FOM FOM ISSUE 5 2014
Summer
FASHION OBSERVER MAGAZINE
Blogger Love How to Live Double the love this issue with #twinning
Blurring Borders between Art and Fashion
From the
Team
Welcome to our fifth issue of FASHION OBSERVER MAGAZINE This issue has us reflect on Fashion Observer Magazine’s growth over the past couple of issues built by ongoing support to and from the creative community and our own team. The 2014 plan to publish 4 issues has been a great success. 2015 promises to bring you more initiatives including a project dedicated to creatives wishing to build a career in their chosen field. This magazine is brought to you direct from our contributors, editors, graphic artists, photographers, videographers, models, stylists, Hair and Makeup artisits and interns. We all work tirelessly to support, inspire and learn from fellow creatives. Issue five is very much inspired by summer including an editorial featuring our favourite swimwear for the warm season. Inside you will also find that we sit down with different bloggers around the globe (the new celebrities of fashion). For our creative readers we have industry tips on photography and a full editorial for our cover model search competition. Good luck girls. Fashion Observer Magazine is for you, no matter your stage in life, no matter your dreams or ambitions. While nothing is sure, everything is possible. Love, Team FOM To keep the connection going follow us . . .
FASHION OBSERVER MAGAZINE
CONTENTS ISSUE 5
4
Model Comp Top 5
11
Emerging Designer – SUZII K
14
Product Review – Swimwear
22
How Two Live
30
Dreamtime Project
34
Modern Warrior
46
Industry Tips
56
A Broke Girls Blog
64
The Wanderlusting Gyspy
68
Infinite Style
79
Tattoo Shoot
86
Product Review – Coffee
88
Blogger Love #twinning
100
Style Stealer
102
Fashion Review
136
Model Spotlight
142
Tech Styles
144
Fit Kit
146
Conscious Fashion – Nizami
148
Conscious Fashion – Groovy Globe
150
Expressionism
Enjoy!
COVER
Photography: Dean from Ninderry Studios www.facebook.com/NinderryStudios Sarah Elizabeth www.facebook.com/SarahElizabethPhotographer Daz from Daz Fotography www.facebook.com/dazza.photography Hair & MUA: Chelsea Brown www.facebook.com/MakeBYChelsea Dana Tamara www.oninstagram.com/profile/fantasy_faces_mua
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE
GIRL facebook.com/thatsmyfom
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Nichhia
Jess
Gabrielle
Amelia
Anne
EMERGING DESIGNER
SUZII K
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and the City
Designer: Suzi Knezovi SUZII K http://suziik.bigcartel.com Interviewer: Rachel Schoch www.facebook.com/rach.schoch
Across the many up and the Brisbane fashion sce Suzi Knezovic from SUZ startling success in the I had the opportunity to discuss being a young her experience showing Fashion Festival and N
coming designers in ne, young designer II K has achieved some last year. sit down with Suzi and designer in Brisbane and at the Mercedes Benz ew York Fashion Week. by Rachel Schoch
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From riding that perfect wave to a day by the pool, we have the perfect collection of swimwear for every girl these endless summer days.
Endless
Summer Days
Photographer: Irie Langlois www.irielanglois.com Model: Kirsten Moe www.facebook.com/kristinmoe5 Model: Skye Peterson www.facebook.com/petersonskye Hair & Makeup: Bethany Prickett www.facebook.com/bethany.wagstaff.7
Blue and white print bikini, Peony: The boutique brand made on the shores of Australia, Peony is all about the prints, dreamy colour palettes and fluid silhouettes for all body types. www.peonyswimwear.com
White with colourful print: Zingiber is for the wild and confident woman, the unique swimwear line has a collection of vibrant, globally-inspired prints that are exclusively designed in house by creator and designer Nicola Spicer www.zingiber.com.au
Floral and full piece: Piping Hot is known for being the leading brand in surf wear, but this brand has been reinventing themselves into broader areas, especially the new range cute floral bikinis for the perfect summer day. www.pipinghotsurf.com
Leopard and Orange: Emerging label Laurallie, born and bred on the Gold Coast have launched a new ‘luxury’ line of bikinis with standout prints inspired by the laid back Australian beach life culture at an affordable price. www.laurallie.com
DESIGNERS
CATWALK TO THE CUSTOMER
info@appetising.com.au www.appetising.com.au
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How Two
Live
Jess and Stef are the fashion icons that never cease to amaze and inspire the world of fashion. They are all about their pattern clashing, pushing the boundaries pieces with awesome textual 3-D elements. There is a mix of quirky glasses, cool chic, and high fashion labels teamed with funky kicks. Just to list a few fashion rules these girls break and make. Here at FOM we love the never ending creativity of these sisters and we were lucky enough to have a chat with them. www.howtwolive.com Why did you begin How Two Live?
