MAPVINTAGE Vantage Point on Vintage
Issue #2
‘Contra Mundum'
WELCOME TO MAP VINTAGE Welcome to the second edition of MapVintage Magazine! The MapVintage journey began in 2004 in sunny Avalon, in Sydney. Some of you will remember us from those days, when our racks were full of the same amazing designer pieces as well as lower end, high quality vintage. We then shut up shop and took MapVintage from the beaches to the vast online world, taking with us only the best designer vintage pieces and then this year we opened another store in Darlinghurst Sydney, so that people could come and experience these incredible, unique pieces of fashion history in the flesh. For those of you who aren’t familiar with us yet, MapVintage is home to luxury vintage fashion clothing and vintage accessories from the worlds most revered luxury design houses as well as other unique fashion collectibles from all over the world. At Map we hand source each special piece, offering our customers the opportunity to own a one off, beautifully made fashion item. These priceless fashion pieces each have their own unique story. Map is timeless fashion at its finest. It is with great pleasure that we introduce you to our second issue of MapVintage Magazine. This time we bring you interviews with people of interest, beautiful imagery to equal our incredible garments and lots more fashion tip bits. We introduce you to Eilika Meckbach our Map Model of The Moment, who starred in our cover and title photo shoot, Contra Mundum. She tells us about growing up in Germany, what fashion means to her and what she loved most from MapVintage. We also had a chat with online fashion guru, Brooke Sivendra, the founder of online shopping directory, The Style.Net, about everything fashion, including her visit to the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibition in New York and what makes a great online shopping destination. We weigh up what fashion means when it comes to identity and why style and fashion are not the same thing. We bring you our favourite street style pics, trends and share the places where we look for inspiration. MapVintage is establishing itself as a destination for incredible fashion, unforgettable imagery and a unique take on what’s happening in the industry today. We hope you will all join us for many more issues of MapVintage Magazine keep up to date with the latest news and new designer products to MapVintage on our blog and Facebook page With these words we give you MapVintage Magazine, Issue Two, ‘Contra Mundum- Against The World.’
Love Mandy and the MapVintage team. xx
CONTENTS Contributors
Keith Archer | Brad Mawby
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Contra Mundum
Feature Article
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Eilika Meckbach
Model Profile
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Musings with Mandy
Feature Article
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MapVintage News
News Article
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Contra Mundum
Feature Editorial
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Colour Printing
Fashion Trends
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Classic with a Twist
Fashion Trends
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Brooke Sivendra The Style.net
Feature Article
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Street Style to Inspire
Street Trends
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MAP in the Media
Editorial
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SitesMAP Online Directory
Favourate Web Destinations
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Issue #2, Contra Mundum Publisher & Editor in Chief Mandy Wagstaff
Editor and Creative Director Rhiannon Bulley at Click.
Art Director Gregory Skibinski
With special thanks to; Keith Archer from Strobe Hair and Makeup, Elika Meckbach at EMG models, Brad Mawby; BM Photography, Brooke Sivendra; The Style.Net and Bridie Gilbert.
CONTRIBUTORS
Keith was particularly taken with our Vintage Fighter Pilot Goggles and he pulled them off well too!
Keith Archer: Strobe Hair
Brad Mawby: BM Photography
Hair and Makeup Contra Mundum Cover Shoot.
Photographer, Contra Mundum Cover Shoot
How long have you been a hairdresser for?
How long have you been doing photography for?
I have been hairdressing all my adult life and that's a long time. Right out of school.
My interest in photography started about 20 years ago, just taking casual photos of my friends.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
What inspires you?
On the creative side I get to work with very dedicated and open minded people that all have the same goal, to create some thing beautiful and inspiring and then in the salon I get to build the trust of my clients and when you gain that trust, there's nothing like it.
I love the end result. Looking at a beautiful image that I helped create.
What inspires you?
What is your favourite thing about your job? I just love meeting new people that have the same interest that I have and creating something beautiful.
People seem to inspire me the most these days; their drive, their energy and there own personal style, but I always seam to come back to glamour in my work. It's what I am good at and what I love.
What was your favourite shot from the Contra Mundum shoot?
What was your favourite look from the MapVintage shoot?
If you weren't a photographer what would you be?
I love the body suite shot of Eilika on the Yoga ball. A bum...lol…maybe just a ordinary 9-5 worker... sad.
The first look, (Christian Lacroix Bodysuit) and that's not always the case on a shoot, but as soon as I saw that outfit I knew we had a winning shoot. What would you be if you weren’t a hairdresser? I don't know I have never been anything else or wanted to be. Thankfully I haven't had to.
