Photo Shoot

We take a look at some of our favourite established and emerging Australian bloggers. 

Oh how the world of fashion is changing. Just this year we’ve seen QR codes and Instagram invade the fashion industry, Kanye released his first collection, apparently bum-bags are in and sky-high pumps are out, and now they’re telling us that Bloggers are the most influential people in the fashion industry! Well I’m not so sure I agree with bum-bag fashion craze, but there’s no denying that Bloggers are quickly becoming the go-to people for fashion advice and inspiration.

Here at Streetfash, we love reading your blogs for the incredible outfit posts, style inspiration, and to swoon over your latest and greatest purchases. We know that you guys are in-the-know when it comes to fashion and we want to share the love. Since we are all about celebrating our finest homegrown fashion talents, we thought we would share some of our favourite local Bloggers (in no particular order). Some are professional bloggers, some are just starting out, but we think they are all amazingly talented and certainly worth a follow. Looks as though Sydney is giving Melbourne a run-for-their-money as the most fashionable city! 

Through The Looking Glass

Location: Melbourne

Who: Giang Cao

Why we love it: For the incredible photo documentation of people and places in Melbourne. 

Il etait une fois

Location: Melbourne
Who: Bianca Nardo

Why we love it: For keeping us up to date on all of the latest happenings in the wonderful world of fashion. We especially love it when she throws in an outfit post. 

All About Edie

Location: Sydney

Who: Mollie Stevens

Why we love it: For her outstanding ability to mix high fashion staples with affordable trending items. Plus, she always looks oh-so-chic. This girl is one to watch! 

Your Only Black Swan

Location: Sydney

Who: Lauren Hernandez
Why we love it: For her fun, vintage-inspired outfit posts, and photo diary type posts. 

Modern Legacy

Location: Someone let us know!

Who: Kaitlyn

Why we love it: A law student with impeccable street style, flawless grammar (how refreshing) and a heck-of-a-lot of amazing shirts! We love her effortless chic look and vintage ensembles.

Dear Mr. Cat

Location: Sydney
Who: Brittany Ferns
Why we love it: For her adorable illustrations and artwork, her beautiful inspirational image posts, and previews of her new clothing label Otto Mode. Bookmark this site, she’s going to be huge.

Confident Liar

Location: Sydney

Who: Nicole Cooper

Why we love it: Well her profile reads, “An extremely broke photography student, who can barely afford the bus home yet still manages to buy film.” We love it! Do yourself a favour and check out her beautiful photography. Enough said.

A huge thank you to Kaitlyn from Modern Legacy, Bianca from Il etait une fois
, and Lauren from Your Only Black Swan for your gorgeous images. 

Words: Christie Sinclair

Online fashion-media website, Absorb presents 'Runaway', the beautiful new fashion film about a runaway who discovers the wintry rural countryside in a selection of Autumn knitwear by the likes of Ginger and Smart, Jessica O’Conner, Pol Design, LuLu Rouge, Sabatini and Christopher Esber.

Starring model Angelique from EMG and filmed by Costa Vakas, the film was shot amongst cattle and llamas in fields surrounding the rural town of Berry, just a few hours south of Sydney.

To accompany the short, photographer Rodney Ye also captured a series of alluring images of the shirting and knitwear story titled, 'Journey the Fields' (pictured above).

Film: By Costa Vakas

Stylist: Chiara Bianchino

Makeup: Chereine Waddell
Hair Stylist: James Nash
Model: Angelique from EMG

Words: Christie Sinclair

As we Melbournians wander the streets of this city we love so much, we often wonder what is happening behind the closed doors. On a quiet street in Fitzroy, behind a seemingly typical building front, fashion designers Kerry Findlow and Nyssa Marrow and doing something really quite special. They are the duo behind fast growing label Above. The work is unique, individual and personal, work that is designed to be worn in a way that reflects the person wearing it. This attitude to design is something that Melbourne fashion embraces, so its no surprise that Melbourne Street Fashion loves Above.