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We started How Two Live two years ago when Stef was moving to Paris for 6 months. We had never lived apart before so we thought it would be a fun way to keep in touch. How would you describe your style and what are your greatest fashion inspirations and icons? Our style is all about anything goes - we don’t like to stick to one particular style which makes getting dressed so much more exciting. If we feel like going all out then we usually rock the rainbow dressing, but we also tone it down in all black some days, it’s whatever we’re in the mood for. Our biggest style inspiration would have to be our grandmother. She is the most stylish women we know and at 85 years old is still wowing us with amazing outfits. Who are your favourite designers and places to shop? Discount Universe and Jeremy Scott would both have to be up there with our favourite designers. We’re big online shoppers so we’re regulars on Nastygal.com, Eclecticladyland.net.au, and Estateofmind.com.au
What is your all-time favourite outfit? We don’t like to play favourites with our outfits...it feels like playing favourites with your children. One of our most memorable outfit combos would have to be the I Make You Wear It dresses that we wore to Spring Racing Carnival last year. What do you think is the most recent notable trend to appear/ reappear, and what are your thoughts on it? The first thing that comes to mind is Birkenstocks. We were sure they were never making a come-back after they went out 10 years ago, but boy were we wrong. We’re all for trying a new trend (well old/new) so we were rocking them last summer, but this summer you won’t see us in anything but our shoes which are launching early next year. What is the most underrated item in womenswear? Sunglasses - a lot of people just see them as an addition, but with a killer pair they can be the star of any outfit. What is the best fashion advice to give to our readers? Fashion is all about having fun and expressing yourself so don’t be afraid to try new things and get out of your comfort zone. What do you splurge on? Shoes and sunglasses are our two biggest weaknesses. What’s next for How Two Live? In addition to our own shoe line that we’re working on, we’ve just launched a shop section on our website which now allows readers to shop our looks. We’re also planning lots of travel over the next year, including Tokyo for fashion week in October which we cannot wait for!
The Dreamtime Project
Cebiche is forging something unique for the glamorous global traveller. Designer Hayley Hardisty, who calls Perth home, draws her inspiration for her collections from different countries in the world in which she was living at the time. This season, Hayley was inspired by The Kimberley, Western Australia, aptly named the Cable Beach Collection. Hayley designed the prints infusing the diversity of the rich culture taking you on a journey of the region. From crocodile prints, the colourful natural landscape, sunsets to the rich Aboriginal culture, this season has five striking prints that she explains are her best yet. “I really wanted to capture the essence of The Kimberley into this collection, which is a place of great interest to the international tourism market and a place right on our door step which is very special. Now tourists can take a piece of our great North-West home with them.� Hayley says.
