via Neo Dia

According to their website, Neo Dia craft `unique magical prêt-à-porter collections’. And it couldn’t describe the collection more accurately. The Neo Dia design duo, Gavin Lowes and Becky Chua have mastered sharp tailoring techniques, drawing on their inspirations from the great architectural-art magicians – Gehry, Bauhaus and others – that really give this emerging label its backbone. The architectural application is shown in the obvious sculptural references, the clothing moulds the body to enhance its shape and sometimes propose new features that previous clothing collections are yet to distinguish.

Both graduates of fashion at renowned institution RMIT (Melbourne, Australia) Gavin and Becky met on the first day of the course and `have been stitched at the hip ever since’.

“With individual aesthetics so aligned, a collaboration between the two young designers was impossible to resist. Neo Dia was born of a shared vision for modern, ready-to-wear collections with a sassy algebraic twist.”

We were delighted to introduce Neo Dia to the Fashion Exposed show floor as recent finalists in the DEBUT competition for the Sydney event. Their awe-inspiring pieces were marveled by many, replicated by none.

For more images from their current range Stoic Stratum and previous collections, visit their website www.neodialabel.com

Fashion Exposed is pleased to announce applications for Debut Melbourne 2012 are now welcome. 7,000 trade visits, 3 days, 4 separate events, 500 exhibitors, 800 brands, 100 boutique fashion labels, and 12 Debut equals the hottest new labels from Australia and New Zealand.

Introduced in Sydney 2006 and instantly celebrated, Debut is the prestigious industry entry platform and design competition for new fashion and accessory labels at FASHION EXPOSED. Now in its 14th season, DEBUT has successfully launched over 160 labels including Limedrop, Alexi Freeman, Trimäpee, Since Grey, Kuwaii, Donna Sgro, as well as last season’s winners Brkich and Ginny & Jude Designs. Debut is the place to be at FASHION EXPOSED, Australasia’s premier fashion trade fair.

The focus in Melbourne 2012 is on Autumn/Winter 2013. Applications in the categories apparel and accessories are now welcome. Applications close Monday 28 May 2012 at 5pm AEST

Click here to download the application form.

Answers to FAQ can be found on the fair website fashionexposed.com
If you have further questions please contact the DEBUT curator, Uli Hasel. Phone: 03 8672 1228 or email: Uli.Hasel@aec.net.au

A signature range of headwear is complemented by smaller seasonally inspired ranges of jewellery, belts, apparel and other assorted knick-knackery in the debut line from accessories brand, Ginny & Jude. The distinctly unique fashion accessories are constructed from a carefully selected combination of new and vintage materials. Taking its cues from the ephemeral sensation of a summer fling, Ginny & Jude Designs presented an equally giddy collection of brilliant colours, playful textures and bright-lit feelings as a finalist at the recent DEBUT competition at Fashion Exposed, Sydney.

Designer, Rabia Lockwood consequently took out the top prize for her 50s-inspired creations and this is our first chat since the win where Rabia shraes her passion for upcycling to reinvent her vintage treasures into modern art work especially in the area of millinery; working alongside costume jewellery designer, Victoria Spring; and how a summer fling inspired the latest collection.

How did you get your start in jewellery design? Why were you drawn to accessories and has fashion design always been a career goal?

I first became interested in jewellery design when working for costume jewellery designer Victoria Spring – the workroom was above her shop where I worked in Paddington and it was wonderful experience to work in and amongst all the piles of old and new pieces that were used in her designs. I’m a trained writer, and it took me quite a few office jobs to realise that I wanted turn my passion for styling and accessories into something bigger.

Your designs of headwear and jewellery is very 50s inspired, what draws you to this era?

I am definitely drawn to the style of the past; 1950s or earlier. It was an era when women accessorized with intent; with hats and gloves, neat brooches and necklaces. I like the idea that the accessories really made an outfit back then.

Ginny & Jude Designs combine a selection of new and vintage materials, why do you choose to take reference from the old to create the new? Is upcycling something you are passionate about?

I think there are many exceptionally beautiful components – especially in millinery – that are simply more astounding and light-hearted than things which are produced today. The craftsmanship was also incredible. The silk veiling which was produced in France in the early 1900s – which you can still get if you search hard enough – is soft, light and the designs are as stunning as fine cobwebs. You simply cannot find something like that being produced today. I also enjoy the fact that using restored vintage components brings a rich world history to each piece.

All of your designs are made in Australia, is it important to you to maintain this stamp? Why?

For me, it’s important to support local businesses where possible. And on a very basic level, I am quite particular about the finishing of my work, so I am able to keep a closer eye on pieces produced locally.

How did it feel to take out the DEBUT title for accessories at Fashion Exposed, Sydney? What did the experience bring to your label?

It was an honour to be named best emerging accessories designer! Being a part of DEBUT was a great experience overall – meeting all the other young and amazing designers and discussing our craft was quite inspiring.

Have you already started work on the next collection? Can you reveal anything, inspiration or theme?

For Autumn/Winter I’ve taken inspiration from ancient Russian fairytales; dark forests, mists at dawn and strident princesses with pale faces.

What do you hope for Ginny & Jude Designs in 2012?

For 2012 I’m hoping to source stockists Australia wide and continue bringing beautiful pieces to discerning women around the world.

For all of you who couldn’t adjust to the high-waisted pant/jean trend, well now you can officially rejoice as the low-slung skinny jeans makes its way back into popular culture. The latest trend report from iconic style site, WhoWhatWear released a trend report from the recent show season showing editors and models and bloggers sporting the look. From swedish star blogger Elin Kling to Paris Vogue editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt in her trademark Topshop cropped jeans, this trend is sure to be a big hit on the sidewalk. The tip is to find a cool skinny belt to wear with them that accentuates the low-slung feel and dramatises the hipster effect.

Adopt the trend with these J Brand 912 Low Rise 34″ Pencil Jean in Shadow.

See the complete J Brand range at Premiere Boutique Trade Event from this Sunday March 11-13 at the Royal Hall of Industries, Sydney on Stand B22, B24, C23 and C25.

E-commerce has exploded world wide. A recent article revealed online shopping is growing more than 10 times faster than traditional retail sales with $10.5 billion splurged last year. And there are no signs of it slowing down any time soon either.

So when Fashion Exposed Blog posted this article link to our Facebook page, we were surprised to hear of an alleged resistance from some clothing suppliers to sell to online-only boutiques.

“I don’t understand the mentality of many clothing suppliers who are still hesitant to sell to online stores though” – Fleur De Lys Me

“Clothing suppliers hesitate to sell online as this threatens their existing retail shop customers. Most retailers will consider dropping a label if it is being sold online and rrp cannot be controlled. So you have to weigh up the costs of losing wholesale accounts vs direct selling” – MISU by Playhouse Fashions

Unsure as to whether this was just a one-off case or not, we asked resident Exposed Online feature writer and agent, Phoebe Garland of Garland & Garland Fashion to give her insight on this phenomenon; whether there is any truth behind it; and if she believes there is a symbiotic future where online and retail can co-exist in harmony.

A recent article detailed how online sales are increasing at a rapid rate, often 10x more than traditional retail sales, why do you think online has become such a huge industry so quickly?

Convenience is a huge factor to buying online as well as better value for money for mainly overseas designer goods. Cosmetics & designer labels are so much cheaper overseas and the savings is great. We aren’t just talking a bit in price difference, but you buy designer goods for almost half the price.

Do you see online sales being a serious threat to the future of bricks and mortar retail? Why or why not?

I think online is great for bricks and mortar retailers. I recently had one bricks and mortar retailer come in to see us saying that she was so grateful for her online shop as the bricks and mortar shop was doing terribly and the online site they had was booming. Bricks and mortar retailers need to embrace online to reach a new customer to drive sales. Relying on street traffic for that new customer is not effective anymore, it’s all about engaging the new customer. I would love to see bricks and mortar say goodbye to shopping centre landlords and have a booming online business where they can have a better lifestyle, with much less overheads.

While online sales are booming, there has been talk among the industry that despite the figures, there is still resistance from some brands to sell to online-only webstores? Have you heard of this happening? And why do you think this exists?

Yes. I recently heard a manufacturer saying they would refuse to supply a particular online store and I was shocked and horrified. The fashion industry can be terribly backward having this attitude, supplying online stores which don’t discount won’t have an adverse effect to bricks and mortar, but supplying to department stores and chain stores which discount continuously with brands will.

MISU by Playhouse Fashions recently stated on the Fashion Exposed Facebook page that `Clothing suppliers hesitate to sell online as this threatens their existing retail shop customers. Most retailers will consider dropping a label if it is being sold online and rrp cannot be controlled. So you have to weigh up the costs of losing wholesale accounts vs direct selling.’ – what is your response to this?

