#2 Spring/Summer
For Women who want Escape the Herd
Now stocking in various Perth Boutiques and Online. www.wildhorses.portableshops.com wild.horsesfashion@hotmail.com Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/W-i-l-d-H-o-r-s-e-s..
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Vashti Magazine Publisher: Colosoul Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer: Tricia Ray Senior Editor: Natasha Drake Assistant Editor: Holly Warren Copy Editor: Cayden Sj Head of Fashion: Mary Collister Graphic Designer: Stanka Budosova Photographers: Rosie Button Ricky Santos Marina White Alex Mansour Alanna Kusin Dan Brady Writers: Rume Faka Natasha Drake Marina White Holly Warren Sarah Henry Brooke Jackson Front Cover Model: Michelle Lake Fashion Director: Marty Collister Photography: Dan Brady Make up: Amy Brady Hair: Karen Dejesus at Hair Creative ‘Honeycomb’ print shift dress courtesy of Neon Pony, tassel earrings courtesy of Spice Lily Social Media: FB: http://www.facebook.com/vashtimagazinee Tumblr: http://vashtimagazine.tumblr.com Instagram: vashtimagazine Twitter: Vashti_Magazine Contact Us: Contact CEO: tricia@colosoul.com.au Contact Vashti Editor: vashti@colosoul.com.au Postal Address: PO Box 8157, Angelo Street, South Perth 6151.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN VASHTI MAGAZINE ARE THOSE OF RESPECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY VASHTI AND ITS STAFF. THE MAGAZINE WELCOMES NEW CONTRIBUTIONS BUT CAN ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS OR ILLUSTRATIONS.
www.jont elamode.c om jontelam ode
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MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
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hen I think Vashti I think young, creative, talent! When I think Vashti I think a magazine that’s speaking up for animals! When I think Vashti I think, yes finally a magazine that has a focus about vegan and vegetarianism. Who would of thought of putting fashion, food and animals all in the same story in such a fabulously concoction? Only Vashti! Perth maybe a small place but its got bloody talent and we are alive to tell you that; if you don’t just get of your arse and do something that you feel is important in life to do then you may live in regret. Vashti is not about living in regret - it’s about moving forward and bringing fashion and lifestyle into a realm of fantastic pleasure that opens the doorway to your imagination.
Why do I love Vashti, because Vashti loves me!
Indulge in Vashti Magazine.
Tricia Ray, CEO, Vashti Magazine
THE BEAUTIFUL THINK .COM.AU WEAR YOUR VALUES BEAUTIFULLY A marketplace for sustainable & socially responsible fashion.
COMPOSE A LOOK Photographer: Ricky Santos Models: Stacey McWaters @CSA Models & Ashlee Marwick @Scene Model Management Hair & Makeup: Crystal Brown @ Crystal Glow Hair Assistant: Jake Gray @ Djurra Lifestyle Salon & Spa Location: Chris Huzzard Studio
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Ever wondered what some of your Aussie Beauty Youtubers and Professionals think.. Here are some top tips to keep your makeup looking effortless. “Make sure you always remove your makeup at the end of the day. At night your skin needs to breathe and regenerate to be fresh in the morning. “ @missmepassionate “sleep, water, cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, prime, blend and brow! Xx” @gooroobeauty “white or cream waterproof eyeliner on the lower water line, will make your eyes look whiter, brighter and bigger.” @MakeupWithPoppy “If you want to make a perfect crisp line for your liquid eyeliner, put a strip of sticky tape leading from the outside corner of your eye up to the outside of your eyebrow and use that as a stencil for your liner. When you remove the sticky tape it will leave behind a perfect edge.” Amy Brady “Moisturize your lips with a lip balm daily before bed! You wake up with “baby bottom” soft lips. Crack-‐free lips are the perfect base for your favourite lipstick you’ll be rocking the next day. “ @DOMMsmiles Ever wondered what some of your Aussie Beauty Youtubers and Professionals think.. Here are some top tips to keep your makeup looking effortless. “sleep, water, cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, prime, blend and brow! Xx” @gooroobeauty “white or cream waterproof eyeliner on the lower water line, will make your eyes look whiter, brighter and bigger.” @MakeupWithPoppy “If you want to make a perfect crisp line for your liquid eyeliner, put a strip of sticky tape leading from the outside corner of your eye up to the outside of your eyebrow and use that as a stencil for your liner. When you remove the sticky tape it will leave behind a perfect edge.” Amy Brady “Moisturize your lips with a lip balm daily before bed! You wake up with “baby bottom” soft lips. Crack-free lips are the perfect base for your favourite lipstick you’ll be rocking the next day. “ @DOMMsmiles 10 - VASHTI MAGAZINE - SP R I N G / SUM M E R 2013
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PAC-MAN Words: Holly Warren Photographer: Rosie Button Models: Alex Shaw & Dylan Rice Director &Hair: Mary Collister Makeup: Venus D’Scarlett Stylist: Holly Reedman Assistant Stylist: Nicole Cifelli Location: Alpacas Plus Special Thanks: Henry Whitehead and Pearce Patrick
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lpacas. It’s safe to say that the common knowledge on this subject is fairly vague. About time to get acquainted...