Contributors Profiles
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CONTR
“It’s funny sometimes when you see the suit of armour and then you can see the sort of portrait of the person who wore it, you’ ll see that, that person was sort of… rather tiny…and not very… a little feeble…so they’ve put on this great big armour to sort of look a little bit…a little bit more frightening. To me it was always contra mundum… it was always against the world. Now I know… it’s sort of limitless…” Daphne Guinness, Daphne’s Window Clip who uttered the words, ‘contra mundum’ and opened our eyes to its true power. When you consider the concept of armour; its key function is to protect, but it also invites a sense of fearlessness into its wearer, because they believe they are invincible.
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he Latin phrase ‘contra mundum’ translates to ‘against the world’ this issue of MapVintage magazine is dedicated to our modern armour against the world… not fashion, but style. This issue coincides with a massive exhibition of style icon, Daphne Guinness’s incredible wardrobe of couture and luxury fashion at the FIT Museum in New York, so who better to look to for inspiration than this incredible woman with fearless style,
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Let’s then look at the key function of clothing; protection. It protects you from the brutal rays of the sun, the whip of the wind and the wet of the rain, the bite of the cold and the judgmental, envious and prying eyes of people. So it might be concluded that clothing is in itself, armour, but the fearlessness, that comes with style. When you consider the history of style it has most often been noted and remembered in people who were fearless about what they wore. Perhaps they weren’t trying to be eccentric; but their style said to the world, ‘I
RA MUNDUM am not afraid of you; your cruel words that cut like weapons, your animated eyes that drill like knives, because I have a shield.’ Behind our feathers, beads and sequins, puff sleeves and voluminous skirts, bright hues and prints, our glittering chains and power shoulder blazers; we are untouchable. After all what better way to shield ourselves from the cruelness of the world than to marvel in its creativity, if you can’t create it you can still become it. No one is simply born stylish, just as no one is simply born creative; it has to be bred and groomed and taught and fed and above all it has to be challenged. If it is not called upon to stand up and fight, to be noticed then it will never have the courage to walk on its own and when it is ready, rest assured, it will get up and walk on its own and that’s when one’s style becomes one’s life force. It is often been said that style does not precede a person, but follows in their wake, lingering long after they have gone, another quality of armour. Walk into a medieval museum and you will see entire wings dedicated to the armour of brave warriors and soldiers, sometimes the legacy of the person has survived along with it; but the remnants of them are their shield of armour; much like the great style icons who have passed; their personality and their story remains in the memory of their clothing. So you can see; once you start to begin to truly think about Daphne’s words; that style really is like armour; It is our protection, our physical expression of courage and the shell that remains of us after we are no longer present in the world.
At MapVintage we not only hunt down the classic and timeless pieces of fashion history, we have a penchant for the most extravagant, daring, theatrical and wild pieces of fashion and so we began to assemble an armour that radiated fearlessness. Daring puff sleeve Christian Lacroix bodysuits, a brilliant orange cropped feather jacket, which we fondly named big bird, a pair of pants with legs so wide each one could be a skirt in its own right, flapper dresses finished with fur, puff jackets that scraped the floor, boxy cape jackets and tulle skirts, fighter goggles and Mohawk feather headpieces; you name it we had it. We mashed it altogether and topped it off with some frighteningly big hair, defined makeup and some killer shoes and brilliant rings, two things Daphne never leaves home without. Than we sat back and watched while Eili, our model, transformed with each different armour; looking more fragile in some than others, but nonetheless, fortified by her clothing. The message behind these powerful two words, ‘Contra Mundum,’ is don’t hide from the world; face it without fear, be your own knight in shining armour every day. Live without limits through your style.
See the full Daphne Guinness video quoted above here http://www.youtube.com/
It was with that conclusion that we went about building our tribute cover story; ‘Contra Mundum.’ Contra Mundum
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EILIKA MECKBACH... from EMG Models, is a striking red head with porcelain skin and limbs like a gazelle, from Germany. She landed on Australia’s shores three years ago and she still has her gorgeous German twang when she speaks, to match her stunning European bone structure.
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e were lucky enough to have Eilika, (Eili as her friends fondly call her), on set with us for our editorial title shoot, Contra Mundum. Eili wore every outfit with character, style and class and had us all giggling the whole way through too. We sat Eili down and had a chat about growing up, modeling and style.