Photographer: Chris Huzzard Stylist: Sylvia Giacci Accessories: Little Dove, Atlas Pearls and Perfumes Hair: Chelsea Jade @Chelsea Jade Hairdressing Makeup: Marika Daniele Models: Jahlana Roe, Tiahna Oxenham and Katina Coffin @ The Dreamtime Project
Exquisite fashion-forward cuts using only the most luxurious Italian fabrics, Hayley is synonymous for designing with every body shape in mind. Attention to detail to ensure every style is flattering and the Cebiche woman is effortlessly chic on the beach. In addition to her signature brand, Hayley extends the collection to menswear, children’s wear and resort wear. www.cebiche-swimwear.com.au
MODERN WARRIOR Navigate in a world different from yours, stand out, prevail, be aware that they are masters of time
Photographer: Andrea Miliotti www.artside.it Model: Guilia Giorgetti www.facebook.com/guili.giorg Hair & MakeupArtist: Serena Palma www.serenapalma.it Stylist: Cherry Blossom www.paolobaroncelli.com Post Production: Laura Daria Pezzini www.lauradariapezzini.com
MODELS Create a portfolio of all your work Add a show reel Sell your own images directly with a full ecommerce platform Showcase you videos Fans can share and interact via your App Stand out and take control of your business Send your App Store download link to potential clients and agencies Many features to choose from - contact us to discuss features and how your App will take your business to the next level www.appetising.com.au info@appetising.com.au
Behind the Lens
Dean and Sarah
with
Dean and Sarah Elizabeth are father daughter photographers who work from Ninderry Studios, at Logan Village between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We asked this team recently to tell our readers a little about them and share their ten tips for emerging photographers. Dean was originally trained as a visual artist and has brought his skills and vision as a painter to his photography over the past 30 years. Sarah is currently studying at Queensland Collage of Art Bachelor of Photography and has a passion for fashion photography and wants to work as a commercial fashion photographer. Sarah is the makeup artist and hairstylist behind many of the Ninderry Studios shoots. Both Dean and Sarah have exhibited their work with RAW Artists and regularly share their work on social media and websites. Dean has shot runway shows for JOG Swimwear ( France) in Singapore, and published editorial artwork in the USA for steampunk magazines. He makes his focus on art images as well as fashion and portraits.
As photographers can you
share your tips for emerging photographers?
Photography: Dean from Ninderry Studios www.facebook.com/NinderryStudios Photography: Sarah Elizabeth www.facebook.com/SarahElizabethPhotographer
1)
Be a student of history - your best education is to read, view, visit exhibitions and galleries. We learn from the past and are inspired by those who have created before us. Consider what they did, question why they did it and be inspired!
2)
Find a hero or two! We are both inspired by Peter Coulson (Australian Fashion Photographer of the year 2014), Miss Aniela ( UK) Kirsty Mitchell ( UK) and Zhang Jingna - Zemotion ( Singapore) These amazing photographers inspire and give us an ideal to aspire to!
3)
Have a vision /passion to inspire your work
4)
Have a personal project- commercial work aside, an art project will give you direction for creativity and allow you to develop new and exciting skills and concepts.
5)
Milage- it is about practice, practice, practice. You only improve from doing.
6)
Build a social media profile or personality, this is your best professional advertising. Make sure you look at data and shape your posts to take advantage of the right times and #tags. We use instagram, Facebook, flickr.
7)
Likes on social media should be real not hollow! Most likes means nothing if they are not there for the right reason. Ask who is following you? Look at the type of image they are liking and commenting on? Ask is this what you want to be known for? Will this improve your professional reputation or bring work?
8)
Technical skills- improve your skills and workflows- We use a number of programs including Adobe Lightroom, Bridge and Photoshop CS6.
9)
Develop your knowledge and skills- study, do courses with your heroes or experts. Utube is a great source of knowledge for Photoshop skills and editing!
10)
Casting- You need the right model for the right image. Take your time and be clear in what you want in your final image. Fashion models are unique! You need to find the model, makeup artist, stylist to create that something special. This is a team sport so work with your term to create that something special! We use sites such as Model Mayhem, Star Now and Agencies to find the right model for our work.
