coolchiq

Roberto Cavalli for H&M

2007-06-20T22:55:00.000+10:00

High street-designer mania is not settling by any stretch of imagination; while the Josh Goot hysteria at Target yesterday was mildly busy, Swedish chain store H&M today declares the rumours of an H&M cooperation with Roberto Cavalli.

“Fancy yourself as a Cavalli babe next winter – for next to nothing? The Italian designer most famous for dressing Gwyneth, Madonna, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez is next up to design a one-off collection for H&M – following sell-out-in-seconds collections from Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Viktor & Rolf. "Roberto Cavalli has created a world of his own, iconic and full of fantasy, when it comes to colours, prints, and style," says H&M creative director, Margareta van der Bosch. "There is no place for shyness and no possibility of ending up with a mainstream wardrobe of everyday basics. The Roberto Cavalli collections represent an exuberant, successful lifestyle."

Modette – Letter from Sydney

2007-06-19T21:52:00.000+10:00

Pre-fashion week we were asked to do an article for Swedish fashion magazine Modette. The result, “Brev från Sydney” (translated “Letter from Sydney”) in issue number 3, is available now at news stands in Sweden. So what’s the angle of the article, you might ask? Well, as the article suggests, it primarily talks about general recent trends in Sydney and labels “in the now”. Zimmermann, LIFEwithBIRD and Bettina Liano are some of our favourites.

From a Swedish perspective it covers the difference of the (Australian) wardrobe compared to that in Sweden. Because of the short winters in the southern hemispheres, your average winter wardrobe has a different meaning. A trench (hi Burberry!) could be a perfect Sydney winter coat, whereas you couldn’t survive wearing the same coat in the Swedish winter. Essentially this means more money to spend on dresses and cool open-toed shoes – outfits that on average are worn only 2 months of the year in Sweden.

Having said all of this, we’re sat here frozen s***less cuddling up next to a mobile radiator. Thankfully Swedes know how to implement central heating and triple glazed windows!

Look Book - Carl

2007-06-18T21:37:00.000+10:00

Thanks to SJ+Hat we were introduced to Melbourne-based fashion designer Carl , whose clothing line recently has been snapped up by American Neiman Marcus. In Sydney, his items are stocked at Duck Egg Blue.

His spring/summer 07/08 collection presents clean lines in silk and satin, and complements his super minimalistic website.

Check out the complete look book in pdf-file here.

Gareth Pugh at V&A

2007-06-13T20:35:00.000+10:00

British designer Gareth Pugh, who debuted with a rather dramatic collection at London Fashion Week in 2005, is now set to launch his first selling collection in various stores including Liberty and Barneys New York. Pugh is inspired by shape and proportion, but his previous creations have also included slightly more alternative features; a rubber bunny suit, latex gimp masks and something that looks more like Christmas tinsel decoration.

To complement his debut collection this season, the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London will host four live shows featuring Pugh's work as part of this summer series Fashion In Motion. The shows at the V&A are on this Friday 15 June at 12noon, 2pm, 4pm and 7.30pm.

YSL Edition 24

2007-06-12T22:06:00.001+10:00

Arriving less-than-fabulous-looking after a long haul flight could soon be part of history as YSL’s Edition 24 hits the shelves this month. Stefano Pilati, Head designer of YSL, is responsible for the “Edition 24” collection, which can be assembled into 24 looks, comprising all the elements a woman might need for an overnight trip. Key words are “timeless-ness” and “versatility” which translate into pieces such as patent trench coats, cool safari jackets and tailored tuxedos jackets. There’s also oversized sweaters and chiffon dresses that can be rolled into a ball and tossed into a roller suitcase. Edition 24 will hit all 61 freestanding YSL boutiques worldwide.

“It's not a second line,” says Pilati, and adds “Edition 24 is a way to address fashion in a more accessible way. It's about building a wardrobe; finding everything you need. And it's not necessarily linked to the direction of a season. It will appeal to a broader and younger clientele.”

Cartier: Declares June 8 The Love Day

2007-06-09T23:29:00.000+10:00

Cartier, who has recently added a new piece to its LOVE Collection, has another reason to mark early-June an essential part of their history. With their newly released website, it’s interesting to see that the site is lightning-fast. Despite advanced designs, it actually does what it’s supposed to do, so none of the usual crap of over-designs and waiting half an hour for a page to download. In the Love Collection, brought out to support charity, Cartier has worked with eight celebrities, using the bracelets to promote a specific charity. The silk bracelet colour signifies their charity choice:

Rosario Dawson: Youth AIDS, Red Bracelet
Salma Hayek: The Salma Hayek Foundation, White Bracelet
Scarlett Johansson: USA Harvest, Baby Pink Bracelet
Spike Lee: Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, Purple Bracelet
Edward Norton: Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, Green Bracelet
Sarah Jessica Parker: UNICEF, Blue Bracelet
Michael Stipe: Mercy Corps / Gulf Coast Recovery, Black Bracelet
Liv Tyler: The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Deep Pink Bracelet

So Many Sales, So Little Time

2007-06-08T22:35:00.000+10:00

Well, winter’s a mere 7 days old, and we’re already drowning in invitations to winter sales left, right and centre. The Country Road sale on Wednesday morning, was a particularly interesting experience, with a 100 meters worth of mad fashionistas who’d all set out to get their hands on the Country Road stuff. Followed closely was the evh sale which offered the fabulous stuff from Scanlan and Theodore, Superfine and Megan Park. In Darlinghurst, Madame Marie offered 30% off, and as if this wasn't enough more sales are starting next week.

Look Book: Jessie Hill

2007-06-04T20:28:00.000+10:00

Fashionistas and film noir lovers unite! When Jessie Hill first caught our attention at RAFW not long ago, we were impressed by the cool pieces and the fact that the inspiration came from a film that we've been watching over and over again - Blade Runner. So, in an attempt to pick one favourite look from Hill's look book, we landed with 6 favourite pieces. Download Jessie Hill's lookbook here.

Above
1. Moto shirt - silk cream polka print

2. Slinky vest & Darryll Hannah pants
3. Aztec dress - cream polka print

Above
1. Sky blue Materialize dress and Breeze jacket
2. Aztec print Sean Young shoulder dress
3. Blue-grey Turn over shirt dress

Donna Karan Joins The Blogosphere

2007-06-03T20:58:00.000+10:00

“This has been the most incredible week of my life. I suppose I've simply gotten to a point in my life where I want to “address” people, not simply “dress” them. When first my husband Stephan became ill with cancer, and then my best friend Lynn Kohlman, I realized something was terribly wrong with the way they were being treated.” 19 May, The Huffington Post

Queen of cool, and American designer Donna Karan’s blog is far from an ode to fashion designs, but rather, an amazing insight into a subject that Karan feels very strongly about – the US health care system. Karan, known for her fund raisal for AIDS awareness, has also been co–chairing several cancer research charity events such as the annual New York “Kids for Kids”, and “Super Saturday” to name but a few. While the blog reveals details of Karan's private life, and her personal view on the health care system, some of the comments have fused some pretty lively conversations . Good for you, Donna!

Graduate Fashion Designers at PHM

2007-05-28T20:46:00.000+10:00

If you haven’t done already then you should go and visit The Powerhouse Museum’s annual Student Fashion exhibition. Well, so we're told anyway.

While promising an interesting feature display, we're assuming that the 3D-geek glasses aren't really part of the installation. Three of the top graduating students from fashion design schools in Sydney will show case their work: Kim Deters from The Fashion Design Studio at the Sydney Institute of Technology, Amy Yong from The Whitehouse Institute of Design, and Sophie McGinn from UTS. The exhibition runs until 3 June.

“The six outfits vary in style and technique with inspiration drawn from a diverse range of sources, from classic children’s books and French perfume bottles to the theory that we are all connected through ‘six degrees of separation’.

Accompanying each student’s outfits is a display that reveals the creative process behind the designs from concept to fruition, including design drawings, methods of fabrication and fashion photographs.”

Sydney Italian Festival

2007-05-27T22:28:00.000+10:00

Hidden in "fashion PR City", is where the likes of Spin Communications, and The Arc Factory are located. This is the rim of the entertainment crater for next weekend. Primo Italiano 07 is held on Sunday 3 June.

Fast becoming known as Sydney’s “Little Italy”, the area is rich in 1800’s architecture, epicurean delights, and of course, fashion abounds – though you don’t have to be one of the “beautiful people” to be there.

Around the city fashion wise: Bulgari has opened a new store at 64-68 Castlereagh Street, and the Italian Trade Commission were recently invited to the Sydney Italian Festival, via an evening of iconic Italian brands including Ferragamo, Zegna, and Cavalli. So expect to see again some of these wealthy, dark, tall handsome types.

Like the parks around Firenze, this tiny complex of streets is scented by herbs and car fumes in the day time, and by garlic, jasmine and cigarette smoke in the evening. We recently visited both Trovata and Giardinetto, on Stanley Street. For superb quality, our favourite is Trovata, but for ~~big~~ gargantuan portions and cute atmosphere, go for Giardinetto.

Take your time here next Sunday, and between 11.00am and 5.00pm (& probably later) you’ll find al fresco dining, fresh food markets, music, dancing, street performers, and wine tasting. Be patient – you’ll be one of many.

Immacolata and Her Friends

2007-05-18T19:48:00.000+10:00

Talking about Swedes... Stina Persson (lovely name, great artist!), is holding an exhibition at the Gallery Hanahou, New York, named Immacolata and Her Friends. The exhibition, which is held between 24 May until 6 July, will feature works of Sicilian women Persson chose to feature for the German magazine Squint. Apart from her brillinat water colour paintings, there's also a separate section of fashion - check it out.