How did you get into modeling? I was scouted by an ICM model scout in London, while I was shopping at H&M in Edinburgh with my sister. I was in Scotland for an English course with my Dad and sister in 2005. I didn't go to London; I signed with VIVA Models in Berlin instead the same year. Can you tell us about where you were born and your life in Germany? I was born in a small, beautiful town called Marburg (in Hessen, Germany). When I turned 7 my family and I moved to Kassel. I'm the oldest of 5, so at our house there is always something happening. I'm very close with my family and growing up in a big house with a massive garden and tree house was good fun! I come from a very active family. My parents used to go skydiving every summer and took us with them to the airport. No wonder I had my first jump when I was 7. Later I got my blue belt in Quan Dao Kung Fu and loved ballroom and Latin-American competition dancing.
Where would you like to be in your life in five years time? In five years I want to be stable, fully happy and earning the fruits of my work. Can you tell us about your style? I love Vintage, because I love the idea about the garment telling a story. Luckily in my family all the women are keepers. So a lot of my wardrobe is stuff from my Mum, Grandma and Great-Grandma. I always mix, old with new, designer & no-name. Most importantly I need to feel comfortable in my outfit. What was your favourite outfit from the Map Vintage magazine shoot? Uhhh...that’s a tough one. I loved them all, but I think the flapper dress and coat or the sheer white shirt coat. What is your life mantra? "What goes around comes around"
What has been the highlight of your modeling career to date?
What is currently on your fashion wishlist?
The highlight for me of working as a model is every day to meet and work with so many amazing & creative people! It really inspires you. A job is for me always only as good as the team I'm working with for the day.
The Galliano shoes from the shoot! What do you like to do to relax? Sleep, go to the beach, read a good book, paint, drink tea, go and look at flowers‌
What else do you do other than modeling? At the moment next to university, I'm only concentrating on my modeling career and my visa process. And whenever I have spare time, I spend it with my boyfriend.
Keep flicking through to see Eili in the full Contra Mundum story.
Model
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MUSINGS WITH MANDY FROM MAPVINTAGE Mandy Wagstaff, is the owner and founder of MapVintage.com. She founded the store in her home suburb, Avalon, on the Northern Beaches in Sydney, before shutting up shop and taking MapVintage to the vast online world and then earlier this year to Darlinghurst, Sydney.
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andy hand picks each item in the store and has spent years building relationships with some of the most renowned vintage collectors in New York, Paris and Milan. MapVintage hosts a varied collection of designer pieces and iconic garments from different eras. Mandy caters to every style, the bold, the classic and the minimalist dresser. Each piece is selected to be a wardrobe staple that the wearer will treasure forever. We picked Mandy’s brains about everything from fashion and vintage right through to timeless style. When did you start MapVintage? Map first began about 2003 when I moved from the city to the Northern Beaches in Sydney in search of a quieter life . Can you tell us about the MapVintage journey so far? Map has been an interesting and challenging journey!! Starting with the inception of the MapVintage store in Avalon in 2003. Vintage is very challenging and finding designer vintage items even more so. Travelling the world in search of them is both hard work and very expensive. After 3 years of gathering and trading someone broke into the store and stole all our precious goods! And that put us back a few more years and also with the Global Financial Crisis, it has been challenging times, but the love and passion I have for this outweighs all of that and I feel small interesting fashion stores need to stay around.
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Where did the name MapVintage come from? MAP came from the idea of a fashion map of the world because I collect unique pieces from around the world. How did your love for vintage clothing come about? I have always have had an appreciation for well made designer clothing and eclectic vintage items and outrageous fashion since about 14yrs of age. How did your love for designer clothing begin? I have always loved high-end designer clothing both new and vintage. I have always bought very beautiful pieces of clothing for myself since I was quite young. I would always lay-by a high end piece and pay it off every week until it was all mine! And I would wear it for years and years.
