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Australian Fashion Industry, Editorial, Events, MBFWA

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia 2016

May 26

Standing in front of the promotional board at Carriagework for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Sydney.

Last week I aged about five years. Just as well I was wearing my new Pradas. Like Anna Wintour. Except that I wasn’t wearing them to be cool. No. Just to cover up my very tired face.

This was our last day at Carriageworks, the sun was going down on the event for this year, quite literally.

I loved every single moment!

It is my most favourite week of the year. Strange you might say if it’s my favourite week. Why am I stating negatives? Yes. I can see what you mean. But as wonderful as it is, it is a crazy mix of the greatest excitement you could ever imagine, and the most exhausting of any weeks, all at the same time. It is hype on top of hype. The excitement of seeing the most beautiful people once again, and naturally to catch up in person with all my fashion friends who live all over Australia.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2016 or MBFWA. A phenomenal week of the “work” kind of socialising, meeting industry friends, and of course, the reason we all go … to witness, enjoy and revel in the sheer talent of fashion design that Australia is known for.

An industry event full of buyers, bloggers, fashion journalists, editors, spotters, public relations teams, celebrities, and the Who’s Who of the Australian fashion world. I have lost track of how many shows I watched across the week, but what shows they were.

Opened by the incredible Toni Maticevski in the most inspiring of venues, Bangaroo.

Closed by the legendary, Oscar de la Renta, now passed, but Oh! how ‘The Legend’ lives on. It was full house indeed, and any wonder. Elegance personified is our Oscar, and what a treat is was to be able to be present.

Bangaroo is just an incredible place, period. But for a fashion show? Simply memorable. Most of the other shows were at Carriageworks in Sydney’s Everleigh, and of course, like always there were the “off site” shows, like the one at Bradfield Park in Sydney’s north. Literally under the Harbour Bridge at 9am on a beautiful clear morning, with blue sky and perfectly acquainted by crisp Autumnal air, the Manning Cartell girls did not disappoint. A stunning collection.

Mid week another highlight for me was the McGraw show. Speaking of sisters who never disappoint, I thought this show was beautifully balanced in every way. A great collection. A fun collection. Gorgeous models. Smiling models! Great choice of music and a beautiful happy, original, and unforgettable set!

I proudly tell everyone about MBFWA and my involvement there, because I am truly chuffed at the amazingness we get to call Australian fashion. We are expertly creative and distinctively original in the way we interpret and present fashion. We are a hub of far-away design genius as far as I am concerned and the rest of the world rightly watches in awe when we show our very best Fashionista selves. I will be posting many interviews in the coming weeks about MBFWA Resort 2017 but for now, as a teaser, I thought you might enjoy a taste of my fashion week video gallery.

Until next time,

Jade xx

We are still young but you will never find passion like ours.

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Australian Fashion Industry, Editorial, Fashion Designer, Interview, Swimwear

Aqua Blu … Chase The Sun

May 19

This week is Mercedes Benz Fashion Week … quite simply, one of the most highly anticipated and loved weeks of my year. This year Carriageworks is the chosen venue for MBFWA once again, and it is literally filled to the brim with fashion talent. Naturally, in a country like Australia where our summers are long, our days hot, and our landscape fringed with the gorgeous white sands of the most beautiful beaches in the world, swimwear and resort wear is a very important cornerstone of the Australian fashion industry. Later today, I will be attending the show simply named “SWIM”. Here is the story of Aqua Blu … Love Us & follow us on social media to show your support of these wonderful emerging designers … See live streaming of the show here… Instagram & FB

Enjoy xx

What is the philosophy behind your label?

Our philosophy is confidence, we believe that people should look as good as they feel.

What is the inspiration behind your label?

We are inspired by effortless glamour; we believe that people should feel beautiful when they wear one of our pieces.

What do you think of today’s street fashion?

I believe today’s street fashion feels like a passing fad, I feel there is a lack of statement. Everyone wants to blend in rather than stand out.

What advice would you give to aspiring fashion designers?

It takes a lot of hard work, stick with it, don’t quit and always focus on your aesthetic vision.

Photography | Richard Freeman | Model | Michelle Alan

Australian Fashion Industry, Editorial, Fashion Designer, Interview, Styling

Super Style Me – Bec Cole

May 15

Model standing on an airfield in a beautiful white flowing dress, completely lace up open boots and vintage beaded head gear with an old fashioned aircraft taking off the background behind her. Very hollywood setting and incredibly creative the a real feel of movement to the picture.