Fashion Without the Price Tag Recently I was given the chance to meet with the Broke Girl herself, Prudence Richardson. The university student turned career broke girl is the creator, founder and owner of www.abrokegirlsblog.com. If you don’t know what blog I am referring to … you haven’t lived. A Broke Girls Blog is any uni student/broke girl’s dream! Prudence has a super power of pulling together high fashion looks for a tenth of the price – it is a gift we all secretly want. When I sat down with the selfprofessed fashion enthusiast and bargain hunter this is what I got to find out:
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Contributor: Carly Shearman www.skinnylatteonesugar.blogspot.com.au Blogger/Stylist: Prudence Richardson www.abrokegirlsblog.com. Photography: Callum Dorward and Jerri-Lee Leslie www.dogandfox-creatives.weebly.com
When did you first fall in love with fashion? I couldn’t pinpoint when exactly, but you could say from a young age my weekly pocket money would go towards a fashion magazine of some sort. When I grew up it moved over to fashion blogs, but I definitely still fuel my magazine obsession every now and then. As soon as I got my first job shopping definitely become a bit of a hobby… So it’s a good thing now my hobby is on a budget! People seem to think that being a blogger isn’t that much work, but you put some serious hours into A Broke Girls Blog. What does it take to run your blog? Honestly, I never realized how much work went into it either until I started A Broke Girl’s Blog. Studying full-time, working part time and managing the site and social media, it can get quite overwhelming at times, but if you love what you’re doing then it’s not “work”. I do a lot over the weekend, so that I am prepared with content during the week. Behind A Broke Girl’s Blog there is a lot of bargain hunting instore and online, and liaising with appropriate labels and stores. Then there is the photos and writing the blog posts, whilst also posting on social media every day. There is a lot to do, and there are times I’ve pushed uni and sleep to the side to get it done, but I remember why I started and how much fun I have doing it and it gets me through it all! What would you say is the best part about being a fashion blogger? I feel like my shopping is justified (haha). I love that I am sharing my own style in my own way (on a budget) and that people like it and get involved. That is probably the most rewarding thing of all!
GET TO KNOW PRUE... Describe yourself in three words… Weird, shy, shopaholic. Currently Studying…. (About to graduate with a) Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Communications. Comfort food…. Peanut M&Ms. Always. Must have handbag items? Wallet (even though it’s empty), lip balm, and my phone. Favourite thing to do on the holidays? Escape to the beach. Favourite sport? What is sport? Dream job? Blogging full-time wouldn’t be bad. Proudest moment? Seeing ABGB hit 10k! AND graduating. Favourite song at the moment? Can’t go wrong with Flight Facilities. Pets? Future prospects of befriending a French bulldog.
What would you say is the best part about being a fashion blogger? I feel like my shopping is justified (haha). I love that I am sharing my own style in my own way (on a budget) and that people like it and get involved. That is probably the most rewarding thing of all! What about the worst part? A big part of blogging is receiving feedback, but you have you expect the positive and the negative. It takes a lot of courage to post online and especially social media where everything is open to scrutiny. Unnecessary comments that aim to put you down oppose to provide helpful feedback is definitely a downfall, but you have to look passed it and move on! What is your go-to outfit choice? I always go for shorts and a top. I am not a big dress person. During the day I’ll grab my denim shorts and tee – It’s all about comfort. In the evening I’ll whip out my leopard print shorts and a white button up top with some ridiculous ankle-breaking heels. Who is your biggest style inspo? I don’t really have one. I draw inspiration from a lot of people! I love Olivia Palermo, the Olsen twins, and Christine Centenera. And I love seeing everyday stylish people out and about – It just reiterates you don’t need the money to have style! What are the must-follow-onInstragram fashion bloggers? I am always checking up on Harper & Harley (Sara Donaldson), Margaret Zhang, and Song Of Style (Aimee Song).