What was the first piece of designer clothing you bought? My very first piece of serious designer clothing was a beautiful Blue Versace Pantsuit gorgeous! And I still wear the Blazer now and it is over 30years old. I take care of it dry clean it and pull it out and put it with jeans and pants everything it’s amazing and everyone always says, “GREAT JACKET!” What is your favourite thing about fashion? I am a serious lover of everything fashion! Beautiful one off pieces, collector pieces, vintage 1920s, makeup, hair, and of course shoes! I love all the photographic campaigns and the wonderful glossy magazines. Now with the Internet, the instant visuals and purchasing, it’s unbelievable. But there is nothing like going into a gorgeous store and touching and feeling a beautifully made piece of fashion nothing gives me a more wonderful feeling inside except putting it on and wearing it, that is even more amazing. What are your five favourite pieces currently in store? At the moment my favourite pieces are definitely 2 of the 1920s dresses that are soo amazing I cannot tell you. Putting these with some leather pants would be unbelievable. I am also loving a couple of Christian Lacroix pieces, which are Haute Couture and the fabrics and the construction of them are a work of art. How would you describe your style? My style is definitely on the more masculine side of things, I love a great blazer high end vintage normally with some great tailored pants, or jeans also loving the tuxedo, vintage normally, but still very relevant today. I have always loved tailored things for myself and my style has not changed much over the years, but I do love colour and leather. So I normally love to mix it up and I love hats and all sorts of eclectic accessories. I love a great army boot! What are you wearing right now? I am sitting here in jeans, a vintage YSL Black Blazer with a white t-shirt and my favourite Churches Brouges in cherry patent leather, that are the colour of a red toffee apple! I love them and wear them nearly everyday!
You are about to go on a buying trip can you talk us through the process and how you find your amazing pieces? I am off in October for my first buying trip since opening our new store in Darlinghurst earlier this year and I am so excited to get stuck into it. It is really hard work both physically and mentally as you just do not know what you are going to find, so the pressure is on to find as much fabulous designer vintage and eclectic pieces as possible. This trip I am doing New York City, over the years I have met some wonderful people that trade in beautiful vintage clothing, but the search is always hard. You never know what wonderful things you are going to find. What has been your most exciting find to date? I always love items from Paris as most of these amazing items are born there. These finds are always my favourite. Who’s style do you most admire? I admire Daphne Guinness, I think she is amazing and very inspiring. I love the way she supports all things fashion, this is a hard industry with so much talent, which is what inspires us all to look good. I love her look.
Musings with Mandy
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What inspires you from day to day? I am inspired by what I do and I love it! I am also inspired by the people that mean the most to me and they all know who they are that support me and love me. Do you have a favourite fashion quote? “Before leaving the house always take off one item.” Coco Chanel. Some people think of vintage as second hand clothing, what is your definition of vintage clothing? Vintage is not just second hand clothing! No way, I have beautiful couture pieces and haute couture pieces, designer items and just eclectic pieces that have never been worn or are samples! All these things are in immaculate condition and are so well made, more so than items that you buy today, which are mass produced or fast fashion. Buying a beautiful Vintage YSL Blazer, which will still be around in your wardrobe for the next 25 years. Most of these amazing vintage items are collector’s pieces you can pass on. What has been the highlight of the MapVintage journey so far? I love travelling and finding these items for the store, it is such an ongoing highlight of the Map journey. Sometimes my son travels with me and helps me lug everything around I love it when he comes with me. I also love just seeing someone in a piece that you have found and seeing how much they love it and then a year later they stop me in the street and say I am still wearing that dress and I love it so much it is my favourite thing. That’s awesome, I love that.
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Who are your favourite designers at the moment? I loooooove Alexander McQueen, he definitely was my favourite designer by far and still is and I think his right hand is still giving us the essence of him in a way. There are so many fabulous designers, too many to name I love most. What young one’s are you loving coming through the industry? I am loving Dion Lee and Lover from Australia. I also love a lot of European designers Haider Ackerman, Gareth Pugh, but these guys have been around for a many years, they are just starting to get up there with the rest, but love the underground feel of their collections. What makes a great garment in your words? A great garment is wearable and sustainable and beautifully made out of fabulous fabric. One of those things you can pull out year after year and it never looks dated and can be worn with things that are current. What makes a great outfit in your words? A great Outfit is one that is simple but stunning, it might be one piece or a really beautiful dress, which fits well or an outfit put together well but not over accessorised.
MAPVINTAGE NEWS We have a new store in Darlinghurst, Sydney.
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e are thrilled to have opened our new brick and mortar store in Darlinghurst earlier this year. MapVintage is nestled between Sydney’s designer shopping precinct, Paddington and the creative hub of Surry Hills, on Liverpool St, right behind Oxford St. We have a very fancily dressed mannequin in our window who we have fondly named, Florence, she has captured quite a bit of attention with her theatrical outfits. Each week we dress her up in quirky ensembles using the most outrageous pieces with something a little more classic or sometimes we just go for plain ostentatious, after all fashion is about having fun and making a statement with your appearance. The racks of our store hold all the treasures from MapVintage.com as well some fresh pieces that haven’t even made it onto the website yet. We cater for every style at MapVintage, whether you are looking for a classic blazer to become a wardrobe staple or a statement dress for a special occasion, we have a completely unique item to fulfill your every fashion fantasy. We also have some incredible designer accessories and shoes straight off the international runways, that have never been worn. MapVintage is located at 2/289 Liverpool St. Darlinghurst. Our opening hours are; Monday and Tuesday by appointment only, Wednesday 11am - 4pm, Thursday 11am - 7pm, Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 11am - 5pm. We would love to see you all in store soon.