I think manufacturers need to decide if they want to wholesale or sell directly. I am not a big of fan of manufacturers selling directly online, but I do agree with supplying online stores which do not discount brands and keep it at the RRP. Our agency is pro-online retailing as it’s smart. We recently had a retailer saying he actually thought online stores would be great for bricks and mortar as they would be marketing brands and in some cases it will be driving some sales to bricks and mortar. He thought the department stores were much more of a threat.

We spoke with Joseph Borchan of MMMC Fashion Distributors recently on Premiere Fashion Blog who rejoiced in their UK denim brand, HUDSON decision for backing bricks and mortar retailers by prohibiting international e-commerce sites from shipping into Australia to protect their business and increase HUDSON’s market share in Australia and New Zealand. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think this is needed? Why or why not?

From a distributors point of view I agree, they must take this stand. Especially with branded jeans which are being discounted overseas as they wouldn’t be able to build their sales here, they need to have this in place. However I am sure they would be happy to supply Australian online sites that don’t discount and stick to the RRP. As long as everyone sticks to the RRP it’s not a problem for anyone. It’s an even playing field.

How can we make both online and retail work cohesively, is there a simple solution to this? Do you have any suggestions for the future?

It’s all about omni-channel retailing for bricks and mortar and if they don’t evolve to digital, they shouldn’t be in business. In this economic climate retailers need to show adaption and innovation to be good retailers. I have survived three different industries that have headed to digital and it’s a case of adapting or getting out.

The Spirit of the Black Dress is one of the first events to officially kick off the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival each year and it is also one of the most highly anticipated. Purely for the fact that it embraces the emerging designers of the future who incorporate sustainability and ethical clothing considerations into their craft. It’s an extraordinary event, and extremely popular given that Melbourne is home to a hive of design creatives so of course the array of fashion on show is always extremely diverse, pushing the envelope of traditional or mainstream style.

Fashion Exposed Blog was privileged to be invited to attend the Gala runway event which showcased the Spirit of the Black Dress winners including former Fashion Exposed DEBUT finalist, Sonya Kraan, Kate Aikins, Bento, Berri Drum, Christina Exie, Gabriella Ferrante, Emmarose Kinsmen, Jessica Robertson and Lisa Taranto. Congratulations to all the finalists!

Please enjoy our photos from the night!

Jane Hayes Co-Founder & Managing Director of The Spirit of the Black Dress

Model in the final dress by Kate Aikins of Misty Belvidere

Model wearing creation by finalists Jess Priemus & Shimul Minhas of Bhalo

Model wearing the Samantha Harman creation from label Bento

Model strutting the Sonya Kraan creation on the runway


Sonya Kraan creation on model post runway

Paris 99 designer Yahav Ron with Spirit of the Black Dress finalist, Sonya Kraan

Lady Melbourne editor Phoebe Montague, Joshua Koko, and Kyra Pybus of Pybus PR

Watch the final video from the parade below:

When it comes to emerging, Melbourne has become quite the hotspot for discovering new talent. From furniture to fashion, there is a diversity of originality carving a niche with their creative concepts and new technologies in every aspect of design from textiles to accessories. That’s why it is fitting to see a Melbourne-based fashion festival embracing the new – the future.

Extending beyond the officially programmed events of the Festival week, the LMFF Cultural Program runs through the entire month of March. With over 77 diverse and inspiring events throughout Victoria the LMFF Cultural Program combines design, art and film to explore another side of fashion, far beyond the runway.

We decided to shine the Fashion Exposed Blog spotlight on five such emerging design creatives who have pulled together their talents to form their own curated exhibit artfully titled `Ex[ie]perimental Collective’.

How did you come to learn of the LMFF cultural program? And why did you want to take part?

Katia Di Crescenzo: The curator of the Ex[ie]perimental Collective exhibition, Christina Exie, who is also a friend from my studies at RMIT’s Bachelor of Design (Fashion) invited me to exhibit my work along with three other fashion students. It seemed like a great opportunity to participate in an event that unites emerging conceptual designers and their practices.

How important are events such as these in recognising the emerging design talent? Why?

Katia Di Crescenzo: It is so crucial as these cultural exhibitions are celebrations of the emotional, creative and thought-provoking journeys emerging designers find themselves upon. It is a look into the most raw and vulnerable stage of a designer and is essentially their launch into the industry and their intitiation into the world of design.

Katia Di Crescenzo, you are a recent graduate in jewellery design, how difficult is it to make it in the current fashion industry and how will this show increase your chances?

It is most difficult as the fashion industry is becoming more and more competitive. We hope this exhibition will demonstrate the importance of research and process, through our methodologies and artifacts.

What can people expect from the presentation?

Our collective encompasses a dynamic fusion of technique, concept and intellectual problem solving through the design process, demonstrated in different forms of fashion: 2D collage, instillation art, jewellery design and fashion design.

Can you talk us through the designers and what they represent?

Katia Di Crescenzo: “I have a fascination with creating an object that is both physical and suggests abstract thoughts that may seem more significant and resonant.rMy intent is to express an aura of poetic intrigue, and to create an emotional and intellectual impact. Combining the traditional techniques of using metalwork with modern accents. Each piece I create has a significance, a story, a message, a resonance; a hymn to intellectual beauty.

Christina Exie: “I am a graduate from Bachelor of Design (Fashion) RMIT, who creates Avant Garde clothing for the female form, with an aesthetic that is edgy and underground. My works’ have endured an intense design developmental process; extensive research into an idea to form a concept, intricately detailed pattern making, mostly hand constructed with the use of sculpture, hand stitching and moulding techniques which are all finished with precision.”

Helen Pappas: “I’ve come to regard myself as a Collagist, as design is much like a collage itself. It blends and mixes elements from all over the place, and I like creating work which references the past as well as being a little bit fun and humorous!”

Kara Liu: “Like a scientific experiment, when I come up with an idea of a garment, it is essentially proposing a hypothesis to be tested. I would always keep a constant in a project such as a technique, while other elements such as scale or fabrication become variables that change in each garment experimentation. I love how I don’t know what the final result would look like until it is made.”

Emma Boseley: “I design to find self expression. I work effectively through designing; by making. Ideas are always strong and unique, when I design three – dimensionally. I find it easier to execute an idea straight from an image in my mind rather then drawing or realising all the steps before hand. Inspiration lies within the individual; I always find different practices, processes or techniques inspire me.

Support local designers during the LMFF Cultural Program and visit the Ex[ie]perimental Collective curated exhibit. Launch night is on March 22nd from 6-9pm and will remain open until March 28. Head to Level 1, Von Haus Building, 1a Crossley St, Melbourne

Every so often a label comes along that defies all the design norms to break the mundane moulds and fashion something entirely new. brkich (pronounced ‘bur-kitch’)
is a Melbourne based, Australian fashion label with a difference that seeks to fulfill all the above. Designer Belinda Crossley set out to ensure a strong focus on hand screen-printed textiles, and original textile prints are the cornerstone of brkich design, both instantly striking and identifiable to the label’s aesthetic.

Belinda designs fabric specific to each collection so that brkich maintains a high level of integrity in design and production. Collections are produced locally in order to maintain and supervise ethical practice, quality control and to support Melbourne’s local industry. These key factors influenced the judges at Fashion Exposed to award Brkich the winner of the DEBUT competition in Sydney.

Fashion Exposed Blog had a chat with Belinda to discuss the creation of her DEBUT collection and its `exploration of colour, texture and form’; why she chooses to hand screen print her own textiles; and on winning the DEBUT competition.

How did you get your start in fashion design? Has fashion always been a constant thread in your life?

I have always had a strong interest in the art and design field. I grew up in rural Gippsland, in an old butter factory which my mother converted to an art gallery, needless to say I grew up in a very creative environment. My focus gradually shifted from fine arts to decorative arts; namely textiles. I studied Textile Design at RMIT, the years during and after my study is when I really developed my passion for fashion and textiles. I love that fashion is at once a necessary part of everyday life and a creative expression or even indulgence.

You debut collection is `an exploration of colour, texture and form’ can you explain where you sourced the inspiration for this theme? And why you were drawn to this style?

I like to keep things relatively simple. I designed the garments to have simple shapes and clean lines, this allows the fabrics to really be the focus of each piece. I love working with contrasting colors and textures and exploring how all of this elements relate to one another.

Not only did you design each of the pieces, you also hand screen printed the textiles – why is this artistic approach so essential to the label? And can you explain the process of your design?

