Archive for the ‘Fashion’ Category
Karen Walker Eyewear S/S13 Forever: Inspired Campaign
What a truly inspired collaboration between Karen Walker Eyewear & Ari Seth Cohen creator of Advanced Style, a fashion blog dedicated to celebrating the stylish and creative “silver set” on the streets of New York – where else?! For KW’s current S/S13 (northern hemisphere) eyewear collection, Forever, Cohen chose four glamourous New York women from 65 to 92 to photograph, imbuing this stellar eyewear range with integrity and timelessness. In addition to the wonderfully characterful imagery, the campaign includes a blurb about each woman, each of whom have the most fascinating and full lives with sage advice worth paying heed to.
65 year old model, Laura Rodin wears Orbit and Blue Moon sports Atomic from KW’s S/S13 Forever Eyewear collection.
80 year old New Yorker Joyce Carpati offers wise advice, “be positive in everything that you can and it will come your way”
Lynn Dell, is Manhattan born and bred. This vivacious 80 year old has been running her fashion boutique, Off Broadway, on the upper east side for 50 years.
92 year old Ilona Royce Smithkin has been living in the East Village for 60 years.
Polish born and Berlin bred, Smithkin, moved to the States with her family just before WWII where she’s lived ever since. An artist, she once painted Tennessee Williams’ portrait (what a claim to fame!). Still drawing and painting daily, Smithkin has been performing cabaret for the past decade! This gorgeous woman offers some sage advice, no matter your age, “I greet every day as a gift because I don’t know from day to day when I will be called away.” I couldn’t agree more.
View the latest Karen Walker Eyewear collection, Forever, here »
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God Is In the Detail: Bridal Gown Designer, Louise Anderson
Real bride Hannah Shepherd in a Louise Anderson couture bridal gown with her handsome groom, Simon Fox. Photo: Paul Tatterson
This bride not only looks incredible, but what a joy to see her kicking up her heels! Exquisite detailing of lace bodice on Louise Anderson couture gown. Photo: Paul Tatterson - just gorgeous Paul!
My work of late has involved meeting many extremely talented creative people in my community. Just when I was beginning to think I had to venture beyond my backyard to find these nuggets of creative gold, the writing assignments I have been given of late have led me to unearth some incredible local talent. I count myself incredibly fortunate to have had the pleasure of interviewing such people including the likes of the quiet genius, bridal gown designer, Louise Anderson. Working in the elite realm of couture bridal wear for over twenty years, Louise Anderson is one of the very few talents who has worked her way from the ground up by remaining in her hometown of Christchurch. Completing a fashion course at the Design & Arts College right here in the city, Louise decided early on that her talents were best suited to the bridal arena. Given her passion for luxury fabrics like silks and vintage hand made laces and embroidery, combined with her desire to create haute couture designs, bridal was the obvious path.
Louise Anderson’s bespoke bridal gowns on parade at New Zealand Fashion Week 2010
Louise had been working from home as her bridal boutique was in the Red Zone following the quakes, up until her and her family moved to their spacious architecturally built home set in the idyllic paradise of Tai Tapu. Just twenty minutes from the central city, yet a whole world away from the quake ravaged centre, this is the ultimate peaceful location in which to quietly sit for a bridal consultation with the designer. Consultations take the form of an informal chat about your wedding plans, your style, and any ideas you have for your gown. From here, the bride-to-be is able to try on a variety of different styles from Louise’s off the rack gowns in order to give both parties the opportunity to see which styles are most flattering. Often budget is a primary consideration, which will most likely determine whether you choose to go down the bespoke path or from her Ready to Wear collections, which as I write in the article, “are unlike any run-of-the-mill off-the-rack wedding dresses I have encountered before. Just as her bespoke gowns are made of glorious silks, tulles, organzas, and graced with intricate beading, so are these. What’s more, Louise makes alterations to ensure it fits your figure like a second skin.” However, if you do have the budget and hunger for an exquisitely handmade gown with the utmost attention lavished on the tiniest detail, Louise is definitely the woman for you. Every gown even has its own protective sheath, custom made and finished with beautiful satin ties. It’s this kind of devotion to detail which sets one at ease, knowing you are in fine hands. As Louise says, “It’s your wedding day. Therefore every detail must be perfect.”
