iSpyStyle Blog

On the hunt for suppliers?

2010-10-12T22:45:00.000-07:00

As a small business, sourcing suppliers can be quite the time wasting affair, let alone the costly with trips back and forth to China to try and find the right quality supplier for your budget. Imagine if you could go to a trade fair where all the suppliers were at your fingertips and you get to look at their work, the quality, colour and material selection as well as ask about minimums, delivery schedules etc. Imagine if you could do this in MELBOURNE?

Excited yet? Well, Australian Exhibition & Conferences (the team behind Fashion Exposed) are offering local wholesalers the chance to source new suppliers at the Australian International Sourcing Fair for fashion, accessories and home. Held in conjunction with the China Clothing and Textiles Expo 2010, the AISF will provide a forum where international companies can establish and consolidate enduring business partnerships with Australian organisations.

So if you're looking for Bags, Beads, Buttons, Childrenswear, Eco Materials, Fabrics, Jewellery, and Leather goods, Menswear, Publications, Scarves/Shawls, Shipment, Trims, Womenswear and Workwear, don't forget to save the date.

Date: 17-19 November 2010
Where: Melbourne Exhibition Centre
Register: here

Pedestrian launches Jobs

2010-09-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

Let's face it - finding a dream job is tricky. Often it takes ALOT of networking, good luck, serendipity and skill to be in the right place at the right time and know the right people to get a job that no-one's ever heard of before but everyone envies.

We get inundated with people asking iSpyStyle to help them find jobs, suggest internships etc and we've found the perfect solution to the problem - Pedestrian Jobs.

Regular members of iSpyStyle will be familiar with us referencing Pedestrian with links to articles of interest. We are most impressed with the easy to decipher search capability and the quality of jobs on offer. It's easily categorised into internships, freelance, part time and full time with industries we all want to work for like:
Music, Fashion, Publishing /Media/Writing, Film/TV/Radio, Arts & Culture, PR & Events, Advertising & Marketing, Digital / Online, Ethical / Non Profit, Retail, Hospitality / Tourism, Design/ Photography, Architecture, Management and Sports/ Recreation.

So go check out the site, get creative and start applying. What are you waiting for?

Chambord Shine Winner - Limedrop

2010-09-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may remember, I was a Melbourne Judge for the Chambord Shine Awards at The Long Room a couple of months back where Anna Campbell, Jolet & Limedrop were the three Melbourne Winners from a great bevy of talent that showcased their latest collections for the night.

Each of the three finalists from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane had to create a Spring Racing worthy outfit suited to getting noticed and possibly worn by a celebrity as part of the prize. Finalists were judged by a variety of fashion media including Marie Claire fashion editor Kate Harrowsmith, Kate Mansour of Chambord and Gracie Otto.

Melbourne label, Limedrop were crowned the winner with their digital print "carousal style horse" offering a fashion forward, directional and kitsch version of Spring racing style. Limedrop's prize includes showing their collection at L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2011 and Gracie Otto will be wearing the dress during the Spring Racing Carnival, bringing some serious media attention to the label.

It's a fantastic reward for the label, as both designers, Nathan and Clea have worked tirelessly in the past couple of years to grow their label and build brand awareness and The Chambord Shine awards have helped realise this next step for the duo.

Fashion Exposed Business Seminars

2010-08-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

Fashion Exposed is a trade industry event and I've had the pleasure of being involved with Fashion Exposed for some time. From judging the Debut winners for 2 years and then launching my Retail Workshop during the Sydney event earlier this year.

Due to popular demand, I'm hosting the same Retail Workshop (with a few updates) for the Melbourne event next week, however this year, I'm part of a larger business seminar program. With a fantastic round up of speakers, these seminars are aimed at the business makers behind fashion from emerging labels through to large business chains.

Discussing topics like the new season Trends, Sustainability, Mens retailing, global retail trends and of course my workshops "Trade Secrets" - a comprehensive workshop discussing branding, marketing, visual merchandising, customer engagement and social media aimed at the boutique retailer.

The seminars run over 2 days - Sunday 29 August and Tuesday 31st August. Tickets are available on the Fashion Exposed website.

Energise Enterprise

2010-08-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

Energise Enterprise is a month long festival featuring events aimed to inspire, educate and help small business's in Victoria. LMFF held one such event titled "Event marketing: connecting with your customer" at one of the private screening rooms at Hoyts in Melbourne last week.

With so many markets, festivals, sponsorship opportunities and pop up exhibitions and events these days, brands are inundated with opportunities to showcase their product/service. Event marketing can be a costly exercise, however when maximised and executed well, the PR value and brand exposure can be priceless.

As L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival have been working with brands from a variety of industries for many years now, the team discussed how to really maximise your involvement with Event Marketing.

The event covered topics like:
1. Why would you consider an event as a marketing tool?
2. How do you prepare before you commit to an event?
3. How do you ensure the event is the right fit for your brand?
4. How can you ensure you are showcased effectively?
5. How do you engage?
6. How will you leverage your participation?

Some of the key points iSpyStyle picked up are listed below:

1. By associating yourself with a larger event, you will most likely have access to suppliers at a discounted price through the partnership.

2. For every $1 spent on sponsorship you need to spend $3 on making the event look amazing and executed to a high standard. e.g. If you spent $10,000 on sponsorship, you need to spend $30,000 on the actual event, marketing, promotional material, ambassadors, gift bags etc.

3. Before committing to an event, research which brands have long term relationships with that event and if they are a brand you'd like to network with or partner with, you can ask to be introduced as a result of being involved.

4. Be honest about how you will assess the success or failure of this event with the event team so they can try and help you achieve your goals as its in their best interests for you to continue to be involved with the event in the future.

5. Use the social media platforms of the event to your advantage. Offer prizes, gifts and special offers to the event's facebook or twitter followers in order to reach new audience and build awareness.

6. It's recommended to commit to a festival or event for a minimum of 3 years, so that you can build on your exposure, branding and association each year and really tap into that event's audience. Longevity helps reiterated your association.

7. Once you're involved, promote your association on your email signature, online, through you social media, in your retail store, in your newsletter etc. The more you leverage off the event, the more you'll get in return.

Hanging around

2010-07-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

It's always inspiring to hear of a simple idea marketed well. Exhibit A - The Green Hanger. An Australian invention from three entrepreneurial spirits, The Green Hanger is only a year old but has been causing quite the international stir. So what's the story?
1. Looking for a more eco-friendly solution when moving house, the concept was born.
2. It's 100% recycled and recyclable cardboard
3. Holds over 2Kg of weight
4. Raw & natural and quite designer looking (we think)
5. Inexpensive - a pack of 5 Adult hangers is only $5.95 with bulk buying being cheaper
6. Comes in kids and adult sizes
7. Easy to stack and store
8. No glues or inks are used
9. Used as the official invite for Tokyo Fashion Week
10.Used to hang all the clothes backstage at L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2010
11.Bridget Marquardt is one of Hugh Hefner’s playboy's and she has endorsed the product in her search to "go green" (seriously)

So, the question remains, will fashion boutiques follow suit. It makes sense for smaller boutiques to embrace this (I remember my shop days and having to sort through a million wire hangers that always seemed to get tangled and it was my job to untangle them - ahhh the glamour of fashion!).

Check out their site to find out more.

Behind the Scenes of State of Design

2010-07-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

So, its that time of year again.... July = Design, State of Design. A period of twelve days of non-stop creative stimulation, inspiration and networking is just what the doctor ordered in the middle of winter I say! Rather than talk about all the wonderful interactive experiences to enjoy and participate in, I've decided its time to shine a spotlight on the folk behind the scenes who make this festival happen. Meet Kate Rhodes, Curator of State of Design Festival.

Q1 Describe your role as curator of Design Made Trade and Design for Everyone? What does your role entail?
The Festival is brought into the world with a tiny team of incredible people – some of the best I’ve worked with, I’m happy to say. Each of our roles bump and connect into one another regularly so we find ourselves doing all kinds of things. As Festival Curator, it is my role to help form the public program side of the Festival – this is the part of the program that is that for everyone. Individuals, organisations and businesses have contributed exhibitions, workshops, screenings and activities that explore and communicate the importance of design. The resulting program is carefully assembled to pull and push our theme so that everyone who visits a Festival event can grow their own ideas for generating change by design.

Q2 Design Made Trade (now in its 3rd year) has gained quite the name for itself by supporting emerging talent and taking them to the next level. The mix and quality of brands across design's many platforms is always inspiring. How do you achieve this?
Design can be though of as an almost unheard of connection between needs and desires. The exhibitors at Design Made Trade make the event the place to uncover objects, ideas and systems developed and produced both here and away to make life better, and potentially greener. The idea behind Design Made Trade is to make it the place to meet the people, and the people who know the people, behind great design.

