Happy Holidays

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Holidays, and thank you all for your continued support over the past year. Its been a really exciting year with lots of developments for the brand, none of which would have been possible without a lot of help and support.

Big thank you's go out to all the people I have been fortunate enough to work with over the last year:
Lisa Smith and the team at Agent 25 for all their hard work getting the brand out in the public eye.
Jamie North, Alexander Edwards and Ryuhei Tsukamoto who have all shot beautiful images of my collections.
Scene models for the incredible girls they have supplied all year to bring my clothes to life in photos and on the catwalk.
Richard Kavanagh and the team at Redken for the fantastic hair and support they have shown.
Inika Cosmetics for lending their support to doing make-up at my show earlier this year.
Dhav Naidu for his make-up and styling direction.
To my family and friends for all of their support and encouragement

Lastly a big thank you to all the women who buy, wear and love the clothes I make!

I hope you all have a happy and safe Holidays.

Stay tuned for some really EXCITING developments in the New Year!

Sheer Genius

Make sure your look this holiday and party season is sheer genius with this silk organza trench. Light and easy, it is the perfect 'dress-me-up' for any look. Throw it over whatever you are wearing and you will be dressed up for where ever you are going.

(w)rapture

Draped and folded around the body, this dress is a stylishly seductive addition to any wardrobe.

Top with a blazer for office chic; towering heels make it a winner for any cocktail party or wear it open as a soft languid coat over pants and a top.

Anyway you wear it you will sure to be rapt in this wrap.

Jet Set

Our Caftan Dress is the perfect piece for the modern woman on the go!

Board your plane wearing it as a cardigan with pants and a silk top for chic casual comfort, a scarf and a pair of slip on shoes.

You land and its off to a business meeting - wear it as a dress and cinch it in with a belt, a great pair of shoes and a chic tote finish off the look.

Work is over and its time for cocktails, ditch the belt, amp up the shoes and add some statement making jewelery for a look that is sexy and sophisticated.

No matter where life takes you this dress will be there for you.

Pump up the Volume

Stay cool like an ocean breeze in our Volume T Dress.

Wear it loose and casual with flats for a cool weekend option.

Belt it, throw a blazer over the top and don a pair of heels for work.

A great go anywhere summer dress.

High Stakes Style

Make sure you are a winner in the style stakes at this years Spring Racing Carnival!

Anon. Women - Icons: Diana Vreeland

Why don't you . . . take inspiration from the sartorial grace of iconic fashion editor Diana Vreeland.

Known for her wild fashion proclamations - 'Pink is the navy blue of India' - and her impeccable chic; Vreeland's personal style was always quietly elegant with a punch of pizazz. A simple shirt or top and elegant pants or skirt always accessorised with a splash of daring - oversized ebony cuffs, bone pendants always with bright red talon nails (red being her favourite colour) and the severe lacquered hair that became her signature.

Oh and don't forget to do as Vreeland and always polish the soles of your shoes for that extra bang of chic!

Face Forward

Make-up maestro Dhav Naidu teamed up with Inika Mineral Cosmetics to create a fresh sophisticated face for the Anon. Women Spring Summer collection.

"Its all about the enhancement of beauty, not recreating anything. It's definitely a woman, not a girl with a fresh face, neutral tones and no visible lines. We've highlighted the skin tone and used blends of neutral tones with a bit of lilac over the eyes. In my view, nothing should stick out with the makeup -its all about the fashion!" says Naidu.

Recreate that pretty nude lip with Inika Lipstick in Blossom - a completely vegan product that's healthy as well as beautiful.

www.inika.com.au

White Hot

Nothing evokes the feeling of summer than the colour white. Fresh, crisp and cool against summers oppressive heat. For an interesting take on white mix fabrics, textures and finishes. Here we have silk, linen and jersey mixed together.

If you are going to be hot this summer, make sure its White Hot.

Hair Raising

For my Spring Summer '09 Show I was fortunate enough to work with renowned international hair stylist Richard Kavanagh. Using Redken products Richard interpreted the the soft, lush movement and sophisticated ease of the collection with a chic textured and knotted ponytail.

Click here to to learn from Richard how to create this style at home.

To see more of Richards great work follow his blog here: http://richardkavanagh.blogspot.com/

Champagne Splash

Make a statment as you shimmer and shine in champagne hues this summer. Soft and chic work different textures like silk and linen, mix it back with white for a fresh palette cleansing combination

Modern Minimalism

Clean lines, beautiful fabrics and timeless styles are the order of the season. Don't get minimal confused with unconsidered. The cut and nuance of garments really comes into play here, how the piece relates to and interacts with the body, the subtleties of fit and flow come to the fore.