Another Louise Anderson gown showcases brilliant craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. Photo: Jessica Jones
A stunning gypsy-like bridal Louise Anderson gown made with a hand embroidered lace. Model: Phillipa Hendry of Portfolio Models and Talent, Make-up: Damaris Lee, Hair: Siobhan Colligan, Flowers: New Brighton Florists, Photos: Johanna MacDonald
Metropol wedding feature on Louise Anderson, 31 Jan 2013. Words: Majka Kaiser, Photo: Johanna MacDonald
A huge thank you to Louise for sharing her insights with me and to all the photographers who contributed their stunning images for the article and this post.
To read the full article in the current issue (31 January 2013) on page 43, visit Metropol.
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Cute Kids’ T-shirts Rock Great Graphics
A new brand of kids’ Ts, by Wolf, with great graphics; left: Ice Cream Sun T by US design duo Heads of State, right: King of Bling design by Belgium partners Jan en Randoald.
When news of a new indie brand of kids’ T-shirts employing the talents of independent illustrators and graphic designers hit in my in-box this morning I had to check it out. Wolf is the name of this super hip brand for little ones. Collaborating with artists from Belgium, Britain, the States, and Canada, Wolf prints the designs onto high quality T-shirts and ships anywhere in the world. In the summer (in the northern hemisphere) Wolf will produce a different design every month! Their website is easy to navigate including links to each artist’s profile to learn more about their individual backgrounds and style. It’s great to be able to make that connection between the person behind these awesome designs and the finished product we dress our offspring in. With summer fast approaching in the southern hemisphere, and Christmas too, it’s just the time to start putting in your orders! Pay a visit to Wolf and while you’re there check out their amazing blog which has all manner of talented artists for you to peruse and interviews with the designers of their T-shirts.
Left: Will You Marry Me? design by Aline De Nys and Freddy Fox T-shirt designed by Stipontwerpt.
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Fresh Talent at Salone Milan 2012
RCA of London students: 1.3 Chair by Kihyun Kim, Polyfloss from Design Engineering students and Stacking Vessels (ceramic, glass, and birch wood) by Pia Wüstenberg
It’s been an epic week in the world of design at Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano. I’ve kept my ear firmly pressed to the ground for the latest and greatest to share with you. I was interested to learn that many of the world’s leading design schools have the opportunity to showcase the very best of their students’ work alongside the elite designers of our time. I was impressed with the quality as much as I was with the means and methods used in the production of their designs.
The three projects which impressed the most were London’s Royal College of Art‘s (RCA) “Paradise” project, Israeli collective “TVL Express“, and the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (AAAD). As part of their 175th anniversary celebrations, RCA students address three subjects: the exploration of personal dreams and desires; questioning the fabric of the everyday; and speculation on the direction of our future. One of the most thought provoking designs came from a group of Design Engineering students’ (Nick Paget, Emile de Visscher, Christophe Machet, and Audrey Gaulard) development of a micro-manufacturing machine which transforms plastic packaging, using the principles of a candyfloss machine, into a playful new material. Aptly encapsulating the project’s ultimate goal: “Rallied by the desire for change and compelled by dissatisfaction with the present, (these) students will author their own atlases of paradise, landscaped by different paths in the quest for a better future.” Other highlights were Kihyun Kim’s super light 1.3 Chair inspired by a British wooden bomber aeroplane, is made from compressed balsa wood and weighs a mere 1.28 kgs. Winner of the 2012 Designs of the Year Award, in the furniture section, at the Design Museum in London, Kim’s design talent is definitely one to keep an eye on, as is German design student Pia Wüstenberg whose Stacking Vessels (pictured above) have already been snapped up by discerning stockists in London, New York, Germany, Brazil, and Sweden.
‘Balls’ by Asaf Weinbroom and ’Baladi’ cups by Galia Tammuz (Photos via Core77)
A group of young Israeli designers comprising of recent graduates from the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, TVL Express Collective, present an array of lighting, ceramics, furniture, and textiles which aim to illustrate their exploration of design through experimental investigation of materials and technologies. Specialising in handmade lighting, Asaf Weinbroom brings his new lighting designs (above top image) which blur the boundaries between materials where corian is disguised as marble and formica is mistaken as granite. As a lover of unique vessels, I was drawn to the clay cups by industrial designer Galia Tammuz in which the cooperative principal of sharing food and a sense of community is translated through extrusion,a simple and cheap technology, creating long units, which are then cut into pieces.
