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…

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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/

There's Nothing Like Australia

I'm lucky enough to be a Friend of Australia for Tourism Australia and our clothes have been used in their new advert There's Nothing Like Australia, celebrating the diversity of experiences and adventures you can have in our beautiful country.  They have also launched an amazing new app for iphone’s, ipad’s and Tablet’s, called OzPlanner.  This app is the perfect tool for planning a trip - it helps you to narrow down the best location to visit based on what you look for in a holiday. As well as providing suggested itineraries and photographs of each location.  There are some amazing destinations that I can't wait to visit.

Check out the There's Nothing Like Australia video: http://youtu.be/3pOVfJwBd5s

Download the OzPlanner app: http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/theres-nothing-like-australia/id528940640?mt=8

I'm desperate to stay at the El Questro Homestead  in the 

east Kimberley region of Western Australia.  Check out these pictures for inspiration.

CHISWICK

I was lucky enough to work with Matt Moran on my book, Food Fashion Friends, and luckily for all of us, he has opened a new restaurant. I was excited to go to the opening of Chiswick on Tuesday night. It’s at the former Prunier’s site in Woollahra, I love the new fit-out, and most importantly the food. Matt and his business partner Peter Sullivan have included a kitchen garden on the site, where they will grow a lot of the produce they use in their dishes.

Chiswick is all about fresh produce, grown and sourced locally, and shared with friends the ideal combination for cooking, entertaining and eating out.  I’m really looking forward to going back with a group of friends for a long Sunday lunch to try more of his delicious food.

The veal sliders were scrumptious, but even more delectable were the caramel éclairs – the best I've ever had (and i've had a few, especially when in Paris).

Even better, Matt and the team will soon start posting some of their delicious recipes on their website http://www.chiswickrestaurant.com.au/  so that you can make them at home. That’s the sort of sharing I like.

CHISWICK

65 Ocean Street

Woolhara

NSW 2025

Tel: 02 8388 8688

Small Spaces

There’s a real move towards living more simply, that’s also tied in with leaving less of a footprint behind us. One part of this is living in smaller spaces, with fewer possessions, but those possessions are made to last, from beautiful materials. My good friend Sarah recently opened a shop in Surry Hills called, appropriately, smallspaces. A lot of the furniture and storage solutions come from Denmark and also Japan, where living in small spaces is a constant. There’s a certain minimalism at play in what Sarah has chosen for her shop, but also quirky, fun little touches and some great artworks. One idea is that the few pieces you have should be multifunctional, so there are side tables that double as stools, and ottomans that can also be used as side tables. Whether your space is small or not, you’ll find something beautiful to take home with you.

smallspaces, 674 Bourke St, Redfern; (02) 8399 3144
www.small-spaces.com.au 

Indigo In The Air

Our wonderful buyer and visual merchandiser, Dani, discovered this beautiful range of jewellery called Indigo In The Air, created by expat Sydneysider Micaela Nisbet. The range uses raw crystals and sterling silver to create chunky, one-of-a-kind rings. Of course, being crystals, they also carry their own unique energies, which I love. The crystals include citrine, smokey quartz and amethyst as well as more obscure ones such as white apophyllite and pink stilbite. I think they are a great complement to my current winter range, which has just started dropping in store.
www.indigointheair.com