Monday, April 30, 2012

Romance Was Born




Wonder Woman was always our favourite superhero. Like some incredibly long-legged model - supermodel, even - she would parade around in that bodice and those boots like it was nobody's business. She made looking fly her job. She had the best accessories, the big hair and the perfect shade of red lipstick. She was a hero, and she was pretty super.

The girls at Romance Was Born - with their fanta-orange David Bowie hair and comically extended eyebrows - took all of that Wonder Woman sass and infused it with a bit of modern-day, look-at-me attitude. In eye-catching prints lifted straight from the pages of Marvel Comics (who collaborated with RWB designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales on the collection) or plunging embellished cat-suits in that ineffable Phantom purple with matching upper-arm cuffs, they sauntered down the catwalk looking like they would blast anyone who got in their way. It was intense, and it was in-your-face and it was oh-so-fine.

A riot of colour and prints - a cacophony of it, an expanse of it, a rainbow of it - exploded on the runway, through which we could glimpse some of those staple RWB moments. There were sequinned tee-shirt dresses and fitted pencil skirts in rich jewel tones galore, but there was also a measure of design maturity to what we saw. The theatrics were still there - models carrying giant cut-outs of the words "Zap" and "Blam" could have walked right out of the pages of a comic book and no-one would have known different - but they were wearing such incredible things that it was almost by the by. All eyes in that draughty warehouse were drawn to the digitally-enhanced prints, mirrored across fitted dresses, the Hamburgler-esque yellow and black striped dresses with cape to match, or the logo-emblazoned high waisted trousers - the ultimate in geek chic.

RWB has always been over-the-top. They have carved out a strong reputation in Australia's notoriously fickle fashion industry as the innovators, the creative types, the ones who continuously marry couture-esque precision and finishes with unparallelled imaginative scope. But this year the biggest surprise was just how wearable this collection was. Cocktail dresses in gold-foil had enough zap and pow to make them superhero-worthy, but the defined shoulders and soft peplum were 100% of the now, Likewise with the series of boxy jackets, printed shirts and bustier-bodice dresses. With - or without, which, here, is the material point - their matching arrow-sharp arm cuffs you'd fit right in at work, or a swanky evening at the MCA, or a late-night dinner at somewhere very hip and trendy like the Apollo in Potts Point. Everything looked like it could slot effortlessly into a modern wardrobe, if it was taken away from the cartoonish setting and extravagant hair and makeup. But watching it all unfold and being right there in the moment begged the question... why would you ever want to do that, when donning one of those dresses might just turn you into a superhero. 

Words by Hannah-Rose Yee, Photographs and illustrations by me

Saturday, April 28, 2012


This year, Hannah and I will be working together to cover MBFWA. Can't wait to share everything with you from Monday!

Handwriting and watercolour by me, collage images from Russh magazine

Friday, April 27, 2012

Rhinoctopus & The Naughty Cabas


I bet these two scamps get into all sorts of mischief.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

roll call - the new classic








Roll call no.2

Autumn 2012

A.P.C. add a modern touch to the traditional by introducing a tan parka alongside their classic trench coat. Phillip Lim adds a stunning white panel with zippers to a tapered black pant. Carven plays with contrasts in different colours and textures and Dress Up adds a pocket to your favourite sweater.

1. A.P.C. parka and striped sweater from Bloodorange 
2. 3.1 Phillip Lim pants from The Corner Shop with Zara heels
3. Carven contrast collar shirt from The Corner Shop
4. Dress Up patch pocket sweater from Mychameleon
5 & 6. Carven belted dress from The Corner Shop
 
Polaroids taken by Rohan

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

elegance









 

Last night was pretty spectacular. Alongside friends Jessie and Hannah, I was invited to the Flannel Spring/Summer 12-13 presentation dinner at the Bite Club in Woolahra. The dessert platter was heavenly and the house was utterly beautiful. It was so lovely to drink amongst friends and preview the collection, all elegant, 1920's inspired silks with beading and applique.

Thanks Flannel!

1, 4 & 7. Photographs by Dan Boud, All other photos by me.