Q3 What kinds of trends are you seeing from Victorian designers? Obviously sustainability is the focus this year for State of Design, but aside from that, what other commonalities are you seeing?
This year there is a section of Design Made Trade dedicated to green design businesses and other sections include: furniture, fabrics, small objects and a section of the Fair dedicated to what might be described as the more crafted end of design. A great mix.

Q4 This year Design Made Trade is incorporating workshops and talks as part of the mix. What was the motivation behind this initiative?
There is so much activity going on at the Royal Exhibition Building that it is a real hub for the first four days of the Festival. On both the trade days and the public days there are back-to-back talks, workshops and exhibitions. We really want these first days to be very dynamic, here are some of the events: Design Victoria Amphitheater for business talks; Lightsource – a commercial lighting exhibition; Materia – a hands-on materials library from the Netherlands; the Melbourne Design Embassy – a place for networking and blogging, Idealand – a community of hand-crafted hexagon spaces for professional design bodies and The Long Table – a table running the length of the Royal Exhibition Building for meetings, design speed dating with architects to green your home and a number of family-oriented making activities. We also have great exhibitions from the Australian Graphic Design Association, the Design Institute of Australia, Green Magazine and Monash University.

State of Design runs from Wednesday 14 - 25 July 2010. Click here for more info.

Designer Opportunities

2010-06-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

So you're an up and coming designer and you want to get noticed, get some brand exposure and maybe a pat on the back at the same time? I have compiled a great list of opportunities for you to participate in (you can thank me later!)

1. Chambord Shine Awards
What: Enter for a chance to be a finalist in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane runway showcases to compete for a finalists position and then to be crowned overall winner. Past finalists include Dion Lee, Romance Was Born, Jessie Hill, Dhini, Carl Kapp and AJE.
Who: Aimed at emerging and semi-established Australian fashion designers
Conditions: Must be over 18
Details: After the runway shows, judges will select 3 finalists from each state to create a Spring Racing outfit inspired by Chambord which will go into the final held at Sydney's Strand Arcade on August 31st. The winning outfit will be worn by a celebrity at the Spring Racing Carnival and have their own collection showcase as part of LMFF in 2011.
Contact: If you think you have what it takes, email chambordshineawards@6dc.com.au
Deadline: Brisbane's showcase was 29th June, Melbourne's is 6th July and Sydney's is 7th July so get in quick!

2. Bloom at Magnolia Square
What: This is a dedicated space for showcasing new/emerging talent amongst the established design market stall holders. A great chance to get noticed on a budget.
Who: Listen up designers of craft, fashion, food, jewellery, illustration, paper, ceramics etc.
Conditions: To be eligible to apply you need to be a start up or newly commenced business, have a unique concept and be well executed and finished with a strong hand worked design aesthetic.
Details: You'll get a 1.5 sq metre space with no height restrictions for only $350 including insurance. Limited spaces available.
Contact: email applications to bloom@magnoliasquare.com.au
Deadline: 15th July 2010

3. Y-chic by Australian Academy of Design
What: Generation Y students are asked to express their point of view about what "chic" means for their Generation by submitting a mood board.
Who: Fashion and creative Students
Conditions: You'll have to email an image of your moodboard in jpg or pdf format, a completed entry form with artists release form, an artists statement and a model release form (if you've used a model).
Details: Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd plus Top 10 finalists for both Tertiary and Secondary categories. Prizes vary from a sewing & design kit to a gift voucher valued at $500 from Carmel's Fabric Store.
Contact: awards@designacademy.edu.au
Deadline: 14 July 2010

For more great competitions for creatives to enter click here
Stay tuned for a Soya feature of which I am the fashion category producer.

Fashion that Fits - LMFF Body Image Forum

2010-06-01T22:18:00.000-07:00

There is a never ending cycle of the influences fashion can have on society and one of them is body image. Whilst there are elements of fantasy and aspiration with fashion (who doesn't love a stunning perfume campaign or an amazing 12 page spread in Vogue Italia?) there is also a major responsibility that comes with pumping out these types of aspirational images.

LMFF hosted a forum for the fashion industry on Monday 31 May at ACMI called "Fashion that Fits" attempting to tackle an issue that is so intrinsically linked to the fashion world. On hand to discuss the various commercial, mental, physical and moral issues surrounding this were:
Gorgi Coghlan from The Circle on Channel 10 as MC
Honorable James Merlino - Minister of Sport, Recreation & Youth Affairs
Sarah Oakes - Editor of Cleo Magazine
Matthew Anderson - Director Chadwicks Modelling Agency
Dr Naomi Carfti - Community development / Education officer of Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria
Prue Thomas - Strategic Brand Manager of Sportsgirl
Karen Webster - Outgoing LMFF Festival Director

Indeed this panel was a well curated and diverse bunch who could discuss from their own point of view the various implications of body image in their pocket of the industry. Some of issues raised were:
1. Language & Labels - ensuring communication around Small, Medium & Large rather than Skinny, Size Zero, Plus Size and Big. "We never talk minus size, we just talk plus size and its wrong" says Karen Webster.
2. Healthy Vs UnHealthy - overweight and underweight individuals can still be considered "healthy", even if they are overweight or underweight. So the term healthy and unhealthy were more relevant terms to be using. However, how does a person looking at a photoshoot or catwalk know if the model is healthy or unhealthy based only on their appearance?
3. Cover models for Magazines - Sarah spoke of her boredom at seeing another American celebrity on a Cleo cover, however the Kate Hudson's and Gwyneth Paltrow's of the world were more popular issues that sold better than when local talents like Isabel Lucas and Jen Hawkins were featured on the cover. So inadvertently, the consumer is dictating which women we see over and over again on our covers pushing this impossible idea of perfection.
4. Education - Dr Crafti spoke about how education surrounding what and who is attractive needs to start younger so that teenagers can differentiate between a photoshopped image on a magazine and the reality of their own images and lives.
5. Fantasy Vs Reality - Matthew from Chadwicks explained that he felt there was a need and a place for "fantasy" and "aspiration" with the fashion industry and that "People don't buy magazines to see average".
6. Sizing - Prue from Sportsgirl talked about their role with introducing a full size range (size 6-16) in order to cater for petite and curveaous girls and how they encourage their sales staff to find the most appropriate size to suit and flatter for the best overall look, rather than being size-ist!
7. Casting healthy models - Karen explained they had used a nutrionist for the recent LMFF 2010 catwalk shows during casting so that they ensured they were being responsible with their choices.

From my point of view as a girl who has grown into a woman and all whilst firmly entrenched in the fashion industry, this is an incredibly complex issue that won't be solved overnight. There is a certain amount of brainwashing with media images (magazines, catwalks, online, billboards, TV etc) that do deliver elements of fantasy that have been years in the making. The rise in popularity of reality TV and social media where our photo's are constantly posted on the web, mean we are all so much more conscious of our image and critical as well. Then there is the increase in the "Search for a Supermodel" "Australia's next top model" and so forth where the girls are often asked to lose weight to compete internationally. All of these shows are top rating winners and contribute to the cycle of putting "unrealistic" models on a pedestal and it is only as a woman gets older that she can really discriminate that 95% of society are not in this category. Jump on public transport any day of the week and you'll see 95% of commuters are normal and trying to look the best they can for their size, culture, body shape, health and budget.

So where does that leave us? Do we throw our hands in the air in despair? Quite the contrary - everything starts with a small step. Suggestions made on the night include:
1. A state wide or nation wide "I love my body" day where we encourage positivity with our bodies.
2. kikki.K were talking about putting a "Gratitude" Journal out specifically for this in relation to being thankful you can use your body from a functional point of view when so many suffer from health issues and to be thankful for small compliments.
3. Encouraging more magazine articles about self love, image vs reality and body size in the real world.
4. Depicting what is Healthy weight Vs Under and Overweight from a fashion point of view
5. Developing a new language
6. Casting models for catwalk that truly represent diversity from cultural, shape and size points of view moving forward
7. Reducing the amount of photoshopped images that hit our advertising overloaded society

Some examples I can think of from commercial Australian retail brands supporting this theory are:
* Supre (who up until very recently) used shop girls and "normal" looking girls to model in their campaigns. It's a shame they've just switched to using models as this really differentiated them from the masses and sent out positive body messages.
* Sportsgirl who use healthy looking models in their campaigns that aren't waifs
* Jeanswest who cater for all body shapes with their "Speciality denim range" featuring petites, maternity, tummy trimmer, buttlifter, curve embracer and tall

I'd love to hear of suggestions from the iSpyStyle readers who have thoughts or ideas about what we could do from an industry point of view to decrease the amount of body image issues. There's some fantastic feedback, information and help on the Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria website of which Dr Naomi Crafti came to represent during the forum.

Visual Merchandising Competition

2010-05-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Fashion Exposed is a fashion industry trade fair and this year for their Melbourne showcase in August, are offering a new Visual Merchandising Competition called Spirit of the Season. This is aimed at fashion and merchandising students and retail professionals keen to try out their visual merchandising skills in a commercial environment.