MapVintage News
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“As I got older and went out into the world I realized…the world isn’t really a friendly place to be and I thought…we need armour…for me it was always Contra Mundum… against the world. Daphne Guinness
Contra Mundum Photography Brad Mawby, BM Photography | bmphoto.net.au Styling and Creative Direction Rhiannon Bulley, Click. | clickcommunications.com.au Hair and Makeup Keith Archer, Strobe Hair | strobehairandmakeup.com.au Model Eilika Meckbach, EMG Models | emgmodels.com All clothing and accessories available from mapvintage.com Or at: MapVintage, 2/289 Liverpool St. Darlinghurst Eilika wears; Vintage Issey Miyake coat, Vintage 1920’s flapper dress with fur trim, Versace dress worn underneath Giambattista Valli belt, Yves Saint Laurent ring.
Contra Mundum
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Eilika wears; Vintage feather Jacket, 1970’s vintage wide leg pants, Marc Jacobs shoes, 1960’s patent leather cap, Gucci necklace worn as belt.
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Eilika wears; Vintage 1940’s silk maxi skirt, Prada cape coat, L.A.M.B shoes and bag, Zebra Stripe gloves, Vintage fighter pilot goggles.
Contra Mundum
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Eilika wears; vintage tulle skirt, vintage Gianfranco Ferre silk shirt, John Galliano shoes, vintage coloured stone rings, Stylists own stockings.
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Eilika wears; Vintage 1910 embroidered tail coat, Prada knitted shorts, Red Mohawk Feather headpiece, vintage patent leather reflective heal boats, Balenciaga belt, Roberto Cavalli necklace, Yves Saint Laurent ring (left), Yves Saint Laurent four colour stone ring (right),
Contra Mundum
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Eilika wears; Vintage Carven Haute Couture skirt, vintage leather corset, black bowler hat with ostrich feather, vintage coloured stone rings, Osprey Jewellery necklace.
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Eilika wears; Vintage Haute Couture Christian Lacroix Bodysuit, Dolce and Gabbana belt, Blu Girl Couture boots, Juicy Couture bangle, Vintage Kenneth Jay Lane ring (right), Vintage YL crystal ring (left), Stylists own stockings.
Contra Mundum
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Eilika wears; Valentino veil, Christopher Kane for Topshop underwear, Vintage Crystal Flower Bead necklace, Bondage boots, Yves Saint Laurent ring.
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Contra Mundum
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COLOUR PRINTING If you’re going to do print, do it from head to toe, mash up the prints, match them with block colours and carry the colours through your outfit into your accessories. This is an attention-grabbing look, not for the faint hearted.
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Vintage 1970s Emilio Pucci Blouse and Panties.
Emilio Pucci Silk and Gold Metallic Knit Dress
Vintage Escada Silk Camo Print Sheer Blouse
Prada Silk Blouse Purple Graphic D
Vintage 1980s Sax Fifth Avenue Neon Knitted Mohair Blazer
Diane von Furstenberg Sheer Silk Maxi Dress
Diane von Furstenberg Silk Beaded Tabbard from her Andy Warhol Collection
Diane Von Furst
e with Detail
tenberg Dress
Vintage 1960s Oversized Neckpiece
Marc Jacobs Silk Floral Print Short From NYC S/S 2008 Collection
Vintage Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Skirt
Vintage Oversized Leopard Print Bangle
Vintage Oversized Red Leopard Wooden Bangle
Vintage Grass Green Oversized Bangle with Gold Pattern Inlay
Oscar de la Renta Orange Patent Leather Slingbacks
Marc Jacobs Orange and Gold Patent Shoes
John Galliano Leather Couture and Lacquered Wooden Wedges
Vintage 1980s Red Woven Belt
Vintage Roberto Cavalli Red Horsehair and Leather Belt
Colour Printing
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CLASSIC WITH A TWIST Add a little sparkle, colour or eye catching detail to your wardrobe staples and make your classic look unforgettable. Whether it is a pair of Chloe pants with a skirt waist and floral print or a polka dot pattern on your blouse, step outside the square and stand out.