The Swede-st Thing

2007-05-15T23:52:00.000+10:00

Well, a picture says more than a thousand words, so we’ll shut up for once, and let you all enjoy The Sartorialist’s shots of these uber-cool guys in Stockholm. His images, as always, capture ordinary folks off and about on the streets. Fantastico! Not that we're getting home sick or anything, but don't you think that these guys totally rock? Check out more about Scott Schuman's musings at Style.com.

Turning Back Time at Dolce & Gabbana

2007-05-14T21:09:00.000+10:00

Normally you wouldn’t expect to find much in the way of quirky retro-design at Dolce & Gabbana, but it's actually the animal-print-loving designer duo, who are behind this weirdly wonderful “Test Card watch”. Inspired by the first ever BBC “electronically generated test card” (test card G, to be really geeky), it’s certain to get people talking - probably about their childhood. As if a cool design wasn’t enough, this watch has a quartz movement, one-touch backlight, and is water-resistant to 50m - expect flashbacks of Sesame Street on your scuba dive.

Oyster Magazine

2007-05-13T21:10:00.000+10:00

We’ve said before and we’ll say it again – the guys over at Oyster Magazine are continuously making the fashion-music-&-arts-genre a more and more innovative space to dwell in. If you can avoid a seizure at the home page, it's worth delving further into the site.

The Renaissance issue 69 covers the adventures of pop indie band New Young Pony Club, who’ve recently completed a tour in Australia. Their excellent tunes are on myspace too - very “

Siouxsie and the Banshees meets Shampoo

” if you'd ask us. There’s also an interview with the founder and curators from All Tomorrow’s Parties festival, and a couple of interesting designer features - Balmain’s Christophe Decarnin, and E’s lauded designer Sadaharu Hoshino, and a list of New York’s best vintage hotspots.

Check out the stunning shoots from Sam Borich, Renya Xydis, and Izabella Demavlys. To top things off, they’ve got a nice added feature on the website – a few guest blogs where you can read musings from Alice McCall and Romance was Born.

Nautica Jeans Co.

2007-05-12T22:35:00.000+10:00

So we finally got him some Nautica Jeans. The Nautica Jeans Co. started up in 1999, just about the time when the other big names in jeans were cutting back and worried that desires for denim were dying. And now we know why. Difficult to say anything about jeans which hasn’t already been said. But thanks to Nautica, “him indoors” now looks like Brad Pitt (well, OK, from the waist down anyway). You really have to see these jeans to appreciate the quality. Fantastic denim fabric which feels like it was made for your body. Extreme comfort, awesome looks, perfect stitching, and retro-style buttons and rivets. The belt quality leather label on the back adds the final touch. NJC’s innovative website shows off the brilliant range of glacier cool styles and colours. The advertising is really fun too. We went for the Easy Fit Pacific Blue – smart enough for casual Friday at the office – casual enough for blowing froth off the amber nectar at the local bar. We don’t rave about men’s fashion very often, but these jeans are so sexy, we want to grind our rivets together, flashing sparks into the night. Go get your guy a pair right now and he’ll adore you forever.

Designer Rugs

2007-05-08T23:29:00.000+10:00

Feeling particularly generous and want something unusual in your house? Then Designer Rugs might have exactly what you’re looking for.

Twelve of Australia’s leading fashion designers have been asked to design an original and exclusive rug, in a unique single edition. Each designer has chosen a charity they feel passionate about - the different choices include anything from Greenpeace to Amnesty, and Unicef to Meals on Wheels. All money raised by the silent auction will go to the charities.

The auction is in full swing already but will continue until Thursday 10th May 2007, so join now to be part of the bidding. 6 of the designs are displayed here, but our favourite is Akira's design, at the top left corner.

The Fashion Week Has Now Left The Building

2007-05-07T23:15:00.000+10:00

Oh the chutzpah of fashion! The number of Zoolander expressions, poker faces, and larger-than-life attitudes involved at an event such as RAFW is over powering. Despite a fantastic week, we’re quite happy to have it all over and done with. So, finally back to a normal life...

RAFW - Alice McCall

2007-05-04T17:49:00.000+10:00

Zips are the new buttons. We’re jumping to the conclusion here simply by looking at Camilla and Marc, Jessie Hill and Dhini to name but a few. So when zips are the new buttons, then neon is undoubtedly the new black.

Yesterday afternoon in the Cargo Hall, Alice McCall included both zips and neon to balance the grey and timid tones in her “Welcome to the Dollhouse” collection. McCall’s show was a tight, smart display of fresh and youthful looks. Acid lime appeared on dresses, shoes and accessories in a variety of different ways – as inserted stitched patchworks, as zig-zagged lines on high heels, as bold giant plastic waist belts.

But as ‘cool’ and streetwise as this collection was, there was also a refreshing playful side to McCall’s show - geeky sunglasses, stripy hooded dresses, and dungarees. How could you not love this woman?

RAFW - Jessie Hill

2007-05-04T13:44:00.000+10:00

While launching her first RTW show at New York Fashion Week 2005, Jessie Hill’s debut in the home-arena took place yesterday at RAFW 2007.

Fuelled by the 1982 film classic “Blade Runner”, Hill’s work presented an eclectic mix of Ready-To-Wear meets couture in a European style. True to the inspirational theme the pieces were daring and feminine, but always with a dark twist, which provoked the feeling of a Sin City woman. Dresses were tailored with tight pleats, and fabrics such as Japanese micro-fibre cotton and satin, dominated the show. Hill had mostly worked with solid colours in cream, white, silver-grey and black, but some pale aztec prints were used to create a worn-out, rebellious effect.

More spectacular pieces had complex designs such as a lizard-collar, very cool. Hill's pocket dress in silver-grey – literally covered in zipped, round pockets across the lower part of the body – was quite exquisite.

The whole collection felt new and avant-garde, some pieces you’d expect to see in Japan. To complement the fabulous film-noir look, the make-up artist had done a fantastic job with sharp dark eyes and black glossy nails. We absolutely loved the show and we're sure that Rick Deckard would have loved it too.

RAFW - Matthew Eager

2007-05-03T21:51:00.000+10:00

Matthew Eager's show presented clean lines with no accessories, to make a feature of the minimalistic approach that Eager had in mind. Super-wide linen trousers looked quite elegant on the tall models. High-waisted ra-ra skirts, and dresses in knee lengths came in silver- embellished thick fabric. The boxy coats and bolero jackets were striking, but felt quite demure rather than young and edgy. Colours were in sections white, silver and grey, and with splashes of deep turquoise, and acid green. With the many sleek dresses, this collection presented the most sophisticated range throughout the week. Read also Rebekah Van Druten's, (ABC), interview with Matthew Eager before the show.

RAFW - Josh Goot

2007-05-03T21:28:00.000+10:00

For a designer that’s been described as the most successful [Australian] fashion exports since Colette Dinnigan, it’s hard to imagine that Josh Goot only has 3 years of runway experience since debuting at MAFW 2004. At that time it was a print-heavy streetwear brand called Platform, which later on evolved into the famous Josh Goot label. His key words of “tailored comfort”, which are wardrobe classics, constructed in cotton/jersey fabrics, have given inspiration to many new emerging local designers. Today, the appreciation of Goot’s design was prevalent across the audience.

The venue, a massive industrial warehouse location in Redfern, was a far cry from last year's CBD-located show. Undoubtedly a more Goot-like location, with its industrial look of giant rusty pipes, that came crawling across the ceiling. From the loudspeakers flowed creepy electronic noise – it might as well have been the film location from Alien, for all we know. What added to the whole ‘space oddity’ experience, were the senior ushers, appropriately dressed in smoky silver uniforms.

This year Goot had worked with strong bright colours to complement the re-occurring futuristic in his work. Dresses with asymmetrical lines in yellow, purple, and pale lilac were presented first. The garments felt sporty, but chic – though with a few surprises in store. Had Goot taken a holiday in Norway for his inspiration? Well, there were certainly elements that suggested a cross-country skiing influence in his bright leg-hugging pants. New features for this year were the contrasting edges in bright orange, that brought the sober metallic dresses to life. The long, flowy capes in cerise gave a nice elf-like effect, but how and when would you wear such a garment?

It was great to see that Goot had kept the loved classics – the ultra-thin trench-coat, the baggy pants, the cigarette skirt, which still hadn’t given way for any raised hemlines this year. While working both with hues in silver and gold in this collection, Goot did a fantastic job that we can’t wait to see close up.

2007-05-03T06:00:00.000+10:00

RAFW - Arabella Ramsay

2007-05-03T00:03:00.000+10:00

We swapped Nicola Finetti for Arabella Ramsay this evening, but it was a difficult choice as we're big Finetti-lovers and know little of Arabella Ramsay. It's also a big ask to judge a label’s potential, without a prior viewing.

What was on stage was lovely, very sweet and left a more-ish feeling, which is always a good sign. But there were more than a few international references, that were so obviously ‘influenced’ by other designers that it couldn't possibly be just sheer coincidence.

We probably weren't the first in the audience, to reflect on the banana necklace at the opening of the show. After all, didn’t Chloe 2001 do exactly that? But the show went on, and the denim section covered shorts, waistcoats, and dresses which reminded us of Karen Walker. Outfits in matching petroleum green were followed by a silky section, that brought back Chloe in mind again. We absolutely loved the straw 'riding hats', though we immediately thought of Balenciaga autumn 2006. Still, thumbs-up for this show though.

