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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

The Last Time I Saw Matilda, Absorb’s latest fashion film collaboration with fashion photographer Justin Ridler captures model Matilda Price in looks from some of Australia’s favourite homegrown independent designers. 

In a meandering collection of Ridler's images, we see stunning garments from Fleur Wood, Yeojin Bae, Arabella Ramsay, Day Birger et Mikkelsen, Mezi and accessories by Mania Mania as a young, free-spirited girl wanders about the sundrenched countryside of the rugged headlands in NSW.

Described as, “an ode to fleeting memory and the beauty of lasting encounters,” the film translates the elegant yet uninhibited styling of stylist Chiara Bianchino and the exceptional photographic style of Ridler into a beautiful, ethereal short film.

 

Video: Justin Ridler
Stylist: Chiara Bianchino
Photographers Assistant: Emma Caldwell
Makeup & Hair: Chereine Waddell
Model: Matilda @ Priscillas
Music: 'Thistled Spring' by Horse Feathers

Words: Christie Sinclair

How often do you splurge on new clothes? Once a month? Once a week? Twice a week? Four times a week even? We’re all guilty of over indulging and over spending from time to time, but have you ever stopped and thought about how much you could save if you were to forgo that habit of purchasing an item of clothing once a week? Have you ever thought about the alternatives to purchasing new products, or where the product may end up when you have finished with it? 

During the month of October, the Buy Nothing New initiative encourages the reassessing of your spending habits. It’s about cutting out the unnecessary energy in your life, not going without things you need. It encourages you to source possessions from alternative places; begging, borrowing, thrifting, swapping, exchanging and recycling is ideal, just as long as you ensure you don’t purchase anything new. Of course you’re permitted to buy food, drink, medication and any essentials, but keep in mind you must shop for things you require, not what you desire!

Buy Nothing New Month was established to remind consumers to really think about and weigh up their wants versus their needs. It’s also about making a conscientious decision about the products we buy, where they come from, where they end up, and whether there are any alternatives, in order to challenge the issue of over consumption.

The whole concept may sound a little radical, but when you consider Australians spend tens of billions of dollars each year on unessential items, and 20 billion tonnes of waste ends up as landfill, you can see why we all desperately need to reevaluate our spending habits.

Not only will you save money buy pledging to Buy Nothing New this month, but you can also save loads of time by simply shopping for the items you need. It makes sense! So resist the temptation to shop til’ you drop, cancel your virtual shopping cart, and stay away from malls, and get amongst the non-spending movement by pledging your allegiance to Buy Nothing New Month.

October is almost over but it’s never too late to implement changes to your spending habits. Did I mention there are also loads of awesome prizes to be won including $5000 cash? Plus it's a great cause. Are you up to the challenge? 

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

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