Selected finalists will be invited to create window displays live at the event - that's right, a kind of "Project Runway" for Visual merchandising (except with the voting off!).

Need to know details:
1. Entry concept is for Autumn Winter 2011 (so a bit of trend forecasting is required). You can choose between menswear or womenswear.
2. Submit your entries through the website - www.fashionexposed.com
3. Applications close Wednesday 16 June 2010
4. Each application has a processing fee of $50 inc GST
5. Participation for selected finalists is free
6. Conditions apply - read through the Application Document

What are you waiting for? Get creative people!

Stitch up the copycats & protect your IP

2010-05-12T22:54:00.001-07:00

Design Victoria run a lot of great seminars and events based on education and understanding the implications of being involved in the design industry. Most of the events are free and many involve industry icons. I was thrilled when approached to be a panelist in an area that I come across regularly in the fashion industry: Fashion Copyrighting and IP.

Even when lecturing with my fashion design and branding students, I am often at a loss to understand the financial costs and legalities behind copyright. So the seminar I am speaking at addresses the role of registering designs, trademarking, copyright infringement and the reality for small designers and what rights they have. I will be posing case studies and asking Trevor to explain the implications of these cases so that we as an audience can clarify the legalities around this hot issue.

My co-panelists are:
Trevor Choy of Choy Lawyers is an Intellectual property specialist
Eddie Zammit, Founder of T Magazine and Creative Director/Principle of Grin Creative
Ivan Gomez, Managing Director of Department of the Future

Thursday 13 May 6-8.30pm at ACMI Cinemas, Federation Square Melbourne

Hope to see you there.

Joining the Dots

2010-05-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

I love a good play on words and I love a progressive social media integrated website, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear about Dotti's new campaign "Dotti Nation".

They've re-launched their website to incorporate web 2.0 with social media and allow more user generated content with a catchy tag line of "Join the dots". Features include:
1. Wardrobe - It's a virtual wardrobe with styling tips via video and showcases what's in store right now
2. Dotti Nation - Members can upload their outfits and win prizes for sharing
3. Design-A-Bits - If you're a designer in the making, you could share your ideas with Dotti for instant fame and prizes
4. Connections to facebook

Its interesting that Dotti have chosen this expensive financial set-up and ongoing management of their site, when you compare other retailers in the market like Bardot, Forever New, Supre, Glassons and Portmans. Sportsgirl obviously launched their interactive site last year and were one of the first in Australia to do so.

I am curious to see the audience reaction to this kind of site, given Australians (whilst spending so much time online) are not the most interactive when it comes to retailers sites, we tend to support forums and blogs that are neutral and not brand driven (case in point - Vogue's notoriously popular forum).

The changing face of Fashion Online

2010-04-11T01:19:00.000-07:00

As many of you would have read, I was privileged to meet with Piera and Philippe from Refinery 29 to have lunch with them on Monday and then listened to them speak at the Portable presentation held at Penthouse Mouse. They are two of the most humble and genuinely nice people I’ve met from New York to have achieved such success and yet still be so grounded and driven about what they want to do next.

Notes:
* They began (in 2005) at a time when there was a trend away from mass towards grass roots designers. Individualism was important and there was a big gap in the online publishing space for a niche fashion magazine.

* Their first version of Refinery 29 was like a department store map to the best shops in New York and offered an insiders guide to what was cool and happening at the time.

* They launched by supporting emerging talent like Alexander Wang, Opening Ceremony, Vera Cava, Rag & Bone and Erin Featherson.

* They believed and still believe that Risk is more important than experience and being flexible, organic and dynamic with their choices in both content and business strategies is what makes them successful.

* They currently have 1 million unique visitors per month with 100,000 email subscribers.

* They feel fashion has become a conversation and not a monologue and this ability to react to their subscriber’s comments has helped shape the business.

* Their top 5 inspirational sites they reference are:
Garance Dore
The Selby
The Cut
Polyvore
Lookbook.nu

* They believe there are 3 main ingredients to their content; entertainment, inspiration and information.

* They try to offer a real “mixture” of content, styling tips and information that appeals to a broad database but is still cutting edge so that they satisfy their growing database but also push their readers to try or adopt new trends.

* They monitor results closely; each team member (4 full time staff and 4 interns) gets an email from Piera each morning with stats from Google Analytics about what sections of the site were most popular, had the most click throughs and were commented on the most.

* They believe that Fashion is really just one big conversation and technology affords huge opportunity to communicate with others.

* The next 4 interesting trends in technology are:
1. Content – being true to your signature
2. Mobile – apps, e-commerce and entertainment
3. Crowd sourcing – the website Quirky
4. Location based services – FourSquare

I've got Refinery-itis!

2010-04-11T01:11:00.000-07:00

I have a confession! I’m got a severe case of Refinery-itis! I need my daily fix and I seem to die a little inside without it! This online fashion site just begs to be bookmarked with its distinct edge and point of view and has gathered some major momentum of late. I was fortunate enough to interview Phillipe von Borries (one of the co-founders) who is visiting Australia as part of the Portable Content presents Refinery 29 east coast tour. The Melbourne seminar is part of LMFF and held at Penthouse Mouse.

1. Refinery 29 has really hit a niche in the saturated fashion online market. What do you owe the popularity too? Luck, timing, specific strategies?
We’re just breaking through a 1,000,000 visitors a month and the site is among the leading fashion/shopping/style sites in the US. It’s bigger than Lucky Mag, Barneys and a range of other power players in this space. The success of it is due to a number of factors. Adaptability has been very important. We’ve tried out different things again and again to see what our audience responds to. Innovation online is key and it’s critical to challenge yourself and your audience over and over. We also got into the space at a critical juncture four years ago when there were very few players, which allowed us to foster very unique relationships with fashion most exciting new designers. Lastly, we engage our audience. We know fashion is not a one-way street and we make sure every day to build a relationship with our readers. That is the most important part of digital fashion media today.

2.We are currently experiencing a significant shift in the fashion media industry with the power of the consumer, social networking and street style blogs etc. What do you think will happen next in the online space in fashion?
I think consumers will own the space more and more. Fashion used to be about limits and restrictions. Today it’s about access, transparency and immediacy. Readers/consumers etc want to be part of the creative process. Look at sites such as polyvore.com which allow readers to collect tidbits from around the web and build scrapbooks that you can share and even shop from! It’s all about personal expression these days.

3. Your “How to get snapped by the Sartorialist” diagram was a viral hit. It’s a great case study of how viral communication operates in the current landscape. Did it inadvertently bring you new subscribers, new traffic and a new kind of notoriety?
Yes and yes. That story was the most successful we ever published and our editorial team is incredibly proud of it. It’s a great example of the creative power of our staff as well as our ability to always innovate. The format of the feature was an infographic, which is very engaging and entertaining. We know the importance of our readers simply wanting to be entertained. Fashion is about having fun. It’s not serious and that’s an important part of our editorial standpoint every day. The Sartorialist feature received over 100,000 unique views, it was republished in GQ South Africa, Italy and Russia and picked up by dozens of blogs.

4. What do you think of the Australian fashion industry? Who has caught your attention and what do you think makes up the Australian style?
We love Australian fashion. We are HUGE fans of Australian designers. Australian fashion is kind of a cross between LA and London. It’s casual but still accessibly glamorous. These are women who love fashion but they’re down to earth too.

5. What are some of your favourite Australian and international blogs/sites?
Lover, Sass & Bide, Karen Walker and Chronicles of Never

LMFF Paris Runway 1 presented by Grazia

2010-03-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

L’Oréal Paris Runway 1 – Central Pier Monday 15th March 6.30pm
I had the pleasure of sitting next to stylist Kate Gaskin and stylist / TV reporter Dhav Naidu at Runway 1 to watch Alice McCall, Camilla & Marc, Collette Dinnigan, Fleur Wood, LIFEwithBIRD, Nicola Finetti, Sass & Bide and Toni Maticevski show their Autumn Winter Collections as presented by Grazia.

• Film integration with runway IS the next big thing! A moody film shot for Grazia starring Louise Van De Vorst played on the screens as the models took to the new long stage.
• The heels were most certainly teetering as the models took to the stage. When will stylists learn, yes heels are great, but let these girls walk in something sturdy so they can walk confidently?
• Where were the happy, smiling models? Given this year’s campaign is all about getting happy, I was expecting more fun and frivolity on the catwalk.
• Cassie Van Dungen, Samantha Harris (who is simply stunning in the flesh) Laura Scaife (New Zealand’s Next Top Model runner up) and Vanessa Milde (The next Elle McPherson according Dhav Naidu) all featured on the catwalk.
• The styling for the whole parade was a bit ‘blinged’ up for my liking. With such talented designers like this group, not much adornment is required to make their designs shine.
• Key trends – black, metallic armour detailing, layers of black textures, fringing, grey marle, lace and brocade florals, military detailing and ankle boots.