RAFW - State of Georgia

2007-05-02T17:59:00.000+10:00

Formed by Georgia Hall, a former fashion model, who recently launched the label State of

Georgia

. The collection featured baby doll dresses, high-waisted mini skirts, ancle-length 'Laura Ashley dresses', solid colours, patterns, pucci-inspired prints, gold, silver, etc, etc... you get the idea.

With such an over-kill it’s difficult to have any opinion about what this was about. Oh, did we mention the leder-hosen? Well at least they played Dolly Parton in the show.

Ksubi and Erin Wasson

2007-05-02T17:07:00.000+10:00

While in between fashion shows, Simon Lock, Managing Director of IMG Fashion Asia Pacific (not actually in this picture), had an informal chat with the guys at ~~Tsubi~~ Ksubi and American super-model Erin Wasson. Erin, who will be strutting down the runway late, tomorrow evening at Ksubi, mentioned she looked forward to taking a front-row seat at Josh Goot's show tomorrow morning.

RAFW - Shakuhachi

2007-05-02T16:14:00.000+10:00

This morning it was down to Shakuhachi to show off her work for the Australian SS 2007/08. Fashion designer Jessie White has been a key player in the industry for 8 years, and in recent years she’s primarily focused on tailored garments for an age group of 16-25.

The show opened up with hooded baggy jersey dresses in strong colours – neon blue, orange and fluorescent pink. Then came playsuits in stretchy cotton. Berets appeared throughout the show, oddly enough even on the bikini girls no less. An interesting Australian take on the parkas was presented more than once in the show – a short-sleeved version in light nylon. Shakuhachi had jumped on the futuristic hype and featured both skirts, dresses and tops in metallic hues. A glittery casino jacket worn with a t-shirt dress, started off the more tacky part of the show, and the grand finale was a few sequin dresses featuring a mish-mash of weird colourful cubes. While ticking of the recent must-trends – metallic, thigh-baring hemlines and loose, over sized shapes - there’s no doubt this teenage-like collection will sell. As long as it stays Down Under.

2007-05-02T06:09:00.000+10:00

RAFW - Frisoni Finetti

2007-05-02T01:18:00.000+10:00

Frisoni Finetti was created by Nicola Finetti and Fernando Frisoni. The show was men’s only fashion – pretty refreshing actually (although at coolchiq, we don’t focus so much on men’s fashion). Both men appeared at the end for the usual designer promenade. We’re not sure if Nicola was the driver for Fernando, or vice versa. Either way, there was clearly a cross-pollination of ideas in one direction or the other. All the styles were extremely cool, and well designed in terms of basic (navy, haematite, black and white) masculine colours. Not formal menswear, but rather, smart streetwise threads. Contemporary fabrics – crisp cotton, jersey, metallic nylon – used in cutting edge design. Not the type of stuff the average Sydney surf dude would usually wear, but then, there isn’t much other competition in this niche area of style in Australia. Not every guy wants to wear Quicksilver printed across their exposed arse cleavage (or Rip Curl, Volcom, etc.) for that matter. This will be more expensive than the surf ranges, but wouldn’t it be great if guys start wearing this level of style more commonly? Thumbs up Frisoni Finetti!

RAFW - Zambesi

2007-05-01T22:53:00.000+10:00

What was the focus for all the snappy cameras pre-show at Zambesi? Well, we think Dita von Teese, on the front row, had something to do with the extravaganza. Though the burlesque Queen was as cute and innocent (looking) as ever, her front row neighbours looked more intrigued to be positioned next to the ex-stripper. It was quite a surprise to see the real slim, prim, doll-like Dita, rather than the MAC make-up advert Dita, which, while still attractive, is curvaceous, with a colossal chest.

The show featured primarily boyish silhouettes, with layering, and shirt-dresses that reminded us of school cleaning ladies, rather than leading edge, hot street fashionistas. Worn in the right way, they could look really cool, but this isn’t something you’d throw on without forward planning. Finally, most of the silky tunics carried graphic design prints - very gothic like an old friend of Dita's.

RAFW - LIFEwithBIRD

2007-05-01T22:15:00.000+10:00

Little did Bridget and Nicholas know when they first met, that it would be the start of a fashion label, about to be on everyone’s lips in just a short period of time. Since being launched, “LIFEwithBIRD” has been snapped up by Sportsgirl to deliver a limited edition collection due in July 2007. The designer duo, including Alice McCall’s sister Bridget [McCall] and Nicholas Van Messner, co-formed the label that is now stocked at uber-cool Incu.

Early on, the girls sported soft ultra-thin cotton, and designs with side-winged t-shirts, that had “SHOUT” printed across the chest. To follow, were thigh-baring dresses in nude tones, some with gathered hems and asymmetrical pleats. Like a few other shows, there were sporty influences, though here they were much more unique – quite edgy.

Plenty of details on each garment, nicely structured, to add interest to an otherwise ‘simple’ design. Grey leggings weren’t just grey – they had inserts of silver fabric in shiny material, zig-zagged up the legs. Sweatshirts had penguin arms, and chunky bracelets, made of plastic and metal, were jammed half-way up the arm, as though part of a robotic installation. Giant shopping bags appeared throughout the show – perhaps a place for the gym gear to go? What we saw was quite likeable, and if life really is like this with bird, then we wouldn’t mind seeing a little more of it.

RAFW - Bowie

2007-05-01T13:39:00.000+10:00

Last year at Bowie we drew parallel lines to the film “Master and Commander”. This year the references were far from nautical, but more “Little Red Riding Hood starring as an extra in an adult movie”. Champagne, black and red dominated on see-through chiffon dresses, that looked like exclusive lingerie in a Louisiana bordello. The girls had been ‘styled’ in red velvet ribbons to complement their big wavy hair.

Apart from strapless cigarette dresses, there were a few flimsy lace dresses. Perhaps the collection had seen the inside of South Fork Ranch back in the seventies? Well, certainly Sue-Ellen and Pam would have loved it all. The very fit-looking boys wore overalls so camp-looking, that only at Camp David could they get away with it. The black & white printed t-shirts were kinda cool though, but all rather déjà vu.

What else completed the nostalgic vibes? Well how about a little Duran Duran and Prince from the loudspeakers.

2007-05-01T06:00:00.000+10:00

RAFW - Melanie Cutfield

2007-04-30T23:56:00.000+10:00

Melanie Cutfield started out at the Fashion Design School in New Zealand. Like many other designers, she moved to London and America to seek inspiration, but has since moved back to Australia and her roots.

While playing a strong Arabic beat on full blast, Cutfield opened the show with a few dresses that were in sections of cream/white/navy stripes. The dresses, constructed from terrific heavy silk, were so long they literally dragged on the floor, and considering the height of the models, we’d be amused to see how these looked on ‘normal’ women. The dramatic Arabic rhythms were followed by a more upbeat contemporary section, using cream and white cotton pieces. Simple lurex tank tops, worn with soft pleated skirts, made the cute sports hats look like there was a game of tennis about to start.

Cutfield’s girls wore extremely high heels – even for a runway show – and the inevitable happened. It was in no way a slight upon the poor girl who tumbled to the deck and struggled to stand up again. She’s now up there with Naomi Campbell’s catwalk of (fallen) fame.

RAFW - WRTW 1

2007-04-30T18:04:00.000+10:00

First out in the Women's Ready-To -Wear 1 Show (WRTW1), was Dhini, a Melborne-based label, run by designer Dhini Pararajasingham. Dhini studied fashion design in Tokyo, but ended up in London for a few years, before coming back to Australia again. The show featured tailored, high-waist pants combined with funky hooded jackets, which came with loose ‘bits’ hanging off the garments. The majority of the collection was quite interesting, but lacked completeness all the way, with a few pieces that somehow didn’t quite seem to fit in. We can see the potential for Dhini, but would like to see more from this label before we give our final nod of approval.

High Tea With Mrs Woo did their usual gig of unique combinations of West meets Eastern charm. ‘ShowOff’ had very little to show off about unfortunately – all very bland stuff. Funky Silence is Golden played on the French theme with navy influences, including stripy off-the-shoulder cotton dresses, all cute with black bum-pockets. The girls all wore très chic berets to add to the continental feel of the collection. We absolutely loved the cool black and white brogues.

RAFW - Anna Thomas

2007-04-30T16:53:00.000+10:00

Melbourne-based Anna Thomas is another designer, who in 2003 stepped out on her own, after a few gigs with international designers MaxMara, Karl Lagerfeld and Narcisco Rodriquez. Her mature design direction was prevalent throughout the show, with many numbers to like.

Anna Thomas has become famous for her quality tailoring, though with crisp cotton and stiff metallic creased silk, this collection felt more sporty compared to her previous work. Demure navy coloured shirts with polkadots, and large stripes on ra-ra skirts came out first, only to give way to tulip skirts and sack dresses in more subtle, solid colours. The items were combined with well cut pin-striped suite jackets that felt almost Marc Jacobs in a way. What added to this was the flat masculine shoes that looked a tad too big on all the girls – very cool indeed. To top things off, Anna Thomas’ baby girl was in the audience – wearing a tiny little navy polkadot dress complete with acid-green belt. The woman has style.

Colours: White, navy, acid green, teak,
Silhouttes: Bottle shapes and loose tulip shapes,
Fabrics: Cotton and metallic silk
Particular garments: A fantastic feminine shirts dress and over sized masculine shoes

RAFW - camilla and marc

2007-04-30T11:41:00.000+10:00

The Sydney based designer duo camilla and marc has a lot to be proud of since their launch in 2003. Scoring the grand opening of the Sydney Fashion Week is a well-recognised accomplishment, but we’re also referring to the recent hype over camilla and marc’s excellent write-up, on the front cover of Women's Wear Daily. OK, Patty Huntington may be to blame for that, though we’re more used to reading Patty’s dry commentary, than hearing her singing the praises of fashion designers.