Alpacas belong to the South American Camelid family along with the llama, the vicuna and the guanaco. These animals originated from the Altiplano region of southern Peru, Bolivia and Chile, where they were integral to the survival of the people of the Andes in the region’s extreme thermal temperatures. Great effort was invested in cultivating their numbers and the largest herds still live there. Domesticated alpacas were first brought to Australia in 1858 but the introduction failed and none survived. The first of the current alpaca arrived in 1988, supported by Chilean imports in the beginning and by Peruvian stock in recent years. They’ve thrived in our climate and the population has taken off. In mid 2006 there were 90,000 alpacas… this year the figure has reached 200,000 alpacas!
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The easiest way to describe an alpaca is to say: a bit like a llama. They do resemble small llamas in appearance, but are different in that llamas were cultivated to be beasts of burden - hence their larger size - while alpacas were bred for their fibre. Within their herds, alpacas reside in family groups consisting of a territorial male, a number of females and their offspring. Considered low maintenance compared to other livestock, they require a basic high-fibre diet of grasses (ideally of different types) and occasional grain, shelter from the elements and the odd toenail clipping. They graze about 30% more efficiently than sheep and another plus for farmers is that the herd all do their business in the same spot, forming select poop piles across the pasture! Alpacas are the most colour diverse fibre producing animal in the world. The fleece can of course be synthetically dyed to the desired hue, but it comes naturally in a range of 22 shades, from pure white to jet black, fawns, browns and greys. Due to tight restrictions on the export of alpacas from South America, there is a worldwide shortage of good alpaca breeding stock while in contrast there is huge demand from stud breeders, hobby farmers, life style seekers and investors. Our industry is still topped by Peru (2.5 million alpacas) and Bolivia (500,000), but we can claim the title of the largest pedigree herd in the world, so Australian breeders are in the prime position to ask high prices for their top quality animals. Countries like the UK, NZ, South Africa, Italy and Germany appreciate Australia’s quality bloodlines. The average price received at the Annual Show and Sale in Canberra for one breeding male is around $40,000, and the price for a prime stud can reach $130,000! That’s not to say that fibre production is on the go slow. The Australian alpaca clip has been increasing annually at an exponential rate of around 20%. In recent years, over 150 tonnes, just under 2 million dollars worth, is being garnered per annum. The official marketer of alpaca fibre is the Australian Alpaca Fleece Limited (AAFL), an industry owned company established in 2004. A centralised collection service, it classes the fleeces, and ships them to strategic partners in Peru for processing into garments and homewares and then for marketing to retailers across the world.
The AAFL delineate the fibre colour chart against which fleeces are strictly assessed. White and light fawn fibre makes up the majority of Australia’s outputs, an assuring situation given that this type can be dyed into any desired colour and is therefore highly sourced for the fashion industry. True white, as well as true black are ever popular colours and command high prices, but if any individual brown or black fibres are found then the fleece is considered impure and will instead be labelled as light fawn or dark brown. Likewise, grey fleeces with any hint of brown in it are rose grey, not true grey. As a result, farmers need to take great care in deciding which alpacas will mate together in order to create offspring with a gorgeous pelt. They must also ensure environmental factors don’t spoil the alpaca hair - for example, red soils can fleck superb white pelts with a crimson tinge that cannot be scrubbed out. Alpacas live for around 20 years and their fleece is shorn annually. The yield will be no less than 3 kg and could be as much as 5 kg for a male with a dense coat. It then goes through a process akin to that used in wool manufacturing. Since there is almost no grease in alpaca fibre, about 95% of what is sheared from the animal will be used. The result may visually be akin to sheep’s wool, but in all other respects it is superior. Imagine a fibre with the softness of cashmere but the strength of mohair, second in strength only to silk. A hollow fibre, it’s an exceptional insulator. This allows alpaca fibre to have the extremely attractive quality of being warm, yet lightweight, and has none of that prickliness that wool can have. Much like the animal itself, the fibre is hardy, repels water and is difficult to ignite. It also contains no lanolin, making it naturally hypoallergenic, and easier in the hand spinning process. The garment will just about outlive its owner! Thus the humble alpaca with its outstanding pelt is an invaluable asset for the fashion industry. In Australia, alpacas have a combined livestock value of well over $100 million and are kept by around 2,000 Australians. Producing a fleece that is both soft yet strong and richly diverse in different colours, strong international demand for the alpaca’s wool means that alpacas will remain an important mainstay for Australia’s fashion industry.
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CYCLE INTO SPRING Models: Michelle Lake & Toni McDonald Fashion Director: Marty Collister Photography: Dan Brady Makeup: Amy Brady Hair: Karen Dejesus @ Hair Creative Apparel: Neon Pony, and Ginja Fashion Shoes: Broken Doll Accessories: Spice Lilly Special Thanks: Moore’s Café at Moore & Moore Contemporary Gallery Fremantle Bicycles courtesy of Captain Walker Fremantle for the Bicycles.
