A love of Butterflies

Butterflies have always fascinated me and are a continual source of inspiration. Their colours are completely transfixing, especially the ones which are almost iridescent and glimmer in the sunshine. They’re like little works of art flying around the garden, and I love it when you spot one in an expected place or glimpse one when you least expect it. The way they float through the air, as if they’re deciding which way to go on the merest whim or simply seeing where the breeze takes them, brings a sense of freedom and lightness that I like to try and capture in my work. I even like having framed butterflies on the wall, where you can really appreciate their beauty up close, and I think they’re a gorgeous gift for good friends.  

Sunday Magazine - 13th March 2011

I love staying at the Bowery Hotel NYC

 I love being in New York, the inspiration is endless and the energy is very addictive. The Bowery is my favorite hotel when I’m in town. It’s in the heart of the Lower East Side, and it has a delightfully lived-in feel to it, almost like a gentleman’s club with its armchairs and rugs. The Gemma Trattoria does great dinners, you could almost imagine you are in Italy and the crumbed veal chops are amazing (you can even order in for room service if you don’t fancy getting amongst it). If you want to explore the area, you can grab a bike and take a leisurely ride around the neighborhood, and when you come back and need a little refreshment you can enjoy a drink on the outside terrace. It’s like my home away from home. More NYC tips are on their way. x

Chelsea Flea Market

The hunt for curiosities is a never-ending quest, and my favorite

place to hunt in New York is the Chelsea Flea Markets. It’s filled to

 overflowing with trinkets and treasures, junk and jewels. Some of these

things might end up in one of my stores. I always like to put a

 nostalgic touch to the interiors with old photos or books, pretty

 picture frames or gorgeous glassware or they might become inspiration

for details in my next collection. The great thing is you just don’t

 know where the hunt could lead you. And it’s all about the journey.

Keepsakes Book launch

You'll have to excuse me for a little nepotism, but I must share with you my sister Fran's new book, Keepsakes. Fran is an artist and lives in New Zealand, and while I'm always proud of her and amazed at what she can do, this book is something really special. She has collected recipes from our family‹our mother, great aunts and grandmothers and assembled them in a whimsical and nostalgic manner. Each page is a collage that she has painstakingly put together and then photographed, so it literally is a work of art that you can have on your book shelf or, preferably, on your coffee table. It's reminiscent of the cobbled-together cookbooks and magazine cuttings that our mothers and grandmothers might have hidden in their kitchen cupboard. 

We had a little soirée at my Paddington store last week with family and friends to celebrate, which was a great evening and there was a lot of love in the room for Fran. Keepsakes would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift, and hopefully it will become a keepsake for many years to come.

Fran and I at the Launch of 'keepsakes' 

Sneak peak! Fleur Wood Spring 2011

Shooting the lookbook for a new collection is one of my favourite days of the whole process. It’s the moment when everything I’ve been doing for the past few months comes together and the total vision is realised. Working with a great team is also really inspiring, and I feel really lucky to work with these incredibly talented people.

The spring/summer collection is called Age of Bohemia, and for the shoot we looked to Vanina Sorrenti’s overlaid images for our inspiration. Jordan Graham was behind the lens and Sara Smith took care of the styling—I think she really captured what I wanted to achieve with that relaxed, bohemian feel. Thanks, too, go to Sarah Tammer for make-up and to my dear friend, Brad Ngata, for hair.

Here’s a sneak peek to whet your appetite for when the collection drops in July…

p.s.

Our spring/summer lookbook shoot was also little Billy’s first experience in the studio, and I think he quite enjoyed it. He certainly took a shine to MODEL XXXXX—and it looks like the feeling was mutual.

 This is one outfit I am looking forward to wearing.

Gypsy Blouse, Bright Star Pants

My little boy Billy stole the show for a few minutes

 Bright Star Maxi Dress

What a beautiful photo..one of my favorites

Bohemia Dress

Nouvelle Vague – Couleur Sur Paris

French post punk pop Supergroup return with brilliant 4^th album.

Less known cover versions with more of a French flavour, with vocals from 

the best current French artists: Vanessa Paradis, Camille, Coralie Clement.

Cool, Sophisticated, soft, intriguing, fun and exquisitely beautiful. 

Immerse yourself Parisian cool. Perfect for: Dinners, travel, parties and life

Click this link for my favorite song. 

Nouvelle Vague (feat. Coeur de Pirate) – “Voila les anges”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VQkbgLWNOk

Vanina Sorrenti a true icon

Great fashion photography is so inspiring for my work, and I’m always drawn to those photographers with a strong visual identity. My current favourite is Vanina Sorrenti. Not only is she Mario Sorrenti’s sister, but her younger brother, Davide, who died when he was just 20, and also their mother, Francesca, were also photographers, so that talent must be in their blood.

She actually started out in the industry as a stylist, so I guess that’s one of the reasons she understands fashion photography so well and how best to show the clothes while creating unique images.

Vanina’s work can be beautiful and dreamlike and innocent on one hand—when she shoots in natural light it can be quite magical. But she also works with the digital overlaying of images, say a naked girl superimposed on another shot in which she’s clothed. The effect can get a little spooky, but the end result is always compelling. I hope you find these pictures as fascinating as I do.