from around the globe to bring you a covetable collection of hard-to-find pieces that are bang on trend. Not only that, but they are set against the backdrop of a clean-cut, user-friendly and professional website…

The Future:
The GiGi Vintage online boutique has only been live for a short while yet, so it is still in the very early stages. My biggest challenge at the minute is driving the right traffic to the website, so I aim to drastically increase awareness of the brand through the most appropriate and effective channels. I want GiGi Vintage to be the vintage boutique that everyone talks about, so PR is top of my list at present. I hope to branch out to other avenues further down the line, including a wider array of product categories on offer and perhaps even a vintage-style line of new clothing. Watch this space!



The Bloggers:
I love me some blog-reading and the fashion blogosphere is always expanding. It’s great to see the next generation of influential fashion forces making their mark in the world of blogging. As long as they have bags of personality, a keen eye and real panache, I’m hooked!

Thanks Gurmeet! Check out more of Gigi Vintage HERE. S0 many quality finds for both hemispheres! Although will you Fall/Winter-ers leave me some knits for next Winter?

*love*

xx

Behind Lisa.

You all audibly (yes audibly) fell in love with the angelic class in Lisa Brown's work when I last featured her work (HERE) so I thought it fitting that I interview the lovely lady herself about her ethereal designs. As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, Lisa's work has always spoken volumes for Australian fashion for me, with its relaxed, but distinct sophistication. So here we go - once more with feeling :)

Hey Lisa, how’s it going?
Hello :) Great thanks, glad to be featured on your blog!

How did you start out as a designer?
I've always had the desire to have one off, unique pieces but couldn't always afford the things I wanted. Would hunt through op shops to find different things. If they weren't exactly what I wanted, I would cut, slash, bleach etc to get what I wanted. People would always ask me where I got my clothes from and I would make things for people, from there it grew!



What would you call the Lisa Brown vibe?
Relaxed Glamour.

Where do you draw most of your inspiration from?
Mostly draw my inspiration from the fabrics that I source. Also from the 70's and everything vintage.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Still working hard for the business, but with more travelling. Being able to find beautiful things from all over the globe and include them in my collections.



Which is your all time personal favourite Lisa Brown piece?
One of the garments I have in my new upcoming Winter collection that we are working on now.

If you could be anyone in the fashion industry, who would it be?
Would have to be someone with an endless budget and who isn't restricted. It would be great to be someone who has full access to machinists, patternmakers, fabrics and embellishments etc. Someone like John Galliano.

One of our previous interviewees, designer Belle of Belle Bijoux, would like to know: What was your personal fashion moment last season?
Would have to our photoshoot for Spring Summer in Byron Bay!

And last of all, what’s a random question would you like to ask the next interviewee?
What is a must have that every girl should have in their wardrobe?



These couple of images are of my favourite Lisa Brown style - the Poppy dress - it comes in a million beautiful colours so be sure to check out more (and the latest collection) right HERE.

:)

*love*

xx