I first discovered the work of Bec Cole when I was at VAMFF earlier this year. Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival is always a treat as it combines the week long excitement of the runway with a cultural taste of Melbourne itself, and it truly is a wonderful delicatessen of fashion experience.

On one of the last days, through the haze of my exhaustion I could feel my interest pique when I saw Bec’s work, and made a mental note to myself as I do to remember to contact her with a view to highlight the obvious dedication to her work when I returned home.

Bec is one of the highly talented, hard working stylists, and passionate devotees of the Australian fashion industry, who travels far and wide to bring us the wonderful smorgasbord of visual delight that only such a stylist can.

A kind of creative hero if you like. I feel we tend to forget the amazing creative minds and teams who sit behind the creation of the collections of fashion designers. Personally, I believe it is so important to remember to applaud the work of these dedicated professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Very loudly.

Enjoy xx

Girl sitting on a rock with the late grey and cloudy sky behind looking down dressed in a black dress and a very wide black leather belt.

What do you believe is the role of “the stylist”?

A stylist is a visual translator….helping a designer, art director or editor achieve a look, story and campaign brief. It’s helping create a visual reality….This can be anything from dressing talent, liaising with designers to designing sets and alternative worlds.

I have a background in set design, so I love seeing a whole vision come to life….this includes not only the wardrobe side of things, but the propping, set design….even the casting of the talent / models. It’s helping everything come together visually to tell the whole story.

Australian Fashion Industry, Editorial, Photography, Styling

Colouring In

April 6

If you put something together and it doesn’t look so good, the fashion police are not going to come take you away. And if they do, you might have some fun in jail.

Iris Apfel

The wonderful American Style Queen, Iris Apfel, commenting on how women combine the elements of good dressing …

well, after all, Iris should know …

Who better than Iris to show us all how to put the ultimate in fashion craziness together with some other garments which equals perfection?

Our current world is so homogenised in every way. And the way we dress has become a victim to it. Whatever happened to wearing crazy colours, either on their own, or together? I have styled many people over the years who have been afraid to wear colour. Want to add colour to your wardrobe? Here’s how.

Remember that colour does not have to be always worn near the face. It can be introduced into an outfit with colourful shoes or a handbag.

Wear colours that make you feel good and remember that as we age, hair colour and skin tone changes. Revise your colour choices often. Finding confidence in this ability is how we all secure a connection with our own confidence and creates our sense of wellbeing. Be prepared to take a “fresh look” at yourself and reassess how you can improve your image. If you’re not comfortable wearing colourful garments introduce colours through nail varnish, lipstick or your hair!

Model with blue hair standing in colourful skirt and top with high heeled white shoes for a campaign shoot.

Photography & Styling | Karlstrom Creatives

Colour does not have to take the form of block colour. Sometimes we look better in plain colours or colours that are infused within a pattern.

If you prefer to wear plain, block colours because you feel they suit you better, try introducing patterns and interesting prints through cute shoes and handbags. Another idea is the simple layering of colour underneath another block colour, such as white or black. I like to call it ‘colour referencing’.

Remember, all you are trying to achieve is a “joining of the dots” effect – a visual reference of design and colour, continuity and harmony.

Colourful tops, and even tops with a blend of more muted colours, can look great underneath plain understated jackets.

An outfit of block colours works a treat with a gorgeous pair of leopard print ballet flats and a stylish Gucci handbag! Things do not necessarily have to match but there does need to be a marriage of harmonious elements and colour tone. Tonally they work together and there is enough visual space between the two items to make the combination work. The natural balance of the outfit then becomes effortless and an understated elegance of good quality and taste becomes the highlighted theme.

All beautifully constructed outfits and exceptional dressing comes down to the combination of colour and texture, and the ability to achieve the all-important balance of proportion.

It is always a good idea to be generally aware of what is trending, not because your individual style depends on this, but because it allows you to have a choice of product in every season to add different elements of value to your wardrobe.

Picture of a girls face with clear round plastic sunglasses in a 1950's style showing the reflection of the surrounds in the lenses with bright red lipstick.

Photography & Styling | Karlstrom Creatives

If you wear black or grey, wear colour that compliments your main palette. Try to move outside of the normal combination. For instance, lime green and acid yellow are exceptionally beautiful with black. Gerbra pink is divine with charcoal.

If you are teaming these items with jeans or casual trousers, bring the reference of colour from the top of your body (ie. lime green top), down to the feet with gorgeous flats in a tonally appropriate colour, or paint your toe nails in a tonally balanced shade in open-toed heels.

Introduce visual depth and weight and experiment with colour, tone and texture.