LMFF Designer Forum

2010-03-16T20:16:00.001-07:00

Designer Forum – Sketch at Central Pier Monday 15th March 2010 3pm

A great initiative by LMFF to support the designers participating in the festival by having international and expat industry icons like Linlee Allen (LA), Tony Glenville (TG), Michael Angel (MA) and Gabrielle Hackworthy (GH) talk about their careers and their perception of the fashion industry. Whilst more tips and advice for Australian designers looking to break the international market would have been welcomed, the careers and unique paths each speaker had taken to arrive at their current destination was inspirational and thought provoking.

My highlights were;
• LA- Her irreverent, down to earth attitude (complete with Aussie accent still intact despite many years living abroad).
• LA – The shout out to Jenny Bannister (apparently Jenny’s designs adorned a teenage Linlee’s wall)
• LA – Her controversial comment about working with Ellen Von Unwerth “Just because someone’s famous doesn’t mean that makes them cool”
• TG – Loved his infectious pearls of wisdom, British sense of humour and passion for the industry and sheer entertainment as a speaker!
• TG – He urged us to stop talking for a second… and “Listen” to the experts, the globe, the new and the established.
• TG – A fabulous and valid comment about the role of technology and catwalks and how “It’s still important to see clothes on real people, look at the movement and experience the atmosphere of fashion, despite technology offering live streaming catwalks”.
• TG – Good quality pieces designed with integrity that are timeless and made with love will always be in style!
• TG – We are living in a time where seasons don’t seem to impact like they used to (whether consumer buying changes or climate change) the role of transeasonal collections are very important.
• MA – How Joseph Saba believed in Michael Angel as a 17 year old and offered him the role of Visual Merchandiser at Saba.
• MA – It seems Michael Angel has learned some lessons living in New York during the GFC about budgeting, getting back to basics and re-affirming your signature style and growing in confidence as a result.
• MA – Of his current business revenue, 70% is from his online store!

LMFF opening party

2010-03-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

It seems that the fashion world has gone gaga for Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton must be so proud)! The mix of fairytale whimsy, fantasy and over the top costumes has captured many a fashionista heart, including Harpers Bazaar it seems!

So when this little Alice turned up to the Government house yesterday on a fine and sunny Sunday afternoon it truly felt like I had fallen down the rabbit hole into a world of decadence, whimsy and fantasy fashion blurred into one!
The parade curated by Harpers Bazaar featured Colette Dinnigan, Akira Isagowa, Dion Lee and Sass & Bide (to name a few of the fabulous Australian designers involved). Each designer took fairytale heroines as muses for their creations from Ali Baba, Snow White, Minnie Mouse and of course Alice in Wonderland!

The fashions were (as you would expect) a mix of sophistication (Emma Van Handaal, Rebecca Twigley) high glamour (Lindy Klim’s gold brocade ensemble) and costume fun (Richard Nylon, Gail Sorronda and Romance was Born). Black was the order of the day (although held in Melbourne, I was surprised to see so much of it) with cream textured layers a close second and many a stylish ankle boot was chosen avoiding a stiletto sinking into the government house lawn!

On a sentimental note, the acknowledgement and significant contribution of Karen Webster as Festival Director (who is finishing up her role with LMFF after this festival) was moving and heartfelt and she will be sorely missed!

Fashioning Melbourne

2010-03-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 4th March, I attended the Fashioning Melbourne forum which is part of the LMFF 2010 Cultural Program. It was held at the State Library and a sell out event. Robert Buckingham was the moderator and the panel featured The Age fashion editor Jan Breen-Burns, Bec Cole (stylist and co-creator of Madame Virtue & Co), Sener Besim (GM of Scanlan & Theodore) and Debra Mar of Blacklisted. The forum was a discussion about retailing in Melbourne and what makes Melbourne unique. Here are some edited highlights discussed throughout the night:

Melbourne’s Patchwork of Retail
Melbourne is a ‘gorgeous soup of retail’ according to Jan Breen Burns; from Bourke Street’s home of the flagship/mega stores (Sportsgirl, Forever New, Supre and General Pants) to the many twisting historical arcades, to the destination designer boutiques found hidden away up flights of stairs to the mix of cluster villages in inner city suburbs to the mega retail shopping centres of Westfield and Chadstone.

Exciting Retail Experiences
* Captain of Industry – offering a modern day version of the tailored bespoke service of yesteryear.
* Le Louvre – the new home in South Yarra offers the ultimate retail experience of surprise, delight and prestige mixing exclusivity with accessibility.
* Sportsgirl – for a hit of fun, fast fashion with a fresh, must see approach.
* Thousand Shop – honest, genuine retailing with a lifestyle approach and strong personality.
* Shag – for an injection of vintage storytelling and nostalgia.

Role of Customer Service
• Creating a calm but stimulating environment for customers to feel a sense of belonging (in Scanlan’s case up to 3 hours in the Armadale store at times!)
• Having knowledgeable staff that understands the difference between pouncing, educating and allowing some good quality browsing time, but also offering genuine advice.
• Involving the customer in the process – showing them how, where and why the product is made locally by creating a retail experience that shares the creative process (having a store front in the actual workroom like Blacklisted in Easy St Collingwood)

Pioneering Retail
• Le Louvre have always been the first to start a trend with their retailing – first in Collins Street before it was the Paris end of Collins St and now with their new store in South Yarra where there is no other fashion retailing.
• High Street Armadale – When Scanlan & Theodore moved there it was largely an art gallery community, however it’s become a mix of fashion, food and art now and this leads to a great overall experience.
• Madame Virtue & Co is in Crossley Street and one of the few fashion retailers inhabiting this area, instead preferring to be amongst the melting pot of food and art mixed with history.
• Blacklisted moved its premises from South Yarra to Easy St Collingwood as all their suppliers were located there and it made the experience for customers an all encompassing one.

Interesting bits & pieces
• Robert Buckingham is working with The Future Laboratory on a retail strategy for the City of Melbourne about evolving Melbourne as a city. Can’t wait to see what comes of this association and props to City of Melbourne for engaging a trend intelligence agency to help their plans!
• Sener Besim is waiting for the dust to settle with DJ’s and Myer’s new department store re-births in Bourke Street before reviewing their next Scanlan & Theodore business development move within the CBD.
• Jan Breen Burns is curious to see how the new Department stores will change the consumer buying behaviour outlook in the CBD, given the success they are experiencing with “The house of brands” philosophy.
• Online retailing is a must do if you have a bricks and mortar store, but you need to be clever about the approach and mimic the real time experience as best as you can online to have any sort of longevity or business success!

Rebecca Thompson & August

2010-03-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

Rebecca Thompson (like many great designers) makes gorgeous clothes and (also like many designers) doesn't have a retail presence, so when she decided to create an online boutique, she had lots of ideas but not much experience in understanding the e-commerce world. I interviewed Rebecca and then Zoe Warne of August (the team behind her new online boutique called "The Parlour").
Rebecca Thompson
1. How long have you worked with Zoe from August?
The first site was built in 2006 and achieved its aims of establishing the online presence for RT, however by 2009, RT was ready to embrace eCommerce and together we developed the RT online shopping boutique called The Parlour. The Parlour is a large eCommerce site; a full service online store with a secure shopping cart function.

Beyond web development, RT worked with August to create a social media strategy to harness the growing loyalty and passion of RT fans and devotees, which includes a Facebook and Twitter presence to stay connected to our ‘fans’ and update them with new collections, related fashion events, previews and personal behind the scenes tid-bits from RT.

2. How do you find the role of online in terms of changing your business model, particularly with the nature of your designs being so tactile, detailed and fit orientated pieces?
This is a great question and was a major concern for me initially. I find that women are becoming more confident with online shopping, and are increasingly comfortable with the concept of making a purchase prior to touching and feeling the garments.

Good photography helps in providing a stronger and more accurate visual representation of the piece, and of course we offer a full refund return policy making it easy and risk free to purchase online from RT. A detailed size chart also is available, providing the standard RT measurements used and this is a very helpful guide for choosing the correct sizing for our online customers. So in paying attention to these details, you can certainly address the various aspects of a customer’s reluctance to buy online.

3. How have you found tackling the CMS and uploading your product, media etc?
My tech skills are limited, however they provide clear direction and training in using their CMS, Minotaur, which is very simple to use. I am gaining confidence in using the system (it’s always great to learn a new skill), however I know they are always there, in case my staff or I ever need back up.

Zoe Warne of August
1. What kinds of tech solutions did you suggest for Rebecca when she decided to go e-commerce?
As with all clients seeking eCommerce solutions, we went through our process of evaluating both the creative and technical requirements of the new website for the RT label. Their internal staff and resourcing needs are also taken into account when recommending a solution.

We created Minotaur an easy to use system, which empowers site owners to manage and maintain their own content, and securely transact and manage inventory online. It presents all website content, both text, images and products very cleanly, and is a cinch to use – even for the lest technically-proficient users. It also allows us the creative flexibility to be able to design a site that is unique, to the clients brand and creative requirements, and not just have an “off the shelf” feel.

