Welcome Wren

I am very passionate about women being informed  and educated about child birth - especially expecting mums! I have recently been blessed with a little girl called Wren and was lucky enough to have a natural 4 hour labour!  I wanted to share with you a list of books that I have found particularly insightful and inspiring throughout my pregnancy. 

Some are purely educational, some come from a wholistic view point and one I warn you now is a little wacky! But together I think they give any mother-to-be a great grounding knowledge that is both practical and inspirational. 

Spiritual Midwifery – Ina May Gaskin

Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth - Ina May Gaskin

The Aware Baby – Aletha J. Solter, PhD

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth – Henci Goer

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering – Sarah J. Buckley, MD

Gentle Birth Method – Dr Gowri Motha & Karen Swan MacLeod

Wolgan Valley Spa and Resort

Just got back from a quick pre Christmas break with my family and discovered heaven! Why I have I not been to Wolgan Valley Spa and Resort before?

This bush paradise lies just three hours from Sydney, just on the other side of the Blue Mountains, nestled in the beautiful Wolgan Valley. The setting for the Wolgan Valley Spa and Resort is stunning. Rugged mountains rise up on three sides. So, too, are the villas, food, spa treatments and service. Sometimes bush holidays can be a bit on the rugged side. This is pure luxury.

Aside from the seven-course meals each evening, served in a beautifully designed Lodge, and delicious lunches at the Country Kitchen café, there are lots of activities. Horse trekking, bush safaris – the estate has over 1500 kangaroos – creek walks, and mountain biking. The estate is amazing to explore. Then there is the spa, where I did most of my exploration! (I highly recommend the hot stone massage with Judith.)

With no mobile service – though there is wireless – it is the perfect place to getaway from it all and totally relax. Sydney is so close, but it might as well be a million miles away.  I've not been to a better hotel in Australia. Wolgan Valley is a great spot to take the kids - and even better for a romantic get away.

http://www.wolganvalley.com

What are you wearing to your Christmas party?

We are so excited for the festive season, its a time to dress up! get glamorous and celebrate. 

Welcome the Christmas season with one of these fabulous dresses. handpicked by Fleur has her Xmas hit list this summer.  

Left: Silent Love Shift Center: Mosaic Dress Right: Collectors Shift

                           

                            

Christmas table ideas

Fleur's Picks - Spring Racing Dresses

It's that time of year again, when Spring Racing Season has just begun and everyone is looking for that perfect dress. I like to try and stick to the dress code for each race day - bright colours for Melbourne Cup Day, feminine florals for Oaks Day and traditional black & white for Derby Day. Here are a selection of my favourite dresses from our Spring Summer collection, in store now. 

Pictured from left - The Mosaic Dress, Hopewell Dress and Lux Dress 

Navajo Bride Inspiration

Dream Catcher featured, made by the talented Rachael Rice 

Affirmation of the day...

Time for Tea

What better way to spend the upcoming long weekend than to invite some girlfriends over for high tea and a good old gossip. Here are some recipes to inspire you from my book, Food Fashion Friends and my sister Fran's Book, Keepsakes.

I'm Listening to...

Summer '12 Collection - Navajo Bride

Our new summer collection started dropping in stores this week. This season I’ve looked at the beauty and free spirit of the Native American and New Mexican cultures, and the result is Navajo Bride. I tried to channel these thoughts into my vision of a teenage bride and her journey at the turn of the (previous) century.

One of the features of the collection is the Mosaic print, which draws on native floral motifs and desert waterholes. You’ll find this on everything from blouses and trousers to jumpsuits.

A number of pieces in this collection have a soft, romantic quality, with sheer panels, punched patterns and light-as-air fabrics. Linen jackets are a really relaxed piece for summer, and when the weather gets really scorching, a silk maxi dress will be an easy go-to.

Of course, my lingerie pieces are in there, too, with silk-and-lace camisoles and matching shorts a particular favourite.

I hope you enjoy the collection – I’m really proud of it and can’t wait to wear it myself.

To see more of the collection, please visit http://www.fleurwood.com/summer-2012/cat_212.html

Affirmation

VOGUE FASHION'S NIGHT OUT

Vogue Fashion's Night Out was last night and the city was buzzing.  We were excited to launch our summer collection Navajo Bride at our Westfield store and were even happier at how well received it was.  Three of our beautiful Fleur Wood girls were acting as live mannequins for the night and drew quite the crowd.  They were very reminiscent of Charlie's Angels with their bronzed skin and glossy curled hair (courtesy of my good friend Brad Ngata and his wonderful team). 

http://www.bradngata.com.au/

Fleur's Pick Of The Week

The Lux dress, as its name suggests, is pure luxury.  Made from French lace and silk, it is actually based on a dress that I designed and wore to the races in Melbourne last year. I received so many compliments that I decided that we had to put it in the collection this season.  It's a fantastic occasion dress that will be perfect for a Spring Wedding or a day at the races.

Sneak Peak - Navajo Bride Collection

Venice Jewellery

When we shot our Spring lookbook, we were looking for the perfect jewellery to complement the collection. When I discovered Venice Jewellery, I knew that we’d found our match. Sydney artist and designer Venice Rish is behind the label, and many of the items are one-offs and beautifully handcrafted.

I love the more romantic pieces, especially the square pendants with etchings of a couple kissing. There are slightly more surreal pieces, too, such as the foot pendant and then the more whimsical, such as a butterfly-like figurine.

There is also a great selection of cuffs and rings that range from the simple and slightly graphic to the ornate. Some pieces look like beautiful works of art, while others almost look like vintage Venetian pieces.

The collection is also made with beautiful materials including 22ct gold, sterling silver, onyx, turquoise and dichroic glass, which resembles opals.