Adhering to these general rules will mean that you achieve a lovely balance in your wardrobe that you will be pleased to visit every day!

Until next time,

Jade xx

Australian Fashion Industry, Interview, Swimwear, women

There She Glows

January 11

Rebecca Colalillo modelling on seaside rocks for her new tanning product GlowbyBeca.

From the editor’s desk …

Last year in April, I met a lovely vivacious woman in the Star Lounge at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Sydney, by the name of Rebecca Colalillo. As we exchanged the usual chit chat that one does when meeting someone new, she filled me in on what connected her to Australian fashion week, and the vision of her burgeoning dreams. MBFW 2015 for Rebecca, meant the exclusive tanning of the runway models for Australian Sydney fashion designers/sister duo, Summer and Liberty Watson, known as Watson X Watson and their show, Day Walker at Carriageworks.

Bec is the brains behind the amazing product, GlowbyBeca. A natural tanning product, 100% natural DHA combined with animo acids. It is not absorbed into the body and is non-toxic. This ensures that a healthy product is sitting on the skin. Her product and services can now be enjoyed at her newly opened tanning salon in Paddington.

Bec recently worked her tanning magic on me, and my bridesmaids for the highly anticipated Label Ministry wedding, Love & Nuptials. Having very fair skin, I was a little worried that I would look anything but myself. It was essential to me that the result looked natural. Beautifully subtle but effective, Bec promised me that I would be ecstatic with the result. She was right. I was!

We caught up recently. And this is her story.

Until next time,

Jade xx

It’s More Than Just A Tan .. it’s a confidence booster! Life is too short not to be glowing through it!

Rebecca Colalillo, Founder of GlowbyBeca.

How did you start out in the beauty industry?

I have always had a passion for the beauty industry. From a young age my Mum would take me along to her appointments and I always knew that was the field I would work in. I did an apprenticeship with my local Day Spa and worked with them for three years before I received an opportunity to open my own salon within a hairdressing salon in Horsely Park. The Beauty Lounge opened it’s doors in December 2005. To this day it is still running successfully with a team of three therapists.

What inspired you develop GlowbyBeca?

I had a vision of creating a product that would allow people to feel confident so they could put their best foot forward in the healthiest way possible!

Australian Fashion Industry, Commentary, Interview, MBFW

Stevie May

April 30

I have a lot in common with Stevie. We’re both relaxed in our styling but we’re also conscious of elements like form and texture. I love the idea of being friends with Stevie. She’s a cool chick!

One of the most exciting things about attending Mercedes Benz Fashion Week this year was the opportunity I had to interview the designer behind Stevie May, Cassie Vecchione.

Cassie who lives in Byron Bay, travelled to Sydney to unveil her first collection for the label, Stevie May admist the hype of fashion week.

Australian Fashion Industry, Bloggers, Editorial, Interview, MBFW

MBFW 2015 Serpent & The Swan, Stevie May, Watson X Watson

April 22

Model standing being photographed for Serpent and the Swan

From the editor’s desk …

Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live. Gianni Versace

Well, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia has drawn to a close!

Label Ministry interviewed many wonderful designers across the week at Carriageworks in Sydney’s Everleigh. These will be on the website very soon.

Here is a little peep at who you can expect to see showcased in the upcoming interviews which will include fantastic runway coverage and an intimate discussion with the designers themselves.

Australian Fashion Industry, Interview, MBFW, Swimwear

Zingiber

April 11

Zingiber was involved in a group showcase as part of New York Fashion Week in September, which, along with multiple shows on home soil, captured attention both in Australia and overseas. Making connections will always be an ongoing, ever-evolving process.

It’s an exciting time indeed in Australian fashion right now. As an all time lover of fashion, and a total devotee of Australian fashion designers, nobody is more excited about the industry spectacle that Sydney is about to embrace. Yes, it’s that time of year again. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2015.

I will be sitting front row in many shows across this jam packed week, and I have no doubt I will witness the unveiling of many new iconic labels. This years event will boast no less than 47 collection shows and the showcasing of 70 of Australia’s leading and emerging designers. Special events, industry seminars, and a networking glitz and glamour gala awaits for industry insiders.

One of Perth’s acclaimed swimwear designers, Zingiber, is showcasing in the middle of fashion week this year in the runway event simply called ‘Swim’.

The designer behind the label, Nicola Spicer is one of six designers showcasing in what is sure to be a hot bed of talent for those competing to have their collections and names recognised in the global swimwear market.

We caught up with Zingiber before the Sydney event to find out more about her label.

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