Life with Bird

(Life with Bird Spring/Summer 08/09 collection)

Life with Bird had a 2-day sale this weekend and yesterday a friend and I (even tho I shouldn’t) decided to have a wee lookie. The sale was located in a small warehouse down an alley off Chapel Street, and we basically followed about a half a dozen excited and eager girls into the make-shift store. I didn’t know that much about the label and found their stuff a little bit too girly for me – although there were a few pieces that I liked. Some of their print work caught my eye, and their oversized bags were pretty cool. They had the silver metallic version of the black tank (bottom left pic) which I was considering, as well as this really nice ribbed tank dress…but my lack of funds resorted to just the one purchase: a cute tank that was originally $146 discounted down to a crazy $10!!

At first glance of it the pics the tank looks pretty plain. But if you look closely you will find that there is enough detailing on it to make it quite special. I ended up wearing the top today into the city for Yum Char with some friends.

(Life with Bird Tank; Gorman Star Cardy; Black Lee Supatubes; Vintage Cilla Heels, Mimco Black Leather Bag)

My Fashion Design Portfolio: The Cashmere Wool Coat

Here is another one of my creations while I was studying Fashion Design at Massey University. This time it is a Cashmere Wool Double-Breasted Coat that I made from scratch – i.e. from design, to pattern, to toile, to final product. I got my inspiration from a Helen Cherry Swing Coat and a Karen Walker jacket I was lusting for from their Fall 2008 collections.

(Top: Helen Cherry Swing Coat; botton: Karen Walker Jacket)

My end product was 3-panelled, double breasted wool coat with concealed side pockets and an oversized clover collar. The back and sleeves have single working vents and the buttons are self-covered. I chose a beautiful cashmere/wool blend fabric from the Global Fabrics, and the lining is a medium weight brushed cotton. There is topstitching throughout the jacket, and I almost forgot, there are little shoulder pads attached too. Turned out pretty well, and my sister loved it so much – I gave it to her for her birthday :o)

If I was a guy…

…my wardrobe would have clothes by Endovanera…

(Images from here)

Endovanera is one of LA’s up-and-coming menswear labels created by David Hershberger and Mitch Moseley. Their work has been described as “17th-century England, 2st-century Tokyo and futuristic intergalactic style all at the same time”. I love the decontructiveness and versatility of their garments, and the tailoring is impeccable. Check out the detailing on the sleeve cuffs of the jacket (third pic down on the left from above), and the tapered pants (below)!

(Tapered Pants – image credit here)

Hershberger, the designer of the duo, used to create custom jeans out of an old boathouse for friends. However in April this year, the label found a new niche for their collection and production studio. Tucked beneath an underpass in Echo Park, near the bridge on Glendale, in an inconspicuous – almost hidden location, you find Endovanera’s minimalist studio gallery named: Front St.

(Front St: image credits here)

Here, shoppers can browse through the full range of their current collection, as well as have the opportunity to order from past season’s collections. There are over 100 fabrics and hardware selections to choose from, and David himself drafts custom patterns and carefully sews samples using an heirloom sewing machine in the open studio (see pic below).

(Front St: image credits here)

Although their collections tend to be on the ‘dark/emo side’, most will find pieces that will become staples in their wardrobes. Below is a peek at their current Fall 2008 collection:

(Fall 2008)

But, there are some good new for the ladies! Olga Nazarova, a formal intern at Endovanera, along with pal Theresa Becker-Wayman, have helped design a new womenswear line for the label. The collection is due for Spring 2009, and will include “more urbane pieces such as slouchy tees, tailored dresses, and jackets with peekaboo cutouts,” as well as “softer, more bohemian fare: tiered-ruffle skirts and bloomers conjured in tribute to Stevie Nicks.”

(Image credit from here)

These guys are definitely one label to look out for, and now that they are introducing a womenwear label – I won’t have to consider having a sex change anymore to wear their stuff :p

Yeojin Bae

Today I would like to talk about Australian-based Korean designer, Yeojin Bae – a real fashion inspiration, and I love her stuff!

(YeoJin Bae)

“Feminity doesn’t have to be overly girly” say Bae, and her design philosophy is simple: to make clothes that are wearable and desirable. Her work combines her love of refined tailoring, a hint of rock and roll, vintage-inspired detailing, and an edgy sense of romanticism – just my cup of tea :o)

(Images of her Spring 08 Collection from: Yeojin Bae, Vogue Australia, and Highsonbette)

She has a career history that any fashion graduate would wish to follow (including myself): completing internships for Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui in New York; working as senior designer for top Australian labels such as Saba and Charlie Brown; winning the prestigious Tiffany and Co Young Designer of the Year Award in 2007; designing her own range for Target, and opening her first showroom this year on Chapel Street, Melbourne (which I plan to visit soon!).

“I wanted the space to feel like a private apartment, to create an intimate and personal experience when viewing the collection, and I enjoy not having a visible street frontage, it feels more private and rewarding when you discover us.”

