In my ideal world...

Isn't it funny how the Editor in Chief of your daily newspaper dictates which news is worthy enough to be put on the front cover?

Sure peoples deaths, natural disasters and the occasional slip of the tongue of our prime minister is interesting to say the least, but it's rarely the stories I read first sentence to last sentence.
Imagine a newspaper where you decided what stories you wanted to see on the front of your paper. Whatever you wanted. From a huge image of Jamie Oliver declaring his breakthrough risotto technique to images of models strutting down runways in the latest Spring collections from Paris.

Online Journalism allows the reader to pick what articles he or she finds most interesting and relevant to their personalities. No more having to flick through pages upon pages of 'boring' articles. Online gives you the option of selecting whatever article you wish to read and then intelligently reccomends to you what articles are similar. Hey presto, genius. Thankyou.com

David Jones S/S11

So the other week was the annual David Jones Spring/Summer fashion parade held at the iconic Royal Hall of Industries.

The parade is a must attend event for fashion enthusiasts, celebrities, models and of course our sweetheart darling Miranda Kerr (she’s no doubt getting paid the big bucks to be there). But joining the front row of Australia’s fashion elite, sitting Louboutin next to Louboutin are the new techno savvy fashion bloggers. With Ipads, blackberries, and Iphones at the ready, these new set of online journalists are allowing followers to have the latest runway images, gossip, and news instantly in their laps in the comfort of their own home.

And it’s not just bloggers and media commentators like Melissa Hoyer, Patty Huntington that are leading the way in Twitter updates #djsfashion. Models like April Rose, designers like Alex Perry and makeup artist Napoleon Perdis were all on their phones updating their twitter accounts filling in their followers with 140 characters or less updates and sneaky backstage, front row (if you’re that lucky) images.

The David Jones facebook page was also in over drive – uploading images direct from their red carpet. All it took was a few seconds and all Facebook fans of David Jones knew exactly what Lara Bingle, Kristy Hinze and Megan Gale were wearing, while the whole time the ladies hadn’t even moved positions. Now that’s quick journalism for you.


Social media sites like Facebook and twitter are perfect for organisations and companies to establish, build and maintain relationships with their customers. By giving them sneaky images and instant news straight from the event, customers that live in other states and aren’t sleeping with the guy working the ticket website, can still feel like that are in some form or another a part of the event.

I mean no one likes waiting till 10pm for Sandra Sully to come on for the late news, where she gives you a shitty 1 minute rundown of what went down at the show. Heads up Sandra, I’m on twitter. That shit is old news.

the blame game.

There has been a war brewing in the Australian Fashion Retailers Industry for some time. Although there have been no reports of stiletto stabbings (yet) it seems there is a rivalry between standalone retailers versus online stores.

Australia is in the midst of a 50 year retail slump. Retailers are feeling the pressure of poor sales and are pointing the finger to international online stores that offer low prices, current styles and have the added benefit of being ‘open’ 24/7. In an industry where the colour wheel extends beyond several shades of beige, it can be assumed that this rift in the fashion industry is a story told not just in black & white.

1233 ABC Newcastle reports that although the retail industry is blaming its recent woes on the rise in offshore online shopping they are partly to blame as they are not adapting to the new technologies and the embracing the fact that online shopping is here to stay.
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten said that "the large retailers in particular have been put on notice by this draft report that some of the prices they're setting are very high and the profits they're seeking are very high”.

I found that Tim Lohmans online article from News Computer World to be particularly interesting and more in-depth than the abc.net.au report. Lohmans article also supports the ideas of Shorten but goes in to a lot more detail about other queries and problems larger retailers have/face when deciding to start their own online store. In particular I found the below statement to be accurate in understanding the current mind frame and thought process of retailers Myers and David Jones, because it brought up memories of myself as a prepubescent thirteen year old girl browsing through the David Jones website.

Longham says “An attitude among larger retailers that the purpose of websites was to [promote retail sales rather than facilitate online sales was also an issue.
“While department stores such as Myer and David Jones and large retailers such as Harvey Norman have had an online presence for some time, their websites appeared designed more to provide information on the range and specifications of goods they sell rather than to aggressively pursue online sales,” the report reads.

Both these articles were a great source into understanding the problems faced by standalone store retailers, but I found that the ComputerWorld article gave far more examples and a deeper level of research and understanding into the reasons and retailer psyche.

It can be noted that perhaps the reason for the short but direct online article from the abc.net.au website was because the main quotes were coming from Bill Shorten, a member of the commission.

Both these articles were up to date.
To view the whole article please visit

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-05/shorten-tells-retailers-to-pick-up-their-act/2825262/?site=newcastle
5th August 2011

and

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=51AEDCEE-1A64-6A71-CE2EA8E1DAACED71
7th August 2011

MICHEL vs VUITTON

It's seems everyone has gone hopping mad.

The Alice and Wonderland fever has hit, but before we jump on the band wagon of dressing up like playboy bunnies, lets take a look at the original genius (high on life at the time of sketching) artiste.

And so the battle begins....