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RIGHT - TONY WEARS: 24 - VASHTI MAGAZINE SP R I N G / SUM M E R 2013 PAISLEY PRINT CHIFFON DRESS COURTESY OF GINJA-FASHION, VINTAGE LEATHER BOOTS COURTESY OF BROKEN DOLL, RESIN BEADED NECKLACES COURTESY OF SPICE LILY, BICYCLE COURTESY OF CAPTAIN WALKER FREMANTLE
MICHELLE WEARS: VINTAGE EMBROIDERED SLEEVELESS BLOUSE AND VINTAGE MUSTARD FLARE PANTS COURTESY OF NEON PONY, VINTAGE LOAFERS COURTESY OF BROKEN DOLL, PEARL NECKLACE, PEARL AND CRYSTAL NECKLACE COURTESY OF SPICE LILY, BICYCLE COURTESY OF CAPTAIN WALKER FREMANTLE 25 - VASHTI MAGAZINE - SP R I N G / SUM M E R 2013
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TONY WEARS: PAISLEY DRESS COURTESY OF GINJA FASHION, IVORY ROSE PENDANT NECKLACE AND PEARL STUD EARRINGS COURTESY OF SPICE LILY, BICYCLE COURTESY OF CAPTAIN WALKER FREMANTLE
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Model With A Social Conscious
COLLECTIVE BEAUTY Words: Rume Faka Photography: Alanna Kusin Makeup: Michelle Zinko
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ho is Jade Fairbairn, what is a typical day in the life of‌ I was born and raised in Perth, Australia. My family is quite a small one, but we are quite close and when I was younger we travelled quite a lot around WA. I met most of my very close friends in high school and we have stayed in touch ever since. A typical day for me is just like everyone else I guess, haha! I get up, eat a huge breakfast, take the dog for a walk and go to work. At the moment I am working as a Marketing Coordinator and a model so I try and juggle both as best I can. I also like to work on my novel when I can find any spare time haha.
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RF. Of all the career paths, why modelling? I fell in love with modelling when I was about eight years old and I would sit and watch New York fashion week. Tyra Banks and Cindy Crawford were my biggest idols growing up. To me as a young girl, I saw them as incredibly strong, intelligent women that were making the world their own. So I guess you could say that was the attraction. RF. Modelling aside, what are your other interests? Writing! I have always loved writing stories and narratives and I would have to say next to modelling, writing is my number one passion! I am also very much an animal person, so my Samoyed Topaz is very high up on my priority list. She is a beautiful dog and I love spending time with her every chance I get. RF. Have you encountered any negativity from others because of your chosen profession? I have encountered negativity from people but it’s usually because they don’t actually know me very well. When they do get to know me they realise I am very down to earth and a pretty switched on business woman as well. I have always felt that people who judge others simply show a lack of character in themselves. RF. I understand that you are actively involved in your community. You are involved with Toy Box International, Ronald McDonald House and Miracle Babies Foundation, to name a few! Helping my community has always been important to me. Even from a young age, I helped out by joining girl guides and organising plant-a-tree days and clean-up Australia days. My family has always encouraged me to help those less fortunate than I. We are so lucky to be healthy and living in such a beautiful country we have no excuse not to give back. RF. Who are Toy Box International and how did you get involved with them? Toy Box International help sick and disadvantaged children living in WA. I got involved with them through my participation in Miss Universe WA and they really make a difference in the lives of children and their families. RF. Tell me about the things you do at Ronald McDonald House. Along with a group of girlfriends we cook dinner for families who have sick children getting treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital. Ronald McDonald house is their home away from home and they can stay there almost indefinitely. So just by us going and cooking dinner, we are able to bring a bit of home love and home cooking into
their day. It always amazes me how something so small, like a home cooked roast dinner can really make their day a little brighter. Every chance I get I put together a group and cook a nice meal for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House. RF. Miracle Babies Foundation is a charity that is very close to your heart, why is their mission so important to you? As an ambassador for The Miracle Babies Foundation, helping sick and disadvantaged children has always been important to me. It became a cause very close to my heart when two years ago my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Addison was born a lot earlier than expected, at 25 weeks which was 13 weeks before his due date. His lungs weren’t yet formed, amongst many other problems that occur when a baby is born that early. His little life is completely dependent on modern technology and the expertise of the doctors in the neonatal ward. My sister along with her husband and three other children had to swiftly uproot their life in the country to move back to Perth so that Addison could get the care he needed. The Miracle Babies Foundation holds support groups for mothers dealing with similar situations where the odds are against them. I truly believe had it not been for their support the outlook may have been bleaker. What breaks my heart is that there are many mothers and babies all over the world that need the same support but simply do not have access to it. That is why being an ambassador for The Miracle Babies Foundation is so important to me because there are so many in the world still without this kind of support and modern medicine. As an ambassador I spread the word of the Miracle Babies Foundation whenever possible. RF. If you could impart some advice to young aspiring models what would it be? Be yourself! Work out what makes you unique and run with it! Cindy Crawford’s trademark was her mole (of all things!) Whatever makes you different makes you beautiful. And don’t be afraid to try - if they say no, then there is always another opportunity around the corner. RF. Where to from here, what are your goals for the next 12 months? In the next 12 months I hope to continue to spread the message of these amazing charities. I also hope to do a bit of travelling and finally finish my latest novel. After becoming a national finalist in the Miss Humanity Australia pageant I am considering re-entering next year and giving it another go.
