How would you describe your fashion style? It’s eclectic. I don’t necessarily  follow fashion but do buy some seasonal clothing from designers. Fashion is so individual and if you feel good, that’s all that matters.

What influences what you wear the most? Music. The first thing I do in the morning is put on music and that usually sets the mood for what I’m going to wear that day. Sometimes it’s a bit rocker, sometimes soft and feminine.

What are your most beloved items in your wardrobe? My leather waistcoat I got from SaveMart for $14. A reversible Nom*d waistcoat, which I now share with my son Elvis and a vintage Mohair cardigan from the 80s.

What items of clothing would you consider wardrobe essentials? Here in Dunedin…a stylish and warm coat, a hat, a pair of well-fitted jeans.

What’s your most coveted item this winter? There’s a jacket in Plume but if I bought it, it would mean I wouldn’t eat for a week so will have to wait for my next big pay cheque.

Were you interested in what you wore as a child? We couldn’t afford expensive clothes so we got into op-shopping from an early age. I grew up as a bit of a tom boy and it wasn’t until my teens that I started to really care what I wore.

What era do you wish you’d been born into? The 1970s. Things were a lot freer then, people were experimental. Woman were more liberated, they burnt their bras and dressed a lot sexier.

Who are your favourite designers? Without a doubt Alistair Trung and Nom*d

Who would you consider as your style icon? I love Marilyn Monroe, her sexuality is something we don’t often see in  women these days. Brigitte Bardot and Patti Smith are also favourites.

Jeans: Cheap Monday, Socks: Rubi, Boots: Mollini, Top: Alistair Trung, Dress: Kookai, Jacket: Thrifted, Bag: Longchamp, Sunglasses: Ray-Ban, Necklace: Diva

Poser. Literally.

I matched my socks to my hair today. I’m serious.

I have a photograph of me on a kiddy potty on the side of the road when I was about two that this reminds me of. Weird I know. Sorry for the visuals.

Black, White and Blue. A favourite combo.

I discovered the hand after. I like it!

The crowd that came out for the PHM Midmouse runway show to see Alistair Trung, Di$count, Trimapee, Where Lovers Lie, Raggatt and Neo Dia on the runway were styled up high on friday night in some looks we die for…

Neon, Americana, Sport Luxe Spandex-Sex,

Vinyl, Crochet, Leather, Studs,

Candy Floss Hair, Cutouts, Fringe,

Sky High Platforms

Some of the best looks of the night here:

After the show

Beer + Jewels

Jojo Bones & Nicky D

Neon Flora Adidas babe

Vinyl, cutouts, crochet: great styling mix

American Dreamz

Sequins & sea green dip dye

Spandex n Sequins with Great eyebrows

Glam Sport Luxe raverbabe: neon hair, platforms, bumbag, leopard.
This Is Golden

Divine Duo with Matador/Spaniola flavour

Funnily enough, when I searched through my iPhoto folders, there was one I didn’t remember making… When I opened it, I found about 25 photos I do not at all remember. I suppose it was to be expected though; fashion week is a chaotic time, you don’t remember the last time you ate, let alone every photo you took. Regardless of my fickle memory, I was ecstatic with the photos I found, so I decided to post some of them. They are jumbled, in no order whatsoever. But I hope you enjoy them too.

Limedrop 

Stolen Girlfriend’s Club (Have to say, although it’s blurry, I’m quite proud of us capturing the male model giving us the cheeky finger just before he exited! Truly captured everything the SGC label is all about!)

Back stage at Alistair Trung

Ms. Couture

RAFFLES show – Byron McGilvray’s Illuminati

Fernando Frisoni

Maggie Cameron, Alex Dubois (Founder of Faint Magazine) and myself at RAFW 2011

Outfit Notes

Shirt-dress: American Apparel

Leather Jumper: Vintage

Coat: Vintage

Ring: Samantha Wills

Shoes: Distressed leather Jeffrey Campbell Lita

Bag: Vintage Oroton

This year’s Melbourne Spring Fashion Week is almost upon us!

The City of Melbourne Melbourne Spring Fashion Week events team have outdone themselves this year with a really great overall program featuring some of Melbourne’s best up and coming designers and business leaders of the local and international industry. This morning’s event launch and program announcements caused a little tingle of excitement – at least for me – as sustainability is finally getting some of the spotlight at the Business Series! And for the Business Series golden trifecta – design integrity and customer engagement via online technology have also been given screen time! Hoorah!

