The Young Ones are at The Front

Elanna Woods (23)

Last night was the opening of The Young Ones, an exhibition brought to us by the wonderful guys at Us Folk magazine as part of National Youth Week 2013. Featuring work from young Canberra artists, the exhibition, being held at The Front Gallery and Cafe, is designed to showcase emerging talent from the nations capital.

The exhibition features some seriously impressive new talent, including digital printers, photographers, and old school coloured pencil artists, as well as paper cutter extraordinaire, Alex Lundy, who I saw doing her unique snap-shot stories at Art, Not Apart.

Running until Sunday, 14 April, you best get in and check it out now (more details at the bottom of this post). Here are some snapshots of the event, kindly provided by Lily Kane.

Tessa Mues (20)
Wen Huang (Spae) (25)
Wen Huang (Spae) (25)
Konrad Horbacki (19)
Larissa Cook (23)

Becky Worth (Henderson) (22)
Becky Worth (Henderson) (22)

Jake Silvestro (22)
Alex Lundy (20)
Jarrah Domaschenz (19)

Hashtag MBFWA

With Sydney in a fashion frenzy thanks to MBFWA, my Instagram has exploded with pics of some truly impressive Australian talent. The belle of the ball by far, however, is Romance Was Born.

The label was officially launched by designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales in 2005, who have a reputation for transforming “fashion into a glimmering chimerical paradise full of wonderment.”

Their spring/summer 2013 collection, “Mushroom Magic”, lived up to the hype, taking a trip (double entendre intended) down the rabbit hole with an Alice In Wonderland meets Yellow Submarine meets Marvin the Martian inspired show, including an amazing fantasy land set by artist Pip and Pop.

“The clothes – which inspired awe and joy – are a wholly unique expression of two artists unbound by the kind of rules designated by sales managers and trend forecasters. This is freedom in fashion; fearless and fucking fantastic,” said Pedestrian TV (see more incredible images of the collection here). I could not agree more.

For more Insta-coverage of #mbfwa, follow these grammers –

@theiconicau @pedestriantv @vickiexoxo @piperlane @greenwithenvyboutique @christinaroys @fashiongrill @isolatedheroes @_emmamoy_ @fashionfondue @thetrendspotter @caitlinlomax @gigglegiggle @mllenadine

Haters Gon’ Hate

Best Dressed @ The Logies

The news told me that Asher Keddie won the Gold (that’s cool, I enjoy Offspring), but I’m only here for the outfits. Here are a few of the best –

Debra Mailman (image)

Kat Stewart (image)

Jessica McNamee (image)

Rebecca Judd (image)

Kate Richie (image)

Michelle Bridges (image)

Jennifer Hawkins (image)

Rebecca Gibney (image)

Samara Weaving (image)

Brooke Satchwell (image)

Kassandra Clementi (image)

Natalie Barr (image)

Saskia Hampele (image)

Kris Smith (image)

Hamish Blake & Andy Lee (image)

Firass Dirani (image)

Michael Caton (image)

The Great & Powerful Gatsby

In an explosion of pop-cultural awesomeness, the new trailer for the hotly anticipated film The Great Gatsby is here, and it features music from none other than Beyoncé x André 3000, Lana Del Ray and Florence and The Machine. And  this is after I found out that Jay-Z, and ‘our Baz’, have teamed up to produce the soundtrack.

Apparently the two were introduced by Leo DiCaprio, who’s playing the great Gatsby, and who also starred in Baz’s 1996 masterpiece, Romeo + Juliet. It looks as if the same traditional-meets-contemporary spin will be used on the Gatsby soundtrack, with Baz saying “Fitzgerald was a pioneer, famed and controversial for using the then-new and explosive sound called jazz in his novels and short stories – not just as decoration, but to actively tell story using the immediacy of pop culture. He coined the phrase ‘the Jazz Age,'”

All I can imagine right now is Jay, Leo and Baz hanging out talking about making sweet music. “As soon as I spoke with Baz and Leonardo, I knew this was the right project…It’s ripe for experimentation and ready to be interpreted with a modern twist. This film’s vision and direction has all the makings of an epic experience.” Hot.

