On a trip to WA earlier this year, LMFF were lucky enough to catch up with Kristy and John from Flannel at their new space in a converted chapel. The space is as light and airy as a Flannel collection and we couldn’t help but get excited for the cooler months ahead as we took a look at their autumn/winter 2012 collection.

Thank you for showing us around your anjelic studio. Visit Flannel.

Photos by Britt Singleton.

Fenella peacock greets us at her beautiful store, Nells Emporium, on a bright sunny Perth day and welcomes us inside for some deliciousness (of the fashion & food variety)!  Packed with whimsical jewelleryand floaty frocks just made for escapism, Nells is a little slice of heaven for foodies and fashionistas alike. We recommend a silk Fenella Peacock dress for a breezy getaway and a tall glass of nell’s homemade lemonade with your lunch!

A big thank you to Fenella for welcoming LMFF to getaway and share your beautiful surrounds. Visit Fenella Peacock.

More studio visits to come on the LMFF blog.

Post courtesy  of Brittany Singleton.

Internationally acclaimed Australian models Myf Shepherd, Nicole Trunfio and Alexandra Agoston headline the campaign alongside “Friends of the Festival” artist Vincent Fantauzzo, Principal Dancer for The Australian Ballet Andrew Killian, Restaurateur Sharon van Haandel, blogger, personal shopper and stylist Micah Gianneli, DJ/Producer Andy Murphy and Radio Journalist and Newsreader Lauren Brain.

Supporting the still imagery is a rich series of induvidual videos used to profile our friends – look out for the release of these videos in the coming months.

Alex (below) wears Aurelio Costarella jacket & pant, Mimco clutch.

Andrew (below) wears Calibre jacket, Vanishing Elephant t-shirt, own pant.

Andy (below) wears Calibre blazer under own trench.

Lauren (below) wears Kuwaii dress, Gorman belts, own jewellery.

Micah (below) wears Alex Perry dress, own vest.

Myf (below) wears Manning Cartell jacket, Alice McCall dress.

Nicole (below) wears Carl Kapp dress.

Sharon (below) wears Thurley jacket, own pants.

Vincent (below) wears Calibre blazer, own top and pant.

Make-up direction from Rae Morris for L’Oréal Paris, Photography by Adrian Mesko & Jordan Graeme, Art direction and production by Paper Stone Scissors.

Thanks Party Pod! To see a whole lot more visit and tag yourself on the Party Pod Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/PartyPodHire.

The full campaign will be revealed on December 1st and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Photography courtesy of Woodrow.

Have fun with colour in unlikely block combos this summer.  Tangerine, acid lime and cobalt will give your wardrobe a wakeup call with their lively hues.  Be bold and pair this look back with strong eye colours in blues, greens and pinks.

1. Karla Spetic www.karlaspetic.com
2. Karla Spetic www.karlaspetic.com
3. Josh Goot www.joshgoot.com
4. Dhini www.dhinicouture.com
5. Manning Cartell www.manningcartell.com
6. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
7. Steve Madden www.stevemadden.com.au
8. L’Oréal Paris Infallible Eyeshadow www.loreal.com.au
9. Sportsgirl www.sportsgirl.com.au

Leave the coat at home, now is the time to sparkle and shine with metallic fabrics designed to  speak for themselves under city skylines.  Dresses are embellished with sequins and sure to shine just in time for the party season.  Finish the look with statement metallic accessories, the perfect heel and lashings of mascara for full effect.

1. Yeojin Bae www.yeojinbae.com
2. ELLERY www.elleryland.com
3. Thurley www.thurley.com.au
4. Rachel Gilbert www.rachelgilbert.com
5. Dhini www.dhinicouture.com
6. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
7. L’Oréal Paris Lash Architect 4D Mascara www.loreal.com.au
8. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
9. Nine West www.ninewest.com.au

Not just for the cooler months, leather is sticking around for summer by ditching its favourite shade of black to embrace lighter hues of nude, rust and tan.  Perfectly transformed into soft jackets, structured tops and short shorts, leather is here to stay for summer and one to wear year round.

1. camilla and marc  www.camillaandmarc.com
2. ELLERY www.elleryland.com
3. Gary Bigeni www.garybigeni.com
4. Flannel www.flannel.com.au
5. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
6. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
7. Gorman www.gormanshop.com.au
8. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
9. Gorman www.gormanshop.com.au

This is the colour of the season so inject some vibrant red into your summer wardrobe.   This colour packs a punch so wear it with confidence!  If the full red look isn’t your thing, why not hunt out the perfect shade for your lips and prepare to get noticed!

