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STARTING THE EXPERIENCE Welcome to offstage. Apologies if this missive comes across as more rambling than usual. I’ve had some of the underlying material in pieces before but this was the first time I’ve seen it come all together in such a concrete object: the magazine that you have in your hands right now. This publication is a collection of experiences, places, people, hard-work and, certaintly, strong feelings. Going through its pages would allow you to see the life in backstage in the front line. If you’re interested in what goes on behind the scenes, then come along to one of our backstage tours where you’ll get to meet the staff, see where the actors prepare and visit the fascinating old and new buildings that make up The Watermill. SO, LET’S GO THROUGH THE COURTAIN AND START OUR JOURNEY.
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STARTING THE EXPERIENCE Welcome to offstage. Apologies if this missive comes across as more rambling than usual. I’ve had some of the underlying material in pieces before but this was the first time I’ve seen it come all together in such a concrete object: the magazine that you have in your hands right now. This publication is a collection of experiences, places, people, hard-work and, certaintly, strong feelings. Going through its pages would allow you to see the life in backstage in the front line. If you’re interested in what goes on behind the scenes, then come along to one of our backstage tours where you’ll get to meet the staff, see where the actors prepare and visit the fascinating old and new buildings that make up The Watermill. SO, LET’S GO THROUGH THE COURTAIN AND START OUR JOURNEY.
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Stephany simons is now ready for her performance.
Romance was born backstage MARVELOUS SUPERHEROES words: Simon Dorey photography: nick helpmund When a collection is as dramatic, eyepopping, and quirky as Romance was Born’s spring/summer 2012, you know it’s going to be the perfect opportunity for capturing the backstage action in vibrant colour. The Romance Was Born show at MercedesBenz Australian Fashion Week was a wonderful way to kick off our time here in Sydney; the show had an upbeat and whimsical superhero theme, complete with fire red hair, alien-like eye makeup and comic book prints. The energy backstage and in the front row at the Romance Was Born show is always one of excitement and anticipation; the brand is lauded in its home country as one of their only homegrown ‘couturiers’. The label’s creators, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett, are sweethearts themselves and highly creative designers that are not hindered by conventional design ‘rules’.
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Backstage at romance was born MARVELOUS SUPERHEROES words: Simon Dorey photography: nick helpmund When a collection is as dramatic, eyepopping, and quirky as Romance was Born’s spring/summer 2012, you know it’s going to be the perfect opportunity for capturing the backstage action in vibrant colour. The Romance Was Born show at MercedesBenz Australian Fashion Week was a wonderful way to kick off our time here in Sydney; the show had an upbeat and whimsical superhero theme, complete with fire red hair, alien-like eye makeup and comic book prints. The energy backstage and in the front row at the Romance Was Born show is always one of excitement and anticipation; the brand is lauded in its home country as one of their only homegrown ‘couturiers’. The label’s creators, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett, are sweethearts themselves and highly creative designers that are not hindered by conventional design ‘rules’.
Stephany Simons is now ready for her performance.
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If your job was saving the world in style then the makeup at Romance was Born’s S/S 12-13 show would be the perfect disguise. Inspired by Marvel comics, models were transformed by head makeup artist at M.A.C., Natasha Severino into Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales’ chic reimaging of the archetypal super hero using the brand’s signature opaques.
THEY ALL WORK REALLY HARD IN ORDER TO DO IT ON TIME. WHILE THE MAKE-UP IS BEING DONE, CLOTHES ARE BEING FINISHED. With eyebrows as graphic as a Lichtenstein (plastic stick-ons, a typical Romance quirk) and power pouts to match, Severino crafted a look that was in-step with the designers’ cyan, fuschia and yellow colour scheme; the ABC of comic book colours. “We used the CMY colour scheme to be quite punchy and bold, so hence the really bold blue and the red lip which will be lacquered so it looks like glass.” Pop-art brights, a stunning contrast with the newspaper, or more accurately comic print black and white, were created using the M.A.C. Paint Pot in cyan and was applied in a block starting from the inner lid finishing in a flick at models’ temples. To complete the transformation, head stylist at ghd, Alan White used wigs of real hair that were individually fitted, cut and shaped to models’ heads. The acid-orange wigs were coaxed into highvolume, high-voltage Annie Lennox do’s using ghd total volume foam then blowdried with ghd Air. “We’re trying to give it a bit of a street feel also with that little bit of fantasy that you associate with the
super hero, so extra slick and extra height … but I’ve got to find that medium where it is real and it is not just a wig.” For those wanting to bring out their inner super hero without feeling like a comic book character Severino suggests trying colour on one feature at a time. “I would use just an eyeliner and maybe even match the lashes to the eyeliner. Or I think a bold lip looks great. M.A.C. bold lips you can’t really go wrong with.”
If your job was saving the world in style then the makeup at Romance was Born’s S/S 12-13 show would be the perfect disguise. Inspired by Marvel comics, models were transformed by head makeup artist at M.A.C., Natasha Severino into Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales’ chic reimaging of the archetypal super hero using the brand’s signature opaques. With eyebrows as graphic as a Lichtenstein (plastic stick-ons, a typical Romance quirk) and power pouts to match, Severino crafted a look that was in-step with the designers’ cyan, fuschia and yellow colour scheme; the ABC of comic book colours. “We used the CMY colour scheme to be quite punchy and bold, so hence the really bold blue and the red lip which will be lacquered so it looks like glass.”
ALL ENERGIES COMBINED THE MORNING OF ANNA PLUNKET & LUKE SALES SHOW, FELT PRETTY MAGIC. Pop-art brights, a stunning contrast with the newspaper, or more accurately comic print black and white, were created using the M.A.C. Paint Pot in cyan and was applied in a block starting from the inner lid finishing in a flick at models’ temples. To complete the transformation, head stylist at ghd, Alan White used wigs of real hair that were individually fitted, cut and shaped to models’ heads. The acid-orange wigs were coaxed into highvolume, high-voltage Annie Lennox do’s using ghd total volume foam then blowdried with ghd Air.
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“WE USED THE CMY COLOUR SCHEME TO BE QUITE PUNCHY AND BOLD, SO HENCE THE REALLY BOLD BLUE AND THE RED LIP WHICH WILL BE LACQUERED SO IT LOOKS LIKE GLASS.” We’re trying to give it a bit of a street feel also with that little bit of fantasy that you associate with the super hero, so extra slick and extra height … but I’ve got to find that medium where it is real and it is not just a wig. For those wanting to bring out their inner super hero without feeling like a comic book character Severino suggests trying colour on one feature at a time. “I would use just an eyeliner and maybe even match the lashes to the eyeliner. Or I think a bold lip looks great. M.A.C.
bold lips you can’t really go wrong with.” If your job was saving the world in style then the makeup at Romance was Born’s S/S 12-13 show would be the perfect disguise. Inspired by Marvel comics, models were transformed by head makeup artist at M.A.C., Natasha Severino into Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales’ chic reimaging of the archetypal super hero using the brand’s signature opaques.
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