Related articles

• New Trailer for THE GREAT GATSBY Highlights the Film’s Eclectic Soundtrack (collider.com)
• Jay-Z To Executive Produce “The Great Gatsby” Soundtrack (hot937.cbslocal.com)
• Beyoncé to cover Amy Winehouse on ‘Great Gatsby’ soundtrack (digitalspy.co.uk)

Blogs To Become Obsessed With

Deciding to start blogging seemed like a natural step after becoming obsessed with a number of exceptional, entertaining and inspiring blogs, while I trawled the internet not trying very hard to find a job after my move back from London.

Today, I will share with you the blogs I check everyday. Notice a heavy focus on DIY but don’t judge me for it, it’s beautiful.

A Beautiful Mess

Elsie + Emma from A Beautiful Mess

Elsie and Emma are sisters and co-authors of A Beautiful Mess, a blog focused on creating a beautiful life.

They share daily wisdom on making life a little prettier, with crafts, fashion, decor, and recipes.

In particular, their ‘5 Tips…’ feature is fantastic and covers everything from 5 Tips For Keeping Red Hair Bright, to 5 Tips For Small Business Owners. This is the blog that inspired me to try my hand at a little DIY action, which resulted in this (probably should have read their 5 Tips For Great Indoor Photos first) –

I Spy DIY

Jenni Radosevich (image)

I Spy DIY is a blog created by Jenni Radosevich. Working at a fashion magazine in Manhattan, she wanted to show that luxury looks could be affordable and provide inspiration for using DIY to add a personal touch to your style.

Her photo tutorials are amazing and super simple, check out how to add a neon strap to your ballet flats for an easy alternative to the ankle cuff trend. Or try these super cool colour wrap bracelets (that remind me a little bit of 90’s hair wraps but look way trendier on your wrist).

Daniel Kanter (image)

Manhattan Nest
Before you read on, I must warn you that reading this blog by Daniel Kanter will leave you feeling like the biggest dag/dork (depending on where you’re reading), because he is the coolest man on earth and I even felt lame writing that.

His blog, Manhattan Nest, is all about thrifty DIY, focused on making his apartment in Brooklyn a nice little home.

The best bit about Kanter’s blog is that he is hilarious. Read his post about restoring his dresser, which is long (like the rest of his blog), but so worth it. Also if you follow him on Instagram (which I do, @danielkanter) he takes a lot of cute photos of his dogs.

If you know of any other blogs you think I would enjoy, please let me know!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Beginning on Monday, Australia’s leading fashion designers will be showcasing their new spring/summer collections at the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Being held at Sydney’s Carriageworks a month earlier than usual to accommodate for the global buying schedule, it will see a host of designers, press, retailers, and bloggerati converge on the city to celebrate the countries talent.

Here are the designers to look out for:

We Are Handsome
“Established In 2009, We Are Handsome are renowned for pioneering, digital print swimwear.

Each bold print is treated as individual works of art, inspired by co-founders Jeremy Somers and Indhra Chagoury’s memories and experiences of life in Australia.

Established in 2009 as a collaborative creative project, the brand unexpectedly took off globally with an impressive accolade of high calibre celebrities and international stockists. We Are Handsome is available in more than 26 cities and 18 countries.

2013 marks the labels second time showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia.”

Blesse’d Are The Meek
“Designer Maria Maung has propelled the Bless’ed are the Meek label onto the world stage. Despite her young age, Maria’s skill, signature design style and innate knowledge of the Bless’ed customer has seen the brand increase its international distribution by over 50% in the past 12 months.

With consistent positive reactions from both buyers and media, each season sees Bless’ed are the Meek continue to grow and develop both their covetable design aesthetic and global audience.”

Vanishing Elephant
“Celebrating 5 years of the label, 2013 will be the first year Vanishing Elephant showcases at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia and marks the release of their third womenswear collection.

The brand offers a classic aesthetic that aims not to reinvent but highlight the great subtleties of clothing with a modern take. Large range with plenty of unique textiles.

Vanishing Elephant is a Sydney based clothing brand established in 2008 by Arran Russell, Felix Chan and Huw Bennett.

After first arriving in store in 2009 the brand is now available throughout North America, The United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand and our home country Australia.”