Maison Michel has been making headpieces since 1936 but what has really propelled him onto the teen and trend addicts radar is his lace bunny ears. Not the over the top ones (that will soon be mentioned) but the ones that you saw the Olsen twins (Ashley - mouse ears, MK - rabbit) adorning looking ever so cute and fashion forward and and good ol' Lily Allen, who I always have a big question mark over.

And then there are the attention grabbing ears. The idea behind LV's ears came down to Marc Jacobs getting inspired from an wrapped around cloth. He explains "There's a girl who works for us, Lucy, she's on the design team, and Adrian, one of the boys, was tying a little bit of fabric around and it reminded me of bunny. We were thinking of all these different things like can-can dancers, and I saw this piece of fabric wrapped around Lucy's head and said, 'Bunny ears, that's what we need to finish this look.' So we made all these radzimir bunny ears and that's how it happened. I like the kind of Playboy, French coquette aspect to it." Apparently they made 30 to 40 colors before choosing the right one for Madonnas Fall ad campaign, that's a lot of Easter props.

And just to prove how much of a modern fashion frenzy it really is, Sportsgirl and Bardot have just released their own affordable versions. Yippee! Easter has come early (sarcasm intended).

It's not that I don't like the hopping mad trend, it's just like all things, when everyone has it and pulls it off horribly (wrong outfit, wrong place, wrong person) it loses its fun and 'it' factor. But for now, I have faith. I mean, if it made the Olsens appear happier on the red carpet, it can't be all that bad.

So guess i'll be seeing you on the band wagon?

p.s. found this cool tutorial to make your own, dooo ittt!!!

Images sourced from photobucket, carmenyuen.com, lizzypeters.nl, monoxious and fabsugar.com

Big blue genie, grant me one wish

Stella McCartney oversized collarless taffetta jacket
price: too many tears

Felix & Slink

"Welcome to the new Brisbane"

F&S is the newest and coolest PR company to just come out of Brisbane. I know right? This is more of a Sydney cool thing to do. But these five Brisbane kids are unleashing their talent and drive to create a PR company worthy to rival anything Melbourne or Sydney can throw at them.

5 young co-founders: Tom O'Conner, Kate O'Conner, Brent Doolan, Laura Godwin and Sam O'Conner are proving youth is just another asset.

Their launch party was last Friday at Limes Hotel, with special guest Kate Waterhouse (style and fashion editor for The Sun Herald) mcing and guests including Julie Grbac, Talitha Cummins, Ireney Tobin and many more of Brisbane's fashion frontier.

Their launch party was a huge success with champagne flowing, delicious cupcakes and a very big buzz surrounding the whole night. Playing door bitch at the beginning of the night was soo much fun too!

With an already increasing clientele; Limes Boutique Hotel, Byron Bay Cookie House and a very close friendship with Viviens Model Management, this PR company is a force to be reckoned with.

So the big question is,
are you a slinker?

Images from felixandslink.com.au and Tom O'Connors facebook page

Wonderland

This months issue of H.B was really Edward's baby.

Edward Coutts Davidson was guest creative director for Harper's April 'Wonderland' issue. He had been working, stressing (and smoking like a chimney out the front of the Bazaar building) months prior, to create and perfect his masterpiece.

Inspired by renowned celebrity/fashion photographer Annie Leibowitzs and her Disney shoot for Vanity Fair magazine in late 2007, Edward decided to create his own interpretation.

By using only Australian designers, models, actresses and landscapes, Edward succeeded in creating his magical fashion fairytale.

Actress Teresa Palmer as Alice in Wonderland
designer: Collette Dinnigan
location: Sydney Harbour, New Years Eve 2009
photographer: David Mandelberg

Actress Rachael Taylor as Cruella DeVil in 101 Dalamatians

designer: Romance was Born

location: State Theatre Sydney

photographer: Jordan Graham

Jenny Kee, Linda Jackson and Sydney's fashion fraternity in Fantasia
designer: Michelle Jank
location: Centennial Park, Sydney
photographer: Harold David

Out of all the interns I was lucky enough to score the Fantasia gig (big thanks to Luce). The morning involved working with Cat, Lucinda and all the girls from the Artist Group plus of course the amazingly talented and modest Michelle Jank.

Michelle had asked her nearest and dearest to be apart of her shoot. They were told to dress in white and to be as outrageous as they wished. There were all white cabaret dancers, fencers, karate kids, bee keepers, a young horse rider (complete with matching white horse) dj's, other designers and former models. The props were even more outrageous; a 30cm white apple, a bathtub, snow machine, 2 white cars, white ladders, a huge stage featuring Elvis himself and much more.

My job was to help style guests who wanted a different outfit. A huge thanks to the Vintage Clothing Shop, I had so much fun picking out gorgeous vintage items such as beaded dresses, white fur vests, hats, shoes and co-ordinating pieces.

It was a huge, huge day. I was estatic to be part of the group shot but in the background with another fifty or so people. The experience was priceless and I don't doubt it will be one of the most extraordinary shoots I will ever be on.

Fashion shoot images scanned from April's issue of H.B

Edwards picture from theaustralian.com.au