Fashion Torque!

I'm usually behind the camera but last week I was thrust in front of the camera to shoot the above image! It's the official image of a new project that I'm doing with the fantastic, legendary fashion designer Jenny Bannister!
It's called 'Fashion Torque' and its a fashion focused discussion hosted by myself and Jenny Bannister. It's a live chat show in a salon atmosphere at Globe Cafe in Prahran Victoria and we hope to cover the big questions in fashion, for both newcomers to the industry and veterans of this mad business!
Jenny and I have talked about doing something together for a while now and we think the fashion landscape needs a forum for every aspect of fashion, from styling to retail to PR.
We will have two guest panelists each week who will join us to discuss, argue and entertain on all things fashion, watch out television programmers we are coming to get you!
I asked photographer Garry Moore to capture Jenny and in action and I think he did a fantastic job. Jenny and I both styled our outfits to reflect our personal style while being fun and over the top! I think we both accomplished that!
I love Jenny's style and her use of colour is not only evident in her personal style but in her fabulous work over the 30 years she has been in the fashion industry, she's even on a stamp!
A big thank you to the wonderful Garry Moore for capturing Jenny and my humour and style.
Our shoot was a complete hoot with all of the crew in hysterics at Jenny's stories and infectious laughter.
I'm constantly amazed by Jenny's accessories and this silver eye ring is so great!
The designer chairs we are sitting on are from Corporate Culture and are designed by Mattiazzi they are fittingly called She Says/He Says

Photographer Garry Moore and my agent Veronica Moore along with Jenny post shoot going through the shots.
I do hope if you are in Melbourne you will try to come along to see Jenny and I each Thursday from 18th November 2010 from 6.30pm for 'Fashion Torque' at the Back Room of Globe Cafe, 218 Chapel Street Prahran and check out our Facebook page Fashion Torque for all the details and weekly special guests from the fashion industry.
Expect a blog post on our first night very soon!

A Summer Man...

A few months back I styled a menswear shoot for the current issue of Fashion Trend magazine. I like to take behind the scenes photo's to show you the reader of my blog what goes on when working on an editorial shoot but of course the problem is I can't show you these photo's till the magazine is actually out. Well Fashion Trend is out now and you can check out this editorial I shot with photographer Philippe Auger right now! The pic above is make up artist Bradwyn Jones grooming model Nick Wheeler.
This shot above is of model Ish and the main styling directive of the whole shoot was to combine colour blocking with a strong masculine feel all for a spring summer release.
The editorial shoot gave me the chance to use some amazing new Menswear designers along with some more established labels which I think reflects the modernity of menswear today. I always like to use as much local Australian designer fashion as possible and was really excited to feature Australian labels Trimapee, Limedrop, From Britten, Clemente Talarico and Leopold along with CK Calvin Klein and jewelery store Glitzern.
Another photo where I look like I just lift a collar or put a shoe on, I assure you I'm working my fingers to the bone! Bradwyn grooming his heart out too.
The above image did not make it to the final edit of the spread but I personally love this outfit consisting of Limedrop's Mens tunic and Leopold shorts and shoes, the chair is an amazing minimalist design from Corporate Culture
My great friend Jamie Couper Senior buyer at CK Calvin Klein is always so accommodating, allowing me to use the latest pieces from their collection and the suit above and shirt below are fine examples of the current collection.
I'd love you to check out the current issue of Fashion Trend and see all of this Mens editorial in all its glory, it also features my friend Alice Burdeau on the cover!
Fashion Trend Magazine 21
Stylist Philip Boon
Photographer Philippe Auger
Hair Christopher Dunkley
Grooming Bradwyn Jones
Models Nick and Ish

Spring Designer Show

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!
This week Alice was the star model for a fashion show I styled at Melbourne Central focussing on Spring Racing Carnival Fashion and highlighting top designers; Thurley, CK Calvin Klein, Arthur Galan, Nine West, Mimco, Alannah Hill, Dom Bagnato and designer store Fame Agenda.
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.
It's a tough job but someone has to do it!

Melbourne Central 'Spring Designer Series'
Stylist Philip Boon
Assistant Stylists Steph Marks, Jess Shoppee, Felicity Maniszewski
Producer Dean Drieberg
Hair Toni & Guy @ Melbourne Central
Make Up Gorgeous @ Melbourne Central

Thanks to great clients Melbourne Central and all at AMPR!

Missoni musings...

The last month has been busy for me with some fantastic work opportunities and great projects. One of my great supporters through my career has been the wonderful John Flower of Hot House Media and his right hand man Steve Rainey approached me recently to style the clothing component of an amazing event for one of their major clients, San Pelligrino. The event was to be held at arguably Melbourne's finest restaurant Jacques Reymond and was named, 'S.Pellegrino meets Missoni' a concept of two famous Italian families coming together over their love of quality and great design. The event would be a dinner for twenty six A-listers in Melbourne to launch the newly designed by Missoni water bottle called S.Pellegrino and to enjoy a beautiful dinner and see an amazing video on the two italian families talking of their love of fashion and design, greeted by two model ambassadors dressed in the latest collection by Missoni hand picked by head designer at Missoni, Angela Missoni and styled for the event by me! The above photo (taken by photog Marnie Haddad) is of San Pellegrino's Manuela Capponi wearing vintage Missoni and flanked by Missoni ambassadors on the night Lucy and Shoona wearing the latest collection Missoni couture.
Hot House Media chose top models Lucy McIntosh(engaged to Black Eyed Peas member DJ Poet) and Shoona from Chadwicks Models as fashion ambassadors on the night and I enlisted fab celebrity Make up artist Narelle Hall(and one of my best friends) to create a luxurious resort style look on the two gorgeous models. Missoni embodies quality and colourful patterned glamour and so Narelle and I set about creating this look.
I chose unique accessories from my favourite jewelery store Glitzern to compliment.
Zomp shoes added to the luxury look of the wonderful gowns.
Narelle used greens and apricots to work with the colours of Lucy's gown.
Lots of bangles creates that extravagant look, Lucy on the phone to fiance Black Eyed Peas DJ Poet!
The private dining room at Jacques Reymond was transformed into a colourful explosion of spring colour , centre piece floral arrangements echoed the bright patterned fabrics that Missoni is so well known for!
John Flower and Steve Rainey were so generous to invite me to join the guests at the dinner and I sat next to the witty and entertaining Suzanne Carbone of The Age newspaper, other guests in attendance were top chefs, food writers, fashion editors and my friend the stylish fashion designer Lisa Gorman and her partner Dean Angelucci of those great furniture stores Angelucci's.
When I first saw the private dining room at Jacques Reymond I was delighted by the expanse of colour and floral pattern, so Missoni! (Photo by Marnie Haddad)
This photo(by Marnie Haddad) shows the newly designed S.Pelligrino's meets Missoni water bottles in the background with the gorgeous Lucy and Shoona wearing Missoni Couture I styled. A big thank you to Steve Rainey and my wonderful friend John Flower for the opportunity to work on an amazing event.
I love S.Pellegrino meets Missoni!

The last month...

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...