1. Yeojin Bae www.yeojinbae.com
2. Carl Kapp www.carlkapp.com
3. camilla and marc www.camillaandmarc.com
4. Flannel www.flannel.com.au
5. Josh Goot www.joshgoot.com
6. L’Oréal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick www.loreal.com.au
7. Sportsgirl www.sportsgirl.com.au
8. Mimco www.mimco.com.au
9. Nine West www.ninewest.com.au

SPECIAL OFFER!  This weekend get 20% off at Nine West! Four days only, Thursday September 29 – Sunday October 2, 2011. Visit the website for details ninewest.com.au.

From top to bottom:

1. Blanca, RRP$159.00

2. Braxton, RRP$159.00

3. Tali, RRP$149.00

4. Stylin, RRP$159.00

For more, visit ninewest.com.au.

Gucci Photography Go Runway

Spijkers en Spijkers Photography Christopher Dadey

Read more about the 1920’s fashion influences on Fashionising.com

Go with the flow – With the wind in your hair, let this flowing colour block maxi from Manning Cartell create some drama for you.  Pair with a sleek metallic sandal for a spring look with impact.

Let out a roar – Put a fresh twist on summer prints and think ANIMAL!! These cropped trousers from camilla and marc have just the right balance of ladylike and wild – grrrl!

Blaze a trail – Smarten up in a sharp blazer, but don’t get too serious – keep it fun for Spring!  Follow the lead of the Gorman team and invest in a colorful jacket with a tribal motif (cute lilac socks optional…).

Whats on your wishlist?

Today I am in Paris and heading to the  Madame Grés Retrospective at Musée Bourdelle. I was surprised to find out that this was the 1st retrospective in Paris of this visionary couturier.  Her work was renowned for having sculptural qualities. Even her fluid draping had very much of a sculptural feel to it. She herself wanted to be a sculptor and was often quoted as saying “I want to be a sculptor. For me, it’s the same thing to work the fabric or the stone”

The museum itself is within the buildings and gardens, which used to be the atelier of the French Classical sculpture Antoine Bourdelle, who trained under Rodin. The museum features incredible marble, plaster and bronze sculptures within the buildings and out in the courtyards and gardens. Madame Grès symbolizes the very essence of couture and really was one of the first examples of Minimalism in fashion.

It was just amazing for me to see in the flesh her pieces. As a student at RMIT when I was first learning about drape in my 2^nd year of study, I was so inspired  by a particular style of her pleating. And now being able to actually see the pieces that I’d read so much about, it really was incredible to me!

One of her signatures were cut-outs in gowns that made exposed skin part of the design. This idea has influenced so many current designers…including me!  The exhibition is quite vast – there’s about 80 pieces of her work, as well as photographs from Henry Clarke, Richard Avedon and Cecil Beaton and a selection of drawings from the house’s archives.

Images: Taken at the Madame Grés Retrospective at Musée Bourdelle by Dhini.

Thanks for the pics Dhini, so inspirational. Ahhh Paris…

Visit Dhini’s Website.

She is the ultimate style chameleon, below snapped by The Satorialist many months earlier with a completely different (yet equally as amazing) look.

Michelle Jank was back in Melbourne for LMFF 2011 to style our opening runway event ‘Fashion Full Stop’, watch the video highlights here to see some of her styling on the runway.

Thursday 16th June, land in London (just for the day and night), and leave for Paris tomorrow for a week, then back in London for 6 days….I pretty much hit the ground running really…this is a whirlwind trip – 7 days in London, 7 days in Paris, so no time to sleep – ‘you snooze, you lose!’ is my motto during this trip

My first stops is Selfridges, who are renowned for doing amazing windows and collaborative installations. They don’t always have something on, but I decided to try my luck…and I had no idea what was in store for me… how lucky was I to catch the installation called ‘Washed Up’!  From Oxford Street looking into the front window –I was awe-struck by a room filled with dead coral, and rising from this coral, huge glass cabinets containing mannequins clothed in amazing avant-garde pieces.

Above: Looking into the shop windows at Selfridges.

Above: The instillation emerging from the shop floor.

The glass cabinets that took you on an incredible underwater journey with  the dead coral acting as the amazing  landscape. ‘Washed Up’ is an installation curated by Judith Clark located in the Concept Store of Selfridges. and when I read the flyer at the entrance I discovered the coral came from illegal coral smugglers, seized at British Customs and then donated to the London Aquarium!

The pieces were grouped according to concepts – Structure & Geometry, Radiolarium, Texture, Atlantis, Oil Spill and featured designers such as Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh.