(Yeojin Bae Showroom)

Yeojin Bae’s newest collection is titled: Lili Marlene, which was a popular German love song during World War 2. Hence you will find contrasting pieces in her collection of dreamy-romantic influence and structural elegance.

(Summer 09 Collection from Yeojin Bae)

Her showroom is located in Studio 4, Level 1, 240 Chapel Street in Prahran, and is open to the public Thursday to Saturday every week. See you guys there ;o)

Papayapie

Every now and then I come across a designer who creates beautiful and innovative things, and when it involves the use of recycled and vintage fabrics (pro-eco) – I pretty much become a fan straight away. Papayapie is a label created by a talented Italian designer named Paolo Idrontino, who graduated from Central St Martins College in London after spending 10 years working in visual arts and design. Her inspiration comes from handicraft methods, fabrics, vintage dresses, costumes, jabots and frills, and she is passionate about supporting eco-friendly and sustainable design.

Here are some snippets of some of my favourites from her various collections, all so different, quirky, and totally wearable. She’s alway interested in any big ideas, and for people who want hand-made custom accessories for photo shoots, music, video, and film to contact her. Enjoy!

Nightfall Collection

( Clockwise from top left: Audra collar, Viktor necktie, Hora neckpiece, and Misjah scarf)

Dada Collection

Kabaret Collection

(Clockwise from top left: Rykel necklace, Paquin necklace, Flower headpiece, and Mad Alice headband)

Fauna Collection

(Clockwise from top left: Mimi, Momo, and Mumu black jersey cat family, Tina doorstop, Bobo fish, and Animal head brooches)

Handknitted/Crochet Accessories

Yes yes, it is indeed Spring (in the Southern Hemisphere) at the mo and I have already experienced 30 degree temperatures as the days are heatin’ up…but I can’t help but want these very cool oversized handknitted scarves/hoods/chains I’ve been seeing around as I am reading through various blogs.

Yokoo sells her handknitted oversized scarves, and accessories in her Etsy Shop, and can be made in lots of different colours to your liking (quite warm tones). I particularly like the way her cowl-like scarves can be worn as a hood if you need the extra warmth. All are made out of soft wool/acrylic yarns.

I also came across these cute handknitted accessories by Little Purls which I think would be great for both warm and cooler weather. I love her choice in colours, and pretty much want everything I’ve displayed here of hers. The chain scarves and tiered necklaces are my favourites.

This really makes me wanna pull out some knitting needles and have a play. I was even thinking…and this is really cheating, that I could just get a whole bunch of chunky coloured hair bobbles and sew them up into a chain. Yes, its cheating I know… :-p

Work Experience at GORMAN, Melbourne

I stayed in Melbourne for 2 1/2 weeks after leaving New York to gain a better feel about the city as well as scout around for potential work – and I had a blast! I managed to get some work experience with a great label called Gorman. Lisa Gorman (whom I met and is really lovely) is the creative director and started up her label in 1999. Some of you may remember her infamous Gorman Fisherman Pants (with the velcro fold-over waist) back in day, and I now believe that her Gorman ‘Farmer’ Pants are fast becoming a huge hit (see below).

Her clothes are recognised for their quality in materials, shapes, styles and prints, although they are now becoming more recognised for their strong stance towards environmentally friendly practices. Not only has Gorman launched a sustainable Organic Collection (in 2007) made from organic fibers and yarns, the label has a focus on insuring all the business’s practices are as ‘green’ as possible. Everything from the light bulbs to reduced Gorman packaging for products has been given thought! Their aim is to become carbon neutral by the end of 2008

Some of their other interesting green initiatives include the following:
– switched to recyclable packaging such as LDPE quality polybags if needed at all

– switched to 100% accredited green power
– $5 from every green&serene tee sale goes to Friends of the Earth. that’s about $1000 per month

– employed an environmental consultant who not only advises what they can do locally, but what is working with their off-shore factories to reduce their environmental impact

– they’ve even given discounts to customers who ride their bikes to Gorman stores!

MY WORK EXPERIENCE AT GORMAN:

I was given the opportunity to help Gorman out at their headoffice for a 2 weeks as they were super busy getting their A/W 09 range ready for wholesale. Some of the things I did to help out were:

– documented A/W 09 main collection and Gorman organic sales packs for wholesale (which included making up design makes, coding, pricing, and photography of garments).

– prepared stock for their Gorman Organic Ship Shop (see pic above). This is a mobile shop (i.e. a shipping container) that travels around the country to promote their organic range.

– helped prepare their A/W 09 range for their season’s webshoot.

– coded and labelled each A/W 09 garment ready for wholesale viewings.

Gorman ended up giving me a very generous gift voucher for my efforts (thank you!), which I ended up spending straight away at their Outlet store on Bridge Road (mainly bought stuff from their organic range – which I love!).