Monday, April 23, 2012

les belles images



Araks Fall 2011 collection. My absolute favourite for a little bit of luxury every day.

Images via Refinery 29

Thursday, April 19, 2012

hiroshima,




"I'd like to make films that look like sculptures and sound like operas."
-Alain Resnais

I can't say I completely understood this film at first. It is sometimes confronting and sometimes beautiful, but definitely one to watch if you love Nouvelle Vague cinema. Hiroshima, mon amour. 

Film stills from Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

crystal canyons






I got an iPhone! Can you tell I'm addicted to Instagram?

1. One of my favourite places to have breakfast; Bird and Bear Boathouse at the Elizabeth Bay Marina. The muesli with your choice of berries or rhubarb is a great start to the day.

2. Reading the latest issue of Self Service and Mirage magazine and my new A.P.C. sweater.

3. Tuesday Uni break has turned into weekly lunch with Sarah. Today was Bread and Circus, a lovely wholefood cafe in Alexandria where we had the best chocolate chip cookie.

4. Some books I brought back from Paris and a new bunch of roses, I love the colour. 

5. It's officially sweater weather! Also busy finishing up my latest series of painting for Uni.

On another note, I recently did an interview over at Feather Factor. Thanks for having me Kat! If you get a chance and are a Game of Thrones fan like me, check out her interview with George R. R. Martin.

All photos by me

Saturday, April 14, 2012

in the garden with TOME


Badlands x Mychameleon x We The People

I had a lot of fun playing dress up in TOME SS12. I really really wished I owned everything from this collection. You can see the rest of the photos here. Thanks Giselle and Jessie!

Photo by Jessie Bush, TOME silk tee from Mychameleon

Friday, April 13, 2012

last days of disco






Yet another reason to love The Criterion Collection. I only just saw Last Days of Disco which they re-released on DVD in 2009. Now I can't stop thinking about the Manhattan disco scene in the 70s. 

If you feel like dancing, these are a few of my favourites from the soundtrack.

CHIC - Good Times 
DIANA ROSS - I'm Coming Out
CHERYL LYNN - Got To Be Real
ALICIA BRDIGES - I Love The Nightlife

Oh and did I mention how amazing the styling is? Chloƫ Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale work early 80s fashion perfectly.

Last Days Of Disco film stills via google

Sunday, April 8, 2012

breathless







Paris!

Rohan and I spent an amazing afternoon shopping when we first arrived and we managed to make it to Saint-Germain, Le Marais and Canal Saint-Martin. I kept seeing so many beautiful apartment blocks and ended up taking hundreds of photos (window boxes with red flowers are my favourite).
The first stop was the Dries Van Noten store right by the Seine. Dries is one of my favourite designers and the store certainly didn't disappoint, the interior was every bit as lovely as the clothes.
A few other favourites (more on this later) were Carven, Celine, A.P.C, Isabel Marant, Merci, COS and Saint James. 

The second photo is what I wore today (happy Easter everyone!), my Saint James Meriden top and Dress Up pants. I missed out on a pair of burgundy pants from Dress Up's AW11 collection and was so happy when I heard there would be a similar pair out this season. All I have been wearing for the past few weeks are stripey tops or button down shirts with jeans or tapered pants. I'm looking forward to the weather getting a bit cooler so I can dress for winter again.

One of my favourite outfits I wore while away was my Isabel Marant Azuli coat (found this on sale) with Acne jeans and pistol boots.
I miss Paris so much!

All photos by Rohan and I

Saturday, April 7, 2012

a day in the office














I'm not sure how I missed these photos of Gaia Repossi in her office, but they're making my longing for a studio even greater. I would love a big, long desk with draws so I can store all of my drawings flat, high ceilings, white brick walls and a variety of colourful drop sheets for taking photos.

One of my favourite films for studio inspiration is Antonioni's Blow Up (1966). The colour use in the film is beautiful and it stars David Hemmings, Jane Birkin, Vanessa Redgrave and Veruschka. What's not to love?

1-5. Industrie magazine, 6-12. Screen caps from Blow Up, taken by me.