Saturday, May 25, 2013

ALL THAT GLITTERS




How long is it since you went to a proper party? With girls in tulle and men in tuxedos and black silk bow ties? It's one grown up ritual I never want to abandon. 

On Saturday night we hosted our Midnight in Manhattan Ball and decorated the raw loft space at the Surry Hills studio with glittering silver stars, and disco balls from huge to tiny scattered along the bar. I wore a sequinned ball gown the colour of a gleaming skyscraper at dusk and quite serious high heels. Nick wore a black evening suit. And our closest     friends interpreted the theme in everything from Studio 54 disco diva heels to a Marilyn Monroe worthy lipstick red halter dress.

We served canapés that could only be described as New York Nostalgia classics: piping hot Rueben sandwiches, pizza, and tiny apple pies by way of homage to the big apple. Carbs? Yes, there really were carbs and cold champagne, a bit of hip hop and Frank Sinatra and a lot of emotion to share so many memories with so many people we love.

Moving to New York is like wishing on a star but the good will and vision of so many creative and joyful contemporaries collapses the sense of distance. It's five weeks and counting now…








Monday, May 20, 2013

WES ANDERSON




I wouldn't say that I'm particularly bothered or obsessed with detail.

Don't you love a quote that utterly contradicts the entire signature of a famous artist?
Wes Anderson's films are made of the most delicious details. The apparently unnecessary details and nervous tics that end up BEING the story.

Margot Tenenbaum is a great example. Will we ever find out why she only wears an old Lacoste tennis dress and a dank mink coat with too much black eyeliner? No, of course not. Her clothes are her character and she is meant to be an enigma.

Then there is the little cotton dress worn by the teen heroine in Moonrise Kingdom. It's a dress that is too elegant for a child and too small for an adult, so it's impossibly beautiful.

I even like the yellow brunch dress worn by Mrs.Fox in the fantastic Mister Fox. It's as if Wes imagined Catherine Deneuve in fox form and got her 1968 hem length just right.

It makes good sense that Prada chose Anderson to make some short films for their fragrance CANDY. He has that way of fusing luxury with whimsy that is just his. Maybe he is the only director on earth who makes you want to wear a particular starchy dress, or tennis socks or an ironed tuxedo shirt right now. But I'm not completely sure about old mink the colour

Friday, April 26, 2013

GOING GOURMET CRAZY



                



 There are everyday things we all buy and it feels like a treadmill: milk, butter, eggs, milk, butter, bread, milk, butter….And then there is sexy shopping that feels like you are in the lingerie department of food.

This week I indulged at the newly opened Gourmet Life on Edgecliff Road and stocked up on the sort of condiments that make every day pantry staples go zing. In some ways I like to tell myself it’s a very luxe form of house keeping (and vicarious travel), as I can take a bag of basmati or plain pasta and make something kinky, posh or simply a bit more sophisticated for 'drop of the hat entertaining'.
On my maiden voyage to Josh Rea’s exotic food emporium I chose the blue Persian salt, chilli angel hair, some truffle oil, a bottle of black currant vinegar, some very curious kamut pasta, some black hawaiian salt, and a smattering of caviar. The shop also stocks lovely oddities like Rome’s oldest coffee, the best European Porcini mushrooms and summer truffles from Tuscanny. I am already planning my next visit to buy the lavender infused olive oil, kiwi fruit jam and a special honey…. amazing. 



      





Tuesday, April 2, 2013

I WANT TO WAKE UP IN A CITY THAT DOESN'T SLEEP....



http://xperigryn.deviantart.com/art/New-York-City-251245758
Sourced from Pinterest - Font artist is unknown and overlayed on a pinterest board
 http://pinterest.com/pin/238479742739136788/ 
  
I have to share some big news. My husband Nick has accepted the position of BBC correspondent for the United Nations in New York so, in turn, I am going with him for the adventure, setting up an office for my label in New York and jumping feet first into all the things I love about the big apple.

We are in a tumult of planning right now and I am designing a winter collection but one thought is to settle in Brooklyn. I am so looking forward to exploring nearby places such as Mexico, Cuba and South America and letting all that bring a new spice of life to my lines and our family life. Our Sydney studio continues to blossom as I begin to mobilise and yes I will be running two offices. It's not that unusual for a fashion label.

The change is a bit BIG, but It's a nice thought that we will be travelling into another summer and that the children will have a major three dimensional geography lesson. Manhattan is mad. But there is tranquility too. Expect future blogs from obscure Brooklyn tea rooms, the community gardens in the heart of the city and the courtyard at MOMA, my favorite place in New York by far...so far.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER




There are no fixed rituals for the changing of the seasons and in Australia seasons often bleed into each other, even if the changes are very very subtle.
Autumn light is sharp and crisp. In the wind we feel a delicate chill. At dusk we carry cardigans. Rainstorms and wind seem more extreme. When rain falls it is like a curtain between one season and the next. Act 2: Leaves fall on a steaming street.
But of course the end of summer is a melancholy day even if it is marked by an arbitrary date and why not hail it decline with a celebrative ritual all your own?
Here are seven ways to celebrate this very special day, a small homage to transition, movement and that relentless invention we call time:
  1. Decorate a freshly made bed with fallen summer flowers, frangipanis are ideal.
  2. Fill a custard tart with all the sliced fresh fruits of summer…strawberries are all but gone now.
  3. Make any excuse you can to cut work early and go jump into the ocean.
  4. Make a list of everything beautiful that happened this summer (ask your children to join in).
  5. Make a compilation of all your favourite summer songs (they can span back decades).
  6. Take your favourite summer dress and gently hand wash it and hang in the sun to dry. Do not iron it!
  7. Wear perfume behind your knees. Vanilla essence is fine.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Summer Music


What have you been listening to this summer? We’ve had a few new tunes on high rotation in the studio this month, a great mix of blues, chillout, and some cool Frenchies (I love Mélanie Pain).