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TOXIC CHEMICALS AND COSMETICS
DETOX THE PLANET Words: Brooke Jackson Photography: Courtesy of Green Peace Detox Campaign
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ow well do you know the conditions under which the clothes you are currently wearing were made in? What do you know about the harmful chemicals that are released into our water when our clothes are being manufactured? Did you know that these chemicals are causing devastating and long lasting effects on our health and precious environment? Industrial toxic water pollution is a global issue which is why environmental organisation Greenpeace International, has launched The Detox Campaign, a worldwide initiative which challenges some of the world’s most popular clothing brands to work with their suppliers and eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals by 2020. Launched in July 2011, the campaign demands “fashion without pollution” and through intensive fieldwork and investigations into 20 major fashion brands, Greenpeace has uncovered the “toxic truth behind our clothes”. In their latest report, Toxic Threads: The Big Fashion Stitch-Up, Greenpeace revealed the alarmingly high presence of hazardous chemical residues in clothing made by dominant fashion labels.
In April 2012, a total of 141 clothing items ranging from jeans, trousers, shirts, dresses and underwear were purchased by Greenpeace in 29 countries worldwide from authorised fashion companies including Benetton Group (Benetton), Esprit Holdings (Esprit), Gap Inc, Levi Straus & Co, Limited Brands (owner of Victoria’s Secret brand) and Mango Group, amongst others. According to the garments’ labels, these clothing articles were manufactured in various developing countries in Central America, Asia and Africa. Garments were tested in the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom and of the 141 clothing articles tested, 89 were found to contain detectable levels of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), a family of man-made chemicals. Used predominately in the manufacturing of textiles, NPEs break down to form nonylphenol, which according to the report, is known to be “persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic and acts as a hormone disruptor.” Even more interesting is that toxic phthalates - chemical substances used to soften plastics and other materials to increase flexibility – were found in 31 of the garments which bore a plastisol print. Phthalates, commonly known as plasticisers, pose a huge threat to wildlife, the environment as well as to human health. High levels of exposure have shown to produce adverse effects on reproduction in both animals and humans.
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Astonishingly, of the 31 garments, four garments tested positive for “very high” concentrations of these toxic phthalates. Of these four garments, two were manufactured for Tommy Hilfiger (manufactured in the Philippines and Bangladesh), one was for Armani (manufactured in Turkey), and the other for Victoria’s Secret (manufactured in Sri Lanka). Apart from seven of the articles that were white, all 141 garments were also tested for cancer-causing amines that have been known to be released from certain dyes. Amines – organic compounds derived from ammonia – were identified in two of the 134 garments. The two garments were manufactured in Pakistan for Zara. Although the levels of amines in these garments fell below the regulatory limit, any carcinogenic detection in clothing or food manufacturing is a cause for concern. As such, certain uses of amines in the production of clothing are currently under legislation in the European Union and in some parts of China. Ilze Smit, Toxic Campaigner for Greenpeace International, states that when it comes to being able to develop and sustain a toxic-free future, major fashion brands and manufacturers face the tumultuous issue of transparency and need to engage more effectively with suppliers. “(Brands) need to know which hazardous substances are used in the factories and to enforce policies to eliminate the use of hazardous substances and their substitution with safer alternatives”, Smit said. Smit also says that because many international brands source their products from facilities within industrial zones, identifying whether their specific suppliers are releasing hazardous substances is a challenging ordeal and that it provides a “perfect smokescreen for unacceptable environmental practices”. So far, fifteen international fashion labels including Nike, Adidas, H&M, Esprit, Mango, Valentino and Levi’s have made a determinative approach to detox and eliminate all hazardous chemicals during the manufacturing process by 2020. But there’s more to just wanting to detox – brands need to walk the talk and engage effectively with their suppliers and implement specific strategies in an effort to enforce zero discharge of hazardous chemicals, and they need to do it quickly.