Related articles

• Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week sees designers abandon Logies (dazedhq.wordpress.com)
• Fashion week first (storyfeeder.wordpress.com)
• Dress Me: MBFWA (what2wearwhen.wordpress.com)

At Home With Julia

Looking fierce (images clockwise from top: 1/2/3/4/5/6)

An issue that I think has been shockingly ignored in the lead up to the 2013 federal election, is how banging Julia is looking right now. It’s a far cry from this cream wool skivvy with hounds tooth skirt-suit number circa 1990 (which I actually love). 

Julia has often copped ridicule for her outfit choices, especially after she wore what fashion experts (?) described as a cheap motel bedspread turn technicolour coat on day two as PM.

Since then, I think she has been going from strength to strength on the fashion front, wearing a variety of fabulous jackets and clearly outshining her entourage during the leadership spill on what most would agree would have been a trying day in the halls of parliament.

Ms. Gillard isn’t the first Prime Minister to take advantage of a strong public image. According to Parliament House ex-resident hairdresser, Elizabeth Scott, “John Howard wouldn’t allow me to trim his eyebrows — he was quite conservative.” And rightly so. Otherwise the world would have been denied these historic/badboy images.

John Howard & Bob Hawke (photo: Bryan Charlton)

John Howard (photo: Bryan Charlton)

Other Australian Prime Ministers of sartorial note:

Bob Hawke (photo: Peter Mars)

Gough Whitlam

Paper Round

The only available newspaper at the coffee shop this morning was The Daily Telegraph, and these are the stories that caught my eye.

Not to be deterred by the fall-out after publishing front page images likening Stephen Conroy to Stalin and other despots over media reform, The Daily Telegraph has included a satire piece titled, “Is Wayne waging class war? You Decide.”

Under an image of the hammer & sickle, their new star reporter Information Officer 1, has taken comments from the Treasurer and excerpts from Marx and Engels’ 1848 Communist Manifesto and asked the reader to decide whether it’s fair to accuse the Federal Government of stirring up divisions in society with class war rhetoric.

Read the full article here and let me know what you decide.

The latest Australian magazine to be given the axe by publishing company Bauer Media is Madison, who have announced they will be ceasing publication after their June 2013 issue.

Earlier in the year, Bauer Media CEO Matt Stanton confirmed they were scrapping their weekly Australian edition of Grazia. While only launching five years ago, it has never been as successful as its overseas counterparts.

A sad day all round for Australian fashion media. However, rest assured there will be a swarm of bloggers converging on Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week ready to take photos of Anna dello Russo and each other when it starts next week. This short doco did the rounds on the internet a few weeks ago, but I think it’s worth posting again for those of you who haven’t seen it.

Tristan Barker has admitted to assaulting reporter David Eccleston.

Today Tonight labelled him “the world’s nastiest man” in an exposé on his involvement in cyber-bulling.

However, Today Tonight was left red-faced when it emerged a ‘victim’ they interviewed during the story was, in fact, a member of Barker’s online trolling community, Facebeef. The bogus victim, Jasmine Vanmidde, and Nebz (another member of Facebeef) later posted a Youtube video revealing their ruse. Watch it here –

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week sees designers abandon Logies

Kat Stewart looking sassy in J’Aton at the 2012 Logies (image: Nicole Cleary source: Herald Sun)

Thanks to the new Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week schedule, Australian TV stars have been abandoned by their usual Logies designers as they prepare for their various shows. Particularly shocking is the news that red carpet favourite Alex Perry has not designed a single dress, with his spokesman Josh Flinn explaining Perry had to turn down several celebrities due to incredibly bad timing.

Usually held in May, the fashion week shows will instead begin on April 8, and will kick-off with Camilla & Marc, Sydney design siblings who are celebrating their 10 year anniversary. Other favourites include We Are Handsome, Bec & Bridge, Talulah and Vanishing Elephant, who will show throughout the week.

The lack of available designers willing to make custom gowns may be a blessing for new talent, as stylist Natalie Crighton commented, “it makes us go out and find other designers and make new relationships.” Crighton will be dressing Carrie Bickmore, who is nominated for a gold Logie, in Steven Khalil, while Rebecca Judd will wear J’Aton and Asher Keddie will be in Dion Lee.

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Related articles

• Dress Me: MBFWA (what2wearwhen.wordpress.com)
• Style down under goes over the top (theglobeandmail.com)
• Camilla and Marc A/W ’13 look book (fashionising.com)