Above: Iris Van Herpen

Above: Iris Van Herpen & Gareth Pugh

Above: Phillip Treacy for Lady Gaga – Lobster Hat

That evening I decided to splurge a little bit for dinner and went to ‘Koffmans’ – the Michelin starred chef Pierre Koffman’s restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel Knightsbridge.  Went all out and had 3 courses. Well i didn’t really splurge! Interestingly, in London, even Michelin starred restaurant’s have special deals (un-heard of in Australia), and I managed to catch a specials night – lucky again!

Above: Escargot in a mushroom soufflé – entree

Above:  Cod with lentils – main

And to finish off, renowned pistachio soufflé with a dollop of pistachio ice-cream for dessert!  Followed by cocktails at the Blue Bar – a bar also at the Berkely next to Koffmans – bit of a late night! Hell, I fly out to Paris next morning!

Thanks for the pics from London – we love the instilation and are all feeling rather peckish now.

Visit Dhini’s Website.

Jesus Echevarria chief communications officer spreads the word at an press meeting preluding the opening.

Opening day and the wait is over…

Zara is now open in Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne.

Thank you to Monty Coles for sharing these fabulous images – fore more images visit theloupe.org.

A fresh faced Kate Moss in the CK Jeans campaign, 1998

Gisele Bundchen in ‘And God Created Gisele’, Vanity Fair, May 2009

Michelle Obama, G20 summit, July 2009

Burberry SS2011

Anjelina Jolie, American Vogue, December 2010

Prince William and Kate Middleton, 2011

A huge credit to Mario Testino and his amazing photography. For more of his amazing work visit mariotestino.com.

It’s the first time Harrolds have ever placed an Australian designer in their brand mix, offering support to the Song for the Mute and designer Melvin Tanaya who is also part of the Harrolds team.  Congratulations Melvin & Lyna!

If you are a designer (or know an up and coming designer) interested in entering the 2012 LMFF Designer Award, please sign up to our monthly newsletter ‘Swingtag’ for announcements on when applications open. Sign up now.

Pictures courtesy of Song for the Mute.

We caught up with one of WGSN’s leading trend experts from London, Sue Evans, to find out a little more on what we can expect from this week’s WGSN trend seminar series.  Sue has been with WGSN since its launch in 1998 and was instrumental in creating the Catwalks, What’s in Store and Close-to-Season directories. During catwalk season, Sue’s analytical skills bring a compelling commercial perspective to the 20,000 images she edits.

Image: Leading WGSN trend expert from London, Sue Evans fills us in on upcoming trends and the Australian fashion market.

1. How did you come to be a WGSN Catwalk / Retail Expert?

I spent many years in the fashion industry working firstly as a designer and then as a fashion forecaster / consultant working with  major brands and retailers throughout Europe, USA and Japan. Obviously catwalk analysis and retail trends are a big part of forecasting and consultancy and so I built up a lot of experience in both areas. When the Worth brothers started WGSN they called me to see if I would be interested in setting up the Catwalks and Retail directories. The rest is history as they say…

2. What key trends  can we expect for the forthcoming season?

There are several key vintage inspirations for next season with influences spanning decades from the 20s / 30s / 40s / 60s and 70s – we even have a Grunge trend, celebrating the 20 year anniversary of Marc Jacobs seminal Grunge collection in 1992. Other key trends are very much about updating best sellers through colour – an important trend in itself.

Image: Luxe Grunge, a key casualwear story to develop for youth markets where traditional grunge looks are updated in luxe fabrications and a contemporary colour pallette.

3. Who is winning in retail right now and why?

John Lewis department store is the winner on the high street in the UK right now. They have opened up their fashion offer and have nearly all the key high street brands on their fashion floor so offering a broad product mix that targets several key customer profiles. They apply the same buying policy to their Homewares offer too so attract a wide range of customers. Zara seems to be winning in the fast fashion area – they have some great on trend pieces and colours in store for summer and they are flying out. And of course the lower-end stores like Primark continue to succeed on price and fast fashion pieces. Peacocks are the new cheaper-end store to watch.

4. What challenges do Australian designers face by having opposite seasons to key international markets such as USA & UK?

The main challenge in my opinion is not to jump on the northern hemisphere trends too quickly as that means the consumer is bored with them by the time the actual season hits. This has become an even bigger challenge now the Australian consumer has access to online shopping on an international scale

Image: A key colour trend from WGSN, dark teraccotta expected to dominate as one of the strong Autumnal colours.

5. There has been a lot of talk about fashion becoming ‘seasonless’, what is your opinion on traditional seasons and are designers and brands adhering to this or is or is the idea of seasonality disappearing?