This sunny Sydney morning an impeccably well-dressed crowd had gathered at the Sydney Theatre company. Among the audience were a mix of striking Japanese, French, and Swedish designs, although plenty of camilla and marc pieces stood out to pay tribute to the show we were about to see. The collection, which featured white, cream and pale-grey repeatedly, brought thoughts of sixties style to mind. Dresses came in either daring thigh-high or ancle-lengths, but with a modern twist featuring thick zips running down the middle of the backs, creating ruler straight lines along the dresses. A couple of neon-blue dresses wowed the audience and felt very up to the minute.

It’s wonderful to see that camilla and marc have been picked up by our online bible Net-A-Porter recently. Although, this can suggest the label will go onwards and upwards to London or New York, meaning an end to their shows in their own ‘back yard’ so to speak. Will this be the last year camilla and marc grace us with their presence, following in the footsteps of Sass & Bide, Willow et al? Let’s hope not.

Colours: White, cream, pale grey
Silhouttes: Clean geometric lines, a-shaped dresses
Fabrics: Knits, silk, leather
Music: Rolling Stones, underground
Inspiration: French lace, futurism and bold masculine shapes
Particular garments: cobolt blue, hooded chiffon over sized tops

2007-04-30T06:00:00.000+10:00

2007-04-28T19:01:00.000+10:00

The Fader Magazine – Online

2007-04-25T19:19:00.000+10:00

Awesome in-depth reportage and image provider The Fader Magazine delivers a dynamic range of articles, right up our street. But apart from an edgy appearance and excellent content, they’ve now expanded the magazine presence online. While making its entire music selection available to download on iTunes, you can also download the full magazine issue as a PDF file. What we love about The Fader is the focus on music and lifestyle, mixed with interesting articles on their blog (there’s even Fader Japan, shame our Japanese isn't quite up to speed). In issue 45 Aussie designer Perks And Mini get a good write up too - great for them, because looking at their fit-inducing web site, they need all the help they can get.

Though we do prefer printed magazines, there are loads of other benefits in a cybernet version. Online, the magazine makes zero dollars in magazine sales, and only gains revenue through paying advertisers. But they’re spared the headache and costs of printing, distribution etc., and gain more time to produce editorial. It’s greener – no use of resources in printing and no pollution afterwards. But the reader benefits from having cool, high-resolution images on file.

Johnny Marr & PF Flyers Cure Autism Now

2007-04-25T14:21:00.000+10:00

Iconic former lead guitarist of The Smiths and now plays his spangly guitar with Modest Mouse, can add yet another merit to his sparkly cv. Sneaker giant PF Flyers has picked up Johnny Marr to deliver a special edition sneaker due 10 July this year (check it out here). The design, which features dark blue leather with black accents, comes with Marr’s signature laser etched on the tongue.

PF Flyers will be donating all shoes and all money raised directly to charities Cure Autism Now (US) and The Pictor School (UK).

There’s only 108 pairs available in the UK and US so sign up here to get a pair of Marr’s sneakers.

Répondez S’il Vous Plaît

2007-04-23T21:45:00.000+10:00

So here we go again – let the games begin. With 7 days to go ‘til the mad stint at RAFW, we’re thrilled to see that invites are still pouring in. But what’s even more exciting is the grand opening at the Sydney Theatre company this year. The prestigious kick-off show, which has been awarded to Camilla and Marc, will be followed by Lisa Ho at an off-site event. Though the number of “usual suspects” has been reduced, it’s likely to be a fashion festival with its own flavour. There will be lots of interesting young labels like Life With Bird, and last year’s fashion darlings Anna and Boy. Nicola Finetti will be introducing his new offspring Fissoni Finetti – a cool urban menswear line. The whole event has been reconfigured, so stay tuned to see what it looks like. Hopefully there’ll be a better deal for all the exhibitors who’ve been hitherto stuck upstairs at “The Source” trade show.

New York Fashion Now - V&A

2007-04-22T20:20:00.000+10:00

From London’s Victoria & Albert Museum comes another brilliant exhibition not to be missed (remember Popoganda and Fashion-ology?). “New York Fashion Now” will showcase clothes and accessories from a range of New York's emerging fashion talent. But the angle is not just a selection of interesting clothes, but rather to illustrate New York as a working environment for the fashion industry. By emphasising how its creative legacy, successful fashion empires, and press & retail sectors work hand-in-hand, it’ll be a fascinating exhibition to visit. The display will feature twenty dynamic young design labels (most of them launched within the past three to seven years) such as Zac Posen, Maggie Norris, Thom Brown, Mary Ping and Derek Lam. It’ll chart the contributions each has made to the fashion industry and will include elegant sportswear, new menswear, expressions of craft and avant-garde design. Opened on 17 April it’ll run until 23 September.

The Art of Teese Down Under

2007-04-21T10:49:00.000+10:00

Queen of Burlesque, M.A.C Viva Glam spokesperson, and ex-Mrs Marilyn Manson (phew!) will attend Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) in Sydney as part of her Lipteese World Tour. Ms. Von Teese will include a round of commercial appearances, followed by a special event due to take place on the first night of RAFW, Monday 30th April. The “Lipteese” show will make its Australian debut at an invitation-only event at the Foundation Hall in the Museum of Contemporary Art. Throughout the week, the fashion icon and author will also attend a select number of fashion shows as a Guest Fashion Editor of Harper’s Bazaar Australia. Says Dita about the MAC collaboration: “Through my Lipteese tour, I’m combining two of my passions – burlesque performance coupled with a commitment to spreading the word about the importance of HIV prevention. I’m thrilled that my work with M.A.C Cosmetics and The M.A.C AIDS Fund allows me to come to Australia to raise awareness in a provocative, attention-getting way.”

Take No Prisoners, says William Klein

2007-04-20T20:30:00.000+10:00

Well they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, though you’d have to wonder if that really is the case for everyone. Reading that maestro John Galliano has been ordered to pay £140,000 in damages, after being found guilty of plagiarism, adds a whole new dimension to the expression.

Louise Roe, Vogue reports: “A court in France ruled that in his current ad campaign, the British designer had copied William Klein's trademark technique of painting over photographs. The creative director of Dior admitted he had been “inspired” by Klein, but denied the charges of plagiarism. According to the Daily Mail, Klein was furious when he first saw the images appearing in glossy magazines, all of which have now been withdrawn from publication. The 79-year-old, who is based in Paris, continued, “I was very bitter and angry when I found out. It felt like a kick in the teeth to the integrity of my work.””

What complete bollocks, we're off to paint over some photographs. Let's hope John hasn't put his paint brushes away for good (ed.).

2007-04-19T22:32:00.000+10:00

coolchiq Autumn Favourites

2007-04-16T20:10:00.000+10:00

A Tiger Tail From Japan

2007-04-12T21:49:00.000+10:00

Japanese designers have a lot to answer for these days. We love the cool sneakers that Yasuhiro Mihara has designed for Puma – so innovative, fun and whacky. Shinji Sudo’s designs for Asics are really striking, and give a real retro feel, while still looking very modern and street wise. Onitsuka Tiger is of course another label with tons of super sneakers out there now. Pictured here, is a striking art piece that’ll be displayed in Onitsuka Tiger flagship stores & exhibitions worldwide. These are currently on display in the Bondi junction flagship store. The iconic image has been translated into print-ads, posters, and window stickers etc, with the title “Made of Japan”. This is the dog's!

Comme des Garcons Come Out to Play

2007-04-10T20:46:00.000+10:00

Back in the glorious days of the nineties you may recall Odeour53, the weird scent which caused a bit of a stir for its odd name and many tasteless jokes (“How did they get the cat to sit on the bottle?” etc. and other delightful jokes). The result of the blending of 53 un-conventional scents somewhat faded and was soon forgotten - only to erupt again in April 2007, when the Japanese designer came back with a vengeance. The perfume, presented in a childish-looking design appearance, isn’t at all related to the Minnie Mouse ears that Rei Kawakubo sent out on stage in Paris not long ago. Though you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s an extension of the collection when you hear the name of the perfume is "Play". The perfume is extremely simple with classic ingredients such as -
Head: bitter orange, black pepper, lime and saffron
Heart: thyme, sage and sea notes
Base: oak moss, patchouli and musk

Let Me In - Mario Testino

2007-04-03T21:32:00.000+10:00

Any Objections?, Front Row Backstage, Kids, and Diana: Princess of Wales. From the Peruvian-born starlet comes another publication - 300 pages of fashion shots, to be released in April.

“As one of the 21st century’s most travelled, acclaimed, and influential fashion photographers, Mario Testino has unsurpassed access to the most magnetic stars of popular culture. For some time now he’s been collecting a personal archive of off-screen moments, often snatched spontaneously before, during, and after more official sittings for Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Testino’s many clients in the world of fashion. The result is a portrait not just of a generation of the most wanted and talked-about, but an invitation to be part of the backstage parties and unstaged moments of Testino’s life.”

Fashiontrend - The Way We Like It

2007-04-02T22:27:00.000+10:00

While we’re often surprised over the large number of bland-looking front covers, one fashion magazine that always deliver cool front covers is Fashiontrend. Issue 7 of the quarterly-issued fashion bible is just hot out from press and we absolutely love it.