The AAAD in Prague thoroughly prepares their students for the real world by working closely in collaboration with leading manufacturers within the Czech Republic. Bata, the Czech founded, global footwear manufacturer and retailer, joined forces with a group of students from the Studio of Fashion & Footwear who redesigned the iconic 60s Bata Bullets with wicked results (see below). Dan Gonzales returns to Salone Milan with a new lighting series and Studio of Furniture and Interior Design alumni Zbyněk Krulich presents his ‘Mikado’ project including a shelving system (pictured below) and sideboard. All in all, the AAAD has nurtured a crop of hot house talent.
Studio of Fashion & Footwear students redesigned the iconic 60s Bata Bullets
Lighting from Dan Gonzales and AAAD alumni Zbyněk Krulich’s ‘Mikado’ shelving system
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Deadly Ponies Autumn/Winter 2012: Inspired by Nature’s Fury
Autumn/Winter 2012 collection Hurrichain from Deadly Ponies
The last 12-18 months have been fraught with the trauma and chaos for those of us caught up in the aftermath of the earth’s violent forces, both here in Christchurch and Japan. Perhaps influenced by his own extended family’s experiences in Canterbury, the master behind this Auckland based luxury brand, Liam Bowden, draws on nature’s fury in his Autumn/Winter 2012 collection entitled Hurrichain. Rag felting is employed to represent the beauty found in the otherwise ordinary. The dramatic colour palate ranging from ka-pow magenta to subdued barley, moody ink to dirty silt, is used either in brash defiance or complete submission to the rawness left by the ferocity of mother nature. Luxurious quilting creates the comfort we often wrap around ourselves to soften our fall. A truly beautiful collection which lifts spirits and inspires hope.
Visit Deadly Ponies for their full accessory and jewellery collections and stockist information.
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Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs’ Spring/Summer 2012
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2012 Campaign (Photos by Steven Meisel)
I was recently invited to my very first trend presentation at work by the vivacious trend spotter and fashion designer, Trish Mark. This was to be a sneak preview for the trends for our next Spring/Summer season down under, which has just been launched in Europe. There were many diverse trends ranging from the buttoned up, cinched waist of 40s Americana to the free spirited, leather-tasseled Navaho, frothy sorbet hues to striking graphic prints, and everything in between! The one image which refused to let go of my imagination was Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2012 ad campaign filled with sugary pastels and super feminine 1940s silhouettes, set in a candy hued ice cream diner. What’s remarkable is the way designer Marc Jacobs took the theme for the runway show for Paris Fashion Week in a completely different direction from his ice cream parlour and delivered a jaw dropping spectacle; a crisp white larger-than-life Parisian carousel on a rotating stage which acted as a circular runway. This “magic box” as Jacobs describes his set, is just that; magical. The icing on the “fashion wedding cake”, to quote Bristish Vogue’s Fashon Editor, Alexandra Shulman, was the tinkling of a child’s music box throughout which created a gorgeous dream-like atmosphere. To view a short clip showing the construction of this mammoth set, click here and for the awe inspiring eight minute runway show click here. Prepare to be spell bound.
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2012 collection translated from runway to in-store displays (Photos by Olivia da Costa)
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Fusion of Fashion & Colour Marks New Collaboration for Dulux Paints
Styled by Karlya Smith, photographed by Belinda Merrie
Renowned for her unashamed and flamboyant use of colour in her runway collections, WORLD’s creator Denise L’Estrange Corbet, has teamed up with Dulux to create a collection of limited edition seasonal palates. A living example of exuberant use of colour in her own home, Denise is keen to inspire colour confidence in fellow New Zealanders. “Colour means so much to me. I could not imagine my life without it.” Denise enthuses. Here, in the first collection for Autumn 2012 Denise has chosen six contrasting colours ranging from light to dark, which work well on their own and paired together. My top colour combos would be the deep majestic navy of Dulux Kenepuru combined with punchy orange accents of Dulux Courtenay Place and the organic egg yolk yellow of Dulux Karaka Bay coupled with the sky blue Dulux Leigh.
Grab some inspiration with the “Colour Your World” fashion to interiors spread I created to inspire your interior choices in collaboration with Dulux’s exciting new Autumn colours Dulux Kenepuru, Dulux Courtenay Place and Dulux Leigh.
INDIGO BLUES Brooklyn based ceramist Michele Michael creates divine limited edition tableware every season, available from Elephant Ceramics.
CLOSE TO HOME Cleverly sculpting earthquake debris from Christchurch demolition sites, contemporary jeweller Jacqui Chan created this series of brooches, from The National.
COTTON ON Yankee textile designer, Alexander Henry’s Heath in blue can be custom made into cushions, duvet sets, or blinds at Bolt of Cloth in The Colombo, Christchurch.