I wanted to share them with you so that you can add them to your playlist, too…


FLOWERS BLOOM/ HIGH HIGHS
SAY THAT / TORO Y MOI
MY NUMBER/ FOALS
7 OU 8 FOIS/ MELANIE PAIN
SERPENTINE (FEAT.RAP LISA) WOLF + LAMB
LOST / FRANK OCEAN
SPILL THE WINE / ERIC BURDON
LES YEUX JAUNES/ LEONARD ARI
CRUCIFY YOUR MIND / RODRIGUEZ
THE AIR THAT I BREATHE/ ALBERT HAMMOND

Click through below to listen to:

LOST / FRANK OCEAN

7 OU 8 FOIS/ MELANIE PAIN

SAY THAT / TORO Y MOI

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

My bondi top 10


Summer is slowly drawing to a close, but there’s still time to indulge in your favorite pastimes before the chill sets in. I love to head to Bondi and its surrounding beaches when I get a chance to relax on the weekend.

Here is my Bondi Top 10 – what would be on yours?




Sean’s Panaroma
One of my favourite restaurants in Sydney, Sean’s is the perfect place to take in the view and savour Sean Moran’s delicious fare over a lazy Sunday lunch. The produce is the best available and the menu changes according to what’s fresh. In summer people still come straight from the beach with a sarong over their swimmers.
270 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach; (02) 9365 4924

Ice-cream
The simple things in life are having a comeback – one of mine is enjoying a Gaytime ice-cream while sitting and looking at the waves crash against the rocks at North Bondi.

Coffee break
Another treat at the north end of Bondi Beach is a coffee at Porch and Parlor– the best in the area and the perfect way to kick off a Saturday morning.


Market fresh
Once I’ve had a coffee, a stroll around the growers’ markets on a Saturday morning is relaxing and it means I can stock up the fridge for the week ahead.
Bondi Beach Primary School, Campbell Pde

 In the swim
North Bondi is my favourite place for a swim in the early morning or late afternoon. My dog Skip loves to come, too, especially if I give him some free time off his lead – naughty, but he loves it.


Bondi to Bronte walk
The Bondi to Bronte walk is one of the best walking routes in Sydney, right along the coastline, winding around huge sandstone outcrops and with incredible views over the ocean. You can take a leisurely pace, but expect to be overtaken by the exercise posse.


Iggy’s bread
Iggy’s Bread Down Under (the original is from Boston) supplies some of Sydney’s best restaurants, and you can queue up for a loaf of chewy sourdough at the bakery, but get in early.
49 Belgrave St, Bronte; (02) 9369 1650



Fish & Chips
Of course, what would a visit to the beach be without fish & chips straight from the wrapping paper? Bondi Best has the best battered fish and the fattest chips – delicious!



North Bondi Italian
If I’m heading to dinner in Bondi, North Bondi Italian is one of my favourite places. The antipasti alone has a great selection of tasty Italian morsels. Again, it’s best to get in early, this one’s super busy in summer.
118 Ramsgate Rd, North Bondi; (02) 9300 4400

10. ???

Monday, February 11, 2013

Crystal Castles


I’ve always loved crystals. I collect them in their raw or polished form for their various qualities, whether for healing, cleansing, good fortune or positivity, as well as for their sheer beauty.

I’ve been selling crystals through the store for some time, and I’ve also started selling beautiful crystal jewellery. I particularly love big statement pieces, a bold cocktail ring or a big crystal cluster necklace. The colours work really well with my winter collection and are a quick way to dress up a look.  








Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Autumn/Winter Collection


This winter I’ve taken a slightly darker turn, naming the collection Black Dahlia after the infamous unsolved murder case in 1940s’ Los Angeles. But I was also inspired by the dark side of the fairytales I grew up with.

There’s plenty of my favourite lace this season, with sleeves and panels revealing glimpses of flesh, and dresses with swirling skirts adding a little drama to the romance. Simple print dresses have a nostalgic air, with some of the floral prints having a touch of the ’40s about them.

I always love to have some comfortable tailoring in the mix, with slouchy trousers with deep pockets, paired with a number of jacket styles with or without collars and lapels. There’s a longer line jacket that will pair well with a pretty dress, and a camel coat that has something of the femme fatale about it.

Knits always make me nostalgic and, hopefully this season you’ll feel the same way. Perhaps they’ll make you want to curl up in front of a film noir thriller?

Here’s a glimpse of what to expect in store this season.








Thursday, January 31, 2013

Rainbow Delight


I’ve just looked at the forecast and there’s more rain in store for the next couple of days. I’ve been loving the sunshine lately after all the rain we’ve had, and of course our thoughts go out to all those who are still suffering from the floods.

I’ve always felt that rainbows are nature’s way of cheering us up after a downpour. They give us something to look forward to. So, if the rain is set to visit you once again, wherever you are, here’s a reminder of what we have to look forward to.