RAFW 2007 - First Casting

2007-03-22T23:00:00.000+11:00

6 weeks out from the inaugural RAFW, known as Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (previously MAFW) the behind the scenes action starts for many of the models vying for a place on this year’s runway. Individual designers are responsible for casting their own models and have been asked quite firmly to ensure that girls reflect the voluntary code of healthy body images. Pictured is Kate Peck (Vivian’s Model Management) being cast for designer Marie Hatzis’ “Madame Marie” show. Over the next few weeks the castings gain momentum as designers try to snap up the best girls for their shows. At this casting over thirty girls were seen in under an hour, only the better “walkers” are asked to change from their own street clothes into one of the designer’s outfits for a second walk.

Hamish Ta-mé (Guest contributor)

Where Would You Wear That?

2007-03-22T19:54:00.000+11:00

From Cincinnati with love comes this often-said phrase, which is also going to be the highlight of many "Cincy fashionistas" in June this year. The event, located at The Cincinnati Art Museum, is show-casing an intriguing collection of Japanese avant-garde Fashion designs, among whom über-cool Yohji Yamamoto's work is going to be featured. The exhibition is showcasing from 2 June 'til 12 August.

“Examine the work of several of the most forward-looking fashion designers of the twentieth century through this exhibition of more than fifteen pieces designed by Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, and other avant-garde Japanese designers over the past thirty years. This innovative, multimedia installation showcases designers who have changed the way we look at clothing.”

Jil Sander Wears Heavy Metal Heels

2007-03-21T19:46:00.000+11:00

If it weren't for the guys over at Hintmag we would never have found these metallic bronze patent leather stilettos. Trying to make some sense out of Jil Sander's teutonic website seems even harder than reading an old business spec from her countrymen at SAP. But back to the shoes now - we can’t get these stilettos out of our heads. By the looks of things you couldn’t possibly stand up in them either... but who cares, as we always say "Style is everything, comfort is nothing", right?

Thank you Jil Sander, oh and thank you Hintmag! And thanks for nothing SAP!

Things To Love From the RTW A/W 2008: Leather

2007-03-20T19:54:00.000+11:00

While grey is undoubtedly key colour this season, it looks like we’ll be dunning the transparent shades for another season or two. Neutrals were everywhere on the runways for A/W 2008.

But even more exciting than milky shades is the cool leather that's jumping back into the lime light.... Louis Vuitton featured a haematite biker girl jacket that was absolutely awesome (complete with matching leather pants if you want to do the full monty!). We also loved this pale grey knee length leather skirt which looked like it could well and truly become The Purchase of the Season. At Prada we saw mustard coloured leather, both coats, and suits (perhaps a bit too much, not sure if we liked it all). Burberry Prorsum sent out a parkas in soft, bottle-green leather - how cool and very futuristic! But out of all the leather our absolute favourite was this cropped Hermes riding jacket.

Shameless Ad: Free Shipping Until 28 March

2007-03-19T20:40:00.000+11:00

The Media Kit and The Demographics

2007-03-15T22:22:00.000+11:00

“Vogue is a word that for over 100 years has never gone out of fashion.” So says Kirstie Clements of Australian Vogue. The famous words are published in the media kit, available online via Vogue’s website. Clearly Vogue is a middle-of-the-road fashion constitution, un-comparable with Dazed & Confused and Oyster for instance, but we can’t help but wonder what the Editor-in-chief had in mind when she allowed this full page ad in the magazine. While we realise that fashion editors are pressed to fill ad space, and a sizeable ad such as this would bring in a handy 10,680 bucks, the words 'desperate move' are brought to mind when looking at the Vogue March issue. This is mail-order junk at the best of times. Kirstie Clements should be asahmed.

Gone in Sixty Seconds

2007-03-12T21:08:00.000+11:00

“All of a sudden everyone rushed to the roller door and people who were in the back of the queue have all of a sudden secured a place in the front. That caused lot of grief and many women were shouting obscenities at each other. Not a pleasant sight.” Oh the joy of shopping...

SMH reports on the release of Stella McCartney for Target

Vogue for TopShop for Vogue...

2007-03-11T21:52:00.000+11:00

Sassy images of Kate Moss in a tie-back tuxedo-waistcoat evening dress, a stripy “busboy” jacket with matching shorts, and a pair of flared satin glam-rock trousers... Well, Vogue’s April issue is likely to give sales figures a serious up-swing through the exclusive interview and fashion-shots of Kate Moss herself. While it's no secret that the fashion-bible is doing better than ever, the transparent co-work that seems to be going on between international fashion sources one another, strikes us as a more interesting observation. Vogue is referring to TopShop, and at the same time the High street chain is encouraging readers to pick up the latest issue of Vogue. Clearly the industry feeds of each other, but it's not often as obvious as this.

LMFF - From a Photographer’s Angle

2007-03-07T19:16:00.000+11:00

Following our post yesterday, we’d suggest you'd log onto Doofdoofdoof.com to see what lovely Hamish Tame has been up to recently. The Sydney-based photographer’s shots of LMFF are again infinitely more fun than the official website itself. His photos cover anything from sleeping beauties, unusual dietary habits (!), affectionate models, and cool hairstyles. Well done, Hamish - you know exactly what we're after!

Hello Fashionista Bloggers! Adios LMFF Website!

2007-03-06T21:12:00.000+11:00

The Melbourne Museum Plaza along with LMFF Fashion Cube are some of the key venues where the most stylish Melbournistas are circling at the moment. We’re referring to L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival , the annual Melbourne event, which (supposedly) has attracted a large number of visitors from all over the world. For instance Topshop retail genius Jane Shepherdson from the UK, who's holding a special business seminar at the end of the week. Designer Jasper Conran teams up with Jane Shepherdson, and a luxury goods consultant from LVMH. Considering such a small profile venue, it isn’t bad going at all. Since the grand opening yesterday, we’ve frantically been logging onto LMFF for a bit of sneak pre-view of exclusive winter fashion. But lo and behold - to our disappointment we were directed to a crappy website that lacked (mostly) of basic information and inspiration generally. Instead we’ve been amazed at these fellow fashionistas who've managed to put together a much more professional coverage already (and we're sure there's more to come soon); take a look at Sassybella’s excellent coverage for instance, and Fashionising who’s got lots of images up already.

Balenciaga: Puts Tie Dye back Into Perspective

2007-03-01T00:09:00.000+11:00

When describing Balenciaga’s new-romantic grunge collection last night, Susie "Style Bubble" illustrates it perfectly in her comment about how impressed she’d be, seeing that “woven stripy coat priced at god knows how many 1000's of euros, when you can get the same thing at joss-stick selling Camden stalls for £10.” Go Susie! Yes, she’s absolutely right... The collection had elements of a very twisted bohemian look, but it wasn’t all to do with home knitted long rugs from dopy hippy markets. "Palestinian shawls" worn with soft velvet blazers played on the random theme in Ghesquière’s show, but it was more to do with cool girls from Camden college, than dread-locks and weed (though clearly Nic’s Camden girls looked like they’d be up for a smoke or two). Well-cut cricket trousers, turquoise opaque tights, tassley studio 54 disco dresses, and other eye-catching pieces deserve a big applaud in this show... Shoes were as always extremely high, this time with touches from the gladiator scene and colourful ice-hockey equipment. Completely weird of course but at the same time absolutely gorgeous.

Walk This Way in The Year of The Opaque

2007-02-22T22:38:00.000+11:00

Formally announced as The Year of the Pig, we’d think it only fair to suggest that 2007 should also be referred to as another, more flattering historic milestone - “The Year of the Opaque Tights”. Though as much as we’ve seen this in 2006, thick tights have been everywhere in the Autumn/Winter 07/08 shows.

Prada sent out girls wearing cool knee-highs socks in a variety of colours. Anna Sui took up the metallic theme and focused on silver and gold-infused lurex tights.

High Street Bling

2007-02-20T20:04:00.000+11:00

High Street-store-meets-designer-brand is a concept that’s clearly gone somewhat over-board these days. We’re not being snobs here and we’re definitely not whinging about the accessibility. No, we mention this as it is a weird phenomenon where the novelty of buying a designer piece at, say H&M, seems... less exciting because of this. Take the most recent designer collaborations where Stella McCartney’s 42- piece collection for Australian Target is planned to maximise Target’s revenue sale by 24%. Target alone isn’t the only budget brand that’s brought in big names to trigger sales figures. We’re thinking instantly of Adidas, Puma and LeSportsac who’ve all exclusified their products by Stella, Yohji Yamamoti and the likes. Victor and Rolf’s gig with H&M lats spring took dramatic proportions where some stores reportedly sold out in less than 10 minutes. Next in line is Kate Moss for Top Shop and (featured here) Madonna’s collaboration with H&M.

Total Makeover at Belen Echandia

2007-02-07T18:09:00.000+11:00

We mentioned Belen Echandia some time ago. This time around Jackie, the brainchild behind the label has been a busy bee working on all sides of her business. Collection-wise she’s doing Italian workshops resulting in tons of exciting additions to the line. Some of the things we love are the additions of luxurious silk fuchsia linings in the bags. PDA pockets and a new logo are other elements we simply adore. The website has had a bit of a face-lift too, adding great visual effects with vivid images and easier navigation.

Hot bags: Hold Me in silver (£160) and Take Me Anywhere in tan (£495)

Marc Jacobs in NY: Declaring the Thirties the New Black

2007-02-06T23:14:00.001+11:00

Come bright neon colours mixed with grey... bring heavy fabrics mixed with silk... take the large number of hats in a variety of different shapes... These trends are all easy to love and incorporate in your own way. But the one observation that sticks to mind from New York so far is the Thirties style. Silhouettes are long and lean, hats are wide-brimmed, and wrist-length gloves come in coloured leather. Quick summary: We like it a lot.