O Georgia

This painting by Georgia O'Keefe is completely evocative of my inspiration for Spring Summer. The light, the sparsness, the sensual feeling of heat and open space.

Like The Boys

This season, head to your boyfriends closet for some inspiration. Blazers, tuxedo jackets, peacoats and pleat front pants all come with the nonchalant ease of your partners old worn in favorites. Simple and slouchy is the key.

Think Tank

Looking for that perfect something to wear under everything? Think Tank! Both InStyle and Marie Claire magazines have; recently featuring our bias cut silk tank tops.

A fantastic wardrobe staple - layer under a jacket for work, wear with a pair of our great linen pants for an easy weekend option, dress it up with a statement necklace or an arm full of cuffs and bangles or go nude with our champagne coloured tank under an organza coat for effortless evening attire.

You don't need to be a member of an international fashion Think Tank to think of this tank next time you need a great basic.

Spring Summer 09

Here is the video from the Spring Summer 09 Collection.

Thanks to Alexander Edwards for his great work on the film. To see more of Alex's work head to: www.randommoment.com.au

Spring Summer 09

With Spring just around the corner I thought I would give you a preview of our Spring Summer collection, dropping in September, look out for listing of stores near you.

An evocation of Summer – of LIGHT, AIR, SPACE and BREATH.

A modern woman who moves though the world with grace, strength and style. -clothes that reflect her life, personality and passions.

Linen, washed silk and silk jersey.

The palette – like an ombre of the summer sky. WHITE light on the horizon as day breaks, a subtle shimmer of gold – CHAMPAGNE from the sun, SLATE blue arcs overhead in the haze of the mid-day heat, temperature drops as the night falls to a sheltering sky of NAVY, deepening to a rich dense BRONZE in the darkness before dawn.

Carefully considered classics: building blocks for every woman’s wardrobe.

Pull on pants perfected – cut to be chic and modern, flat fronted or with soft tucks.

A bias tank; a silk top – subtley nuanced with shape and flow, holding and forgiving as needed.

A caftan drapes languidly around the body, belt it for business, leave it loose for louche luxury or open as a cardigan for casual comfort.

Draped dresses of a single piece of cloth wrap and fold around the body like a gentle summer breeze.

A gentle wrap and drape. A cowl like a tromp toeil. The air of soft volume. An arcing back. The gentle breeze of cloth over the body.

Sensuality, sophistication and style.

Pieces with versatility and value.

Things that women will love and want to wear.

Ben Smith Brides

After a number of inquiries after my most recent show asking about the possibility of some of the dresses as wedding dresses, I thought it might be an interesting idea to put some wedding dresses together.

The cut of each dress is based on my exploration of draping a single piece of cloth around the body to create a dress. The way it hangs, is draped and caught creates the shape in relationship to the body underneath.

The results were simple chic dresses that move around the body with grace, elegance and ease.

Like all the dresses I create these are for women who want something reflective of thier life and personality, something intelligent, thoughtful, stylish and easy.

Feel free to contact me if you want to know more.

9am

On Friday I had the good fortune to be profiled on the channel 10 program 9am with David and Kim by the show's Fashion and Beauty Director Dhav Naidu.

Here is the link to watch the piece online a get a bit more insight into my work and the anon. women label.

Enjoy.

Link to show

Anon. Women - Josephine Hamilton

My Mum recently turned 50 and this is a tribute to her.

To celebrate she jumped out of a plane, diving into a new chapter of her life with the same, joy, passion and excitement she has every previous one.

Anon. Women was started as a label to celebrate women like my Mum - women with life, personality, passion and style.

She has always had an effortlessness and ease about the way she dresses, reflecting really her general approach to life. She gets dressed in the morning with little fuss, throwing whatever on and approaching the day with confidence and joy, the best recipe in my books for great style.

At 50 I think she is still looking great so to my Mum - Happy Birthday!

The New LBD

The LBD has long been considered a staple for every womans wardrobe, how about instead of the little black dress you try a little (navy) blue dress. This is a great example; a simple crew neck, slight cap sleeve and cut to hold the body where it needs to be held and forgiving what needs to be forgiven. Wear it belted or loose. Layer over a jersey long sleeve dress with opaques for winter; throw over slouchy boyfriend blazer or a simple cardgan for work; a sharp tux jacket and some statement jewels and a pair of killer heels and you are set for a night out.