My prints are the keystone to my collection, instantly striking and identifiable. Hand screen printed textiles are such a wonderful thing, they give you such freedom when designing the look of your work. My design process is really quite organic. It can begin with a print idea, a garment silhouette or an interesting colour combination or an amalgamation of all these things. I do a lot of sampling with my fabrics, the design development continues through this hands on approach.

It seems as though there is a very holistic approach to your design, fabrics and fits designed simultaneously with each other in mind – why?

This is simply the way that I naturally work. There would not be one without the other, textile designs are engineered specifically for the garments in question and vice versa.

You crafted the pieces from natural fibres and fabrics such as linen, cotton and silk, why did you choose these for your first collection?
Because they are beautiful to work with and beautiful to wear. I chose these fabrics as they are soft and light, but still maintain a sense of structure.

How did it feel to be announced as the winner of the Debut competition at Fashion Exposed, Sydney? Did you think you were in with a winning chance?

It felt great, I was honestly a bit overwhelmed, I really didn’t have any expectations of the event. It is a lovely feeling to have your hard work and passion acknowledged, It gives you an indication that you are on the right track.

What are your thoughts on the other Debut finalists?

I was really impressed, a few of the finalist were already known to me and a few were completely new faces. Everyone involved with debut really had their own unique style, from the modern geometrics of Neo Dia to the nostalgic whimsy of Ginny and Jude Designs. I will definitely keep in touch with friends made within the other finalists. It was great to compare notes and swap experiences!

Have you already begun work on the next collection? If so can you reveal anything about it, inspiration or theme?

Only in the very early conceptual stages. I would really like to explore some different techniques in addition to my handprinting, dyeing, digital printing etc. There is a lot to play with.

What do you hope for Brkich in 2012?
I will continue to grow and explore my brand, meet new people, learn new things, make beautiful pieces!

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks, Its been fun.

Become a fan of Brkich on Facebook.

Fashion Journal March Edition from Fashion Journal on Vimeo.

We love a good modelise as much as the next person, so we were excited to see the latest video from street and style rag, Fashion Journal. The fun film captures four Australian emerging models Ish of Vivien’s, and Tahnee Malina, Vincent and Candice Goss of Chadwicks who get all up close and personal with the camera in their latest denim threads, all to a high energy beat – it’s irresistably good and I can’t wait to see the full spread of this video in the March issue.

Check your local streets!!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia has just announced their label line-up including cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.

Other stand outs include Romance Was Born, Johanna Johnson, Oroton, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah.
New talent Watson x Watson and Aje will showcase their collections for the first time with other newcomers including We are Handsome, Elliot Ward Fear, Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designer involved in the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows will be announced shortly.

This is set to be a very exciting Australian Fashion Week, stay tuned for more updates.

Words really can’t describe the enigmatic, eclectic, and larger than life personalities of iconic fashion designer Jenny Bannister and her fashionable partner in crime, celebrity stylist Philip Boon. The dynamic duo are the colourful hosts of Australia’s only live fashion chat show, Fashion Torque and they need to be seen to be believed. The astounding success of their show is in equal part due to their ability to open up relevant industry issues for public discussion, mixed with their flamboyant fashion sense and penchant for performance. It’s this artistic backdrop that has set the scene for other equally glamboyant stylites who love the chance to dress up, talk fashion, and mingle with like-minded creative creatures. This is enhanced by the FT dress code, with each show themed into a fashion category. The first show of the year is `Jungle Chic’ with a prize for the most inventive ensemble.

Philip Boon and Jenny Bannister in jungle attire for their launch party at Fashion Torque’s new home, the Hasti Bala room, The Carlton

But it’s not all flash and no facts. In the first year Fashion Torque welcomed discerning industry figureheads to its stage including former Project Runway judge and now head buyer for The Iconic website, Sarah Gale; Herald Sun Fashion Editor, Anna Byrne; Garland & Garland Fashion agency co-founder, Phoebe Garland; and our own Exposed Online editor and blogger, Sacha Strebe.

Sacha Strebe, Philip Boon and Jenny Bannister at Fashion Torque, 2011

Fashion Torque kick off their first 2012 show tonight at their new `home’, the Hasti Bala room at The Carlton, Level 3, 193 Bourke Street, Melbourne from 7pm. It’s FREE for everyone to attend, so be sure you don’t miss this unique event and join in the discussion with their special guests Sarah Gale ex-Project Runway judge and buyer extraordinaire at The Iconic; a.Concept designer and Project Runway winner Anthony Capon; fashion reporter on Channel 10′s The Circle and soon-to-be author, Emily Power; and Style Melbourne Editor, Sarah Willcox.

Fashion Exposed Blog took five with Jenny and Philip before their big night to chat about why Fashion Torque has seen such unprecedented success after just one year; their cult following of fashionable attendees; and their individual opinions on working with each other and why it is such a successful recipe.

Fashion Torque is only in its infancy but already the talk show has become a go-to for industry insiders, bloggers and fashion critics alike – why do you think there has been such a huge response to FT? why?

Philip
I think everybody in all kinds of industries need a sounding board and need to feel they belong and I know there are many online resources for that, but Jenny and I felt that we needed a resource that was personal and live, and instant. I think people have responded so well because we all want to have our say, and who doesn’t love a chat show!!!

Jenny
The instant response to FT has been due to people being able to get instant answers by interacting with the panel and the other guests. Every thing is close up and real which makes it very easy to network, and many a good meeting has been made. It’s like a happy club of like-minded individuals.

Why is Fashion Torque such a unique event? What makes it so different to any other fashion community or networking channel?

Philip
Jenny and I are in the position of being both in the fashion industry for many years, so we have worked with (and have many friends) who are really experts in their chosen fields and are really happy to share with our audience their knowledge. This doesn’t happen anywhere where people give their amazing knowledge for free – which our guest panelists do – so we are extremely lucky and fortunate, as are our audience, to experience it!

Jenny
FT was set up as it is, through sheer lateral thinking, no funds and kind hosts. We wanted it to be easy to access and free to attend.

Many of your audience members use the event as a chance to dress up and really showcase their individual flair – why do you think FT inspires this and attracts this crowd?

Philip
If you work in the fashion industry you usually love to dress up and so our Fashion Torquers love to be involved. And with Jenny being the Queen of dress up, you get the chance to see what outfit Jenny comes up with next. Who doesn’t love a dress up party and with well known guests!

Jenny
FT is the only fashion group in Melbourne where you can dress and say what you feel. It also attracts like-minded souls. We have all made a lot of friends out of holding FT. It has brought out the most expressive dressers and bon vivants.You won’t find these people in the mall!

After such a successful debut year, you recently announced Fashion Torque’s new residence in the Hasti Bala Room at The Carlton – how did this pairing come about? And why did this venue suit the chat show?

Philip
We realised we had outgrown our last venue and so the wonderful Hannah Bellil from The Carlton, who is a regular at Fashion Torque, approached us with a master plan and we loved the idea. I had already seen the space and knew Jenny would love it, which she did. The Carlton is totally what Fashion Torque is all about – creative and colourful!

Jenny
Hannah Bellil has been a firm follower of FT and has held parties for us at The Carlton, apres our knock out shows at the Melbourne Town Hall. She knows our ‘torque’ well and could see we would love the Hasti Bala as a new location.

You have hosted many great panels with industry figureheads and your first show for the year promises one of the strongest yet – including buying powerhouse Sarah Gale of online super store The Iconic’ Emily Power who was former Herald Sun Fashion Editor and is now the fashion presenter of tv show The Circle; Project Runway winner and a.concept fashion designer Anthony Capon; and Style Melbourne editor Sarah Willcocks – this crosses all spectrums of the fashion industry – is this your aim? To ensure there all viewpoints on the topic are covered at the talk show?

Philip
Most definitely, we always want many varied opinions on the show and even in the audience, so we will continue to have a broad range of panelists. We are really looking forward to who we’re having on the show in the coming months, stay tuned!!!

Jenny
We choose our panelists to bounce off each other in their respective fields in relation to our topic of the discussion, so that our audience gets the best information and entertainment .

How do you plan each show together? What is it like to work alongside such an icon like Jenny Bannister? And Jenny, how is it working with a similar icon in modern fashion as Phillip?

Philip
Jenny Bannister is the most creative person I know and is such an amazing talent in this industry. I am so lucky to work with her on Fashion Torque and we have a great time planning the show, it really is a reality show in itself our ‘meetings’! We laugh throughout the whole process and I really enjoy this time together, again I’m lucky to work with and to call her my friend, I think that shows with our chemistry you see on Fashion Torque. I could never be called ‘the straight man’ in any duo, but with Jenny I am, happily!