Karen Walker: Autumn/Winter 07/08

2007-02-05T20:58:00.000+11:00

For a designer who reportedly designs clothes for outsider women, the Kiwi designer’s view on the “anti-it girl look” is as bizarrely fashionable as any hyped-up Marc Jacobs’ show. We’ve reported on Karen Walker before, and yet again, we’ve nothing but praise to give to this talented woman.

For autumn/winter 07/08 Karen Walker had a number of key elements in mind; tailored tweed, thick woollen coats, neck warmers in bright colours and casually worn berets. While the best part of this collection came down to earthy, muddy tones we loved the introduction of contrasting colours that add to the effortless, ‘accidental’ look that Karen does so well. In keeping with the unpretentious theme, her collection featured contrasts throughout the show: masculine and feminine, tailored and baggy, luxury and street-smart, dark and super cute.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that the style press love Karen. What does surprise us on the contrary, is that it’s only Walker’s second season in New York.

More from Marvellous Mouret

2007-02-01T20:46:00.000+11:00

Reading that French-born Roland Mouret will launch a satellite women’s wear collection, came as thrilling news yesterday. London-based Mouret plan to launch his new line during the next Paris haute couture season in July. The collection will be sold under the ‘RM by the designer Roland Mouret’ label and will comprise 21 ultimate ‘must-have’ pieces which can be ordered for in-store delivery in November. The satellite collection will focus on the iconic dresses, jackets, skirts and coats for which Mouret has become famous.

On the new collection Mouret says: “The idea of this satellite collection is for me to be able to express the most concentrated vision of my ideas of dressing women and to deliver that vision to them in the shortest time possible. This collection will focus on signature silhouettes and key pieces that I believe women demand. I want to celebrate women with this collection - they are my greatest source of inspiration.”

Hintmag Interns Apply Within

2007-01-30T22:55:00.000+11:00

To land a position at a fashion mag is known to be a pretty long-winded and tedious project... "Ugly Betty" and Andy (from "The Devil....") show exactly how fickle and frightening the fashion industry often is. But if you’re serious about making a career within a fashion magazine, an intern position is often the only way to get a foot in the door. Right now, Hintmag.com is looking for creative Photoshop interns to work on Fashion Week photos, (starting immediately so you better be quick). Apparently pointy-headed technical geeks are needed too, so get your most savvy HTML, PHP, and Java dudes to apply straight away.

In Paris Palettes Turn to a Colourful Shangri-La

2007-01-23T23:08:00.000+11:00

We could of course refer to the flowy, demure, pinky-grey, divine numbers that Elie Saab played a feature of last night in Paris... now how about this gorgeous gown, or perhaps this, or this, or this? But stopping at this would be almost sac religious considering the event. We’re talking couture and full-flared creativity here, and what better person to illustrate this than John Galliano himself?

Like Sarah Mower of Vogue, we’re big fans of Galliano’s playful over-the-top extremity, but in this instant the Vogue correspondent is missing an important angle, which IHT's Suzy Menkes covers in her article yesterday: “The world-famous designers are more concerned about who wins the fashion Oscars than who will carry away the coveted statuette. "The red carpet is a runway," said Donatella Versace, referring to the competition to woo stars and their stylists into creating a living billboard.”

Of course she's right, but we're wondering who has already put an order in for some fab creations to be made red-carpet style?

Galliano and Ten Years in the Blazing Saddles

2007-01-23T01:16:00.000+11:00

You’ve got to give it to him though – John Galliano, a guy that, ten years ago, gave the designer handbag, in the shape of a saddle, complete with a dangling stirrup, a new meaning. The saddlebag, that incidentally seemed to be a visual joke, sums up what the flamboyant designer brought upon his arrival at the grand French couture house that day. His sense of humour, along with a strong determination to change Dior’s rather bourgeois image, were key ingredients to his success.

As couture shows in Paris are running on full blast, we can't wait to see the creations of Galliano & co as he’s celebrating 1o years as head designer of Dior.

Berlin Wall Comes Down: Lou Reed in Sydney

2007-01-19T00:54:00.000+11:00

So 34 years after recording it, Lou Reed finally got his act together & performed Berlin... In Sydney, thanks to the Sydney Festival. This particular night, a delightful summer evening, we all headed down to the State Theatre to enjoy this sharp tongued New Yorker rocker do his much longed for show. The album, which has been dubbed “the most depressing album ever made”, is ironically in Reed’s own opinion his masterpiece.

With a super 12-piece orchestra, Reed's stylised rock paean to life-outside-the-circle was beautifully complemented by a number of talented musicians who all played a major part in the Sydney-event this evening. There was Antony of Antony and The Johnsons who, with an extraordinary voice, got Reed so emotional that he was close to tears (not to mention every jaw in the theatre that hit the floor). There was also Sharon Jones, who gave an outstanding performance infused by the kind of funky retro-based soul that is so far away from any traditional ”wild-side-walk“ you could imagine.

It was a feast of complex musical artistry, but what got us going was the encore. No insult intended, the artists relaxed, the music went upbeat, but it was carried a long way by the team of people with him on stage.

Golden Globe: The Run down

2007-01-17T23:06:00.000+11:00

Best just-out-of-bed hair: Zachary Quinto
Biggest double chin: Alec Baldwin
Most impressive Come-n-get-me look: John Stamos
Most glittery bum: Beyoncee
Most handsome bow tie: Clint Eastwood
Most handsome couple: Mary J Blige and Justin Timberlake
Biggest 70’s net curtain disaster: Cameron Diaz
Biggest dress-sense surprise: Kiefer Sutherland
Most alarming We’re-filing-for-a-divorce couple: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Coolest oldie-but-goldie: James Woods
Most solid couple: Warren Beaty and Anette Benning
Hippest Yo-brotha! MTV statement: Jermaine Crawford
Most appalling expression (again): Paris Hilton
Most worn-out toupe: Donald Trumph

Right: Oldie-but-goldie James Woods

From Andyland

2007-01-10T22:09:00.000+11:00

Art-meets-fashion is apparently everywhere at the moment, not least in Antwerp, Vogue and Marie Antoinette etc... We were particularly pleased to be introduced to Andyland, a website that specialises in Swedish fashion illustrations. Featured here is an illustration by Kicki Fjell who has studied at Beckmans School of Design. Being one of the founders of Dedicated Followers of Fashion, Kicki Fjell’s fashion illustrations have been published in Swedish newspapers such as DN.

World's Best Dressed: Kylie

2007-01-09T22:22:00.000+11:00

Aussie starlet Kylie Minogue has topped fashion magazine Glamour's annual list of best dressed female celebrities. After her battle with cancer, she's replaced last year's winner, supermodel Kate Moss. The 38-year-old, on the comeback trail since undergoing breast cancer surgery in May 2005, was praised for her understated look, in contrast to the flamboyant costumes she was sporting during her “Showgirl Homecoming Tour”.

(MSNBC reports)

Antwerp Fashion

2007-01-07T13:02:00.000+11:00

Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck... Antwerp's contemporary position as an international centre of fashion can be traced to the impact of these designers in the eighties. If, like us, you’re eager to know more about the Flemish fashion scene, we’d suggest a visit to the Mode Museum, which is holding a major exhibition from 25 January until 23 June 2007. The show named “6+ Antwerpse Mode in het Vlaams Parlement”, refers to the “Antwerp 6” constellation, but will feature a great number of other designers too.

When: 25 January - 23 June 2007
Where: Momu/The Mode Museum
Why: Amazing back drops by Marlene Daniels and Haider Ackermann, ubercool ladies, and highlights from Dries Van Noten

Vogue: Art on Demand

2007-01-05T09:47:00.000+11:00

We love the fact that Vogue online show their repertoire of covers throughout the years; some of them are quite gross whereas other ones are more funky. But what’s even cooler is their art section, with posters photographed by legends such as Barry Lategan (the man behind some familiar Twiggy shots), Henry Clarke and Norman Parkinson. You can now be a lucky owner of one of these Vogue posters. To participate in the draw simply follow the instructions.

Traffic Queen, shot 1960 by Norman Parkinson

Trend Forecasts for 2007: A Quick Stint Back to The Twenties

2007-01-04T11:54:00.000+11:00

Well Happy New Year to all of our readers! We’re hoping that Santa brought tons of Christmas prezzies to you all, and that your New Year's celebrations were infused by lots of happiness. 2006 was a year heavily dominated by gothic skulls, skinny jeans, Paddington bags and patent leather; some features that are best left in 2006. So 2007 - let’s start to have a look at the trend forecasts for this year...

Replacing empire-inspired A-dresses the twenties style is due to make a strong comeback 2007. That is of course, incorporated in its own way where short A-line dresses will come with drop waists, often pleated to mid-thigh. The segue into the twenties shape is carried off, sans effort, with t-shirt dresses and sheer drop waist tunics. Hats and fascinators are brought back, matching metallic leather cluthes and exotic skins studded with large crystal bracelets. Baggy but short are key words for dresses. Karl Lagerfeldt says about his spring summer collection: “The statement is about legs, and when the collection is about legs you have to show a lot of leg.”

Fashion Designers on Sydney

2006-12-22T22:47:00.000+11:00

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; Sydney is an awesome city with a multi-cultural vibe offering lots of fun activities. And what's even more amazing; when you’re sick of the sunshine and the endless blue sky, there’s plenty of great shopping, funky bars and more restaurants you could ever dream of. Interestingly enough, Australian Vogue has presented a list of some well-known (Australian) Designers and their take on the city. Check out what their favourite spots are and what we think of their choices...

Jayson Brunsdon

-Seven Shillings beach at Double Bay.

-Mint Bar at the Hotel Intercontinental.

-My studio in Surry Hills.

-Grandma Takes A Trip in Crown Street Surry Hills. Yes, we totally agree – funky!

