Summer Fashion

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

Absorb’s latest short fashion film collaboration showcases the SS11 range by Aussie designer swimwear label We Are Handsome. Get ready for a vivid, polychromatic montage of 80’s film and television references, lots of glitter, and some seriously cool swimsuits. Can you believe it was shot in the middle of a Westfield shopping centre using mobile phones? Check out the film and these awesome images from the shoot by James Nash.

I’m sure you’re aware of the recent shifts in consumer buying behaviour; our smaller boutiques and labels are suffering at the hands of international online rag-trader giants as Aussies turn to overseas markets for a competitive deal. Now more than ever, our independent designers need support to keep them afloat in this current retail crisis.

So what's the appeal in purchasing independent fashion? We discussed the difference in quality and exclusivity in Series One of our Independent Designer articles. But what about good old-fashioned shopping? I’m not talking about trawling through website after website, online store after online store. I know it’s rather convenient to shop online at times, especially when it means you don’t have to immerse yourself in a car-park battle or even get out of your pjs, but lets not forget the physical experience of shopping. Online shopping is a great way to browse products and help us quickly find what we are looking for, but the disconnection and lack of physical interaction only increases the difficulty choosing your product and post purchase dissonance.

Phoebe Garland, co-owner of Garland & Garland Fashion, a leading Sydney-based fashion agency believes we need to recognise the contribution independent fashion has made by reinforcing the personal service and the wonderful relationships you can have with the smaller boutiques and buying from Australian retailers.

“These smaller retailers have contributed significantly to building these multinational apparel companies. And, these are the retailers that are really suffering. They simply do not have the luxury of operating on the higher margins the chains stores and vertical operators do and they have quite often been lining the pockets of the big apparel companies for years,” she said.

Customer service is a notion most of us have consigned to oblivion now that we have the option of online shopping, but it plays a very large role in customer satisfaction and positive brand image. The physical connection between the consumer and a product is imperative, and it is the customer service that can help facilitate a positive outcome in the end.

It seems department stores and large fashion retailers pay little attention to customer service, which is interesting considering the vast competition from online stores and overseas e-boutiques. So if you are after knowledgeable and friendly staff who virtually live and breathe fashion, head to smaller boutiques and independent retailers.

There is nothing quite like stepping into your favourite boutique and knowing you will be greeted, assisted and treated like a friend rather than a potential buyer. You won’t have to search five floors and numerous un-manned counters, or have to deal with stroppy sales assistants who are more interested in simply making sales than helping you find the perfect garment. Although boutiques generally employ less staff, this allows more time for training and ensuring they employ the ideal candidate for the job.

Skill shortages are also not a problem as many independents employ ‘stylists’ as opposed to sales assistants, whose role is to assist the customer in finding the perfect garment using their broad knowledge of fashion and the particular brand.

Celebrity Stylist, Amber Renee agrees that stylists can drastically enhance the shopping experience by providing independent, educated advice to assist the consumer in selecting the best possible garment in the least stressful manner. She also notes that stylists advice is generally not biased as they are not pressured by sales targets or under any conflict of interest.

“If the stylist is educated on body shapes and skin tones they can provide advice that relates directly to that customer – rather than show what’s been the ‘best seller’ or ‘what everyone loves’.”

Words: Christie Sinclair

Livia Arena's latest collection is now available through the Streetfash online store. 



Melbourne based designer Livia Arena’s second collection, ‘The Gathering’ is the product of a collaboration with Melbourne jeweller Deirdre Hoban. Inspired by Hoban’s use of washed-out tones and their mutual admiration for the aesthetics of each other’s designs, the pair have created a classic yet feminine Spring Summer 11/12 collection, incorporating elements of both labels.

“Deirdre and I were introduced to each other by a mutual friend and we threw the idea about for a while. Then all of a sudden, we were working on the Summer collection together. I think it just seemed like a normal thing to do, especially when you consider that we’re both kind of just starting out and I guess it’s easier to collaborate at that point,” said Arena.

The first Summer collection from the Livia Arena label includes beautifully tailored pieces, striking silhouettes and that signature Livia Arena subtle detailing which adds a little luxury to each piece. The partnership of the two designers has certainly given Arena’s designs a fresh perspective, her latest line emanating a strong feminine aesthetic whilst maintaining her prominent classic style.

Although she admits to being cowardly with colour, Arena saw Summer as the perfect opportunity to offset the typically clean lines of her own designs, by referencing Hoban’s soft colour palette.

“I was immediately taken by her sense of colour. I am really reluctant to use colour, but I was very aware that for Summer, colour is actually really important... I think it’s ended up being a lot more feminine than the clothes I create when I work alone,” said Arena.

It’s attention to detail such as the presence of the unique custom print, which makes this collection so distinctive and appealing. The colourful spotted print was the outcome of both artists’ desires to make the collection representative of the hand-made nature of Hoban’s work and the texture of her ceramics. The process involved Hoban creating a large spotted ceramic plate, which was then photographed and manipulated to form the repeatable print now a feature of this collection. 



The innovative collection is also composed entirely of natural fibres including high quality silk, cotton and linen, (and combinations of the three) making the clothing light, breathable and ideal for Summer dressing. 



After completing a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science at Melbourne University, Arena enrolled in a design course at RMIT before taking a graduate job as a corporate banker. Thankfully, she finally gave into her creative side, thus began the namesake label Livia Arena. Although she felt a career in design conflicted with her previous education, it is clear her escape from the corporate world has inspired her design process; her collections an amalgamation of structure and uninhibited femininity. 



Words: Christie Sinclair

Subscribe to Shona Joy and win a summer fashion wardrobe valued at over $600.

Shona Joy has gone viral! We are excited to announce that the label's website and online store have officially gone live. You can now shop the latest high Summer collection 'Heart of Glass' from work, home or your fancy iPhone.

In order to welcome you all to the little slice of online paradise, Shona Joy is giving away a Summer Wardrobe valued at over $600.

To go into the running just subscribe to the site by clicking the link below before December 15th. For every lady friend referred you get an extra entry into the draw. Winner announced December 17th.

Enter here: http://www.shonajoy.com.au/subscribe-and-win.

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Limedrop's temporary concept store is pretty-ing up Melbourne Central with suspended plants, grass, flowers and fashions hung in a summer-perfect greenhouse.

The official launch for Limedrop's temporary 'pop-up' store lured us out on Friday night. With us, a stylish, free-booze loving crowd helped turn Melbourne Central's tunnel walkway into a scene common of a Brunswick party: cool kids and plenty of street style gems (heck even Face Hunter man himself, Yvan Rodic was there!)

The shop itself, (which is modelled on a greenhouse) displayed the current collection and some pretty nifty accessories amongst suspended plants and a simplistically pleasing modular wooden racking system. Designed in collaboration with Georgina Armstrong and Pip McCulley of design studio, Wonder, the shop is certainly worth a visit- especially as it's only there for summer.

Limedrop's Pop Up Concept store is located at Melbourne Central, Level 2 Linkbridge (between Saba and Calibre).

Words & photos: Tilly Pearman