So next time you reach for your favourite LBD make it this blue one from anon. women.

Luxuriously Layered

Fine layers in natural fibers like silk - which is a great natural insulator - is a great way to stay warm without adding too much bulk.

Start with a silk jersey crew neck long sleeve top, against your chest this will keep your body warm, layer over a silk basic top, wear with wool pants and a great little jacket, a scarf around your neck will keep you nice and toasty.

Playing with different shades and textures of the one colour - here we use navy - make a really sophisticated statement while avoiding being too 'matchy matchy'

Cloth Dripping

A single piece of cloth is wrapped and draped around the body, it holds and caresses, smooths and flows, a waterfall sweeps down the back. The simple geometry of a length of fabric becomes dynamic as it is allowed to drip, to drape and interact with the wearer.

Favorite Things - Inside the Square

I am constantly inspired by certain designers, artists and objects. I tend to be drawn to the clean lines and honest simplicity of 20th Century modernism. I think my work reflects this tendency - the concentration on the form, fit and finish of clothes rather than on their decoration and embellishment.

Anon. Women - Icons: Lauren Hutton

At 65 Lauren Hutton is still breath takingly beautiful. This gap - toothed beauty shot to fame as a model in the 60's and 70's championed by iconic Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, she became the first model to score a million dollar cosmetics campaign. I love her effortlessness, her ease in her own skin (in a recent piece in London's the Telegraph fashion editor Hillary Alexander writes a tribute to Huttons embracing of wrinkles!) and her chic take on classic American sportswear.

Get the look with a simple silk Trench Dress, a great tote and a pair of flats - chic, effortless and easy.

1 Dress 3 Ways - Pea-Coat Dress

Value and versatility are two key ideals I keep hearing from women in regards to what they expect from clothes these days. They expect bang for their buck, clothes really need to work for them, from work days to weekends; day to night. This silk Pea-Coat Dress is a great example of this. Wear it as a dress, cinched in with a belt or sash for work; make it casual on the weekends by knotting it at the wait worn over a great jersey top and pants; and open over a jersey dress for cocktails.

Have a play and see what else this dress can do for you!

Cocooned

I woke up this morning to a fog covered city, the cold creeping in all around, I want to be wrapped in a blanket, cocooned and caressed. If you want the same feeling of comfort but with a healthy dose of style this is the perfect coat for you. Cut in a wool and cashmere coating, the shape softly envelops the wearer. Be cocooned this winter!

MasterChef Master Style

My current T.V. obsession is the channel 10 show, MasterChef. I love food and cooking and am addicted to this show, so have been so excited to have been able to dress the host Sarah Wilson. First up we dressed her in a bronze silk one shouldered draped dress for this years Logies. Last week she wore our rosewood silk cowl dress. Sarah is such a great example of the type of woman I love to dress - she is intelligent and articulate with great personal style and confidence.

Make sure you tune in to channel 10 7pm weeknights and watch out for more appearances of Anon. Women.

UPDATE:
Sarah wore our navy silk wrap dress on the wedding episode, she looked great!

Reverberations of Rothko

I really love the energy and feeling of Rothko's work. I love that the colours almost vibrate on the canvas in a seductive dance.

For fall I was wanting to capture the essence of twilight, the way colours and shapes shift and merge. This painting had to me something of that sense about it.

Feeling Fall

I love fall!

The drop in temperature; the golden blanket of falling leaves; the softened light of day; the desire to be cocooned and comforted.

Updates

I have to apologise for my delayed absence from the blog. I have had a hectic couple of months, doing fashion week, taking delivery of the new Autumn/ Winter collection, appointments with agents to take over sales and distribution of the collection and now back in Melbourne working on the collection for next Winter . . .phew!

Its a busy time but all is going really well, we had a great response to the collection we showed in Sydney - I have posted some of the reviews previously. Look out in the coming weeks and months to see it coming out in various magazines - I will keep you posted as details come to hand. We were also lucky enough to dress the gorgeous Sarah Wilson - host of master chef - for the Logies, she looked fantastic in a tarnished bronze one shouldered draped silk dress. Stay tuned to Masterchef (my current TV obession) to see Sarah wearing Anon. Women in upcoming episodes as well.

And now for winter....

Anon. Women ss09 preview

I have just returned from sydney where I presented my new Spring Summer '09 collection at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Despite power failures, the show went on to a great reception.