Q: When did you launch Above, how did you get started?

A: We've known each other for almost 10 years now, we met through my brother. After starting the all of the above shared studio space and retail outlet in 2005 we found that we made quite a good team since we have opposite but complimentary skills. In late 2007 I asked Nyssa to work on a range of basics with me for the store to sell. Those early days were a pretty steep learning curve and it took some time to figure out our direction but I think it was important to work it that way to give ourselves a chance to define our roles within the label.

Q: What would you say your ‘design ethos’ was? What do you look for in good design?

A: We aim to produce classic, wearable shapes that have the foundations of a well cut pattern. The collections always centre around the basic western wardrobe (shirt, shift dress, cardigan, etc) but are re-imagined from a structural point of view. We like the wearer to be seen when in our clothes; we make things that you can incorporate into your life and wardrobe for years to come. Our process is about looking back through our own history as a label, there’s always an element from a previous season that informs the overall design basis for the next collection. It might be a single garment or a new analysis of previous seasons that creates a new set of structural ideas to explore. But essentially it is a personal body of work that explores sets of ideas that have been circling our lives for years.

Q: What do you think Above brings to the online market that others don’t? What makes you individual?

A: I think in this age it's very difficult to have a completely individual offering but we just want to make sure we are offering a clear, concise collection and a bit of an insight into how we do it. Social media has now become pretty powerful tools and we have only barely scratched the surface with them but we're working on using them more effectively. We do a lot of our own sampling and printing in house and a look at that kind of thing can be a new perspective for our customer's, especially since a lot of this industry is about smoke and mirrors. We're really proud of our connection to the whole process and if we can show people the steps it takes us to end up somewhere hopefully that gives them more of a connection as well.

Q: Do you have any fashion legends or idols? Where does your inspiration come from?

A: We always appreciate someone who knows their own style, I think it's about noticing people in everyday life. Nyssa always talks about op shops being archives of lost construction ideas, and we joke about how she's constantly pulling people's clothes apart with her eyes. Mid conversation you can often see her trail off, zeroed in on a pocket detail or zip placement

Q: Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer?

A: Autumn/Winter – can't go past layers and knits! Since Nyssa always starts a season with at least a dozen jacket ideas I think she feels more at home with the cooler months.

Q: How would you sum up your current collection? What are the main themes behind your design, can you expand on you ‘classic western wardrobe’ idea that we discussed.

A: Summer is entitled a study in adaptation because it's looking at the ways we all change and adapt our clothes to fit ourselves and our lives. Some of the styles (giant pant/giant blazer) have integrated into their construction the observation of how people will often wear oversized pieces, op shop garments, and find a way of making them fit their shapes by belting or pulling them in. In another sense of adaptation we've applied a scarf, being the most adaptable accessory, and blended it into traditional garments (skirt, shirt) which inherently then transfers it's adaptable qualities to those garments. The most extreme versions of this idea being the scarf pant/scarf dress which have no body reference and need to be worn and adapted to fit a person to give them context.

The 'classic western wardrobe' idea is always our framework for a season, it gives a starting point and allows the structural ideas to be applied to established shapes. We don't want a paint by numbers scenario but essentially it just gives us a chance to plan and edit our seasons pretty early on and means that the design process can be spent focussing and resolving the styles that DO fit. When you break down what people really wear, generally it fits into that framework, we design things that fit those gaps. Say the lattice shirt, it fits into the “white shirt” category but because of the print it's a new modern take on it. Basically it's something that you already know how to wear within your wardrobe but it becomes a new version with the ideas we're exploring for the season applied to it.

Q: What are your plans for Above in the future? A flagship store perhaps?

A: We'd love to have a store at some stage, but for now we're focused on gaining a few more stockists. We've signed on with a Scandinavian sales agency for next season so that will hopefully turn into some international accounts. Design wise we're really excited about the print development for next season and expanding our knitwear.