Jenny
Planning the shows with Philip is always full of humour and news. We love the industry so much we are in tune with what’s going on and it’s quite a precise affair of brainstorming current fashion topics… on the couch! The industry excites us both in different ways due to our alternate roles within it. Our panelists, who we think up on the spot, are contacted toute suite, we adore how they all love to be part of our fashion community and we are very thankful to them for coming on the journey with us.

How do you both complement each other? Why do you think your combination makes for such a successful recipe?

Philip
We are very different in many ways, but we both love fashion and dressing up and discussing different topics. I suppose we like to be a bit controversial every now and then and that’s why we work together, we understand each other and really like each other, that’s important!

Jenny
The combination of Jenny and Philip has a special chemistry of humour, style and controversy as we both get a kick out of the same things. Philip is teaching me new things everyday, as he says” I have a new career now, I am not retired.”

What are you looking forward to in 2012? Any other plans you can reveal? Will we ever see your show live on television perhaps?

Philip
Well yes we are working on putting together a television show at the moment that will be intelligent, entertaining and inspiring. It could take a while though but Jenny and I are committed to continuing the success of Fashion Torque and taking it to your TV screen! An Iphone app is also in the plan, stay tuned peeps!

Jenny
Plans for 2012 are to embrace the future changes of the industry, as Jenny says “Change is the new black”. Get with it in a positive way and work with it. And of course a TV show is certainly in the script!

Anything else you would like to add?

Philip
We are really excited for the year ahead and the ongoing support of all the fashion insiders that have been involved already and to our wonderful Fashion Torquers who have been so loyal – we wouldn’t be doing it without that!

Jenny
FT was formed when Jenny and Philip felt a need for a fashion industry discussion group, that was free to attend and open to anyone to attend to, form a comrade of people to move forward by networking and sharing.

Let’s face it, the world seems to spin faster than usual these days. Well at least in fashion circles. The speed of collection turn around and range releases has switched to overdrive. No longer are we content to be presented with just one range a season, now there’s the popular Resort, diffusion lines and transeasonal drops in-between – it can be tricky keeping up but we wouldn’t have it any other way. The only set back in the past has been the wait, particularly now since we can see our beloved style bloggers already wearing next season’s pieces before us. Normally we would have to sit and wait with envy and despair, but not anymore.

Thanks to a new wave of websites offering savvy shoppers the option to pre-order next season before it’s even hit the boutiques or online stores. Moda Operandi has been hugely successful overseas offering customers the option to purchase high end designer looks straight off the runways of New York, London, Paris and Milan during show season. Now thanks to a clever couple with industry nouse, Australia is about to their very own version, but at much more affordable price points.

Introducing The Ivory Room. Set to launch in March this year, co-founders Brett and Kelly Gaunt are offering Aussie fashion lovers the chance to pre-order pre-season and you can even lay-by. And yes, they offer free shipping too.

Fashion Exposed Blog had to find out more and took five with Brett and Kelly to see how this will actually work; how their fashion backgrounds culminated to create The Ivory Room; what labels they’ll be featuring; and whether they will offer the chance to buy off the runway at Australian Fashion Week.

How did you conceive of the Ivory Room? and why?

Online shopping is becoming a way of life for many fashion lovers and has only strengthened the ability for consumers to take more control over their purchasing decisions. We viewed this as an opportunity to provide an innovative, unique solution for both designers and consumers.

Tell us about your background?

Co-founders Brett and Kelly Gaunt originally have corporate backgrounds in senior sales and marketing management positions respectively. Kelly has extensive consulting experience in the online space.

Do you have a personal history in the fashion industry?

Yes, Brett and Kelly are also the owners of Estile.com a niche fashion clearance website. Having owned and operated this business since March 2010 when they acquired the website from Two Threads they have developed a great rapport with a number of Australian fashion labels and also understand intimately what online consumers crave.

What inspired you to kick off this initiative?

Given the current retail environment, we felt that the timing was perfect in providing a unique solution for designers to increase sales and margin whilst enticing consumers to increase their spend in an environment they had not yet experienced.

Moda Operandi has seen huge success overseas with the international collections being offered for pre-order straight off the runway, will you be offering a similar pre-order service with the Ivory Room?

Whilst Moda Operandi and The Ivory Room share a pre-order service concept, this is where the similarity ends. The Ivory Room offer is more modest than the price point positioning of Moda Operandi. The Ivory Room is accessible to the everyday consumer and has much broader appeal in terms of potential market.

Will it be exclusively Australian labels or some internationals also?

Initially yes we would prefer to work with Australian labels exclusively, though we will regularly review this over the course of the next 12 months.

Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week is around the corner, will customers have the opportunity to pre-order Australian labels off the runway?

At this stage we are not looking at directly covering this event. Stay tuned though.

Can you reveal any of the labels that will be featured on the Ivory Room?

We have promised to keep this secret until our launch date notice which is very, very soon.

Talk us through the process of `unlocking fashion’s future’ – how does the pre-odering of pre-season work?

In a nutshell we all love to view the upcoming trends that our favourite magazines, bloggers and the like reveal. The Ivory Room unlocks this to consumers by allowing them to actually get in first and order their must have new season pieces before they hit the stores. It’s a fabulous way to plan and select your key pieces for the season from both a financial and fashion perspective.

How it works!
BRANDS PREPARE NEW SEASON COLLECTION
A designer presents their upcoming collection to buyers and the media via runway shows and/or look book distribution. After this process begins The Ivory Room prepares the pre season online showing especially for our members.

THE IVORY ROOM EVENT
The Ivory Room hosts the pre season online showing of a designers up coming collection for 3 – 7 days. The Ivory Room members can pre-order their favourite pieces by placing a lay-by during the online showing. Pre-season order periods can range from a couple of weeks prior to a collection being available to 6 months depending on when the designer wishes to host the pre-season showing on The Ivory Room (members place a 50% deposit when they place their order and the remaining 50% is charged at the time the order is dispatched).

BRANDS MAKE IT
The designer produces the pieces The Ivory Room members have purchased and delivers them to The Ivory Room. Upon receipt and verification of the merchandise, The Ivory Room notifies our members and we charge the remaining balance.

WE SEND IT TO YOU
The Ivory Room sends your purchase in our exclusive packaging. You receive the pieces in season.

One of the key features of the site is the lay-by option, why did you decide to incorporate this option into your site?

We wanted consumers to be able to pre plan their upcoming seasons wardrobe but recognised that financially it is not always viable to pay for something in full in advance. By introducing a lay-by system we can provide consumers with an opportunity to secure their must have fashion pieces and pay the final balance on the day their order is shipped. We believe the lay-by system will allow consumers to invest in fashion pieces that they will cherish forever as they can secure and plan final payment for that $400 jacket they really want avoiding lots of $100 impulse buys throughout a season that are often out of fashion or worn out after one season.

Will there be free shipping with Ivory Room pre-orders?

Yes there is free shipping on all Australian orders.

When is the launch date? And do you have anything planned to officially kick it off?

Launch is first half of March and there will be a $20 credit offer for all consumers who register and sign up to The Ivory Room newsletter during the foundation period.

Mark Fletcher of Shopworks Science chats to Fashion Exposed Online Editor, Sacha Strebe after his business seminar, `Understanding shopper insights to inform retailers’.

Mark discussed the importance of tracking customer query profiling, shopper mission profiling and installing a shopper counter system – and more importantly why these research tools are so crucial to the survival of your business.

Click the link to download his Powerpoint Presentation; Customer Exposed 2012

Here is a break down of the seminar;
1. Retailers Objectives
- More shoppers to store, buying, buying multiples & recommending to friends
- Use inventory levels, VM, product ranging, loyalty cards, staff training and store location as your retailer tools

2. Basic Shopper Insights
- Shopper traffic counting – how many shoppers enter your store?
- Shopper demographic profiling – age, sex, alone or in groups
- Shopper query profiling – clarifying categories of queries
- Shopper mission profiling – clarifying categories of mission/reasons

3. Advanced Shopper Insights
- In-store eye tracking
- Customer journey mapping
- Brand engagement research
- In-store shopper tracking

4. Where to start?
- Stop relying on assumptions and past experience
- Recognise that shoppers & retail conditions constantly change
- Audit what accurate data you already own
- Trial some simple processes to collect the information

Simon Goodrich of Portable chats to Fashion Exposed Online Editor, Sacha Strebe at the Sydney trade event after his business seminar, `Discover e-commerce & social media tips for fashion brands’.