This includes committing to set achievable target dates for the elimination of the use and release of hazardous chemicals, while in the interim, disclosing to the public which of these specific chemicals are being used. This then leads us to question the role of governments and the lax regulations surrounding the manufacturing process of clothing within certain countries. To uphold the idea of producer responsibility, Greenpeace is also calling upon governments to work with suppliers to adopt a preventative approach so that hazardous chemicals are not released into water systems. Governments are urged to adopt a comprehensive set of chemicals management policies that address the ban on the production and use of hazardous chemicals. As part of the campaign, over half a million people worldwide – from fashionistas and models to designers and bloggers – have united with the ultimate purpose of demanding a toxic-free fashion future. Consumers are now able to use their influence to make changes to the decisions that big brands around the world make, giving rise to “people power”. Recognising the need for a collective push towards influencing such decisions, Smit says that “we are witnessing a global movement of people who are making their voices heard in more creative ways.” Global citizens and consumers can now take action against major fashion brands and support the “toxicfree fashion movement” by signing Greenpeace’s Detox Fashion Manifesto. Alternatively, we can contribute by choosing to buy fewer new clothing products, buy second-hand clothes where possible or taking part in clothes swaps with friends. Now is the time to act. Ensuring a toxic free future for generations to come will only be possible once brands and suppliers, and even governments, take full responsibility and control of the manufacturing process and commit to detox. We know it will take time, but there’s no time like the present to start. For further information on the Detox Campaign and how you can demand a toxic-free fashion future, head to http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/ campaigns/toxics/water/detox/
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BRING YOUR CITY TO LIFE Photographer: Ricky Santos Model: Nicole @Giant Hair: Simone Clarke Makeup: Phoebe Taylor Styling: Marisa Liistro
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SHOW YOUR CLASS Photographer: Alex Mansour Assistant Photographer: Caitlyn Martin Models: Kylie Board & Stephanie Simpson Hair: Joanne Banks Makeup: Crystal Brown @ Crystal Glow Creative Director & Stylists: Holly Reedman & Alex Shaw Director: Marty Collister Special Thanks: Bella Cupcake World and Moana CafĂŠ
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KYLIE WEARS: LIGHT OF MY LIFE COAT LIGHT OF MY LIFE SKIRT 44 - VASHTI MAGAZINE - SP R I N G / SUM M E R 2013
KYLIE WEARS: BAD SEED DRESS
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STEPH WEARS: BABY CAKES DRESS KYLIE WEARS: THE HOPELESS ROMANTIC DRESS ACCESSORIES: MADE ABOUT YOU WRAP
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STEPH WEARS: BABY CAKES DRESS (SHERBET) ACCESSORIES: I SURRENDER STATEMENT BELT
CAT MONSTER Words: Natasha Drake
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When you think of cats, what do you think of? Most of us would think of a loving family household pet. What most of us would probably not think are the ones that cause more damage than happiness: the feral cat. There are roughly 15 million feral cats around Australia. Not only do feral cats live, hunt and reproduce in the wild, but they also possess acute senses and highly refined coordination suitable for the capture and stalking of their prey. It is crazy to think that cats kill an estimated 75 million Australian native animals daily. This means that not only are these animals killing species but they are killing those that are native to our country, resulting in more and more species endemic to Australia becoming endangered if no measures are taken to combat this problem.
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Cats were introduced into Australia in the early 17th century during the days of European settlement. The distinction between household cats and feral cats came in the early 1850s as feral cat colonies became established in the wilderness. Today, they can be found in all types of habitats around Australia. Cats are categorized into three different categories – domestic, stray or feral. Although they may belong to the same species, there can be vast differences between the three different types. Domestic cats are household animals that are owned domestically. Stray cats are those that may have been previously domesticated but are now surviving in the wild. Feral cats, however, live in the wild with no contact with humans. Feral cats are predominately nocturnal and favour burrows and logs to shelter themselves during the day. The impact that feral cats have on our wildlife is enormous. 186 species of native birds, 64 mammals, and 10 species of frogs are among those identified to be at great risk on the Australian mainland as a result of predation by feral cats. Feral cats naturally predate on species smaller than themselves but they are also quite are capable of killing much larger animals - up to 2 kilograms in weight. Not only do feral cats affect animals further down from the food chain, but they also have adverse affects on other native predators. Populations of feral cats compete directly with other predators for the same food sources, greatly affecting the survival of these native species. One example is the Eastern Quoll, considered Australia’s “native cat, which has become endangered as feral cats gradually pushed them out of their natural ecological niche. Interestingly, if a feral cat comes near a female quoll, then the quoll becomes infertile. The predominant nature of feral cats then serves as a reason to why quolls are infertile but also as to why the number of ‘native cats’ have declined to near extinction. In addition, feral cats do not just compete with native species for vital resources but they also carry diseases which can spread and cause fatalities in native population. Toxoplasmosis is just one example, a parasitic disease that can cause blindness and respiratory problems in native marsupials as well as stillbirth and loss of young.
The effects of feral cats on the Australian wildlife is only becoming worse and worse with 75 million native animals being killed every day. This statistic is especially mind blowing when you think of the magnitude of how many species could be extinct and endangered as a result of this severe loss of wildlife. In the 2012/13 editions of Wildlife Matters journal, feral cats were referred to as an “ecological axis of evil.” The reality of the situation only really hits when you think of all the desert space, forests and grasslands that is able to sustain a population of between 5 and 20 million feral cats within Australia. When we think of cats, we mostly associate cats with the domestic environment we live in. Yet a single feral cat will kill around 5-30 animals a day, ranging from small mammals to birds to reptiles. Even if we took the lowest number of five fatalities a day and multiplied that by a figure of roughly 15 million cats, that is
75 million native animals daily which are killed by feral cats. The impact of feral cats is well known, so what is being done to combat the problem? Unfortunately in Australia, trapping, shooting and combating feral cats is not easy. This is due to the size of the landscape and the scale of the eradication that such an operation would entail. In the wild, feral cats are notoriously hard to locate and as a result of this, entrapment and shooting is impracticable due to the nature of the resources that would need to be used. We all love animals; they are a part of our homes and environments, so how are we able to combat the species that endanger them? Further research is ongoing and is important to capture and disparity of feral cats. The important role we as a community have to undertake is to be informed about what feral cats can do and the impact that they have on the environment so that there is greater awareness on the dangers that are threatening and pushing our native species to the brink of extinction.