I think designers are trying to make fashion more seasonless by developing more resort and pre-season collections so here is always a sense of newness in store. However I personally think pre-season is all a bit of a hype and the reality is fashion trends are slowing down and taking longer to permeate and peak so seasons are evolving gently into one another trend-wise, making is feel more seasonless.

6. Since you have been working at WGSN what have been some of your most memorable and favourite trends over the years?

I love the colour we are seeing this season and the vintage influences. I also loved the boho trend from about 6 years ago — but then that’s very me. I am more of an old hippy than a modern-day fashionista!

____________________

Sue presents WGSN trend seminars around the world and is in Melbourne now for the WGSN trend seminars, this is a must see event for buyers, stylists and designers, providing a roadmap for the season ahead. For more information on WGSN trend services please visit their website at www.wgsn.com.

Images courtesy of WGSN.com

Pictured: Just launched, the Original Hobe in Mustard

For Winter 2011, Hobes will now offer three styles: The Original Hobe, The Hi Hobe and The Lo Hobe.  In addition to the core colours you can find The Original Hobe offered in a beautiful rich mustard shade, deep chocolate and mist grey. The Hi Hobe is available in the traditional sand shade, chocolate, black and mustard. The Lo Hobe is produced from a very fine, super soft Napa leather and will be available in women’s sizes only in black.  Now it’s just a question of which pair to choose!

Pictured: The Original Hobe in Light Denim, Dark Denim and Sand Suede.

All Hobes styles retail for $159.  Visit hobes.com.au to purchase and for more information.

Taking inspiration from the ‘Luxury Traveller’ looks seen on the runway at LMFF 2011, say bon voyage to bare legs and embrace the hottest hosiery looks for Winter 2011.  Voodoo supplied the LMFF runways with an amazing selection.  Our top 3 picks?  Classic opaque, elegant sheers and contemporary textures.

CLASSIC OPAQUE – inky black opaque hosiery is a girl’s best friend in winter, the ideal balance of practicality and chic, as seen on the runway with the Megan Park collection.

ELEGANT SHEERS – The old-Hollywood style elegant sheer stocking is making a huge comeback this winter as fashion embraces all things luxe and ladylike.  Pair with sharp heels and sleek sunglasses for best effect, as seen with the international collections from the Christine boutique.

CONTEMPORARY TEXTURES – Done be afraid to embrace patterned and textured hosiery this winter!  The Thurley collection shown in the L’Oreal Paris Runway presented by In Style was paired back with semi-sheer vertical striped tights, mirroring the patterns of dresses in the range.  Have some fun and mix it up!

Follow Voodoo on Twitter for the latest looks and inspiration for winter, twitter.com/voodoohosiery or visit their website to find your nearest stockist www.voodoohosiery.com.au.

Photos by Lucas Dawson Photography.

Did you love the retro vintage featured on the Fashion Full Stop runway? Want to know where you can find the best vintage in Melbourne? Shag is your answer.

The owners of Shag, Grant Francis and Jeremy Valentine have a manic obsession in collecting all things “old and interesting.” Jeremy’s love for vintage developed at an early age, “as a young lad with little pocket money, I found that I could buy amazing things in op shops and still have enough change for lollies at the corner store.”

Today Shag boys are buying up estates from insanely wealthy people, socialites, hoarders and collectors. Most of the vintage is sourced locally, as Jeremy confesses: “Melbourne has such an amazing wealth of fantastic vintage, secretly locked away in peoples’ cupboards.”

The Shag owners have no rules when it comes to buying store product, just so long as the things they discover inspire and excite them.

Stylist Michelle Jank was thrilled to feature some of Shag’s iconic Australian designer pieces in the opening runway show – in particular the museum Kate Durham jewellery and archive surf Mambo shirts.

Take on the Shag attitude as Jeremy explains “one’s wardrobe should be rich and diverse. To dress stylishly is to combine new, vintage and designer.”

Shop at Shag- a treasure-trove of vintage wonders and a haven of archive designer fashion.

To find your nearest Shag, visit www.shagshop.com.au/locations.

Photography by Fernando Barraza.

Gracie looked stunning in this winning design by Limedrop and partnered it with Peeptoe Shoes and a Mimco Clutch. Visit Limedrop’s website to view their range and buy this dress online http://www.limedrop.com.au/.

Pictured: Gracie in the Chambord® Shine Awards™winning design for 2010 by Limedrop in the Emirates Marquee at Oaks Day as part of the Spring Racing Carnival.  Thank you to Gina Milicia and Emirates for this image.