Well well well again my working life (and a few other things) have stopped me from blogging every week as I set out to do, so I'd like to update you on what I've been up to over the last month, hoping that in the future I will be back on track!
As my last post announced I have been planning a workshop for Melbourne Spring fashion Week for a few months on Styling and it all came to fruition on Saturday September 4th 2010.
My wonderful agents at Miss Bossy Boots and I sat down about two months ago after I came up with the idea to create a workshop specifically around the art of styling. After being approached by MSFW to do something 'special' for this years festivities the great folk at Miss Bossy Boots agreed to produce and promote my workshop.
So many ideas went through my mind when setting out to create this workshop, after being asked to speak at many workshops and conferences I really wanted this event to be more like you were watching a TV show or being invited into someone home to listen in on some great information, but mostly to be entertaining. And fun.
I thought the perfect place to hold this workshop was the top floor event space at the Whitehouse Institute of Design where I lecture and the lovely people at Whitehouse came onboard as one of amazing sponsors.
So next I went about finding the right people that would entertain, inform and excite. I also didn't want the audience to be 'talked at' but really to over hear my guests experiences and opinions.
I love the idea of a Fashion Chat Show and went about finding the right presenter to add to this feel, I found the newly arrived to this country , Carolyn Taylor who did an amazing job of interviewing me firstly, but mostly for keeping the workshop upbeat and lively, thank you Carolyn(pictured above with me, Carolyn dressed by Madam Virtue & Co and CK Calvin Klein dressed the Stylist himself), you must look out for her on TV soon as in her native NZ she is very well known and I'm sure will be here very soon.
I thought another part to my workshop would be the addition of a mini fashion show highlighting 3 different parts of my work as a stylist; Red Carpet Events, Fashion Shows and Editorial Photo Shoots and asked three of my favourite Fashion brands, Aurelio Costarella, CK Calvin Klein and Madam Virtue & Co to be our fashion sponsors all modeled by another fantastic sponsor Cameron's Models. (Top pic and above, designs by Aurelio Costarella)
(Above CK Calvin Klein designs on fab Cameron's Models))
Models getting ready for the 'Editorial' part of the workshop in amazing designs by Madam Virtue & Co
The great shoes on this Madam Virtue & Co dress are by another wonderful sponsor Zomp
As I said earlier I've always wanted to host my own chat show about Fashion particularly and the second part of the workshop gave me the chance to do this when I invited three friends to join my celebrity fashion panel all with their own opinions on styling. Vintage glamour ambassador Candice De Ville, movie and TV actress (and client for 5 years) Daniela Farinacci and legendary fashion designer Jenny Bannister. What ensued was a lively, sometimes controversial, informative and mostly entertaining discussion of all things fashion and personal style. I could have sat chatting with all my panelists for days and can't wait to do it again very very soon.
So all in all it was a fantastic success and a very big thank you to Veronica, Garry, Jamie and Dean at Miss Bossy Boots for a great production, to my fab friend Narelle Hall for her Hair and Make Up expertise assisted by the lovely Eve Flight, to all my wonderfully hardworking volunteers, to my assistant Steph for all her work, to the amazingly generous sponsors; Aurelio Costarella, CK Calvin Klein, Madam Virtue & Co, Art Series Hotel Group, Zomp, Cameron's Models, Whitehouse Institute of Design, Urban Jungle, Spook Magazine and Nutrient Water.
On stage my thanks for their entertaining company and performances, Carolyn Taylor, Candice De Ville, Daniela Farinacci and Jenny Bannister.
Stay tuned because we hope to tour the workshop and also plan to expand the idea in many different directions, 'The Stylist Says' will return!
A week later...
Now just when I thought things had slowed down a tad (post workshop) I heard news that the spectacular Charlotte Dawson (of Australia's Next Top Model) was jetting into town and tweeted her did she fancy a catch up and bit of a tour around Melbourne, we promptly planned a breakfast and shopping expedition. After a quick evaluation of Charlotte's wants on the fashion front (and a great breakfast at Il Fornaio in St Kilda sitting alongside the kooky designer Alannah Hill) we zoomed off in my vintage Mercedes (check my earlier blog posts) for Melbourne's fashion hotspots, first stop 'Moot' sunglass emporium in Prahran where Charlotte picked up a great selection of the latest 'face furniture'!
Alexander McQueen sunglasses with tiny skulls on the arm!
Onto Melbourne city where we hit Crossley Streets best, jewellery from Glitzern and accessories from Madam Virtue & Co then off we went to Luisa on Collins Street.
It was so great to have Charlotte here in Melbourne and I look forward to seeing her in Sydney very soon, also look out for the live finale of 'Australia's Next Top Model' on FOX8.
More posts to come on what I've been up to over the last month...
The above photo is so funny to me, another shot of me with a gorgeous tall model totally dwarfing me! This time it's the beautiful Alice Burdeau, star of two Vogue covers and the most successful Australia's Next Top Model winner ever! I love the always gracious Alice, she is currently dating another good friend hot photographer Christian Blanchard. In my defense Alice is 6 foot and she's wearing 4 inch heels, yeh ok I'm short!
The colour palette of the fashion show needed to be vibrant and 'spring like' so I chose outfits accordingly. A big thank you to my assistants Steph Marks, Jess Shoppee and Felicity Maniszewski. I especially have to comment on Steph who's Grandmother passed away the morning of the show and she insisted that she see through her commitment, really living 'that the show must go on'. Big thanks Stephy.
Hats are a must for Spring Racing Carnival and I always say when people complain about having to wear one at this time of year, ' When in your everyday life to you get to dress like a movie star?' I'm all about feeling great about yourself through the clothing you choose to wear.
Love love love these white Karen Walker sunglasses from Fame Agenda and the beautiful Iskra (from Giant Models) comp card underneath shows what a beauty she is!
Styling a Spring Racing Carnival fashion show is fun with all the accessorizing needed.
Colourful shoes from Nine West really make an outfit pop! Love those cork platforms.
The lovely Alice looking elegant in our first outfit out by CK Calvin Klein and Fame Agenda hat.
The show was held in the atrium walkway on a lawn catwalk to give that spring feel.
Mens style hats on women give a modern look to Race wear.
The fab Kate Peck from Giant in Thurley, CK bag and Nine West shoes.
Alice in her second outfit all by Alannah Hill
My talented, wonderful producer Dean Drieberg in the centre surrounded by models, Madeleine, Iskra, Alice, Kate, Georgie, Roy, Jake and Steph all from Giant Models.