Simon discussed how retailers can adapt to the new digital environment by sticking to a stripped back, simple website that is easy to navigate. This means no splash page, flash or animation as this just slows the customer down in making a purchase. We ask him what `simple’ and `no fuss’ really means; how to create quality and relevant content; and why Facebook and Twitter is crucial to your retail survival.

Here are his top tips:

1. Brand Websites
- measure your weekly and monthly visitors, subscribers & stats
- keep your website design and layout simple, and let the content be king
- start slowly, spend a bit, then upgrade when you can afford it

2. Blogs
- publish content like your lookbooks, behind the scenes, your press releases
- tag all of your blog posts

3. Facebook & twitter
- Facebook is about customer interaction & discussion
- Twitter is better as a news service
- Share on both sites regularly. Don’t be afraid of bombarding

4. Emails, Newsletters & User Acquisition
- Collect email addresses at events (parades, exhibitions, runway shows, pop up shops or parties)
- Put exclusive content in your newsletters to encourage joiners

5. Mobile & Location
- Make sure your site is mobile optimised
- Mobile will be used for discovery & transactions

6. YouTube & Video
- Video is the new form of content and is replacing runway shows
- Tag your video correctly

7. SEo & Google
- Emphasise key words within your content as they are more likely to be indexed
- Get your friends to comment on posts. Comments increase ranking

8. Advertising & Paid Search
- Display advertising, paid search & social advertising

Tony Bannister of Sydney-based trend agency, Scout chats to Fashion Exposed Online Editor, Sacha Strebe on `Unearthing global trends for retail, catwalk and the consumer’ for SS13.

Tony kicked off the seminar with the notion of `everyday people’ as the underlying force and influence behind global trends, he explains `We need to be real, for today’s changing consumer, you have to talk to your consumer in a very personalised way so by having something which is very authentic, very real it needs to be about your customer… As the industry becomes homogenised, the cooler, smaller brands are personalising their collections to suit their customer, to authenticate it and be individual.”

He also discusses the move from fast to slow fashion and how retailers can incorporate this into their boutiques; his discoveries during a recent trip to Bread and Butter trade event in Europe; and how the concept of `everyday people’ relates to tracking trends at Scout.

Here are his `big picture’ trends from the Digital Exposed business seminar on Day 2 of Fashion Exposed:

1. Slow Fashion – slow, organic trends inspired by the slow down in the economy and the changing needs of consumers
2. Folksy – Music and fashion are being inspired by authentic, creative, handcrafted design with a sweet old fashioned feel to it
3. Environmental – Nature inspired trends, yearning to be healthy and natural, moving away from chaos towards balance & harmony
4. Contemporary – Technology not nostalgia that drives us forward with high tech based, bold graphics in minimalist looks & fabrics
5. Cultural – East meets West as we merge ethnic influences into our thinking. Harmony, tolerance and understanding are gaining momentum
6. Authentic – Timeless vintage or pared back grunge. The anti-thesis of the tech consumer. Old world values and washed out industrial design
7. Luxury – Re-establishing itself as a more personal, discreet kind of luxury. A stealth wealth moving away from the masses
8. Gender Bender – Women’s new role in topping the rich list and more stay at home dad’s. Society and roles are changing. Blurring lines.
9. Glamatic – Our naughty side wants to act up against all the issues, political correctness and folksy messages. High octane fabrics, gloss and shine is back

Slow life
1. Time Takers – soft, sun-faded & sun-bleached
2. Arty Crafters – retro, pretty, crafy, homespun
3. Minimalists – monochromes, clean shades, verging on classics
4. Remakers – urban, black with strong dirty jewel tones
5. Authentics – real, traditional shades, pre-season

We chat to Phoebe and Robert Garland of Garland & Garland Fashion delivered their Regional Exposed Seminar at Fashion Exposed, Sydney `Learn how to maximise your regional boutique business’.

Here are her top tips:

Building a Brand for your Business:
1. Be known everywhere, not just locally – think globally.
2. Invest in marketing materials
3. Think outside the square – partnering opportunities to build your brand

Building sales through marketing
1. Social networking
2. Text message promotions
3. Engage in PR and become key stockists for magazines

Multi-channelling online & social media
1. Social networking on facebook, twitter, tumblr, LinkedIn, Google+ etc
2. Consider selling garments on facebook
3. Start building a good website with an online shopping cart

Fundamentals of a good online site
1. Free shipping, hassle free returns, fast response to email queries
2. Quality photos & extensive product descriptions
3. Easy to navigate site with social media interaction

Top Tips
1. Understand your customer
2. Strong customer service
3. Staggering your deliveries
4. Communication between suppliers

“We are in the midst of a retail revolution where consumers are bored and confused by the old methods of retailing and aren’t quite sure what the new rules are. They want dynamic, interactive, experiences where they connect in an authentic way with the products they are buying.”

We spoke with Kate Vandermeer of iSpyStyle after her Retail Exposed Business Seminar at Fashion Exposed, Sydney to discuss design that moves and creating dynamic experiences in your retail environment; the idea of the pop-up shop and mobile shop and how to incorporate this into your business; and what to do if you’re struggling with imagination or creative ideas.

Here are her top tips;

1. Design that moves
- creating dynamic experiences that encourage revisits by customers due to the curiosity and unexpectedness

2. Team Spirit
- Joining forces with other creatives to share ideas, share databases and try something new is always going to be better and more effective than going it along

3. Experience based retailing
- Throw out the rule book and create a must-do/see/touch experience so that the customer feels they’re missing out if they don’t participate. Think temporary spaces and mobile shops.

4. Natural Habitat
- Merchandising product in its natural environment and creating a more realistic experience will make the customer feel more connected.

5. Upcycling
- This is luxe recycling. Taking old things and giving them a new, modern context. It’s about being environmentally conscious with style.

6. Patch of Green
- Incorporating greenery into your retail space for oxygen, freshness, customer satisfaction and well-being.

The world your consumer lives in is changing, fast. It’s not about what digital channels we use, everyone is everywhere.81.9% use the internet, 32% use mobile internet, and 85% of active users use social networks. There is no separation between digital and reality, because digital is part of life now, it’s just how we do things. And it’s this consumer’s change in habits that we need to capitalise on in order to succeed in the new landscape. Brands need to give consumers the power to share, recommend and co-create around a single brand idea that always has a personal connection.

This is just one of the key messages Digital Creative & Media Agency, Reborn delivered today during their Digital Exposed Business Seminar during day 1 of Fashion Exposed, Sydney. We took one Reborn Creative Director, Jarrad Collings aside to discuss the channels we need to be tuned into now; what the buzzword omni-channel means for retailers; and why it’s important to create quality content for sharing online.

Don’t miss the Live Look Book runway shows during Fashion Exposed featuring both womenswear and accessories from the upcoming spring summer 2012 collections.

Kate Hurst of Hurst & Co. discussed how to discover the key components for fashion business success at Fashion Exposed, Sydney today.

We took five with Kate after the seminar to discuss her journey from fashion designer to fashion consultancy agency; the new omni-channell retail environment; and the importance of connection for a successful business.

Here are her business seminar top tips;

1. Clarity
- Be authentic with your brand essence
- Understand your customers & research your competitors
- Clarify what “success” is to you

2. Innovation
- People want to experience something new. Give it to them.
- Be innovative with design, retail experiences, technology and your marketing strategy

3. Connection
- Business is fundamentally about people
- Embrace social media
- Make stronger connections

4. Sustainability
- Build your business over time
- Build a social foundation for growth
- You don’t want to run out of money, energy, customers or creativity

5. Adaptation
- You must be online to be competitive
- Embrace omnichannel retailing – where online & the real world collide
- Retail needs to be exciting and engaging for customers

Jen Sherrin of WGSN revealed the tops trends for SS 12 for the first Business Seminar at Fashion Exposed Sydney today. We took five with her post-seminar to discuss why tracking trends are so crucial to the future of fashion; how pastels are the big colour story for the new season; and what trends she’s seeing already at NYFW.

Click to find out what the key WGSN trends are:

1. A sporting life
- Olympiad year
- Clean, modern sportswear
- Unexpected fabrications
- Functional detailing
- Clean brights

2. Aquatic
- Aquatic influences
- Aquarelle colours
- Weightless fabrications
- Decorative & fragile
- Streamlined scuba sports

3. 50s twist
- Glamorous 50s
- Seaside vacations
- Quirky prints & candy colours
- Rock’n'Roll
- Hawaiian prints

4. Tribal Artisan
- North African influences
- Deco inspirations
- Graphic patterns
- Dry handle knits
- Georustic

Womenswear
The duster coat
The lightweight parka
Cagoules
The collarless jacket
Sports dresses
The shirtdress
Dropped waist dress
Waisted full skirt dresses
Full skirts
Pencil skirts
Athletic shorts
Slouchy sports pants
Peplum tops
Asymmetric tops
Mesh knits

Menswear
The lightweight nylon mac
The protective utility jacket
The performance cagoule
The unstructured blazer
The shacket
The cropped pant
The overhead shirt
The shell top
The Johnny-collar polo

“I started out wanting to find the `right’ colour gold handbag. In the end I found myself with a handbag business. It all began in Hong Kong, the year 2007. Several unsuccessful shopping trips later and I decided to make the bag I had pictured in my head.” - Desti of Desti Saint Handbags.