2. How do you think the Australian e-commerce landscape in regards to fashion has changed?
Emerging web technologies, improvements in online safety and of course the rise of social media have resulted in more fashion labels and retailers embracing digital in a big way. We’re now to the point where it would be inconceivable to launch a fashion brand without considering an online aspect to your strategy.

3. What kind of analytics do you have to track The Parlour section?
We install Google Analytics on every site August builds – it’s free and yet it’s a very powerful too. We use the data the analytics provide to gain deeper insights into online customer behaviour, and identify any possible issues. From there we work on improvements to help increase conversion rates.

www.rebeccathompson.com.au
www.august.com.au

Sportsgirl embraces Bloggers

2010-02-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

On Monday 8th February I was invited to attend the Sportsgirl Roadshow parade for Autumn Winter 2010. Primarily, this is put on for the Sportsgirl retail team, however this year, they invited a few Melbourne Bloggers to attend to take a sneak peak at the action. It’s an interesting strategy on Sportsgirl’s behalf. The bloggers feature their own reviews and photo’s from the parade, and share this with their communities.

Jade Roberts (PR Manager) said she has been working with bloggers for 2 years and finds they are effective for reaching out to potential/existing Sportsgirl customers because of their strong community followings and unique perspectives on fashion. It’s also helpful due to the fact that online is immediate and Sportsgirl is all about fast fashion.

Whilst at the parade I chatted with Kate Elton, Online and Events Manager whose position was created to cater to the new Sportsgirl community website some 8 months ago. Kate's role varies from updating the website daily with product, blog posts and articles to managing the social networking community (twitter, facebook etc). Kate has found Twitter has been incredibly popular in the last year and uses it to offer sneak peek's to their twitter followers. She finds the website sections that are most popular are to do with 'style advice' i.e. Style Snaps and Style Me.

The parade was a high-energy event with a Circus/ Moulin Rouge/ Vaudeville theme and featured smiling models (a refreshing change that epitomised the perfect Sports-girl)! The audience gasps, laughs, claps and general buzz was a combination of lust (for the pieces they have yet to own) and $$ signs clicking over in their heads (as they saw what would sell in their respective Sportsgirl stores)! This roadshow was a great way of inspiring the Sportsgirl staff about what's coming in store as well as offering the wider Sportsgirl community the opportunity to share the night through the bloggers attending.

iSpy.....Dr Martins!

2010-01-28T15:14:00.001-08:00

As with most trends, when an era is hot, all iconic references to that era come back again! Case in point – the 90’s. The 90’s brought pale denim (tick), faded florals (tick), high waisted jean shorts (check), crop tops (tick) and anything remotely Beverly Hills 90210. Then the mid 90’s made way for Grunge and flannel check shirts were everywhere (tick), dirty, unkept hair (tick, tick) and Doc Martins!!!

Remember those shoes/boots that were oh so hard to wear in, you discussed which colour was the coolest with your friends (cherry red always won out at my school) and you begged your parents to part with the money claiming you would wear them with EVERYTHING (which you did until they became completely smelly and uncool again!)

Well my friends, Dr Martin’s are back and to complete their desirability in the current era, they have established a few new labels to add to their collection. There’s Vintage, Dr Martins for Stussy, Dr Martins for Raf Simons, they are featured in Band Hero and they have a new women’s line that is nothing like the traditional Dr Martins shape but still durable, solid and bound to last you a lifetime!

It just goes to show that clever branding, building on heritage and capitalising on a trends’ return can make a brand cool again!

iSpy … a new testing ground!

2010-01-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

With the decrease in glossy magazine circulation and the shift to online magazines and online video content, the world of “creative, thematic” shoots has taken on a new twist.

Enter “Test”, the visual website showcasing emerging and established creative’s from photographers, stylists, make-up artist, hair stylists, Directors, Cinematographers, Set Design, Nails, Models, Milliners, Editing, Music, Production, Runners and the under valued Assistants who help make it possible.

Created to offer a platform to showcase these artists, the name is derived from the ‘test-shoot’, which is used to build portfolio work with no advertising, client boundaries inhibiting the artist’s creativity.

Art Director and Curator, Jaime Perlman founded the concept. Her CV includes working with America’s Harpers Bazaar, American Vogue and British Vogue. Jaime wants Test (launched in September 2009) to be a place where the digital fashion world can ‘test’ the waters to find new collaborations, new styles of artistic expression and forge a new frontier.

www.testmag.co.uk

iSpy a Shoe Designer with a Difference!

2009-12-17T19:39:00.000-08:00

As a lover of shoes and independent designers, I came across Zoe Kratzmann Shoes recently and loving their design, sought her out to find out her creative story!

After reading your background on the website profile, you mention you have worked in retail. What led you to begin this business and why shoes?
I had been researching various business concepts on and off for several years before the inception of zoe kratzmann footwear. At the time I was living in Hong Kong and I simply went looking for a business that would fit my needs and compliment my knowledge base. I had an understanding of the Australian retail market and I believed there was a gap for stylish, quality footwear rather than the luxury brand knock-offs that flood the market. I saw Australia embracing and supporting its apparel designers but there seemed to be a lack of accessories designers. As accessories and footwear was a growing sector in the market I believed it presented an opportunity.

Have you studied shoe manufacturing or worked with a shoe brand previously?
I worked briefly with Joanne Mercer footwear as a state sales manager but it is a totally different skill set working on design and development. Basically I am self-educated in terms footwear manufacturing. Living in Hong Kong for six years I spent a lot of time in Chinese factories. In establishing my business I worked with several factories and learnt much about the systems and processes of manufacturing. Every time I develop a new collection I learn more. The craftsmen in the factory really are artisans. Making shoes by hand requires detailed skills and a thorough knowledge of the components and their limitations.

I noticed you have a strong ethical code regarding manufacturing in China. How you are able to audit this or monitor it and why is this important to you?
My business needs to be "good" from the ground up. I couldn't put my name to something that was not operating under fair and ethical terms. I have spent and continue to spend considerable time in the factory. I see first-hand the working conditions and the working hours. There is currently a shortage of skilled labour in various areas of China including where my key factory is located. This requires employees to be remunerated above the award wage in order to maintain their services. Not always a good thing for the factories but good for the employees.

You also support Kiva organisation. Explain how this partnership came to be and why you felt this organisation was the most relevant choice for you?
Kiva is an organization that appeals to me on many levels. The concept of person-to-person micro lending blew my mind when I first heard of it. As an entrepreneur I love being able to help low-income entrepreneurs around the globe. It is personal, it is specific, it deals with real individuals, you get updates on their progress and it empowers people. It really can help people achieve economic independence.

How important is the Custom Design side of the business? Are you able to list some clients you work with?
The custom design aspect of my business is in its infancy. I am currently working with two select clients, one being Zimmermann. Zimmermann create their own designs and I support them with sample development, production, quality control and shipping. The custom design process is tailored to meet my client’s specific needs. It is proving to be growth sector in the business.

Who is the Zoe Kratzmann customer? Where does your design signature come from?
The zoe kratzmann customer has an eye for good design and beautiful finishes. They covet a little bit of luxury in their everyday lives. They are open to experimenting with their look and adopting fresh fashion. They may like the idea of supporting a small business instead of a multinational. They may care about the origins of their footwear. They care about comfort.

I am inspired my labels such a Marni. I love their aesthetic. It is clean and strong but innovative. They create for the woman who dresses for herself. There is a lot of fashion at present that leans too far into sexy. I like fashion and accessories that allow a woman's personality to come through not be overpowered by looking provocative.

I noticed you aren’t selling online. Have you got any plans to sell online?
I am launching an online shopping site early in the New Year. It has been born out of necessity more than anything. I receive a lot of enquiries about my stockists and feel an online site will allow my customers ease of shopping.

What does the future hold for Zoe Kratzmann?
I am really excited about my new SS10 collection that starts wholesaling in January. I will exhibit at the European Footwear Expo in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and also the Australian Shoe Fair in Sydney in February. I am currently researching international opportunities but may have to bide my time until international markets bounce back.

Zoe Kratzmann Shoes are priced from $150-$420 rrp including summer flats, heels and boots. Check out her website for stockists details.

A Fashion Friendship

2009-12-06T21:58:00.000-08:00

The word collaboration has been thrown around like a fashionable hot potato, however when executed well, a great collaboration means serious creativity, promotion and brand respect. I recently discovered a unique example of this; a fashion love triangle between education, business and pr.

The players::
1. Business - Blondes to Brunettes is a hair salon located in Prahran, Melbourne.
2. Education - RMIT Fashion Design Students
3. PR - Boutique 54 Communications

The needs:
1. Business - The need to differentiate themselves from the saturated hair salon market and build on their relationships with the fashion industry.
2. Education - The need to support, promote and encourage student creativity is paramount in an industry saturated by "the next big thing".
3. PR - The need to build a bridge between the business world and the education world.

