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Millinery

Australian Fashion Industry, Editorial, Events, Interview, Millinery, Spring Racing Carnival

The Dress Circle

November 21
Five national competitors for the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival. Alice Bright, Courtney Moore, Inessa McIntyre, Regina Thei, Ashleigh Jane, all sitting under a tree.

 

Alice Bright standing in a white lace dress, white clutch and matching white hat.

Alice Bright | Fashionista On the Field | 2016 | Photography | Ryan Pike

 

 

I’m feeling very lucky as I feel I am living some of my dreams right now.

Alice Bright

This year at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, I met a stunning, tall, gorgeous girl with a beautiful, welcoming smile. I initially greeted her because I admired her dress from afar, and made a bee line to her to compliment her on her standout appearance.

As an aside, I always try to do this when I see women who are beautifully dressed anywhere, as I have always seen great importance in uplifting each other in any way we can.

Anyhow, as we started chatting, the gorgeous young woman, who told me her name was Alice surprised me by telling me she was not a fashion designer. Why was I surprised you might ask? Well, because I was at Fashion Week.  Right?  That’s usually where you find them. Alice told me she had made the dress she was wearing which was drop dead gorgeous, and that she made all her dresses for events. What events I asked?

Racing Carnivals.

Over the course of the year, a Myer, Fashions on the Field winner is selected from each state in Australia. During the Melbourne Cup Carnival, a Myer Fashion on the Field winner is selected from literally hundreds of participants, on Melbourne Cup Day, Derby Day, and Oaks Day. The winner becomes the official Victorian representative and then competes for the national crown. 

Alice was Tasmania’s winner in February 2016 at The Hobart Cup.

All of the girls who are winners in their own states compete against one another to become the national winner of Myer’s Fashions on the Field, which is celebrated every year on Crown Oaks Day. This is the final day, at least for the fashionistas, during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.

The finalists this year were Alice Bright (Tas), Courtney Moore (SA), Ashleigh Ridgeway (WA), Gracyn Marsterson (VIC), Regina Thei (NSW) and Inessa McIntyre (QLD). First place went to Courtney Moore, second place to Gracyn Marsterson, and third place to Alice Bright.

Alice Bright is a woman blessed with the perfect surname.  She indeed has the “brightest” of futures, which will gloriously match her friendly smile.

Of course, being the insatiable fashionista that I am, I wait with great anticipation for the “Alice Bright” fashion label … another story, for another day.

For now let’s focus on her most recent amazingness.

Here is her story …

Enjoy xx

 

Crown Oaks Day | Left | Alice Bright | 3rd | Middle | Courtney Moore | Winner | Right | Gracyn Marsterson 2nd |

 

LM

Congratulations! On your recent successes! How did you first come to be involved with Myer Fashions on the Field?

AB

Thank you so much, it was such an amazing experience and I’m feeling very honoured to have received third place in the national final of Myer Fashions on the Field at Flemington Racecourse.

I started entering Fashions on the Field events when I lived in Launceston, Tasmania back in 2007. My first success came with second place in the Launceston Cup, Fashions on the Field.

This was the first outfit I designed and made to enter Fashions on the Field and looking back, a catalyst for why I am as passionate as am now. I had a little break from 2007 – 2011 and my second moment of significance came when I finished in the top 10 in Myer FOTF on Derby Day 2012. This was a very special moment for me as I designed and made this dress & headpiece with my mum. Similar to my first experience this success gave me the motivation I needed to keep designing and keep entering Myer FOTF.

 

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Australian Fashion Industry, Editorial, Fashion Designer, Interview, Millinery

Hats & Fillys

May 13
Model standing in a studio wearing the millinery work of Andrew Cannon, a Canberra milliner know as Andrew James Millinery.

Andrew Cannon is the name behind Andrew James Millinery, a professional makeup artist and milliner, based in Canberra. I met Andrew a couple of years ago now and he recently showcased his wonderful work on my very own bridal face and that of my bridesmaids. I LOVED his work, and know that his millinery is just as amazing. See his work, (at least on my face), here at the Label Ministry wedding … Love & Nuptials and further down the article in some amazing images … enjoy!

Artistry should never dwell in complacency.

LM

What is the philosophy behind your label?

AJM

Andrew James is an experience.  The excitement. The anticipation. The vision. And perhaps most importantly?

A Fantasy!

I like to bring the beauty I see in my clients to the surface through the creation of makeup artistry and millinery.

LM

What is the inspiration behind your label?

AJM

As I work in two separate mediums, millinery and make up artistry can be so similar yet also vastly different.  From a millinery perspective I am inspired by historic and modern architecture. Instinctively I am drawn to observing colour and movement, through various mediums. Television, film, historical costumes, my childhood and nature. I am inspired by texture, colour and fabric. They seem to speak to something deep within me where I am simply driven to create. The legends of the stage and the big screen inspire me to marry vintage and modern looks. For me, gender in fashion is fluid and I love playing with feminine attributes. Continue Reading…