Now Desti is a revered handbag designer, known for her stylish designs, impeccable attention to detail, and luxe fabrication.

After a hugely successful show at Fashion Exposed Melbourne in 2011, Desti returns to Sydney this weekend with her new `Maddie Collection’. You can read up on the latest range in the recent issue of Fashion Exposed Online.

COMPETITION

For a chance to WIN the Happiness Tassel Bag in Atrum Black (pictured below) from the new Maddie Collection valued at AUD $458, simply visit the Fashion Exposed Facebook Page for details.

Just as we made the shift into a multi-channel retail environment, the buzz word is already outdated. Offering a store, website and smartphone access for customers is no longer enough. The National Retail Federation Conference held in New York recently revealed customers now demand a seamless shopping experience, or `omni-channel retailing’, that allows them to move from in-store to online and smartphone before they make a purchase.

“Despite what the latest buzzword might be, research and presentations at the conference revealed customers preferred to shop in stores which offered multiple channels to their customers across online, smartphone and in store, indicating an affinity with brands and the shopping experience.” – ARA

According to WGSN Retail Editor, Lorna Hall we aren’t moving towards a multi-channel environment, we are in one. “The customer lives there – it’s the retailer that is desperately playing catch up and, in some cases, is still building the house.”

Lorna is a business journalist with 11 years’ experience writing about and commentating on the fashion market. Before joining WGSN, she was the executive editor of the UK’s award-winning fashion trade magazine Drapers. As Senior Editor of the Retail Talk directory, Lorna is responsible for keeping the industry informed on best practice and innovation across all forms of retail. Lorna speaks at and chairs international apparel conferences and seminars; most recently she chaired a number of sessions at the Asia Fashion Summit in Singapore. She is a regular commentator on the fashion trade via international media.

In this chat, we explore the latest in retail trends; the power of `like’; how retailers can best prepare for the omni-channel future; and the crucial role of social media.

You have been a business journalist for 11 years commenting on the fashion market, how has this experience prepared you for your role today with WGSN?

The advantage it gives me is a long view in terms of industry perspective, that, coupled with an understanding of the cycles the retail industry goes through, help me spot what is a passing fad and what is of lasting significance.

There has been a huge shift in traditional retail with the introduction of digital marketing/e-commerce, how do you foresee retail in the future as it moves towards a multi-channel environment?

We are not moving towards a multi-channel environment we are in one. The customer lives there – it’s the retailer that is desperately playing catch up and, in some cases, is still building the house.

How can retailers best prepare for the future? and what are some of the key components retailers need to do harness within their business now?

Understand that the world is both their customer and their competitor. Judge themselves in terms of fashionability and price against those global standards. Leverage their idiosyncrasies as a tool for empowering their brand. Develop a personal and shared language between themselves and their customer. Understand that they need to be simultaneously local and global in the way they engage with customers and the way they run their business. Invest in digital natives put them in an autonomous unit and let them create that realm within your business – just leave them alone and let them innovate.

How important is social media in a fashion retailer’s business planning and marketing strategies?

It’s massively important. It’s a difficult one for retailers to comprehend and act on because the return on investment is not measurable in the way that traditional marketing is. But the “buy in“ should be that it boils down to three things which every retailer already understands: social media is about driving traffic, engendering loyalty and emotionally connecting with the customer, all of these things have been watchwords in best practice retail marketing for years. Social is just a new way to do it.

I recently heard a US retailer (the marketing director of US young fashion chain, Express) sum it up beautifully when she described social media as like “air conditioning“ what she meant by that was it should be part of your infrastructure.

‘like’ via Facebook is a huge resource retailers are now tapping into with many now selling stock via Facebook before it hits the floor, why do you think this form of selling is so powerful? And what do you predict will happen with this relationship going forward?

Actual social selling/shopping is still very much in its infancy, scratch that, it’s really still in gestation. At the moment I believe retailers shouldn’t get too hung up on the mechanics of enabling actual transactions in the social space –what they need to be focused on is how they can use the social space as a bridge to a sale.

Other than the digital advancements, what other significant changes will there be within the retail sector for the future?

Digital is driving as many changes to retail offline as it is online. So from a business model point of view it’s revolutionising the number of stores you need as a retailer and it’s reshaping what you will need to have in those stores. It’s forcing shopping centre developers to re-examine what they need to be to customers and it’s enabling small niche business’s to punch way above their weight, subvert traditional retail models and steal market share from under the nose of businesses that up until now have been category killers. In short it’s an incredibly exciting time to be in retail and incredibly challenging.

With such advancements in technology, it can be easy to forget the crucial role of the consumer as a person and not a number online – how important is it to enhance traditional customer service values and incorporate a `seamless service’ strategy that ensures the customer receives quality service online, in-store and via mobile? And will a single retailer be expected to juggle it all?

Yup, the retailer will be expected to juggle it all – “the customer expects“ and if they don’t get, they don’t come back. Judge your business by the standards you expect from other businesses when you are the customer.

Can you tell us about your plans in Australia?

I plan to talk to as many retailers as I possibly can to better understand the market and I plan to spend a lot of time in stores. Basically it’s shop, talk about shops, sleep, in that order and that’s the way I like it.

Follow Lorna Hall on Twitter.

New York Fashion Week is set to kick off in just two days time and the world is buzzing with anticipation, street style bloggers are armed and ready with their lens in hand to snap every stylish thing on the city alleyways, speculation is mounting on who will walk the coveted runways during the castings, PR teams have their ears glued to their cell phone and designers are no-doubt burning the candle at both ends to ensure everything is ready on show day.

Joining the throng of international faces, is a bevvy of downunder dames who are slowly taking over the runways and this season expect to see plenty more of our fresh-faced femmes. Including the divine Olivia Thornton from Brisbane. Discovered by Vivien’s Model Management, Olivia has been on the up-and-coming radar for some time now and is finally about to make her mark on the world. She is currently in New York working her way through the casting system and we can’t wait to hear of the shows she secures.

We managed to nab her for five minutes to chat on her journey from Robina Town Shopping centre on the Gold Coast to the streets of NYC; working with Australian designer Ellery; and the importance of maintaining a strong family network to keep a level head in the flighty world of modelling. But it seems Olivia has it all under control – “I see every day as an opportunity to better myself and my surroundings to ensure I stay happy and healthy”.

From being discovered at Robina Town Centre on the GC, to gracing the coveted catwalks of Australian and international brands – do you pinch yourself? Did you ever think modelling would be a career?

I guess when I look back it is a bit insane! But with every step I take it just makes me more ambitious to achieve more in the future. I never pictured I’d get this far though, but for now I’m just working hard and enjoying the ride!

Of all the brands you have worked with so far, who are your favourites and why?

One of my favourite campaigns I’ve shot thus far was for Ellery in 2010. It was one of my first big jobs. I’m a huge fan of the cool, edgy vibe of the brand and get a kick out of being considered an ‘Ellery girl’ and walking for them! One of the most enjoyable days I’ve had on set was shooting the Siren Shoes campaign, not only was the style of the shoot incredible (I felt like a superhero!) but it was such a fun and talented team to work with and I spent most of the day doubled over laughing.

The shows are just around the corner, will you be attending castings at NYFW? Who are you hoping to walk for?

Yes I am! I’m headed off to New York tomorrow. I would be absolutely over the moon to walk for any significant brand, but I would love to do Alexander Wang. He’s easily one of my favourite designers.

If you could have any campaign, what brand would you be proud to put your face to?

I’ve always loved the idea of featuring in a beauty campaign. There’s something so honorable about the idea that someone deems your face captivating enough to promote a skin care label. But to be honest, who’s going to complain when the chance to shoot any international campaign rolls around!

Olivia in the Aje Patchwork Romantic campaign

Modelling is often seen by hordes of young girls as a glamorous life, just how difficult/easy is it to stay on top in the modelling industry?

It can be very difficult to not be swept up in the frivolities and needless pressures of the industry. I find it’s important to maintain a strong network of friends back home, people that can keep you grounded, and strong family ties to ensure you remember what’s important in life. In terms of experiencing success in such a cut-throat industry, I just try and face every day with confidence and an open mind, and remind myself that at the end of the day it’s a business and therefore must be treated that way.