Vintage Kenzo Takada Gold Brocade Skirt
Mui Mui Couture Skirt 2007
Vintage 1980s Lanvin Couture Metallic Skirt
Vintage Silk Chloe Pant
Vintage 1980s Donna Karan Wool Pant
Oscar de la Renta Silk Polka Blouse
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T Bally Peeptoe Shoes
Mui Mui Black Patent Brogues
Juicy Couture Bracelet with Oversized Charms
Burberry Prorsum Oversized Black Onyx Coloured Stone Cuff
Vintage 1970s Silk Yves Saint Laurent Blouse
Vintage 1970s Pussybow Silk Givenchy Dress
Marc Jacobs Vanilla Patent Shoes
Alberta Ferretti Black Cord Tuxedo Style Waisted Belt
Marc Jacobs Silk Wool Crepe and Velvet Cord Dress
abcd
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BROOKE SIVENDRA: THE STYLE.NET Brooke Sivendra, is the owner and founder of one stop, online shopping directory and fashion resource, The Style.Net.
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rooke came from a background outside of fashion, but she had always been a keen online shopper, trawling the net for special ‘finds’ and designer wares that were not available at Australian boutiques. From all her trawling Brooke discovered many great sites, some not so good and she decided for the sake of all the other online shoppers out there, there really needed to be one place that bought them all together. Brooke took MapVintage under The Style.Net wing earlier this year and already we have seen great results from this streamlined shoppers search destination. The Style.Net not only brings you all the best online boutiques, its blog is choca block full of fashion news, inspiration and some great daily quotes. We love opening up our Facebook page to Brooke’s morning words of wisdom and inspiring fashion tip bits. We had an e chat (since we are all such online lovers) with Brooke about online shopping, fashion and her latest trip overseas. Tell us the story of The Style.net when did you start it and why, how has it grown? I have always loved shopping online so the idea for The Style Net came from my own personal experience and wanting to make the online shopping process as easy as possible, a network of the best online shopping boutiques from around the world. The number of boutiques that are now online is quite outstanding and I wanted a simple way to access all of these stores and to know if they ship to Australia and what it will cost so I essentially turned my
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bookmark folder (yes very technical!) into an online shopping directory. I wanted this for myself, and I knew that my friends and family would also use it. In 2010 we launched the site purely as an online shopping directory, but in just 12 months the site has grown so quickly to include a complete fashion network of style resources, blogs, videos and fashion news. We are also just preparing to launch additional categories starting with kidswear (note: kids have the coolest stuff !) followed by homewares in the near future. What are you favourite online stores? For luxe basics my go to sites are Gasparre Cashmere and Sambag Sydney For vintage: Map Vintage of course! and Claire Inc. For everything else Shopbop.com, FrockShop. com and farfetch.com are all fantastic online shopping destinations. However I personally review all of the stores that list in our directory, and have shopped at most of them!
world. Online shopping makes finding those pieces so much easier. What is your ultimate goal for The Style.Net? Ultimately our goal is TSN to take it to an International level, and expand the directory from fashion to a complete lifestyle network. I am a big believer that all aspects of your life should reflect your personal style, so we are applying this philosophy to our directory. We are creating a portal to access everything you need to live a very chic life whether that be a glamorous evening gown, rare vintage jewels, bespoke furniture, cultural homewares, or gorgeous clothes for your kids - you will be able to find it at The Style Net. We are also working hard to source stylish products at a variety of price points. It is not realistic for everyone to have a wardrobe full of Stella McCartney and Jimmy Choos, and no one should ever have to sacrifice on style because of their budget. There are amazing products out there at affordable prices, sometimes you just have to look a little harder.
What has been your best vintage find?
What are your three top tips for being successful online?
I particularly love vintage jewellery, each piece has a story to tell and in many cases has travelled the world over. Almost all of my vintage jewellery comes from my nanna’s jewellery box. She has a huge collection of costume jewellery, so each time I visit her I always have a little rummage around to see what else I can find.
Firstly make sure your website is a true reflection of your brand. It is the first point of contact for many online consumers so it needs to be extremely well presented and easy to use. Paying for an excellent web designer can be expensive, but it will be the best investment you can make as an online business.
