ouch!

freja beha erichsen for tom ford eyewear campaign - fall 2010:

(photo: fashiongonerogue.com)

xx

send me an angel.

michael angel is melbourne-born designer based in new york who founded his eponymous label in 2008. his signature look is polished perfection in abstract fabrics (laminated lace jacket, anyone?), covered in eye-catching, intricate digital prints - designed by michael himself.

his resume is impressive to say the least and includes roles as senior visual and creative supervisor for saba, style director for l'oreal melbourne fashion festival and rosemount australian fashion week, freelance stylist and artist.

the standout piece from his latest collection (resort 2011) has got to be this black leather t-back dress - holy wow!

here's a few more looks from the same collection:

oh hai, fantastic fuchsia silk trousers! want to live on my legs?:

(michael angel resort 2011 photos: style.com)

michael angel's fall 2010 rtw collection is currently on sale at his online store and if you enter the promotional code # 2125353 you will enjoy an extra 5% off already reduced prices. yay!

xx

spit.

why can't australian sexual health ads be this funny?

xx

j'adore!!

is there anything in this world more divine than dior? i doubt it, and if there is i don't want to know.

what i do want to know about (well, what i want you to know about) is the christian dior haute couture fall 2010 collection. to say it is breathtaking, magnificent and utterly perfect is an understatement. i know i'm really talking it up here, but seriously, check this shiz out..

as always, john galliano's designs are the epitome of glamour. the collection is inspired by the beauty and unpretentious decadence of flowers and the art of floral arrangement. the outfits are complemented by plastic-wrapped millinery by stephen jones. each look conjures up dreamy visions of the most sublime bouquets imaginable, perfect in every way - right down to the raffia ties around the models' stems.. i mean waists.

one of my favourite things about dior runway shows is that each model always has her own hair and makeup look. no mean feat considering there are 31 individual looks in this show!

tim blanks (style.com) described the collection as 'bold, shocking and delicate all at once', which is pretty spot on. petal-like layers and folds, feathered edges, ruching, dip-dying, gathers, tucks and unexpected pops of vivid colour mimic the exotic flora that entrances, seduces and leaves us mere humans completely besotted..

(all photos from style.com)

xx

zara.

squeals of delight ring out all around australia this week following the announcement that spanish chain store zara will be opening its doors here in 2011. yayyy!!

any girl who has travelled further than indonesia will almost certainly have come across a zara store (and almost certainly maxed out her credit card shortly after popping in to check it out), but for those of you who are unfamiliar:

zara is a label synonymous with easy, effortless and fashion forward styles at reasonable prices and exceptional quality. their strength is in their ability to take a collection from sketch book to shop window in just a couple of weeks. daniel piette, fashion director for louis vuitton, famously described the store as "possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world." ummmm okay then.. i would have just said they have awesome clothes, but whatever works for you, mr. piette.

rumours are already rife about the possible locations of the new stores, which will most likely be the usual suspects - sydney, melbourne and brisbane (fingers crossed!), with westfield bondi junction tipped to be the home of the flagship store.

there has been a whole lot of talk about how this is going to ruin the australian high street fashion industry - country road and witchery are already shaking in their over-priced, predictable and safe-yet-saleable boots - but on the flip side, i believe it will make the mid-range market more competitive, more international, and hopefully more exciting .

concerns have also been raised that australia will either receive only the leftovers from last season which couldn't be given away in the northern hemisphere, or that the cost of churning out an off-season range especially for little old us will force zara to increase their retail prices.. this remains to be seen, but all we can do is hope!

here's some pics from the zara spring 2010 lookbook to give you an inkling of what we can expect:

(photos from zara.com)

my only gripe is that zara seems to always focus on neutral colour palettes regardless of season or fashion trends, but i'm sure supre will fill the gaps for anyone who still needs to get their fluro fix..

xx

ps rumours have also resurfaced about the possibility of h&m and topshop bringing their wares to our fair shores. i'll keep you posted on any news that comes to hand!

too true.

"a woman does not exist of whose beauty all men shall agree upon.."

(photo: david bellemere, quote: g. leopardi via a chocolate bought for me by my dear friend miss v.. it was delicious, insightful and made me feel warm and fuzzy - a formidable combination, wouldn't you agree?)

xx

ahuh.

“those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing”

(photo: alexander binder - 'a metaphorical distance', quote: salvador dali)

xx

renaissance dino-whore.

a little throw back (can you even call it that after two months?) to rafw 2010..

i have recently discovered that a small run of the ridicu-hot boots from romance was born's 'renaissance dinosaur' show are now available on mycatwalk.

with a little help from aussie footwear maven, terry biviano, these magical boots are brought to life with mauve and metallic gold leather, and digitally printed neoprene - the thick, stretchy fabric that is usually used for wetsuits but is increasingly cropping up in high fashion collections such as michael angel fall 2010 and proenza schouler spring 2010, and at arnsdorf's rafw show (for more scuba-chic, check out the harder, better, faster, stronger editorial in russh magazine's january/february 2010 issue).

(photo 1: mayorettes.com, all others from mycatwalk)


mama needs a new pair of shoes!

xx