What’s a day in the life of a model like?

Spontaneous! It varies from day to day, and depending on what time of the year it is I suppose. For example, during shows, it’s pretty much go go go with castings and such, but in quieter periods things are more relaxed.

What do you do to stay in shape? Do you have a strict skincare regimen?

I’m luckily naturally slim, but I do make sure I drink at least 3 litres of water a day, often with lemon juice. I also follow a healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, and make sure I do at least 20-30 mins of exercise every day, just to keep my energy levels up and stay fit. Unfortunately I have very sensitive skin and during busy times it can sometimes be hard to keep breakouts at bay, so I always use witchhazel to tone it after cleansing, and vitamin E serum on it at night. Pure lemon juice applied to the skin is also really great on breakouts!

Describe your M-O-D style?

It really varies! I love a slightly masculine style, often wearing collared shirts under jumpers and man-style boots, and other days I’ll wear long, hippy-style skirts and dresses with fur coats. In summer I’m addicted to my vintage cut-off Levi 501s and op-shop lacy tees/singlets.

Australian models tend to stick together and make strong bonds and friendships – who are some of your most loved Aussie girls?

My best ‘model’ friend would be Sarah Pauley. We met at L’oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival in early 2011 and have been close friends ever since. We’re rarely in the same city so we always keep in touch on Skype! I actually made friends with quite a few Aussie male models whilst in Singapore, and I’m still definitely in touch with them!

What is your 2012 new year resolution? What’s in store for you this year?

I often don’t see the New Year as a time to make changes to myself and my life, I see every day as an opportunity to better myself and my surroundings to ensure I stay happy and healthy. So basically I plan to continue with a positive attitude and a sharp mind! Although, I did resolve to read more books and start writing again. As for work, I have no clue what’s in store, which is both daunting and exciting!

Images via Style Anywhere, James Nelson, Street Peeper, Top Model News, Thom Kerr.

Straight from the runways of Paris, UBIFRANCE has the pleasure of showcasing the latest in French design talent at this year’s Fashion Exposed and Preview event. For the fifth consecutive year, the French Pavilion has handpicked the top designers from accessories to womenswear direct from the romantic city.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to discover the latest offerings in French textile fashion, and be the first to represent these exciting labels to the Australian market. Feel free to come and meet the professional trade advisors from the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE, Sylvie Patinec and Céline Di Lauro. They will be happy to discuss the world of French fashion and register your interest in obtaining new, up-and-coming French labels.

We invite you to also enjoy the Live Look Book shows during the trade fair, which will include exhibitors from the French Pavilion, followed by a “French” cocktail, B to B, event. For more information on the French Fashion Showcase at Fashion Exposed, visit www.fashionexposed.com

The fashion industry is a highly competitive market, with a driving force that is continually pushing it forward into new design territories and trends that come and go in the clink of a stylish stiletto. So for an emerging designer hoping to put their manicured toe into the ring, it can be an extremely daunting and terrifying experience. Not only is it a challenge to come up with something new and fresh to compete with the established fashion brands, they also need to convince retailers to take a chance on an unknown label in their boutiques. It can be tough building exposure and getting face time with the right consumer.

Enter Young Republic – Australia’s first interactive marketplace for fashion, jewellery, homewares, art and lifestyle products from home-grown upcoming and independent designers. The YR website offers new designers a platform to showcase and sell their label as well as unique brand positioning, innovative marketing tools, regular press coverage and incisive management. While YR are handling much of the business and promotional end, the designer can focus on what they do best – designing!

This passion for the emerging future of Australian design inspired us at Fashion Exposed and we are proud to announce Young Republic as an official sponsor of Debut design competition. Debut is considered a successful launch pad for over 135 young Australian labels since its inception in 2006, with past winners including now established brands Alexi Freeman, Limedrop, Trimapee, Subfusco, and Catherine Leon. On top of joining the Debut judging panel, Young Republic have offered an exciting marketing and PR package for each of the winners worth over $4,500 each.

We took five with one of the founders of Young Republic, Marianne Sea to look back at their journey from concept to launch date; how important sites such as YR are to the future of the Australian fashion industry; empowering young Australians; and their scheduled trip to New York

Catherine Leon Move the Air dress

When did you dream up the Young Republic philosophy? How long did it take from concept to launch date?

Andrew and myself (Marianne) were running a boutique digital agency for a few years and we experienced first hand the struggles many emerging designers had – they all realised the importance of having a website and online store but many found it difficult to build, manage and then market an e-commerce site.

The answer came pretty naturally to us from there – build them an online marketplace that they could sell their products on, that would be free to join and free to list their products!

For designers, it would be a platform that empowered them to grow both locally and internationally without any upfront fees. For customers, a central place to find all the latest in fresh and unique designs whilst supporting emerging talent.

At the end of 2010, Andrew and I felt very strongly that it was time we began the journey of creating Young Republic and we have never looked back. Young Republic launched the beta version of the website in May 2011.

Can you tell us what the underlying mission statement is of the YR site? What the main objectives are for YR?

The underlying mission of Young Republic is to empower today’s emerging fashion entrepreneurs to become tomorrow’s leading labels. Our main objectives are to provide an online community where emerging designers can connect to and transact directly with fashion lovers, and to bridge the barriers of entry within the fashion industry.

Who is the team that makes up YR and their roles? How important is each member to the running of YR?

Our team currently consists of 4 – Andrew, Michael, Living and myself (Marianne). Our small but highly focused team handles everything from customer service and technical support; to social media, marketing and PR; to business strategy, growth and development.

Each member of the team is extremely crucial to the running and growth of YR and motivated by our passion to support these emerging designers. Our efforts have proven fruitful, with now over 340 designers on board and a growing interest from US & UK designers too.

How does it feel to empower young emerging design talents in Australia?

It’s incredibly rewarding to see people who previously saw their own fashion business as a distant dream, to actually have that vision become a reality. That’s what motivates us and is the driving force behind all our actions.

Do you feel as though you are mentoring these designers somewhat, especially with the business management and marketing end of their brands?

At this stage we feel like we are more of a partner than a mentor. However, we are aiming to collaborate with key industry leaders & launch workshops through this year to help educate our designers across a broader spectrum of areas in establishing their business. As we see more of our designers achieve success, it would be great to see these guys “mentor” other up & coming designers especially from a personal level about any mistakes & challenges they had to overcome.

Tulip

Do you feel the pressure of ensuring these brands get the recognition and exposure?

We don’t see it as pressure, but rather as an opportunity to provide emerging designers with the tools and knowledge to become fashion entrepreneurs, generating their own recognition and exposure. We can get designers recognition and exposure however if we empower them with the resources and capability to do it themselves, then its more meaningful for them. This then encourages other would-be fashion entrepreneurs to become a part of the Young Republic community.

What are some of the top selling labels on the YR site right now? Is the future of Australian fashion design in good hands?

It most certainly is. In the past it was difficult for Australian emerging designers to go into other states let alone other countries and compete on a global stage. With the advent of the internet and its now acceptance into modern life, anyone from any country with the right mentality and initiative can become a global brand. Some of the labels we’re most proud of and excited about on Young Republic include Fiel Sol, Dubbleyou, Alice Nightingale, Cloverlove, Moons of Apollo and Kid. Designs to name a few.

The best is definitely yet to come in regards to the future of Australian fashion design. We are already seeing some incredible emerging designers coming onto our platform and it’ll be exciting to see how they grow over the next few months & years. We’ll be doing everything we can to help foster their success on a local and global level, so look out!

You have also gained great press in magazines and other fashion sites for the YR brands, can you tell us about those colabs?

There’s a great team at Shop till you Drop and Cosmopolitan and we’ve been privileged to have a selection of our designers’ products in a few of their monthly editions. We’ve also had recognition in magazines like Frankie, Giftrap mag, Selector, StyleZilla, Fjorde, MelbourneGirl, Biscuit Mag, Lady Melbourne and Style Melbourne to name a few.

Our partnerships with design colleges and events companies also help us spread the word in the offline space. We’re always looking to partner with people, groups and companies that share our vision.

Love of Reign shirt dress

You have just become a major sponsor / media partner of the Fashion Exposed Debut competition – how important is this collaboration for the future development of YR?

We’re extremely excited to be a major sponsor / media partner with Fashion Exposed, who we consider to be the most extensive fashion event on the Australian buying calendar.

This collaboration is a great opportunity for Young Republic’s designers because those that are truly determined to take their brand global will need to partner with the right companies to facilitate their expansion into other countries. Fashion Exposed is the ideal platform for that transition.