-My couch at home watching a movie.

***For a guy that is always delivering fantastic, female collections we find it rather hard to believe that gorgeous pouting Jason is a complete couch potato. Nonsense. Put him in Mint Bar with a glass of sparkling Pinot Noir.

Josh Goot

- The fish markets at Glebe.

- Coles, in Bondi Junction.

- The Harbour Bridge.

***Yes, Goot, the fish market is fun, we couldn't agree with you more on that. But Coles...? Eh, sorry we're lost! Did we really miss that moment when the Opera House took a beating of 'the Supermarket' in the Lonely Planet guide? Phew. Goot may be the King of streets, but never has streetwise been more confusing...

Nic Briand and Susien Chong of Lover

- Nielsen Park.
- Utopia Records.

- Golden Century. Chinese cuisine at its best.

***Utopia Records, yeah, we could see that one coming. An interesting label makes an interesting choice. Oh, and the Chinese cuisine is perhaps even better at East Ocean Restaurant, but that's a tough one. Nielsen Park? For parks, see London.

Fleur Wood

- I love a post-beach burger at Burgerman on Bondi Road.

- Brad Ngata hair direction. Possibly the best haircuts and colouring in Sydney.

- An outdoor table at Sean’s Panorama.

- The Beauty Room, for excellent facials and massages.

***OK, Burgerman. Burgerman. Clearly Ms Fleur needs to be taken out a little more often. Sean's Panorama we've never heard of, but a vast improvement from her post-beach dietary habits. The Beauty Room=spot on.

Rebecca Davies

- Otto Ristorante is my favourite restaurant, I try to go a couple of times a month.

- Eva Kaparti (Beauty salon), Double Bay.

- Cosmopolitan Shoes.

***What is it with these Double Bay ladies? Nay darling, nay. Best shoe shops in town are actually Emporium and Gary Castles. End of story. And Otto Ristorante may be a good Italian, but not nearly as good as trusty Alfredo's.

Dazed and Confused Online

2006-12-20T23:49:00.000+11:00

Some guys are going from cyber space to printed publications, whereas others are going the complete opposite. Dazed and Confused, our favourite UK magazine, have finally expanded their online presence. The stylish new homepage, an online version of the print, is a nifty little number easy to love. As well as the usual dose of news and reviews, they’ve got blogs from artists and musicians around the world; for instance Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and Mia Farrow. What amazes us is that 12 years down the line, they’re still independent, and still able to weave world beating fashion, brilliant photography and esoteric music with social and political themes.

How to Kill a Mocking Bird

2006-12-19T23:54:00.000+11:00

While fashion-based characters are projected left, right and center, the most candid and exclusive documentary is soon about to be made; the filming of the documentary of Ms Anna Wintour.

The Director R.J. Cutler, will follow Wintour for the next eight months, chronicling the making of the yearly fashion bible, September Vogue issue. Camera crews will descend upon the halls of Condé Nast in January, and be by her side at her cluttered office at 4 Times Square, as well as trail her at upcoming fashion weeks around the globe. “You see fictionalized versions of Anna all over the place now,” Director Cutler says in an interview. “None of them, of course, are as fascinating as Anna herself.”

All very well Cutler. But in all honesty, why not focus on somebody with character for a change?

The Cool Hunter Glossy

2006-12-18T19:57:00.000+11:00

How cool is The Cool Hunter? Well cool enough to be expanding from the ever-evolving world of cyberspace onto news stands across the world. The much-anticipated launch of the Cool Hunter magazine is due to be launching March/April 2007. Exciting times for sure as the clued-in cyber-guys are taking the publication project to a completely different level along with some other exciting projects, such as Cool Hunter Tv show and a series of Cool Hunter books. The magazine, which will be distributed throughout the world’s top boutique hotels, promises to be “a fascinating read, brimming with feature length articles that showcase the best of cool from around the world”. Well done Guys!

Christina Ribel: A Scandinavian Gem

2006-11-21T22:29:00.000+11:00

Gothenburg, Reyjkjavik, Helsinki and Lillehammer – the thought of walking down snow-covered roads in one of these places is enough to make us home sick. But while these Nordic cities make excellent pre-Christmas holiday spots, in a different context we’d think nothing of snow, glögg and Scandinavian delicatessen. Christina Ribel’s connection to the Nordic cities proves further that there are other associations. As names like Copenhagen and Stockholm have provided some great names to the pieces of her collection, we're delighted to have been introduced to this fashion line.

Being the spoilt fashion brutes that we are (*blows air-kisses*), we were lucky enough to receive a few samples from her exquisite t-shirt collection. Delivered in high-duty gift-wrap boxes, the t-shirts were carefully packed in silk paper; this set high expectations for the content. Though unfamiliar with the design, we didn’t know what to expect.

The t-shirts were lovely. What we particularly loved were the clean lines, and 'uncluttered' designs – exclusive t-shirts that you can wear everyday with anything you like. Bold colours and fine quality added to the great feel of wearing these garments. The t-shirts were, and are still as we speak, genuinely fantastic.

The 29-year-old Danish fashion designer says: “The fundamental factor in the creation of the Christina Ribel designs has been to adapt the products after how the female body actually looks and behaves. The tops are tailored after the natural shapes of the female body, with many special features that all result in a unique fit with a slightly extended and curved lower part.”

November Spawned a Monster

2006-11-21T00:23:00.000+11:00

Grumpy, mis-behaved and full of hatred - at the best of times that is. When the former Smiths frontman isn’t threatening to drop his trousers to the Queen, he’s quizzed by FBI for ~~perfectly correct~~ loud statements about Bush. Controversial situations seem to be the name of the game for Morrissey, but we couldn’t give a toss ‘cos we love him to bits. Gorgeous Mozzo simply can’t do anything wrong. He’s also playing in Chicago tomorrow, at the Aragon Ballroom, 1106 West Lawrence Avenue. So all Chicago coolchiqs, get ready for the Last of the Famous International Playboy!

You See Me: the Nordic Lights for Louis Vuitton

2006-11-15T23:45:00.001+11:00

The ever-popular Louis Vuitton brand continues to drive profits at luxury group LVMH. Last week art and fashion were joined as Louis Vuitton unveiled its newest piece of art: ”You See Me” by contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson, best known for his light installations and ”The Weather Project”, an enormous faux sunset that was on display at the Tate Modern in London. WWD reports.

”Louis Vuitton commissioned Mr. Eliasson, who lives and works in Berlin and Copenhagen, to create "Eye See You," a series of giant pupil-like, reflective chrome lamps that emit monochromatic yellow light, which are now on display for the Christmas season in the windows of the Louis Vuitton boutiques worldwide. The artworks are available for sale with the proceeds from a limited number of the works going to 121Ethiopia.org, a charitable foundation founded by Mr. Eliasson and his wife, Marianne Krogh Jensen that supports relief organizations in Ethiopia.”

Samsonite Black Label by Alexander McQueen

2006-11-14T23:48:00.000+11:00

A pound for a penny you’re addicted to style, exquisite details, and travelling. Keep reading if this still fits into your description. So, like us, you’re probably thrilled reading about the new Samsonite bags; an 11-series collection which Alexander McQueen has been working on over the last six months. The collaboration, which symbols a conservative-meets-liberal constallation, has been known to raise a few eye brows over the designer's general fashion design direction. Has McQueen been forced to sacrifice design over practicality? As the 11 pieces are released in shops in early 2007, McQueen has been assuring that his designer statement is both visibly appealing as well as memorable.

“For his first collaboration with Samsonite, he molded one of the suitcases he created around the cast of a human rib cage. Rumour tells us he also dragged a stuffed crocodile into his first meeting with the brand's executives so they could re-create the animal's armour in leather for one of the suitcases. “The rib cage holds everything inside your body — the heart, lungs and soul — while your bag also holds everything that's important to you,” said McQueen. “This is the way I work, having that twist,” added McQueen. “There's also a slightly sick side to it — it's like having a body in a bag.” (ed. note: No shit, Sherlock)

Sesame - Issue 4

2006-11-13T23:39:00.000+11:00

Australian independent magazine Sesame Media have brought together another issue full of quirky fashion shots, arty graphic designed illustrations, and interviews with local designers. Enjoy the works of Abbey McCullogh’s great watercolour pictures, find out what Jacinta Parsons has to say about overdressing, and don't miss the uber-cute t-shirts from Princess Tina.

She’s Like a Rainbow

2006-11-12T22:47:00.000+11:00

“Why is red the colour of passion and revolution? Why is blue such a popular colour, whereas yellow has so many negative associations?” Questions like these are currently discussed and analysed at The Fashion and Textile History Gallery, New York. The exhibition was presented for the first time at The Rodin Gallery in Seoul, Korea in 2005.

While exploring the history, symbolism, science and psychology of colour in fashion, the exhibition called “She's Like a Rainbow: Colours in Fashion”, features more than 150 fashions, accessories, and textiles from the museum's permanent collection.

Pushing That Extra Half an Inch

2006-10-16T21:41:00.000+10:00

While adding an extra buzz to the magazine circulation, November’s front cover of Harper’s Bazaar has been as ornate as it has been a selling tool. A fresh faced Victoria Beckham, dressed in a slinky golden cami, is of course a reliable sale of a magazine that speaks the language of mainstream-to-upper fashion. And what a handy write-up for Mrs Beckham.

As Posh now releases her second book, the former Spice Girl’s appearance in Harper’s isn’t just a quick win for Alison Veness-McGourty alone. The book, That Extra Half an Inch, which we mentioned some time ago, covers Posh’s own advice on how to make the most of your wardrobe and look extra super-fabulous at all times. “Looking good isn't about money, it's about style”, says Victoria and adds that “style never goes out of fashion”. A statement like this may come across as the usual celeb-babble, but Posh proves she is well respected among both young fans as well as the fashion-circle.