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BRING COLOUR TO FOOD: FERN CAFÉ Words: Marina White Photography: Marina White
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aw food is pretty trendy at the moment; Madonna and Jason Mraz brag about it and raw chocolate is becoming more normal than normal chocolate! To pay homage to the naked fodder, a slew of joints have sprung up in a flurry. With all this ostentatious gentrification of Mother Nature’s fruits wafting around like an overzealous stick of incense, it was incredibly refreshing to wander into the Raw Food Café nestled amongst the shady tuarts and rustling bamboo fronds of the FERN community gardens. There’s no whippie (wealthy hippie) pretence here – this place is oblivious to the all the hoo-ha and is likely to potter on long after the fad fazes out. I could happily while away my afternoons at FERN: getting lost in a cacophonic maze of pathways, sipping on a coconut in the sun, watching the butterflies flutter by or making friends with a chicken scratching beneath the grevillea. Order some nosh – everything is 100% raw, dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan – then plonk yourself down in a secluded corner at one of the mismatched tables hidden amongst the gum trees and fuchsia nicotiana. Why not get in touch with your inner Bush Tucker Man and nibble on some lush parsley and basil from the garden beds while you wait for your main course? We decided to share the Zoom burger, falafels and pizza – all $14 each (suggested donation) and served with generous scoops of juicy, crunchy salad (the falafels also came with a deliciously vinegary beetroot sauerkraut). The Thai-inspired falafels were imbued with a hint of coconut and topped with a dollop of salmon-pink capsicum cream that added a refreshingly succulent burst of juiciness to help the rich nutty falafel go down.
These morsels were extremely wholesome and dense, meaning it was a perfect dish to share between three – I couldn’t dream of getting through the whole thing alone. The pizza was an absolute winner – a dehydrated sprouted grain base (sounds like moon food, tastes like pizza) laden with a totally lush tomato salsa, chalky mushrooms, salty olives, a confusing-yet-delightful lemony zing, swirls of sour cream and a punchy drizzle of garlicky avocado goodness to really get the party started. Even though our tummies were already happily satisfied, we decided to give the deserts a go – and oh my goodness I’m so glad we did. A sweet biscuity base nestled beneath a fat layer of buttery nut cream and tender chunks of sunny-yellow flesh made up the mango cheesecake ($8). The key lime pie ($8) was a tangy blend of the palest green cream of Irish moss and sweet coconut flesh. Both cakes were finished off with a drool-worthy swirl of choc-coconut sauce to really seal the deal. The thing about FERN is that the staff don’t try to hide the rawness of the food – smoothies are righteouslystill bitty with almond shavings and chunky carrot slices and colossal lettuce leaves reign supreme. You may not be sipping a wheatgrass martini with Madonna or sharing the finest cacao and goji berry mousse with Jason, but you’ll definitely get to taste real raw food just as it should taste –straight out of the earth as fresh as fresh can be. The Raw Food Café at FERN is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. There’s also raw food classes, Soupie night (raw food by donation), a bike collective, community gardening, goods for sale and whatever else you may discover at this pretty groovy little place.
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INTERVIEW WITH MEKEL
MODEL YOUR PASSION Interviewed by Natasha Drake Images Courtesy of Mekel
D
rawing from when she was just eight years old, Mekel can remember starting by using dolls as models to the realization of a career path in the steps of graphic design. In the last year, Mekel has focused on fashion illustration in depth, viewing the development of the illustrations as a continual evolution of her designs and only really stepping back at certain milestones to reflect on what great achievements she has met.
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ND: When did you start fashion illustrating? I started drawing from an early age and remember designing clothes – perhaps my first clients were my dolls when I was 8. But I soon realized I didn’t enjoy sewing, which lead me on to a career path as a graphic designer. In the last year I have refocused my art for art sake rather than design, concentrating on fashion illustration. ND: Where did you study? I studied at the Western Australian School of Art and Design, studying graphic design. I’ve also taken a few courses in fashion illustration and print making. ND: What ‘method’ do you use to produce your illustrations? I like going back to basics and drawing with a simple pacer pencil or inky black pen. I will generally colour with water colour, or hop on the computer and finish the creations digitally, making it more enjoyable with a Wacom graphics tablet. ND: What is your preferred medium and why? Pencil. I love the simplicity of a few lines put precisely in the right place, and the feel of the texture of the paper. I’m not the best with a paint brush (as some have joked I ‘cant colour within the lines’), and painting on a larger scale is something I’d like to explore further.
ND: How do you believe your illustrations have developed over the years? It’s difficult to tell when you’re in the process of continual evolution. The only real chance to gauge is to step back at milestones, such as important pieces, or after a lull in inspiration. I can see development from my first drawings I posted online a year ago, to my current work today, but it’s very difficult to pinpoint anything particular” ND: What inspired your works? I’m inspired by the endless supply of fashion editorials and photography for magazines and online blogs. It’s a certain pose, a beautiful flowing dress or a colour scheme that can trigger the imagination and makes me want to draw. ND: What would you call your style? I think my style is quite elegant and feminine. I like simplicity, lots of white space and refinement. My work is neutral shades, black and white with a pop of bright colour. I draw girls who capture this whilst having a bit of personality in their face like they have a story to tell. ND: What is the best thing about being an artist? I’m a very creative person and I just love being able to express myself through paper, drawing pretty pictures.
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ND: Is there a purpose to your artwork?
ND: Professionally, what is your goal?
It really is a guilty pleasure of mine, I do it purely to make myself happy. If my work brings joy to others too then that’s even better.