DOUBLE DUTCH Recreate the look of Blue Delft ware with ‘Porcelain Blue’ wallpaper from Dutch design company Studio Ditte, from Paper Room.
GREAT DANE Erik Jørgensen’s easy chair, Corona, designed in the 60s now comes in a zesty orange, from Corporate Culture.
CROSSROADS Make a statement with Nathan Goldsworthy’s steel coffee table which doubles as a magazine rack, from The Poi Room.
I’ve had a sneak preview of “Denise’s Picks” for Winter and they are yummier still! Stay tuned for the big reveal here at Mint Style Studio!
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Christchurch Fashion Duo: MisteR
Not so Grimm; Winter 2012 Collection from Christchurch duo MisteR (photos:Lisa at Lumo)
The title of this season’s collection from Christchurch fashion design duo, MisteR, Not So Grimm, was inspired by both Grimms’ fairy tales and their own personal journey through our city’s “darkest hour” and the many resulting hurdles over the past year. With the government quickly declaring the city of Christchurch in a state of national emergency, lasting two months, the MisteR studio was inaccessible behind the ‘red zone’ cordons, tightly guarded by the army day and night. Determined to remain positive and soldier on in true Cantabrian spirit, Mickey Lin and Ra Thomson, partners in life and fashion, managed to pull through and create yet another stellar collection, this time introducing the much anticipated addition of womenswear. The light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel fueling their determination surely had to have been their debut at New Zealand’s fashion week. With a standing ovation and voted ‘Best Show’, there is no doubt who left the greatest impression on the crowd that evening.
Not so Grimm; Winter 2012 Collection introduces its womenswear range (photos:Lisa at Lumo)
MisteR wins a standing ovation and is awarded ‘Best in Show’ at NZ Fashion Week (Photos: Michael NG)
Mr and Mrs; Mickey and Ra at NZFW (Photos: Michael NG)
Look out for the new winter collection in stores over the next two weeks! MisteR is available through various stockists nation wide, or simply visit MisteR online for free shipping within New Zealand and international shipping services.
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Classic Handmade Shoes: Minnie Cooper
Minnie Cooper summer shoe collection 2011
Those of us who reside in New Zealand concede Minnie Cooper is synonymous with high quality workmanship. For the past 21 years founder and owner Sally Cooper has been designing shoes and oversees her small team of craftspeople who are equally dedicated to producing the very best. The Minnie Cooper ethos is all about simplicity and function which make them incredibly comfortable. Catering to those who have their own sense of individual style, Minnie Coopers are the epitome of classic style with a twist. This season’s shoes are certainly no exception. I have so many favourites already, but the leaf green Peta style (above left) are a stand out as are the gold Sevilles (above right). As for sandals, that choice is far more difficult!
Earlier this year The NZ Herald reported that Ms Cooper was favouring Melbourne over Christchurch for her next store location. How grateful are we that she reconsidered and sent a ray of refreshing retail sunshine our way?! Now Christchurch fans can visit Minnie Cooper’s new location in the newly reopened central city Re:Start in shipping container No7.
Minnie Cooper summer sandals 2011
Click on the short video below to learn a little more about the intricate process of the handmade shoe at Minnie Cooper in Auckland.
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Shoe Design: Tracey Neuls New London Shop
Spring/Summer 2011 Collection from Tracey Neuls
My introduction to Canadian shoe designer, Tracey Neuls, and her stunningly gorgeous, handmade footwear creations, came whilst living in London. I discovered Tracey’s shoe emporium, TN29, on my way to an audition (back in my opera singing days), tucked away on Marylebone Lane, minutes from the chaos of Oxford St. After the audition, I satiated my curiousity and have been a huge devotee ever since. Tracey’s shoes bear not only the mark of true craftsmanship, but of an imagination that knows no boundaries. Her artistic collaborations with other creatives often form the backdrop for new collections on her shop floor and window, which gives her work an even great depth and interest.
Tracey Neuls new East End London store, 73 Redchurch Street
Tracey’s new store, on Redchurch St, in my old neighbourhood, plays host to her Autumn/Winter 2011 collections. There is now the wonderful opportunity for those of us not in London to purchase Tracey’s divine footwear on-line! Visit Tracey Neuls to view her latest collections and the lucky last of her Spring/Summer 2011 collections (above).
Interior of Tracey Neuls’ new Redchurch St boutique
Tracey Neuls Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection
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