As Posh now is making a serious career of her life-long passion, the first step in the style transformation has been to ditch the hair extensions that have become synonymous with WAG wannabes. Turning up in New York Fashion Week in a new sassy bob, she debuted no less than 10 high-fashion ensembles in the four days she spent there.

Henrik Vibskov, Copenhagen

2006-10-14T14:30:00.000+10:00

Guys around the globe have been topping up their list of must-visit fashion stores in Copenhagen. The coolest spot where all Danish blonde babes will be cruising is Henrik Vibskov’s flagship store. The much-anticipated store, which opened up yesterday, is located on Krystalgade 6, not far from the prestigious promenade at Strøget. Born in Denmark, Vibskov graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. With regular shows in Paris fashion week for men, Vibskov’s work is now sold at places like Pineal Eye in London, Midwest in Tokyo, and Shine in Hong Kong. Find out more about his playful collections here and here.

Lost at E Minor

2006-10-11T20:57:00.000+10:00

A quick note about an excellent site you may not have visited – run by our friend at Lost at E Minor – Our friend Zac and brother Zolton cover up-to-the-minute arts, fashion and music, but they do it with real style which we totally respect. Their logo and uber-cool t-shirts have been designed by Oz artist Jeremyville whose creative work has gained major international interest.

Fly on the Wall

2006-10-09T22:28:00.000+10:00

Following a success with the world first issue of fashion films, the guys at Inside Fly are back again with another issue of sheer indulgence. This time around, there are 14 fashion films, 7 interviews & documentaries and 10 music videos. Contributing designers are Karl Lagerfeldt, Hussein Chalein, Chloe, Marc Jacobs and John Malkovich to name but a few. Having sold out on the first issue in a matter of weeks (including a collector’s edition, designed by Ryan McGinness), this issue named "Words Remembered" is likely to get a similar response. Get it while you can.

Vivienne Westwood: From Punk to Funk

2006-10-05T21:05:00.000+10:00

Eccentric Paris glam is only to be expected, when you attend the show of a lady who signs more political petitions, than flashy restaurant bills these days. Not only did she feature her involvement in the Leonard-Peltier case, but she had the studio walls spray-painted in graffiti to add to the experience for the audience.

In the past we’ve seen provocative messages plastered over some of her clothes. Take last summer’s collection for instance, named “Active resistance to propaganda”, where “I am not a terrorist” was printed across the chest. Last night’s theme continued the Westwood tradition. The words “I Am Expensiv” (sic) had been plastered over t-shirts, and she had both a hip-length cape and a skirt to match the grafittied walls.

Unlike most other shows this season, Dame Westwood introduced colours. Pink, purple, bottle-green and yellow were featured most strongly, but the stem colours were lighter shades of grey and crisp white. Shapes were loose-fitted as always - tucked, gathered and layered. There were no corsets and crinoline, no punk nor tartan, but this still wasn’t a far cry from our usual Westwood caricature. Energetic, vibrant and fun. Long live Viv.

When Paris Brings Balenciaga We All Say Hail

2006-10-04T22:55:00.000+10:00

Metropolis, Bladerunner, Mad Max, I Robot. There’s a long list of famous futuristic films of this genre. Though there was a striking resemblance to Fritz Lang’s she-robot, last night’s main reference had nothing to do with the full- figured German blonde bombshell from 1926. “The collection,” says Ghesquière, “is a tribute to films like Terminator and Tron”. And futuristic robot-chic was certainly on the agenda, as the audience enjoyed Ghesquière’s masterpieces in Paris.

Although based on skinny, almost gothic, masculine structures, the collection had many other objectives. While delighting a few Marilyn Manson fans, Ghesquière retained feminine touches from the 80’s; draped silk dresses lacquered into pseudo-stiffness. Then came the real icing on the cake: shiny, metallic, armour-structured leggings. This is where we’ll see a guaranteed high street retail blast next year.

Although the skinny, low-ridden signature-pants were on stage again this season, new materials and fabrics had been introduced to make this collection a unique winner. But fabrics aside for a moment, what we loved most was perhaps rare usage of metallics, combined with sharp cuts and minimalist details. Phew! Mind blowing, innovative, sexy, dramatic and tons of attitude.

Read Up on Sofia’s Paris

2006-10-03T21:12:00.000+10:00

“This city can change your mood completely,” says director Sofia Coppola as she’s guiding New York Times’ Lynn Hirschberg in an exclusive interview/ Paris shopping guide published in New York Times recently. In the guide she’s introducing everything from her favourite chocolate & pastry shops, to specialist seamstresses, where she’s had some of her mother’s YSL shirts from the 1970’s recreated as silk dresses. We'd say this comes pretty damn handy for some fashionistas in the French capital right now.

Thongs For the Memory

2006-10-02T17:59:00.000+10:00

Well we’ve been over-busy with research recently – hence the lull. So – back with a vengeance on Sydney streets again, to find the city leads the world of fashion yet again. It has been a long holiday weekend in NSW, with an Ozzie rules football final on Saturday, and a rugby final yesterday. So Sydney has set the trend for the rest of the year – thongs, shorts and baggy football/rugby tops. (You look simply gorgeous dahling: Mmwah, mmwah). For those of you around the globe thinking thongs are a skimpy form of sexy underwear, er, no such luck. Thongs are better known as flip-flops or slappers elsewhere. The surf dudes wear nothing else (on their feet that is – don’t get excited and book a flight just yet), but here in Sydney city, it just doesn’t seem right. Not to worry – this trend will only be with us for, er, the next six months.

On Sass and Bide in N.Y

2006-09-15T19:38:00.000+10:00

Development of fashion and maturity in design direction is certainly an interesting subject. Often you see the same design patterns over and over again, sometimes you get surprised at new, strong influences, and on the rare occasion you can actually spot a sense of ‘maturity’ in the production. The latter one may open many doors to a new audience, but it may also restrict the current, overall image.

Take Sass and Bide for instance, whose designs and image over the past two to years, have taken a slightly new direction. Naturally all designers go through different phases in their design career; whether that may be personal experiences, inspiration, or deliberate influences etc, and usually this is shown in their work. It’s an interesting observation to see how some designs can simply just settle.

Sass and Bide’s choice of show casing in N.Y has undoubtedly had a huge influence on their work. This is by no means a negative comment, quite the opposite. We’ve seen the darling Australian duo do the wild ‘grungy look’ heavily dominated by dangly jewellery, and models with tussled hair. The “don’t look too pretty” look has always been the girls’ trademark. We’ve seen inspiration from pirates’ clothes, wild animals accessories etc.

This week in New York gave us a different flavour from their past designs. Featuring a complete accessory-and-jewellery-free collection, their work showed strong neutrals of black, silver, white, and matte gold. Still with the traditional choker necklines, their work seemed to have taken a more developed, mature direction. No messing about, no added highlights, no silly socks, hair dos or any added extra. Just a simple, pure collection – and sometimes that is all we want.

Marc Jacobs for Jabba The Hutt

2006-09-14T22:49:00.000+10:00

Maternity leave. Twentie’s style goes pear-shaped. Stuffed pillows inside oversized garments. Take an old grand father’s jacket and spray paint it gold. Take a pair of his pants and chop them off below the knee. Turn a scarf into a hat with a peak on it. Oh, and make all of this so big that only pachyderms like Fat Bastard can fit into it.

Gorgeous daahhling.

If this was maternity leave, it would be pretty cool - unfortunately it's not. Rather than flattering the beauty of a pregnant woman, this 'style' mocks less shapely women through distortion.

Contrary to his previous shows, where we've raved about his superb designs, this show was far from the same standard. Masculine pleat fronted trousers, and buttoned-up white shirts filled the show, as did oversized 'house-frau blouses' and skirts wide over the hips. It didn’t flatter Marc’s stick insect models & it sure wouldn’t flatter you if you’re bigger than Kate Moss. Come on Marc, we love you to bits and know you can do so much better than this.

Gucci Group Award at Venice Film Festival

2006-09-08T13:33:00.000+10:00

The first ever Gucci Group Award will be given at the Venice Film Festival tonight. The recipient of the award will be an artist who has made a remarkable contribution to a film in any capacity within the past 18 months, whether in the role of the film’s director, actor, screenwriter, set designer, costume designer or else. Presented by a jury including Jeremy Irons, Alexander McQueen andMoby, the honoured name will feature the gala’s 63rd annual festival. Among the nominees are Helena Christensen, featured here for her role in Allegro, Screenwriter Nick Cave (The Proposition), Gregory Colbert (Ashes and Snow), Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno (Zidane), and Alain Robbe-Grillet for C'est Gradiva Qui Vous Appelle.

Young Fashion Designs in Germany

2006-09-01T15:08:00.000+10:00

Now, who would’ve thought Hamburg, city of knockwursts and beer, would turn into a fashion capital for any lengthy period? Well, to prove us wrong, the Hamburgers have decided to dedicate a year’s worth of fashion talent in the city’s famous art gallery. Until April 2007, the Forum Gestaltung in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe is being turned into a fashion centre for the latest innovative fashion ideas. Students from some of the major teaching institutions in Hamburg will be show casing their work. The schools that are presenting their works are students from the Product Design, Textiles and Fashion Design Faculties, AMD Akademie Mode Design, Akademie JAK Fashion & Design, and Fachbereich der Westsächsischen Hochschule Zwickau . This could be the place where the new 'Generation X' of Lagerfeldts and Jill Sanders are snapped up.