My goal would be to be in a position to draw and be involved in creative projects on a full time basis. Currently I’m also working as a designer and although I’m lucky enough to be in a creative industry, I’d love to work more for my own clients on interesting projects.
ND: How do you feel when people interpret your artwork differently? Coming from a design background I’m used to constructive criticism. I guess that’s the beauty of art for arts sake, you can never please everyone, and people look at things in different ways. To hear different views on my work makes it all the more interesting. ND: What advice can you give to aspiring artists? Just keep doing it. Practice your art because you love it, not to make money. And let others see it too! That was my problem, I never felt my art was good enough to let go. Now I put it out there before I have a chance to think about it. ND: What role do you believe an artist plays in society? It’s just another form of getting your message across, whether it be a way of standing up for what you believe in, or like myself, I just like to create pretty pictures. I hope that my art brings a smile to someone’s face and evokes a feeling of calm. ND: What art do you most identify with? There’s so many illustrators that have amazing talent and who I aspire to be. My favorite artists at the moment are Conrad Roset, David Bray and Esra Roise.
ND: What does ‘being creative’ mean to you? To me it means to have innovative ideas, to be inspired or have a vision. Then, to passionately act upon it, make it come to life. It’s about doing something rather than just thinking about it. ND: Do you follow any charities to do with humanity and the extinction of animals? Not specifically, but I’m always listening out for worthwhile charities and causes where I can donate my skills. I make environmentally conscious decisions with what I am eating and being aware of where my products come from, and the impact it is having on our earth. The evolution of Mekel’s artwork is shown through her strive to evolve as an artist and express a form of meaning in art. Mekel’s artwork hasn’t gone unnoticed either, having done illustrations for Betts Shoes and American Express, as well as having an exhibit at the Perth Fashion Festival in 2013. The future looks bright for upcoming illustrators in the local market especially with those like Mekel making headlines nationwide.
ND: Should art be funded? Yes! Although you don’t need money to be creative, it certainly helps if you can afford to buy materials, further your education and skills, allowing the time to pursue these dreams and get involved in community projects. I think it’s a really important that arts is an option for children to express themselves whilst in their schooling years.
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LOOKS OF MONARCHY Photographer: Alice Chapman - Designer Creations Assistant: Michael Trevatt Model: Miranda Kaye Make up: Chloe Morien Mua - A Brush With Colour Hair Styling: Lauren Jacques- L J Hair Design Styling: Bon Voyage Styling
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HOLD YOUR GROUND Photographer: Rosie Button Models: Jude Geradin & Aleecia Dawson Hair: Blakey J Polmear Makeup: Sangeetha Smith Location: Verge Studios Special Thanks: Coleen Neilson
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DON’T WEAR THIS..
WEAR THIS Written by: Jenny Hocking
Oh when the Saints come marching in Summer: steam rolls its way through Perth, flattening poor unsuspecting northern Europeans and leaving them gasping in its wake, while home grown Aussies breeze around their air conditioned pads, bask in their pools, and cleverly leave the beach by 11am. If you are British, you know sunshine as something that doesn’t last long, so you’ll probably bask in the glorious rays all day, and organise a BBQ for that evening. Who cares if you’re a little bit sunburnt at the BBQ? You will immediately regret being sociable when you closely resemble a rock lobster, and when the night time temperature doesn’t drop below 27 degrees. So now you’re a sweaty, confused, heatstroke-ridden lobster. Then you realise that there was no need to panic: that one day of sunshine will be the first of about six months of almost uninterrupted sunshine. And you feel like a fool, and a damned Pommy fool at that. Two things this Pom has learned since moving to Australia: 1: Wear sunscreen. This I knew before, thanks to Baz Luhrman and an Australian exchange teacher mainly, but
the tip has absolutely been proven since moving to Perth. No sunscreen = no skin left by half way through the day = look like a handbag at 35. 2: You should never, EVER underestimate the power of a hat. This was news to me. Really. In England, the only type of hat you really need is a woolly one. Unless you are bald, or play cricket, or are a middle class hippy with a child named Moses who you carry around in a papoose, you wouldn’t normally NEED to wear a hat. But here, oh boy, do you need one. Luckily for all of us newly fledged and old-hand sand gropers with style, hats have reached back into the fashionista’s wardrobe and onto the runways thanks to films such as The Great Gatsby, and popular TV series such as Downton Abbey, A Place to Call Home, and Call the Midwife. People looking to evoke a little bit of the bygone days of romance and gentlemanliness are turning to the good old Titfer*. But hats are no longer required to prove ‘properness’. Gone are the days when in 1965 Jean Shrimpton turned up at the Melbourne races, hatless, gloveless and stockingless in a mini dress, and shocked a nation straight into the middle