How do you think online has changed the face of retail? I think online shopping has really forced stores to provide greater service, focus on their visual merchandising and provide a greater in-store experience for their customers. I don’t believe online shopping will ever completely replace physical retail stores, but it definitely provides great competition. What is your favourite thing about the online world? I love that you can shop at any boutique in the world, from the comfort of your own home at a time that suits you, which for me is usually in the very early hours of the morning! I love being able to access rare vintage pieces and hard to find designer clothing (particularly from up and coming designers) that do not have the funds to open stores around the
Service, service, service. With new online businesses popping up almost daily, service and online features are imperative to online success. Online stylists able to give advice, notes on the sizing and fit, quality photographs (and movement images are even better!) and excellent customer service when it comes to shipping and returns will either make or break your business. Be real. It is extremely important for online businesses to create a relationship with their consumers/readers. Original and interesting content goes a long way in keeping visitors coming back.
The Style.net
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You recently took a trip overseas can you tell us about some of the inspiring things you saw? For a long time New York had been on my wish list of cities to visit and it certainly did not disappoint. To me personally I find the energy in New York incredible and I love that every street has little boutiques and hidden secrets. I literally walked for days straight, and regardless of the time New Yorkers were out and about living life. It is a city filled with motivation and passion. Can you tell us about the McQueen exhibition!? The McQueen exhibition was truly amazing and so inspiring, and I feel very lucky to have been able to be in New York at this time. Once you get through the 2.5 hour line (yes that part was not so inspiring!) and into the exhibition it really is breathtaking to see these garments up close. The detail is beyond belief and I don’t think you can ever truly appreciate McQueen’s pieces without being able to see all of the little details that this exhibition allowed. I am not surprised at all that the McQueen exhibition was the most successful of all exhibitions ever held at the MET. Who are your favourite designers at the moment? Oh wow – how many can I choose?? At the moment I am focusing on building my wardrobe with quality pieces that I will wears for years. Gasparre Cashmere is a new Australian cashmere label that I am lucky to have received a few pieces of, and I literally have not taken these off all winter. I have also recently had the chance to view Rebecca’s [Gasparre Cashmere’s Designer] Spring Summer collection and I can’t wait for it to hit the stores. I am also a big Michael Kors fan – particularly when it comes to the shoes. They are sooo comfortable. I wear them all day every day. When it comes to high-end fashion, I like labels such as Chloe and Marchesa – quite feminine but with an edge. Overall though I choose pieces based on the fit and fabrics, rather than a particular label. And I love to mix designer and vintage pieces. And on top of that I layer everything!
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What is your favourite thing about fashion? There really seems to be no rules anymore and I find that liberating. More and more people are now dressing how they want to dress, a reflection of their personality, and I think that’s amazing. Street Style blogs have really been the power behind this, seeing the vast styles of every day people inspires us all to be true to ourselves and wear what we want to wear and what actually looks good on us rather than looking like a runway clone. There are so many stores out there in the online world now how do you keep up with them all? Haha you should see our office! Um post-its, handwritten notes, tabs in magazines, notes in my iPhone – I note down every store I come across, whether it is via a print publication, online, social media pages, radio, in my Iphone and then regularly review the list and make contact with the stores we feel our online shoppers will love. We are also approached very frequently by online stores who want to list in our directory, so this also helps to keep on top of the phenomenal number of e-boutiques that come online. What are your favourite things to do outside of The Style.Net? I work long hours, about 70 hours per week, so when it comes to the weekends I really try to just relax and unwind. I am actually quite a homebody, and I LOVE to cook! I am working to incorporate more organic whole foods in to my diet, so I am spending a lot of time looking for natural food blogs for inspiration. I recently made ‘raw chocolate brownies’ and I am obsessed with these, I must eat an entire batch per week but they are so healthy I don’t feel the guilt. I have also started yoga. I try to go to Ashtanga yoga 3 times per week (this doesn’t always happen but I do try!) which I really started because I was getting a lot of headaches and back pain from sitting at the computer for too long, but in fact it has really taught me how to calm my mind and focus on the present which is really incredible.
What has been the highlight of your Style.net journey so far? I have met some really amazing people and developed wonderful friendships through The Style Net and most of these people are from companies we have listed in our directory. We work very closely with these companies in order to successfully promote their business and so many send emails and call me to tell me how much their business has grown because of the exposure we have provided for them. This inspires me every day to work as hard as I can to further develop our site to help more of these small companies become successful and achieve their dreams.
Head to The Style.Net for your all your online shopping needs and check out our profile here
Brooke’s MapVintage Wish list
Giamattista Valli Fringed Silk Dress
Missoni Silk Maxi Jacket
Vintage 1960’s Oversized Neckpiece
Jean Paul Gaultier Tabbard
YSL Ring
The Style.net
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MAP VINTAGE: STREET STYLE TO INSPIRE Sit up and take notes… this is the way to dress up and inspire.