The concept:
Blondes to Brunettes provide their window space as a gallery/exhibition space showcasing installations by RMIT's design students. The students will receive a complimentary photo shoot, an album of digital images, assistance with promotional materials and media exposure and PR. Each month a different theme will be presented to the students. The launch month is about the concept of Giving and the two students work featured is Takahiro Kunitoshi and Ayisha Tutone.

Check out the exhibitions at the salon - 479 High Street Prahran or join their facebook group.

Danielle Zanetti

2009-11-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Danielle Zanetti Jewellery Designs won the Accessories Award recently at the Debut Awards held during Fashion Exposed. As one of the judges, I also offered a complimentary consultation with the winners of each category.

After meeting with Danielle, its evident to me that her love of the act of 'creating' is strong and she approaches her work like a true artisan. Having created Jewellery under her namesake for 5 years now, her signature is about mixing semi precious stones and creating 'one-off' pieces that appeal to the story-teller in us all. Searching for unique components that have a 'lost and found' aesthetic is the key for Danielle who prefers not to replicate en masse. Working with her boutique stockists and holding intimate gallery events, Danielle found the experience at Debut to be a great reward for her hard work and dedication to her designs.

Danielle's latest collection will be showcased in a special event in conjunction with clothing designer 'Lin Van Hek'. 11-12th December 9am-3pm at 736 High Street Thornbury, Melbourne. To find out more about Danielle Zanetti click here.

Designer Cakes

2009-11-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

After attending the gorgeous, boutique The Wedding Establishment expo recently at Comme in Melbourne, I was pleasantly surprised to discover some true artistic talent at work in the form of a cake designer! Jo of Splendid Servings approaches her cakes like a blank canvas... she takes the theme of your wedding, birthday or event and comes up with unique concepts to show you before launching into making the real thing. Using her trusty tools of icing sugar (what a hazardous job that would be for the waistline!) and a spatula, Jo manipulates her cake into a masterpiece in a matter of hours! I'm imagining a giant Chanel No5 cake shaped like the perfume bottle with the models sashaying down the catwalk, licking the cake as they pass!!

Spring Racing Designer Sell & Shop Event

2009-10-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

When it comes to falling in and out of love with fashion, I wholeheartdly put my hand up to say "Guilty as charged!". However, I stumbled across Miss Money Penny a while back and loved the concept - sell your designer clothing on a website that's like the Designer version of Ebay. You take a few snaps, describe your piece, nominate the amount and hey presto, its on the website. Great for selling and GREAT for finding some designer bargains.

Now Miss Money Penny is holding the first in a series of "offline", intimate events where you can touch, feel and try on the pieces before purchasing as well as sell your pieces on the night (if you couldn't be bothered taking snaps to put on the site). The theme for the first one is Spring Racing and this exclusive event facilitates a chic-o-nomic way to prepare for the Melbourne Racing Carnival where women can Sell, Shop & Hire designer fashions over bubbles, massages and canapés in a Stylish setting at Hotel Nest in Albert Park.

You can buy discounted designer bags from tribu, millinery from Julie Fleming or hire an outfit or accessory from Indian Giver and Style4Hire, plus there's great raffle giveaways from InStyle and Marie Claire Magazine, Cristina Re Stationary, Blackberry, Tipsy Toes and an enviable gift bag.

Details: Thursday 15th October 2009
Click here to buy tickets - only $35

Incu snag Topshop

2009-09-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

Rumours have been circulating faster than Chinese Whispers in the last month about Topshop coming to Australia. Many fast fashion retailers have been dreading this very moment, due to their collections being "inspired by" Topshop for many years no doubt. However, the iconic retailer's entry into the Australian market has been a rather unexpected strategy.

Topshop is known for their serious retail department size stores and yet their move into Australia indicates a change in pace. Partnering with the designer fashion retailer Incu, Topshop will only showcase their Kate Moss for Topshop collections, Topman and catwalk collection "Unique" through Incu. In other words... the premium end collections from Topshop. Their ability to pitch the brand across many markets and demographics has long been a Topshop trade signature; selling "fast fashion" with a high end approach!

For Incu, this partnership is a serious coup for the Australian retailers who stock many local and international labels like Helmut Lang, TV, Karen Walker, Acne, Bassike and Alexander Wang to name a few. Incu have long worked with designers and artists for unique collaborations in store and have created a desirable retail theatre experience in their Sydney and recently opened Melbourne men's store. Topshop has huge brand credibility, desirability and this will no doubt drive some serious traffic into the Incu Oxford Street Paddington Store where the "Incu presents Topshop" range will reside.

Like your cinema underground?

2009-09-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

Remember those random nights out when anything can happen, you're surrounded by a group of crazy, creative types and you trawl through the city discovering new nooks and crannies? If you've forgotten what this is like, you need to thank Secret Squirrel Productions for their new initiative "Underground Cinema".

This group is hell bent on creating a good time and keeping things undercover. Mysterious locations throughout Melbourne will play host to monthly cinema screenings with live music and acts showcased in a different venue each month.... be it a warehouse, a forgotten ballroom or even a carpark! Its all about the mystery, so don't expect to know what film they're playing, where its going to be or any other details other than what date and approx what time the secrecy will be revealed!

I'm going to be interviewing the Secret Squirrel team about their production company, what their motivation is and why the secrecy in the coming weeks.... so stay tuned, but in the meantime, get clicking to buy tickets to their first Underground Cinema night on Friday 2nd October in Melbourne.

Ready Set Swap

2009-09-21T17:33:00.001-07:00

The Swapping fashion trend has become a hallmark of fashion sustainability and recessionista chic. No longer relegated to the pre-loved vintage racks at markets and cast off to op shops, the new movement glorifies the frugal experience taking it to a new level. Born from the lounge and bedrooms of many girlfriends, swapping as an event is "the new black!". Swap my Style began in 2008 as humble swap events in bars across Australia with a "girlie, indulgent" feel as the swapping was accompanied by manicures, hair style sessions, champagne and stylist advice.

In their new incarnation, Swap my Style has partnered with Deutz to be the naming sponsor and the new events offer pop up stores, raffles and VIP treatment with the My Closet feature. Accompanied by a newly refreshed website supported by Famous Magazine, fashion expert Melissa Hoyer and participating designers, the new Swap my Style is set to dominate the fashion swapping landscape.

The events are touring Australia at the moment with all the dates and details on the website. I'm heading to the Melbourne event on Thursday 24th September at Alumbra.

Rear View Mirror!

2009-09-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

Jeanswest have come up with a unique solution for that painful rear-view-jean-trying-on-experience. How many times have you contorted your neck in ways that a neck just shouldn't have to reach (much to the dismay of many a chiropractor) to check that your rear view is flattering in jeans?

Enter the "butt cam"! Jeanswest have installed Butt Cam's in their fitting rooms in their Bondi, Rundle Mall and Chadstone fitting rooms with a further roll out planned for other stores. If you're feeling like this is a big brother moment, don't fear. The Butt Cam is not a recording device, merely a mute Trinny & Susannah experience in the communal area of the fitting rooms!

Causing quite a stir, the Butt Cam even made its way onto Coco Perez who thought Peaches Geldolf and other celeb's might benefit from this experience as well!

A big shout out to Jeanswest for thinking practically about a customers retail experience!

Drum Roll: The Soya Top 10

2009-09-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember, that I was Fashion Category Producer for the Soya Awards last month. The Final Top 10 have been announced and it's my pleasure to bring them to your attention. Allow me to introduce them to you;

Jade Sarita Arnott for Arnsdorf
Kristy Barber for Kuwaii
Gary Bigeni
Alexi Freeman
Clea Garrick & Nathan Price for Limedrop
Claire Greaves for Maise Label
Shannon Gunn for Tom Gunn
Vicki Lee for myPetsQuare, sQ, mYmYheYheY
Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales for Romance Was Born
Ingrid Verner for TV

Every time I hear a judge say "it was a tough choice".. I kind of yawn... but I can truly tell you how hard this was. There was a group of about 25 individual designers who covered accessories, clothing, Jewellery who have proven their business and design skills and I really do want to say, I'm sorry Qantas can't give each of you $10,000 (on that note.. give me $10,000 Qantas!). To those who didn't make the Top 10, keep on trucking and make your brand the best it can be and enter again next year...

To those designers listed above, Good luck to you as well. A very diverse, talented, motivated bunch who ensure that Australian Fashion is looking bright.

The Winner and Prize ($5,000 Cash, $5,000 Qantas Flights & mentorship with Zimmermann) will be announced on Wednesday 11th November 2009. Visit website for more info.

Styling for Twitchett & Tonge Shoot

2009-08-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

Earlier in July, I styled /produced a photo shoot for the Autumn Winter 2010 Shoot for Twitchett & Tonge. The designers approached me to style their shoot as they were wanting to take the label in a slightly different direction. My involvement in this shoot was to style and produce the shoot including; consulting with casting the model, co-ordinating the actual shoot agenda, sourcing accessories and directing the photographer, art director, make-up /hair artist and liaising with the designers. The results are stunning. You can read the designers testimonial about my work below and see a list of the team involved.