Words and photos: Max Sanderson

In today’s competitive fashion world being multi-talented is almost a must have attribute to achieve success. James Lachlan is a model and fashion blogger based in Melbourne as well as working at the reputable high end boutique Marais Melbourne. Having practicing modelling for several years, James knows a thing or two about the fashion industry and his European hard edge looks certainly grab your eye!

While not modelling, James is one part of the blogging duo (James Lachlan and Samuel Nicolausson-Soames) from fashion blog Marble House which has just recently hit the scene. Part editorial part personal, Marble House is an insight into the minds of these two creative boys. His style is contemporary sophisticated and yet a little grungy. James is a man who knows how to be creative with his style injecting his personality and individual sense of fashion.



Words and photos: Max Sanderson

Max Sanderson is a designer photographer blogger and artist or total package. What can't this man do you ask? We're scratching our heads ourselves: he designed, styled and photographed this photo shoot for his label Fallen Woman that Melbourne Street Fashion can bring you exclusively on these pages. Yes, you do want to read more.

Melbourne Street Fashion: What makes Melbourne special?
MS: In my opinion Melbourne is the most beautiful, vibrant unique and interesting city in the country.

The European feel, cafe culture and relaxed atmosphere really makes the city what it is. Melbourne fashion has its own strong identity, it isn't afraid to trying new things and being independent that's why I love Melbourne fashion and art culture so much.

Melbourne Street Fashion: What were you like as a child?
MS: I was always a bit dorky, obsessed with lego, always building new creative things and taking adventurous endeavours with a vivid imagination. Eccentric and outgoing, secretly listening to Kylie Minogue on cassette in my bedroom!

Melbourne Street Fashion: If you could be on the cover of any bands CD/LP who would it be and why?
MS: Roisin Murphy Overpowered. It is a fabulous album so full of life and energy. The perfect music to get ready to every morning!

Melbourne Street Fashion: Magazines or Blogs?
MS: I think both have a lot to offer and they both provide the market with different things. Blogs have immediacy, they are always reporting on the latest often as it happens. Frequently updated, easily accessible and of course free. Magazines often provide more in depth articles with more than just a report or review they are concise jam packed and portable. As wonderful as blogs are and what they can offer I don't think people will ever get sick of the comfort of a nice magazine.

Melbourne Street Fashion: Vanilla or Chocolate?
MS: Chocolate because its the best!

Bio: originally I was only interested in fine art and photography and have always been an extremely creative person. I have been sewing since an early age and have always been very passionate about fashion, however I never thought I would be able to design my own clothing line. My label Fallen Woman only truly came together as a label at the beginning of 2010 although it has already developed into a small collection. The pieces are predominantly targeted at a menswear market, however I don't believe in rules and the pieces are unisex, thats a view I tend to have about most fashion.

I have been passionate about photography for year, I work in a fashion/editorial style employing hard flash to give the raw urban and hard edge aesthetic that I love. I am inspired by the work of David LaChapelle Horst p Horst Bill Henson and the add campaigns of Vivienne Westwood Lanvin and more locally Trimapee.

I hope that in years to come Fallen Woman will be stocked in boutiques around Melbourne and perhaps a flagship store...one day.

Words: Phoebe Montague
Photos: Max Sanderson

Streetfash brings you its bold vision of Spring Summer 09/10.

ALLURE

Inspired by pop superstars soon to tour our shores and shot on location at the retro fabulous Lure hairdressing salon the photo shoot is a playful take on all things futuristic.

Next

Stylist: Hayley Hughes
Assistant Stylist: Scott Stephenson
Photographer: Elvina Mae
Props/Set Director: Jack Mac
Make up Artist: Tessa Purcell
Models: Roy and Emily from Giant Management
Hair: Thanks to Lure apprentices Ricky Ellul and Jo Gray and also to Monique Gow
Shot at LURE hairdressing salon, 311 Smith Street Fitzroy Vic 3065.