Here are some of the reviews:

http://www.femail.com.au/anon-women.htm
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/famous/23870/famousanon-and-illionaire
http://fashionistas-littleblackbook.blogspot.com/2009/04/anon-women-fashion-show.html
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/marie-claire/7826/natural-beauty-at-ben-smith/
www.canvasmagazine.net

thanks to Jeremy Stewart for the animated look book: http://www.myspace.com/jeremystewartmotionwork

INVITE

Things have been a bit hectic here of late - hence the lack of blog activity. We are in the count down to Fashion Week. Under two weeks to go now......

The collection is looking amazing and I am so excited to announce that we will be holding our show at the MCA: Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney - perfectly positioned on beautiful Sydney Harbor at Circular Quay!

Above is the invitation... I can't wait!

Anon. Women - Dr Patricia Wong

Dr. Patricia Wong is a G.P. in Mackay who we had the chance to dress during our recent trunk shows there. This look here is simple, chic and professional, perfect for a day at the surgery and dinner after. I am sure this injection of style is just what the doctor ordered.

Cardi Chic

The perfect trans-seasonal addition to your wardrobe. This cardi dress is chic and versatile. The 3/4 sleeve gives the right amount of decorum and that bit of extra cover as the season cools down. Wear it as a dress or top or layer it as a coat.

Absolute Audrey

Channel your inner icon with this great dress. Our circular shirt dress available in silk and waxed cotton (shown here in putty waxed cotton) is perfect for creating your very own movie moment.

Wear it as a dress, belted with flat sandals and a simple tote and you can be riding around on a Vespa in your own Roman Holiday.

Leave it loose teamed with ballet flats, maybe a pair of cropped tights and a black turtle neck and head to the jazz clubs of Montmartre where everyone will love your sunny Funny Face.

Use it as a trench belted over a chic basic dress, throw on a pair of alligator pumps, big round sunglasses and a great clutch; grab a pastry and head down to 5th avenue at 57th street in NYC and have Breakfast at Tiffany's.

T Style

A chic take on the classic tee, our basic top in silk charmuse is the perfect base to any look. With subtle nuances designed to flatter a woman's figure - the concentration of fit is at the side of the bust holding the figure in; seams curve towards the front, drawing the eye; the back arcs gently away eliminating bra fat; this holds where it needs to hold and forgives what needs forgiving.

Team it with jeans for cool casual comfort; under a sharp suit for sophisticated chic - perfect for work; jazz it up with jewels or cinch it with a great belt. Perfect for any occasion and style.

Day to Night

So often our wardrobes have to preform double duty (with our busy lives and current economic status our clothes need to really work for us). From work to cocktails, days shopping to nights out, women need pieces that they can rely upon to conquer any situation.

Enter the shirt-dress. First appearing in the pre-war collections of American sportswear designer Claire McCardell, and entering the lexion of high fashion in the 70's with Halston's takes in ultrasuede and silk jersey. I have taken on this wardrobe classic and updated it for the modern woman in luxurious silk charmuese, freeing up the silhouette giving it a languid sensuality in its soft drape and fall.

This updated version is the best selling dress in my collection and we do it season after season. Shown here in our staple navy silk. For day give it some structure for the office by cinching it in with a great belt. Tan leather accessories keep the look classic but grounded for day. As the sun sets mix it up for a night out. Loosen the silhoutte by removing the belt and undoing the top button, the feeling is soft and sensual - almost as if you have stepped out in a sexed up version of your boyfriends silk pajayma shirt. Throw on some beads, a killer heel and a statement clutch and you are ready for a fantastic time.

The Scarf

For me the Scarf is the ultimate accessory - versatile, chic and stylish. It can add colour, texture and life to a garment. Tie it close around your neck to keep you warm; loop it casually for laid back chic; use it as a belt to cinch in your waist; over a dress, with jeans and a silk 'T' style top, under a great winter coat. The perfect finish to any look.

Inspiration / Execution

The international ready to wear collections have just finished up after a month of shows in New York, Milan, London and Paris, with designers showcasing their key looks for next season, with styles hitting stores around September. One of my favourite shows was by Dries Van Noten. The palette - inspired by the work of artist Francis Bacon - was divine; with unusual and unexpected combinations of: flesh, teal, grey, navy and conjac. A lot of these colours had been featured in my current collection and inspired me to mix the styles and colours up a bit. So if you love the look, here is how you can get it NOW.