"Being designers and looking at your own work continuously for months on end, means that sometimes you need the eye of another creative fashion expert to help with promotion and advertising. Kate stepped in and helped with our styling for our upcoming Autumn/Winter collection 2010. Her attitude and professionalism was outstanding, which inevitably allowed the shoot to run smoothly and successfully.

Kate had excellent creative ideas that were relayed in her well thought out story boards. These boards were then effortlessly executed into some fantastic images. We were impressed with her energy into the project and we will definitely use her again in the future."

Label: Twitchett & Tonge
Photographer: Jarrod Barnes
Art Director/ Re-toucher: Myamn Creative
Hair & Make Up: Siobhan Kelly at Napoleon Perdis
Model: Shoona Stanes at Scene Model Management
Stylist: Kate Vandermeer of iSpyStyle
Gloves & Belts : Tribu
Jewellery: Kitte Accessories
Shoes: Peep Toe Shoes

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week Seminars

2009-08-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favourite things to do is got to a seminar. Yes.. I fully admit. I am quite possibly a bit of a nerd. Reasons why I love seminars.
1. Inspiration - learning about new ideas, concepts, business's, brands etc
2. Thinking Big - stepping away from the day to day and thinking macro
3. Meeting new people & hearing their story - the spy in me!
4. Stimulating the creative juices - relating what I've learned back to me

With this in mind, I was beyond excited when I heard about Melbourne Spring Fashion Week's initiative to set up some breakfast seminars presented by Design Victoria. These seminars are perfect for Retailers, Business Leaders, Marketers and Designers to learn more about the customer relationship from temptation and seduction, to love and marriage and then how to ward off separation!

You can hear from a variety of experts within their field from Kit Cosmetics, Haul, Love me & Leave Me, Elmwood Design, Ortolan & Michigirl, Metalicus, Mag nation, Gloss Creative, Play Communications, WGSN, PB Group, Red design group and Oroton Group.

Tickets are $69 inc GST which is great value for breakfast, refreshments, gift bag and listening to these speakers.
Click here to buy. Seats are limited.

I"ll be attending each seminar, so come and introduce yourself to me and say hi!

Chalkboard Art

2009-08-24T01:13:00.001-07:00

Ahhhh... the lost art of Chalkboard as an art form! It was a refreshing change of pace when I saw this gorgeous image created from some chalkboard loving artist on Oxford St Paddington, Sydney recently. I used to love playing with chalk when I was little and then the good 'ol whiteboard came and took the humble chalkboards place. The evolution of technology at that time was all about being able to speed up the process and wipe it away quickly.... however I never quite got used to the fact that the colours on the whiteboard just didn't have that depth and application that chalkboards allowed.

I say bring back the chalkboard art form and add some authenticity and a unique point of difference to promotions. It doesn't just have to be for the dinner specials anymore! I could see this working for Stationary brands like Kikki K, and Smiggle as well as some speciality gift shops like Zetta Florence, Paper D'amour, Rap products and even kitsch clothing brands like Gorman, Order & Progress, Genki and Alice Euphemia. You heard it here first people!

Brand Creation Seminar

2009-08-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

After discovering Design Victoria holds frequent seminars centered around the design industry, I immediately signed up to their newsletter and began attending a variety of them. The concepts and curation of these events are incredibly well organised, though provoking and have a variety of great speakers from different design disciplines. The subject matter ranges from branding, marketing, integrating online, understanding and implementing design into your business etc. Most of the seminars are free with a small amount requiring ticket prices (which are still really reasonably priced).

This week they are holding another stellar one called "Brand Creation Essentials". Featuring leading designer Ken Cato and an intellectual property expert Trevor Choy, the focus is on graphic designers creating stronger brands and how to protect their designs. No doubt an issue that many designers face.

Details: Brand Creation Essentials
Where: ACMI Flinders Lane City Melbourne
Time: 6-9pm
Tickets: $18.95 inc GST (includes refreshments and networking)
More info: Design Vic

Designer Memory Game

2009-08-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

Popped into The Third Floor in Magnation the other day and noticed this awesome Designer Memory Game in a cute little cardboard box by Charley Harper. The concept is great for those wanting to give a unique gift for kids with a designer edge. Loved the creative take on the images for the cards and whilst it appeals to adults it sure does work for kids with its designer version of ladybirds, owls, beetles and birds. Wrapped it was only $30 too.

iSpy an affordable flash web solution!

2009-08-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

1. What’s the concept of picaholic in a nutshell?
Picaholic is a web design service catering for the creative industry; Picaholic enables their members to establish a web presence on a subscription basis. Clients pay a low monthly fee then using their basic computer skills, they can edit the site themselves and immediately deploy sophisticated, configurable, state of the art, flash website.

2. Who is your concept aimed at specifically?
Our target market is the creative industry, people from photographers, artists, models, stylists, musicians, actors, fashion designers, interior designers, architects, events, actors, film, writers plus more.

3. What makes Picaholic different to other web design agencies?
Historically, people were required to hire a designer or design agency to build their website, despite exponentially high costs. Picaholic gives people an alternative. Our model is based on a shared infrastructure, which means we serve many customers with a single version of a product. We offer 5 distinct benefits:
a. Low upfront costs – Members only pay a low subscription fee. They don’t have to pay the hourly rate normally associated when hiring a designer.
b. Save time – The majority of our clients have their sites up and running within 24 hours. A custom built site can take weeks if not months to complete.
c. Constants upgrades and new innovations – We continuously update our technology to meet today’s standards and deploy them to our member’s site at no additional cost.
d. Common interest - Picaholic serves thousands of clients from around the globe who provide us with enormous amount of feedback and requirements. This common interest to enhance the product benefits all our members.
e. Focus on their business not technology – The reality is, most people have no idea what is required for a good website. At Picaholic we build all the technology including Search Engine Optimization, phone technology, hosting, etc, leaving our members to focus on the content and their business.

4. I noticed Picaholic spoke at Creative Sydney? How did that come about?
Jess Scully who was the event organiser, posted some information on LinkedIn so I made contact with her and she asked me if I wanted to speak at one of the events. I of course said YES! The topic discussed was “Finding your fans: Audiences, Markets & Communities” and Picaholic was there to offer a solution to the audience of how to get yourself out there without spending an arm and a leg.

5. I saw on your site that you welcome blogging contributors? Explain…..
Picaholic is looking for bloggers who want to share their opinions and experiences in their creative industries – from photography, fashion, art, music, design - anything cool that they can share with our customers. We are interested in hearing from anyone who has something that they want to say that could benefit them and our clients. Share your thoughts with Picaholic!

6. Who are some of your clients?
Our clients are international which makes this business more exciting. Recent works from Picaholic include local players such as Joe Gibara image consultant for the Sunday Telegraph, jewellery design label Santos Wish, food and interiors stylist, Geraldine Munoz, mobile spray tanner, Amy Erbacher.

7. What kind of sites are the most common that you are building? Eg. Online boutiques, photographers, etc…
The sites that are built are mainly online portfolios such as photographers, artists, stylists etc. However with the introduction of ecommerce, we have seen clients from fashion & jewellery designers to photographers selling their images online.

8. What trends are you seeing with the digital world in terms of branding, online and marketing?
The trends I am seeing at present and that Picaholic also use are:
- With decreased budgets I see a rise in search engine optimisation (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). Advertisers will focus more attention on these, as it will increase search page placement and ranking.
- The use of video in Internet marketing has grown sharply. Videos are incredibly powerful and it seems to be a big traffic generator for advertisers, especially in the search engine rankings.
- Emphasis on customer engagement through the inclusion of blogs and social media. Marketers are engaging differently with the end customer by developing stronger communities and/or engaging with current standing communities. This in turn impacts their search results as search engines index them.
- An increase in Internet use of mobile phones, meaning advertisers can target customers 24/7, as people seem to spend more time on their mobile phones than on their computer. What we are seeing is great place for marketers to connect with savvy audiences and from an engagement perspective, brands will find this audience highly attentive.

9. What are some of your favourite sites for ideas, inspiration and learning?
Wired
Genart
Paper Mag
id Mag
Coolhunting

10. Plans for the future?
Picaholic is not just popular with end users; it is also popular with Web designers alike. Many in the industry would rather use Picaholic as opposed to programming the sites from the ground up. We are now working on developing a White label solution that will allow design agencies to have their own branded version of Picaholic. Our vision is to have Picaholic as a base solution for all flash enabled sites, and allow programmers to add their personal touch or code to make it unique to them.