Here is a quick summary of my Must See Events for the week:

Business Series

• Talk the Talk - Mon Sept 5, 7am – 8.45am, Savoy Park Ballroom

How to successfully engage consumers using online technology. Featuring designer and blogger Lucy Feagins from The Design Files and Erik Lavoie from cult US magazine VICE.

• The Good Fight – Tues Sept 6, 7am – 8.45am, Savoy Park Ballroom

International Leaders in the sustainability and CSR space – Marks and Spencer – will be represented by their Head of Sustainable Business Mike Barry. Bringing insight into one of the biggest retail sustainability campaigns (beginning initial £200 Million pound investment and expanding to a goal for carbon neutrality), Mike’s insights into the M&S way of doing this will provide a desperately needed reality check to the Australian industry. He will be accompanied by local sustainability superstar John Condilis from cult denim label Nobody who leading the pack in the Australian sustainability game.

• When the Market Gets Tough, the Smart Get Creative, Wed Sept 7, 7am – 8.45am, Savoy Park Ballroom

With the influx of international mega brands into the Australian market comes an opportunity for local brands to differentiate by delivering quality products developed on principles of innovative design and exceptional quality. It is also an opportunity for stores to employ innovative retail techniques and engage with their consumer base in a real way. Featuring UK design consultant Edward Church, Alasdair Mackinnon from Otto and Spike and Thibaud Cau-Cecile from The Wearer’s Right.

Designer Series

• Runway Show #2 – Boutique

Melbourne is renowned for hidden away boutiques stocking innovative designers. Runway 2 shows what’s in store for some of our best boutique labels and the stores that support them in doing things their own way.
Features: Alice Euphemia, Dhini, Fat, Gorman, Green with Envy, Kings of Carnaby, Leonard St, Life with Bird, Megan Park, Nevenka and Obüs.
More information and tickets available here.

• Runway Show #4 – Senso Uniquo

Melbourne is also gaining a reputation for out-of-the-box design thinking and innovative independent designers. Runway 4 has a great list of local emerging designers who are finding favour with fashionable Melbourne shoppers.
Features: Above, Alistair Trung, Alpha60, Arnsdorf, Carly Hunter, From Britten Product Laboratory, Kuwaii, Limedrop, S!X and Trimapee.
More information and tickets available here.

The Entire Emerging Designer Series

Seriously. If you want to see where Melbourne fashion is at – these are the events to get to. RMIT has an amazing reputation for producing some of the best design talent in the country and fittingly, students and alumni alike show their wares in exhibition and runway format. There is also a runway show of 12 hand selected up and comers. The next generation of design quality on display!

Others

• Yoga in the city with Lululemon

As a yoga fanatic I will definitely be keen to get along to this one!
So there you have it! It looks like my calendar will be jam packed! You can view the entire program here.

We will have interviews with some of the very clever folk featured in the program in the lead up to the event.

What are you most excited about from this year’s Melbourne Spring Fashion Week calendar?

Backstage FiX hit Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2011 with a bang, covering over 25 shows this season, here is a quick teaser wrap up of the week. A special thank you to the designers included in the video LAB Homme, Kooey, Bowie, Gail Sorronda, Bec & Bridge, Alistair Trung.

For more exclsuive pix check out http://backstagefix.blogspot.com/2011/05/rosemount-australian-fashion-week-2011.html

Videography & Photography: Fernando Barraza
Editing and Digital Management: Pauly Maybury

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News: Animals on the catwalk

Controversy today about animals on the catwalk… So far this RAFW, we’ve had an albino python, a dog and a cat. I met young Eva (the dog), a friend met sir Frank (the cat) and I didn’t meet the snake but by all reports s/he was quite relaxed. One year horses appeared on the catwalk. For my part, I think dogs who are properly socialised and not stressed by the experience are a welcome addition to the catwalk, I think the soundscape should be considered if they’re present; I’m generally against wild animals on the catwalk but if there’s potential to endear wildlife to the masses and the animal is again, properly socialised and relaxed, I’m willing to discuss it in the right circumstances; and I don’t really think cats photograph well on a catwalk but so long as the feline’s cool with it I’m not going to argue. Would be keen to hear your thoughts, wild things.

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