Anon. Women - Nella Sologinkin

Last month I featured Loren Sologinkin as my Anon. woman. Today it's her mum's turn. Nella is such a fantastic embodiment of Anon. Women, she is successful in her life and work, she is confident and has great style. In the collection we do three sizes that cover from an Australian size 10 through to a size 18, we believe in dressing real women, the collection isnt about plus sizes its about real sizes and I find we sell as many size 1's as we do 3's. The clothes are designed to really flatter a woman's figure, holding where she needs to be held and forgiving the areas that need forgiveness. Nella is a great example of a woman who is not a stick looking great in the collection. Here she is wearing our waxed cotton circular shirt dress in navy as a trench over our navy waxed cotton funnel neck dress. The sweep of the coat is so dramatic and chic, I love how it brings out the inner Diva in Nella. As I keep saying what ever you wear make sure you wear it with confidence and style - 'OWN IT', love your self in it and you will look great.

Wrapped

There has been a lot of discussion in the fashion media about what women are after from fashion in light of the current economy. The overwhelming response I have received is that women want a sense of value. Value in terms of wear, quality, luxury, style and longevity. If they are going to spend their money they need to get mileage out of their clothes, pieces that will do double duty for them, that they can wear all day every day, from work to the weekend, day to night. Featured here is our silk wrap dress. Cut in a luxurious silk charmuese, this dress can be worked in many different ways: from a classic wrap to a soft and flowing cardigan; wrapped and tied around the body. Mix it up and play with how you wear and tie it to get multiple wears and styles - great value from this one timeless piece.

Countdown

I have been offline for the last couple of weeks, touring the country doing a series of trunk shows. As I wrote about earlier, these events present such an exciting opportunity for me to meet and interact with the women who buy and wear my clothes. It is really thrilling for me to witness the transformations of women dressing in my collection, to see women standing up straighter and taller - feeling good about themselves. It was a great experience and I would really like to thank all the wonderful people i encountered on my travels, the women who enjoyed and appreciated the sessions i gave and to the people who made it all possible for me.

I am back now in Melbourne with under two months to go until the release of the Spring Summer 09/10 collection at Australian Fashion week. On my return i received the production samples for approval, checking for cut, fit and finish. After making notes and adjustments the pieces now move into the next stage; fabrics and colours are approved and the final show samples go into production. The collection is looking fantastic - I am delighted to see the development and can't wait to share it with everyone. As the clothes comes together we are also developing accessories and pulling together the total 'look' of the collection.

While the styles all come together so to does the process of putting together a show. I am so lucky to be working with the amazing Lisa Smith from Agent 25 who is helping with our PR and helping to organise the show.

In other news check out this months Virgin Blue inflight magazine to see our fantastic magenta cowl dress.

Tips and Tricks - Salt and Vinegar

Salt and Vinegar - not just a great combination on your chips but useful ingredients in looking after silk.

Salt: A great tip if you have darker colours is in the first wash to help 'stay' the dye.

Vinegar: Wanting to add some luster back to your silk - put a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle.

Anon. Women - Icons: Ines de la Fressange

Ines de la Fressange is a French model, designer and taste-maker. She came to fame in the 1980's as the face of Chanel and muse to designer Karl Lagerfeld. After parting ways in 1989 with the house, supposedly due to her decision to lend her likeness to a bust of Marianne, the ubiquitous symbol of the French republic - Lagerfeld reputedly condemned her decision, saying Marianne was the embodiment of "everything that is boring, bourgeois, and provincial" and that he would not dress up historic monuments - Ines went on to launch her own collection of chic and stylish clothing and accessories. At 51 she recently appeared on the catwalk at the Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture show in Paris. For me it was great to see a real woman on the catwalk, someone who could and would actually buy the creations being shown - rather than a 16 yo coat hanger with no life experience, no knowledge of what it is to wear these clothes and no relation to the women who will be buying them. I love the effortlessness of her style, her ability to look chic in jeans and a T shirt. She is such an embodiment of the modern woman: mother, partner, business woman. She does things with style and grace, fashion never interfereing in her life, intead simple classics expressing her immaculate taste, her grace and ease.

Trunk Show

Trunk shows are a great way for me to get out and meet my client base. Here I present my current collection, showing women how the collection works; how they can build a wardrobe out of a carefully edited selection of pieces; as well as tips and tricks on styling and wearing the clothes. Its a great personal interaction, women get to chat to me, the designer and get professional advice on what is going to work best on them; and I get direct feedback, seeing how different styles and shapes work on different women, what they are responding to and why.