The September Issue

2009-07-28T21:24:00.001-07:00

Whether a fan or indeed a part of the Fashion Industry, the brand "Vogue" is memorable and conjures up a certain image. Hell, even Madonna created a song about it. So it is with much anticipation that "The September Issue" doco is released. This feature doco goes behind the scenes at US Vogue's head office and into the lives of those who control Vogue in the making of their massive September Issue showcasing all that is fashionable for the new season.

Perhaps the most intriguing character though, is Anna Wintour played beautifully by.... herself. Anna's character is just made for a documentary to dissect. Her importance, influence and reserved nature just begs to be revealed, dissected and divulged. Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada was loosely based on Anna Wintour, as was the book of which the movie was adapted. However the true underdog in this film is creative director Grace Coddington. Her relationship with Anna and her pure artistic integrity is revealed as an integral part to the success of Vogue. Well worth a watch for those who love fashion but for any creative in general to see what success can mean and the personalities behind a glossy mag.

Featured above is the fantastic artwork for the key art and posters designed by Marcus Cobbledick, theatrical art director at Madman (the distributors in Australia).

Chanel Fever

2009-07-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

As predicted, Chanel fever has hit many retailers with the launch of two Chanel documentaries this year and the Audrey Tatou mini filmclip /ad for Chanel No 5. I've seen pearl studs and chain link accessories at Diva, Portmans & Sportsgirl, the knit boucle style jacket at Witchery and Portmans and sailor print boatneck tee's at Indigo, Witchery & General Pants. However, my favourite Chanel moment so far is the window of Harlequin Market on Oxford St Paddington in Sydney. An ode to Coco indeed, there is nothing quite like the original costume Jewellery. Throw in a lace glove, a black leather quilted bag - tres chic no?

Want to win $10,000 & a mentorship with Zimmermann?

2009-07-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

Are you a budding fashion or accessories designer? Or perhaps a craftsperson or stylist? Are you interested in winning $10,000 and a mentorship with Zimmermann?

I thought you might be! Soya is a Qantas initiative to encourage creativity in the industry aimed specifically at young people and by that I mean (under 30)! Alas, I no longer fit into this group and therefore cannot apply myself!

With past winners including Akina, Friedrich Gray and ANT!PODiUM, this is one serious competition open to students and emerging designers who want to get ahead!

So.. this is what to do.

1. Go to the Soya website and follow the application questions and upload examples of your work.
2. Add some info about stockists, media coverage, participation in events or fashion shows, study etc
3. DONE ... its that easy!

Only catch - do it by July 31st 2009. That means 3 weeks till deadline! So get your project runway/stylish behind into gear and get entering!

iSpyStyle Loves Cookie's website

2009-07-01T00:30:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this site when looking to book for dinner and fell in love /admiration for how whimsical, kitsch and unique this web creation is. The doily is a great brand tie-in with their decor within the restaurant, the random animals in the woods add a very childlike, naive quality and the information you need is found without much fuss. I also love how the illustration and colours change each time you visit.

Check it out

Is your Style 4 Hire?

2009-06-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

I came across Style 4 Hire recently and was curious about how it got started, who was behind it and some of the hurdles overcome that make hire services different to typical e-commerce. So here's my interview with Sarah Comerford, creator of Style 4 Hire.

1. How long have you been operating?
Four months

2. What is your background?
I have an applied science university degree in Environmental Management, but have spent the last nine years as The Event Manager for The Wiggles. Currently I am on maternity leave.

3. Why did you want to do Style 4 Hire?
I wanted to put my obsession for handbags and my maternity leave to good use! Just to get the opportunity to work on something I am passionate about while helping to substitute the income I have on hold for a year has been really exciting.

4. Point of difference to other hire accessory sites?
There is a few…We only stock pieces by high end designers, we offer an emergency bag service in Sydney (if you need your bag the same day you hire it – we will get it to you!), we do not charge any membership fees – the client only pays for what they choose to hire!

5. What kind of marketing do you do?
Social networking (Facebook, Twitter, 2threads, blogs), we have a permanent retails listing on Missy Confidential and we are in constant search for editorial opportunities!

6. Biggest hurdle so far?
Juggling motherhood for the first time and a new online business! Not being from a computer/website/technical background I have had to learn very quickly how it all works….and I am still learning about both!

7. Best Tip for others beginning in e-commerce?

Competitor website research! Investigate your competitors to make sure you are well placed in your key market.

8. Given you are a hire site, your terms of return etc need to be spot on. Did you do a lot of research for this?
Accessory hire websites are still a boutique industry in Australia – so I did my research mainly on overseas sites. The USA and UK have well established companies with thousands of handbags for hire. To begin with I spent time reviewing these sites and making a list of what elements I liked, then I combined them with my own ideas to form Style 4 Hire. Some aspects of the business were easy to implement but others, like the courier service, took weeks to decide on. I needed to ensure the service was easy to use (not only for me but for the client when the piece needs to be returned), fast and affordable. Oh and my record keeping system is bullet proof – just in case I need to track down a stray handbag!

9. Future plans (I saw men's is coming.. what kind of accessories for men)?
In the near future we will be launching our Men’s section – offering bags and briefcases, designer ties, cufflinks and watches. We also working on Style 4 Charity – a section of the business that will be dedicated to raising money for research into female related cancers. STAY TUNED!

10. Do you plan to do more than accessories or easier to do just bags?
Handbags are my personal fetish, however I would love to eventually establish an Eboutique offering not only handbags for hire, but complete outfits including accessories.

11. How helpful has the blog been for you?
Extremely helpful! Informative, entertaining, savvy and exciting!

Using Twitter for Business

2009-06-29T00:27:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that the world is all a-twitter? Between Ashton Kutcher, Oprah, CNN, the faux Vogue Twitter account and the Iran elections, it seems everyone is tweeting from the bus, plane, office, train, restaurant table, fashion parade front row and footy. So if you're feeling a bit left out, or are new to twitter and want to know what all the fuss is about. Let me tell you.

Twitter has the ability to build and maintain brand presence, offer real time customer service, allow community interaction and all within a short sentence. It is a powerful, free, social networking site that could create a new connection with your customers, people you admire and its brilliant for networking.

Before you get too stuck into it, I would highly recommend downloading this e-guide that Clare Lancaster of Dot Marketing has put together. It helped me get my head around it and the nuances of using twitter successfully.

Clare is a connoisseur of Digital and understands how to write in true "laymans" terms for us folk who hope to enter into the digital world without talking too much "geek language".

Top 10 Online Tips for the Fashion Industry

2009-06-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

Our director Kate Vandermeer was asked to speak at "Fashion Palette" in April 2009 about her experiences in the Online Fashion Industry. She gave out her Top 10 Online Tips for the Fashion Industry. Please see them below.

1. Where do your customers hang out online? Study their behaviour because that’s where you need to be.

2. What kind of digital strategy does your brand have? Make sure its not just having a website. What does the website do, how does it communicate with your customer, with industry and does it solve your customers problems? Do you ensure you are just a click away from communicating with your customer in the relevant mediums?

3. Integrate, Involve and Allow your customer to give you vital feedback. It’s never been easier to hear their criticisms and compliments. With blogs and forums you can learn this faster, easier and better.

4. If you aren’t across all the mediums available online then dabble yourself from a personal point of view so you can learn what kinds of behavioural patterns customers use so you know how it could better serve your business. Most of you “do retail” where you study what trends are being picked up in what store and who’s gone with which retail campaign etc… but do you do “virtual retail” as much as you do physical? How many of you belong to other e-newsletters from other fashion brands, visit fashion websites, follow leaders in the industry on twitter etc?

5. Learn about and develop ways to do “virtual visual merchandising” and selling or communicating online. Just like clever displays and point of sale, online requires tech savvy tricks to hold the customers interest. It’s just inconvenient to the consumer not to offer online shopping and personalized service in today’s climate.

6. Just like building up key fashion PR and media contacts, its crucial to build up your online contacts as well. Get to know the key bloggers, online editors and influencers in the digital world and keep them in the loop as well.

7. The digital canvas is similar to retail and the physical world in the sense that a lot of clever entrepreneurs are thinking “How can I mimic the same offline experiences/women’s hobbies online that would be more efficient and just as desirable?

8. Make it fun. Make it irreverent. Add personality. Don’t be another bland website that has the standard about us, catalogue showcase and press updates… have a unique point of difference that would make your site stand out. Offer brand personality. For example… I love that with Aesop’s site I get to know the brand more with their latest possibilities page suggesting what they recommend for food, music, reading, galleries etc…

9. Have brand soul. Be honest, find something you believe in as a brand that’s authentic and follow it through, make it part of your DNA. Find the “soul” in your brand.

10. Remember the Digital Revolution is evolving and as I speak, new developments and new points of view are being shared and various brands and individuals are working on new concepts that will live and breathe in the online world in the not too distant future. Ride the wave and remember that like anything in business and particularly in fashion, new trends will appear but it’s more important you participate than ignore it altogether! Keep your digital strategy evolving.

Thanks to Love Jungle for the photo of me speaking at Fashion Palette. Check them out.