You will also be a guest judge on the Debut panel, what are some of the things you will be looking for in the winning designs?

I’ll be looking for labels that display a keen eye for trends whilst bringing something new and exciting to the table.

Do you have any words of encouragement and advice for the Debut finalists before their FE showcase?

Have fun and enjoy the showcase, it’ll be a fantastic experience not to be forgotten. Regardless of the outcomes, each of the finalists have already shown positive signs of moving in the right direction with their labels.

It’s such a great achievement to be a Debut finalist and the YR team are looking forward to meeting with all of you!

How can young designers join the YR team? what do they need to do etc.

Designers interested in being a part of Young Republic simply need to visit our Sell page here for more info and to apply – http://www.youngrepublic.com.au/sell.html

What is in store for YR in 2012? We hear you are off to the States soon, tell us more!

That’s right, were very excited to be heading to New York within the next few months in order to explore areas of growth and suss out US emerging talent! More details to come soon so stay tuned!

In this special post, we follow Creative director and founder of Bombshell Bay, Emily Doig as she travels to Thailand and Cambodia to source fabrics and accessories and sample the Bombshell Bay 2012 Collection “JET SET”. Emily Doig is a finalist in the Debut contest at Fashion Exposed from 1-3 February at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.

South east Asia has always been special to me. I love the sights, sounds and smells, so it made total sense for me to return to Asia to produce my Bombshell Bay collection.
My time in BKK was limited. I had just 36 hours to find what I was looking for, which in a city the size of Bangkok is no easy feat! So, pack your bags and come on a whirlwind tour of Bangkok and Cambodia as we sample our JET SET collection just in time to present it to the judges at Fashion Exposed for the “Debut” program.

Thailand - Day One

Arrived at Hotel, a quick bathroom break and we are straight into the fabric sourcing. First stop is the local fabric market where we will source buttons, zips, fasteners and haberdashery. The market is like a treasure trove, with thousands of amazing bits and pieces. We find some amazing leather, ribbons and pom poms. The market is hot, chaotic and not for the faint hearted. Our colour pallette for SS 12/13 has some amazing and vibrant pinks and oranges along with a few classic blues and a beautiful neutral tone. Finding and matching these colours to our fabric is often tricky, so we buy a little of everything and will spend time matching it later.

Next stop is the India Market which is just around the corner. Here we find a supplier who has the most amazing selection of fabrics. The dyes are very gentle and are the most vibrant colours. We stock up, forcing ourselves to limit our selection to just three prints. Expect to see our new range of kaftans and sarongs in these prints.

Day Two

After a big breakfast we hit the famous weekend markets.We are on the lookout for some of the local talent to manufacture some of our accessories. The market has over 200,000 visitors per day (open only on the weekends) and has over 10, 000 stalls that sell almost everything you can imagine! There are many local designers who sell their wares and we are on the hunt for a local manufacturer who can produce our new beach totes which are a more sturdy and chic version of our 2011/12 beach bags. We find a great supplier and order a few samples before heading home after an epic 6 hours at the market.

Cambodia

We arrive in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh armed with bundles of imported fabrics and head to meet with our manufacturer who is an expat working with local sewers to create a fair trade workshop for marginalised women. We are spending a week here at the workshop to finalise our designs for SS12/13 and to complete as many samples as possible before returning to Australia to present at Fashion Exposed.

Manufacturing garments offshore can tend to attract some negative attention, with terrible working conditions and below average wages for women who are often providing for large families. Our decision to work with a fair trade workshop was an easy one, Emily, the creator and designer at Bombshell Bay had lived in Cambodia and knew that if she was manufacturing outside of Australia then the factory had to provide safe and healthy workplace with fair wages. After almost a week in Phnom Penh working daily with the workshop the samples begin to take shape and we are starting to see a glimpse of what will eventually become our “JET SET” collection.

Our two weeks in Cambodia comes to a close with a meeting with the Aman Hotel group who are stocking pieces from our debut collection “Hollywood Bungalow” The resort is known for its high profile, A list guests and exclusive private villas. We are extremely excited about our new stockist and hope a certain well known Hollywood actress slips into one of our pieces when she is next in the country with her brood of adopted children…

Transporting the fabric

So, that wraps up our sourcing and sampling trip for our SS 12/13 collection. We are so excited to be presenting it to you all at Fashion Exposed, we have some amazing on trend colours in our swimwear, vibrant eye catching pattens in our accessories and a reworked beach tote that you wont want to put away at the end of the summer…

Think of Bondi and images usually conjure up of the famous Bondi Beach, eating fish and chips and doing the Bondi to Bronte walk. Shopping, however in Bondi is not something you would normally think of doing perhaps outside the Sunday markets, but in actual fact there is more than meets the eye.

Gould Street in Bondi is one of the more interesting shopping strips in Sydney. Filled with an array of some very successful retailers, it has provided a very unique shopping strip with a real little buzz about it. Gould Street is like finding a little gem amongst some of the neglected areas of Bondi and can hold its head up for being a key destination shopping strip.

Retailer, Tali Jatali, owner of Jatali, claims she was one of the first to enter into Gould Street, which is now filled with interesting independent retailers who are stocking mainly Australian smaller brands and niche overseas labels.

Whilst, Jatali is a tiny square metre shop, make no mistake owner Jatali has been one very clever retailer. While she does stock some very colourful highly affordable jewellery and some of the Totem label, her real claim to fame is making a niche in producing her own line of Jatali swimwear and a small collection of Jatali garments. The Jatali resort wear, runs only two garments of each fabric or print, which creates an element of exclusivity and an element of demand for the consumer.

Recently, Jatali unveiled the Summer 2012 collection of Jatali swimwear to a glamorous crowd at Hugos Lounge in Sydney. Theming the event on a Brazilian theme, Tali Jatali, describes the collection as a “Brazilian inspiration theme of the Rio de Janeiro type of girl who lives at Bondi, lives carefree and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her”. Whilst describing the fit of the swimwear, she goes on to state “They are a brief swimwear as opposed to the fat bikinis which are much more flattering to the body, but still presentable, yet not asking the girls to wear G-Strings”.

Models emerged dancing, shaking maracas to drums beating with colourful Brazilian head dress pieces wearing the Jatali 2012 summer collection with Tali Jatali and her best friend and daughter Zsa Zsa, also being part of the show.

For more information on Jatali Swimwear, visit their website www.jatali.com.au

Written by Phoebes Garland co-owner of Garland & Garland Fashion with Robert Garland who was described by Ragtrader as a “veteran rag trader” with over 30 years experience in the fashion industry, Whilst Phoebes Garland was nicknamed ‘Powerseller” by Ragtrader on her birthday. Between the two of them, Phoebes & Robert Garland have over 50 years sales experience in fashion, publishing and advertising. Garland & Garland Fashion is a leading fashion agency based in Sydney and they are regularly sought for comment from various media on business fashion topics and issues.

With the cooling reprieve of the sparkling blue water and the glint of the warm sun reflection dancing its way from the water’s edge to kiss your skin, its little wonder we all crave the
carefree outlook and frivolous nature of summer. So when these bright images came through recently from Zayan showcasing their `The About a Bow’ (SS12) collection we couldn’t help but fantasize about how much fun a pool party would be, especially when the said pool is drowned in flowers. It could only make swimming that much sweeter right?

For more on the Zayan label, head over to Fashion Exposed Online. To see the collection, register for Fashion Exposed where you will find Zayan on Stand 1420.

Nothing quite compares to a man who owns his look. He walks with a slightly more confident swagger, his stare is often more intense and burrowed in deep thought (or at least it appears that way), he exudes power in a very nonchalent `I always look like this’ manner, he often comes across as a nicer person and a man who has wealth and is successful. All of this from clothing? Yes, presentation is everything. It can be a tad intimidating sometimes but it’s always incredibly attractive. Dashing good looks are secondary in this instance, because the old saying really does run true – `the clothes doth maketh the man’.

The menswear industry has grown exponentially, recent reports and surveys via WWD have seen a significant increase in `men starting to appreciate and pay attention to trends more than ever’. This is why menswear labels such as The Fresh Brand has seen their company become more popular than ever before. This stylish casual menswear brand has been specifically designed for the active and powerful individual who wants to achieve that seemingly effortless appeal. It’s vintage-inspired prints and colour ways embody the all-American lifestyle with a European point of view for that perfect combination of comfort and luxury.

To read more on The Fresh Brand head over to Fashion Exposed Online. You can also register for Fashion Exposed and visit The Fresh Brand at Stand 3024.
To register, visit www.fashionexposed.com