I hope you enjoy discovering more about Venice Jewellery.

http://www.venicejewellery.com.au/

The Royal Foot Silver Necklace, $185
available at Venice Jewellery

Winged Body Necklace, $745
available at Venice Jewellery

Colour Pop

We have some fab new 7 for all mankind denim in store, in great pop colours.  Perfect for the trans -seasonal weather and to add a bit of colour into your Winter wardrobe without having to bare your legs (yet).  Slim Illusion is 7 for all mankind's latest denim technology that makes you feel at least one size smaller. Tighter construction and intense stretch create a sexy slim silhouette, while exclusive technology provides total shape recovery, making this the perfect fit.  So even if you have put on a few extra kilos this winter - these magic jeans will make sure no one notices.

cool blue and ginger (in store now) blackberry and port (coming soon)

Myer Spring Summer '12 Launch

Last night Myer launched Spring Summer, with a distinctly African vibe. Inspired by the diverse landscapes of the Pilansberg National Park in South Africa where the Spring Summer campaign was shot, the show was a whirlwind of vibrant colour . Each designer showcased a custom-made dress, created using traditional African fabric; along with a capsule from their Spring/Summer collections. Sadly I wasn't able to attend the show, but I thought I would still share some of the pictures with you. Check out our African-inspired dress pictured below, (it's the green beaded one).

Artisans of Fashion

I’ve been involved with the Artisans of Fashion initiative for some time, which helps to support the Indian craftspeople who are so integral to the fashion industry, and in particular those women and children based in rural locations.

For this project, I was one of a number of designers invited to create a piece for the Artisans of Fashion Project. These pieces were shot in India on incredible Australian models Nicole Pollard and Louise van de Vorst (pictured) to form an exhibition, which was launched last night. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to be there as my new baby girl is keeping me busy.

Following the exhibition the pieces will be auctioned off to raise funds for the initiative.

I’m so thrilled with our result, a beautiful strapless gown with a beaded lace bodice and a sheer tulle overlay skirt. It’s romantic and nostalgic and I hope it finds a very happy home after the auction. 

Some of the other designers and labels who joined in this project are Easton Pearson, Aurelio Costarella, Roopa Pemmaraju and Camilla.

If you’re in Sydney, please go and have a look at the photographs by Georges Antoni and Robyn Beeche that are hanging in the Strand Arcade. And if you’d like to find out more about Artisans of Fashion, see artisansoffashion.com

J'adore Les Néréides

I discovered this charming line of jewellery and thought it would feel perfectly at home in my boutiques. I could relate to its feminine sensibilities as well as its whimsical and sometimes nostalgic pieces.

You’ll find everything from delicate hummingbirds and flowers to pearl-backed snails, rabbits in crowns, and also ballerinas and swans – two of my favourite motifs. Loveheart lockets contain little red hearts, and there are also charm bracelets with interesting charms such as the credit card chips and burnt matches, coat hangers and clothes pegs, all cast in gold or silver.

The creative couple behind Les Néréides, Pascale and Enzo, opened their first store in Nice in 1980, and now their family has helped it to grow in Europe and beyond.

To discover more see lesnereides.com

or visit one of our Fleur Wood stores.

Inspiration for our Spring '12 Collection - Dream Catcher

I love the whimsy of Dreamcatchers – which are having something of a resurgence. They originated with the Ojibwa Nation, although during the 1960s and ’70s they were adopted by the Pan-Indian Movement and became a symbol of unity of Native Americans for many different nations.

There are different explanations as to how these web-like creations, with dangling feathers and beads, are meant to work. They are intended as a charm to protect children from nightmares; some say the bad dreams are caught in the web, while others say that bad dreams pass through the holes in the web and head out the window. Either way, this leaves the good dreams behind to slide down the feathers to the slumbering child.

Of course, today they have been adopted by non-Native Americans also, and have become a whimsical creation for today’s children.

Dream on…

Dream Catchers in the top two corners were made by the talented Rachael Rice http://www.flickr.com/photos/rachaelrice/sets/72157624669410073/

Fleur Wood Bridal Gallery Launch

We often have customers purchasing bridesmaid and Wedding dresses for their big day and we encourage them to send us in their pictures from the event.  We have just launched a Bridal gallery on our website to display these photographs.  To see more please visit http://www.fleurwood.com/wedding-photos/cat_206.html and if you have any of your own pictures you would like to share, please email us at info@fleurwood.com

Heidi Thornton

Julia Green

Anna Packer

Raffaella Galli-Hurdwell

A little bit of R&R

I've just gone on maternity leave and am trying to take things a bit easier. There's nothing I love more than to do a bit of baking when I have some spare time and indulge in a good box set.  Last weekend I made a delicious lemon meringue pie from my sister Fran's Book, Keepsakes. I also caught up on a few episodes of my favourite show at the moment, Game of Thrones. Utter bliss. 

A Beautiful Addition To Any Home

I'm absolutely loving these Ikat vases in beautiful pastel colours. They've just arrived in store and come in a range of different sizes, each one with a unique design. Such a great addition to any home and what a perfect gift.

Ikat Vases in store now from $89

Affirmation

Fleur's Pick Of The Week

Spring is in the air.  Well maybe not quite yet but we're manufacturing some sunshine in store with the first drop of our Spring collection launching today.  One of my favourite pieces from the Dream Catcher collection is the Flyaway Print Maxi.  Made from silk crepe de chine with contrasting silk georgette sleeves, I adore the intricate bird print which has a distinctly vintage feel and the elegant cut.  Perfect for a trans-seasonal wedding or even worn more casually for day with a denim jacket or chunky knit cardi and some ankle boots.

Flyaway Print Maxi in store now, $475