I am about to go on another round of trunk shows, starting in Brisbane then traveling up to Bundaberg and Mackay. Listed below are the dates:

Brisbane: February 26 and 27

Bundaberg: March 1, 2 and 3

Mackay: March 5 and 6

For more information or to make an appointment contact me on ben@anonwomen.com or p: 0408 690 134.

Things of Stone and Wood

I have been really inspired lately by combinations of grey and brown that have been featured on the Sartorialist's blogspot. I think its such a beautiful natural palette - things of stone and wood. I love the idea of mixing up shades and textures - here the lustre and drape of a silk trench with the crispness and polish of a waxed cotton shift dress. Accessories in leather, wood, suede and croc. add extra depth to the look.

A Diary of a Dress - Toiling and Fitting

A couple of weeks ago, I posted the first piece following the creation of this custom made dress. Today we pick up at the toiling and fitting stage. A toil is a prototype of the dress usually made in a calico or muslin of similar weight to the intended final fabric. Here we test the proportions, fit and finish of the dress. After toiling, the dress was then fitted to the client Jax. Adjustments were made to the placement of tucks and drapes and the general fit and proportions - Jax is only about 5ft tall so placements needed to be moved up to keep the right balance and proportion on the dress in relationship to her body. All the changes are marked on the pattern and now we wait for the fabric to be delivered from my supplier so the final dress can be started.

Stay tuned for more . . .

Anon. Women - Loren Sologinkin

Meet Loren Sologinkin, Loren is a young hairdresser – recently tagged by Michelle Sewell, publisher of Australian Hairdressing Journal, as one of Australia’s brightest up and coming hairdressing talents.

Loren has great confidence and personality; she really expresses this through her use of ‘statement’ accessories – like this buffalo horn beast plate, which she has worn over our Shirtdress.

Take a leaf out of Loren’s book and see how you can change the attitude of really great classic styles with cutting edge accessories. The key here: no matter what you wear, OWN IT.

In the Navy

As I was putting together this post, I was thrilled to receive the latest issues of Shop Til You Drop Magazine featuring my navy silk ‘Pull-on’ Pants - in it their Micro-Trend section ‘In the Navy’.

For me though, navy is more than a trend. The colour is actually core to the philosophy and development of my label. While black is seen to be the standard colour of fashion, turned to by women around the world as a safe and slimming option, I put forward a different (though certainly not new) proposition – navy. Like black, navy has the same safe and slimming aspects; more than black, navy does actually go with everything - from darks and neutrals through to brights and colours. While black can have a tendency to make colour ‘cheap’ navy allows it to sing. While black can be hard against the skin – especially as you get older – navy softens. For these - among other - reasons it’s the colour I choose as the backbone to every collection. Season after season it is always there, continuing to work with the pieces you already own from me and the pieces you will continue to acquire, continuing to work for your life and style.

And if you need any more convincing about the value of navy – Ines de la Fressange (the French model and style icon), in a recent book on opinions of style by some of the worlds top taste-makers, chooses navy as her favourite colour – ‘because it looks good on everyone’.

Oh and just in case you were wondering – yes, you can wear navy and black together – tres chic.

Autumn Winter '09 Preview

Last Monday I shot the new look book for my autumn / winter ‘09 collection, in preparedness for delivering the collection in March. Here is a sneak peek.

The looks were shot in my apartment / studio by photographer Alexander Edwards. Alex is a good friend of mine, he has a back ground as a film maker and has just started to develop a career as a photographer with a successful first exhibition of his work as part of Melbourne’s Midsumma festival. The model is Sharon Willis.

I really love the beautiful use of light, and think the photos capture the elegance, ease and style of the collection.

Stay tuned for more over the coming months.

Crazy for Krasner

One of my favourite works at the NGV here is Melbourne is the Lee Krasner work – Combat 1965. Krasner was the wife of fellow artist Jackson Pollock. It was not until well after his death that she received the attention she deserved as an artist in her own right.

I love the feeling of energy and movement in this work. It is, to me, like a dance happening across the canvas - bold sweeping gestures full of power and emotion. I get caught up in the motion and energy of the piece. I want to dance in front of it leaping and twirling to the strokes of paint.

Sins of the Flesh

Hollywood awards season is upon us and a big trend on the red carpets is the predominance of flesh, putty and beige colours. I love how chic and fresh this palette looks, quiet with an underlying hint of sexuality and sensuality.