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of the swinging sixties. Could you please maybe reword the last part of this sentence? ‘She shocked the nation and kicked off the swinging sixties’ perhaps? I get what you mean, just a little bit unclear.Today’s hats are worn with rebellion in the soul and with a twinkle in the eye. They question society and create talking points. Ironic or not, it’s working... The creations of St Saviours Hats by Matt and Kate, will certainly set hearts racing and tongues wagging all over town. They talk with us about their hat making, and about their exciting new venture in the CBD. From humble beginnings on a market stall in London making and selling ‘really out there’ hats with felt stag heads and butterfly swarms over them, they were approached by Topshop to have a concession in the ‘largest fashion retail space in the world’ the flagship store on Oxford Street. They then supplied well known and well-heeled Harvey Nichols department store; made hats for Anthropologie; went global with a Beruit boutique. Now they’ve come back to Kate’s home town to show Australia what it’s all about. Lovingly titled ‘wearable art’ these hats are one offs, or extremely limited edition. ‘We rarely make more than ten of anything. We don’t like to – it’s boring for us and people love to know they’re wearing something unique!’ Excitingly due to the nature of the materials they use for the hat bands and decoration, they often only make one of each hat. ‘We do a lot of up-cycling with the hats. We get ties from charity shops or friends of family or whatever and we use this crazy fabric – the thin bit as a hat band and the fat bit we make into a bow, so they look great as well on the hats. There’s all this amazing fabric around, you know – kind of crazy as a tie, but great on a hat.’ Their latest additions to their little hat family are the beautiful Genuine Panama hats. Historically designed by and for the Ecuadorian workers building the Panama Canal they are perfect for the blistering summer we are about to encounter right here in Aus! Kate tells me why the Panamas they are selling are so special: ‘We’ve been lucky enough to link up with an ethical importer who is more interested in the fair-trade aspect and keeping the skills alive than the other side of it…Because the thing with the weaving is that each hood shape takes between three days and up to three months to weave, by hand by a skilled weaver. Weaving is like an old fashioned skill passed down from the women in the family and the problem like a lot of these things is that these days is…none of the daughters want to do it. They could go to the city and get a job and work on computers for five times the money, why the heck would they want to sit and weave under flippin’ moonlight with their mums and aunties? So it’s something that they’re really trying to encourage, and they’re doing that by paying
them fairly and by guaranteeing them work… giving them contracts.’ Mat continues, ‘the main thing is that the weavers in Ecuador are treated fairly and we know the actual source they come from…there are literally only a handful of people left in Ecuador who can weave the hats…’ Kate laughs and puts her hand out miming tiny people weaving on her palm ‘Literally a handful, they’re really tiny, they’ve got such tiny fingers they can rip the palm into such tiny strands, you can’t actually see it with the human eye!’ The palm that has to be used for a Genuine Panama hat is the toquilla palm, native to Ecuador. Its fibrous strands can be ripped into extremely fine pieces, or woven thicker. ‘The finer the strands, the longer it takes to weave, the more material-like properties that hat will have.’ Mat explains. On the day when we meet, the pair are buzzing with excitement about their new shop/gallery/café which they hope to be up and running by early September. ‘It’s called Kate and Abel, and we really wanted to get the young creative talent of Perth involved, so we approached Curtin and had a bit of a competition to design our logos, it’s great!’ Kate shows me the designs and they are excellent – silhouetted crossed feathers, linking the café to the hat trimmings, and the name curved above the logo, as you might see on an old English pub sign - another nod to old country style in the newly bubbling creative city. ‘It’s a really exciting time to be in Perth, all this creative stuff is happening all over the place.’ That’s so true, you feel like Perth is an adolescent city, watching, experimenting. Not yet with its own identity and all sorts of creativity popping up in unexpected places. Kate and Abel, at 414 Murray Street, will have a shop selling their gorgeous Panamas, and other hats as well as a café and a gallery for unique, original works of art from local artists. They hope to, and I am sure they will achieve a homely, eclectic space with something new to look at every day. And comfy chairs. And great coffee. Kate and Matt are practically bursting with ideas. This you can tell from the humour and colour in their hats, from their lively banter and from the way they finish each other’s sentences (but not in a weird way). They are definitely singing from the same hymn sheet, and it’s a song of fairness, it’s a song of the freedom of creativity, and it’s a song of love for Perth, the city’s hidden talents. So try on a Panama! What have you got to lose? I’m going to be at their table, when St Saviours comes marching in. * Cockney rhyming slang: Tit for Tat = Hat, shortened to Titfer. ‘Tit for Tat’ = petty bickering.
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WWW.ECOBIRD.NET SUSTAINABLE ETHICAL ORGANIC FAIR TRADE ONLINE ECO BOUTIQUE
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Stock list ALANNAH HILL: Location: Moana Café (Perth, CBD) Clothes Courtesy of: Online: http://alannahhill.com.au/ Shoes Courtesy of: Novo Shoes: http://www.novoshoes.com.au/ VINTAGE PHOTO SHOOT: Apparel Sourced of: Ginja Fashion and Neon Pony (http://www.neonpony.com.au/) Shoes Courtesy of: Broken Doll Bicycles Courtesy of: Captain Walker Fremantle Accessories Courtesy of: Spice Lily: http://www.spicelily.com.au/ ALPACA’S PHOTO SHOOT: Location: Alpaca’s Plus (Henley Brook, WA) Fox Hunt: http://www.thefoxhunt.com Method Clothing: http://www.methodclothing.com.au/
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Bella’s Cupcake World Weddings - Birthdays - Corporate - Catering Visit our stores today Coventry Village - Carousel - Whitfords November 2013 - Perth CBD www.bellascupcakeworld.com [1] 0430 844 633 71 - VASHTI MAGAZINE - SP R I N G / SUM M E R 2013