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he Haute Couture shows are about the finest craftsmanship, the most intricate details, the purified theatrics and the exuberant elegance.
We were just as inspired by the people who attended the autumn shows as we were by the runways, in some ways even more so, because these people were putting together couture outfits for the streets. The detail was in every accessory, carefully paired to enhance the outfit, but never to out do it. Bright theatrical colours and prints and long flowing hemlines
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were in abundance, statement heels and structured cocktail gear were also favourites, but there was a realness to each outfit, which truly inspired. This was couture for everyday and we are big fans of the, ‘every day is a day to dress up,’ mantra. We themed this issue, Contra Mundum, and every one of these photos truly epitomizes Daphne Guinness’s idea of, ‘an armour against the world.’ Never leave your house without it…couture week or not.
Street Style to Inspire
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Imagery by Tommy Ton for Style.com
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Map in the Media At MapVintage we lend a range of clothing to select media and support the talent of our budding fashion clients.
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he first two photo shoots that follow were two test shoots, conducted using mainly MapVintage pieces by Bridie Gilbert, a long time client of MapVintage. Both shoots show the relevance and timelessness of MapVintage pieces. We would like to thank the teams involved for sharing their creativity with us. The third shoot was a special project shoot for Strobe Hair with the aim of providing them with some timeless, glamorous beauty shots. In addition to this in our next issue we will be bringing you exciting press shoots from Marie Claire, Fallen magazine and New York based publication Kenton Magazine. For now enjoy these beautiful shoots! If you would like to use MapVintage pieces for an editorial shoot please contact: Rhiannon@clickcommunications.com.au
Map in the Media
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"Dark Night" Photographer: Callaghan Walsh Stylist: Bridie Gilbert Hair & Make Up: Ava Belle Model: Vaida @ Vivien's Vintage Silk Black 1940s Skirt and Leather Bolero
Vintage Sheer Beaded 1960s T
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Vintage Puckered Leather Bolero with Denim and Net Collar
Vintage Vanilla Wide Leg Crepe Pant
MapVintage Emilio Pucci Sheer Black CapeÂ
Vintage 1920s Beaded Feather Dress
MAP in the Media
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MapVintage Dolce Gabbana Mesh Tunic
MapVintage Dolce Gabbana Mesh Tunic
MapVintage Dolce Gabbana Mesh Tunic
MapVintage Emillio Pucci Silk Sheer Cape
“Hayley” Photographer: David McKelvey Stylist: Bridie Gilbert Make Up: Emma Snee Hair: Dale Model: Hayley @ Chic
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MapVintage Emillio Pucci Cape
MapVintage Prada shorts
“Lady Van Vorst�
MapVintage leather bolero jacket
Photographer: James Broadhurst Fashion Editor: Rhiannon Bulley at Click. Hair: Keith Archer for Strobe Hair and Makeup Make up: Vanessa Collins Model: Lola at The Agency MAP in the Media
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MAP ONLINE DIRECTORY Show Studio This is one of the ultimate style inspiration sites, These guys always have an amazing fashion photography, video or interview project happening. For something completely unique and some amazing insights into the fashion world, you cannot go past Show Studio. http://showstudio.com/
Design Scene Design Scene is another great site for everything fashion, images, videos and news. Another must read daily. http://www.designscene.net/
The Style.Net Yes, we love them! As we said in the introduction to our interview with Brooke in this issue, if you are looking for an item of clothing online, The Style.Net will direct you to the store where you can find it. Keep one eye on their blog as well, there is always something worth viewing! http://thestylenet.net/
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Fashion Gone Rogue You can’t go past Fashion Gone Rogue for your daily dose of inspiring fashion images. Everyday they deliver the newest and best editorials, campaigns, look books and celebrity fashion. We follow their updates almost religiously. http://fashiongonerogue.com/
Nifty Fifties Nifty Fifties is the site to go to for the most timeless 1950’s images. They seem to have a minefield with completely iconic and never before seen images arriving throughout the day everyday. If you are fan of classic, this is daily viewing for you. http://theniftyfifties.tumblr.com/
Vogue Uk We love all of the Vogue sties, but we have to say for all the latest fashion news we can’t go past Vogue UK. They deliver great up to the minute stories and their style files are fabulous, it’s amazing to see the evolution. http://www.vogue.co.uk/news
Sites MAP Loves
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