What are your favourite brands? I could probably go on forever but a few of my favourites are Beginning Boutique’s exclusive collection, Target, Shilla, the ASOS collection, Therapy Shoes, and Quay Eyewear. Do you think you will always stick to the ‘broke girl’ clothing brands? I definitely think I’ll stick to the broke girl budget. I don’t plan on being a poor student forever (haha), but I am also a firm believer in spending money wisely. I don’t see the value in spending excessive amounts of money on clothing. Yes, I’ll have a splurge item every now and then, but I’ll always stick to the affordable, everyday budget that is accessible to everyone. Do you think Brisbane is becoming more and more recognized as a fashion-city in Australia? Brisbane is definitely working its way up there! It’s always been a bit of an underdog, but for no reason. Brisbane boasts a wide range of not only amazing fashion designers and shopping precincts, but it’s also a city buzzing with stylish people. What does the future look like for Prue? Will you stay in Brisbane? Will you keep writing A Broke Girls Blog? I am just about to graduate and have been lucky enough to land an a mazing job full of opportunity. So I definitely plan to stick around Brisbane and keep writing A Broke Girl’s Blog in every spare second I have!
The Wander
The pressures of deciding who you are and what you want to do in life are getting more an the industry that they wish to succeed in. Is a good resume that outlines your four years of but is there something else that will separate you from your competitors? Life experiences are what you need to build as a person and discover who you are. Bravery country. Eliza O’Connor is a Brisbane girl making her mark all the way in the States. She le explains why this girl was ready to tackle the world.
rlusting Gypsy
nd more complicated as each year a new batch of fresh graduates attempt to break into f studies at university enough to get you where you want to be? It looks good on paper
ry is the first trait you need to put your foot out the door and onto a plane to another eft her studies to explore a new way of life. I spoke to Eliza and the following excerpt
Why I decided to do the most stereotypical thing in the world that ironically, most don’t. Leave my world behind, jump on a plane and start an adventure a million miles away from home. We all dream about it. Everyone has pondered the idea of quitting their job, booking a ticket and just leaving. What made me actually do it? The question I get asked all the time. Well, the answer is quite simple; my life no longer thrilled me. I was bored and I needed to experience new things, with new people. It was as simple as that. I thought about every reason why it could work and didn’t even contemplate why it couldn’t. And now here I am six months later. I have lived in Colorado, New York City and now residing in the Hamptons in Long Island. I have done the road trip through the desert, and woken up in Vegas. I have met incredibly talented people, spent two months in the ski fields in Colorado, experienced Coachella, snorkelled off the coast of Cuba but even then I have gotten myself into countless situations where I’ve had to pinch myself to make sure that it was real. So it’s safe to say I have had a pretty incredible journey so far and it’s not about to stop anytime soon. I’m about to have my first summer in the Hamptons… at nineteen. Through this whole experience I have reflected and discovered the power that our thoughts really have. Thoughts can become actions and essentially your dreams become your reality if you constantly focus on them. Many people have told me how lucky I am, but it’s not luck, it has nothing to do with luck. It has everything to do with what Anthony Robbins said, “Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life”. My now experiences were once my day dreams, whatever you want in your life, can be yours- you just need to attract it. Eliza will come back home and finish off her studies. But this girl isn’t done yet. She also intends to travel back to USA and pursue acting. If this one girl can do all this, you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. To follow Eliza on her adventures check out her blog www.wanderlustingypsy.com and her adventures snapped in time on her Instagram account @lizeoconnor
INFINITE STYLE
Will it be possible for a garment to have no ends? The Max.Tan’s Spring/Summer 2015 INFINITY collection introduces the abstract concept of everything probable and impossible, limitless, unbounded, and unconventional. Inspired by the curves of the Infinity symbol, curved seams are tactically used to create the main silhouette of the collection. The exploration of this vast idea results in hybrid garments with no hems, lengthened, flipped up and transformed into another garment.
Contributor: MAX.TAN HQ www.max-tan.com Photography: Gavin Yeoh www.facebook.com/gavin.yeoh.photography Model: Luth Seah www.facebook.com/Seah.Zhiqiang.Luth Makeup: Elyn Khoo www.facebook.com/ElynKhooMakeup
“The inability of defining the infinite is part of the definition of the infinite, as well.�
SPONSORED INTERVIEW
S C E N T S Y
So what is SCENTSY? Scentsy offers a variety of home and personal fragrance products, including scented wickless candles and decorative ceramic warmers, which together provide a safer alternative to burning wicked candles…. no wick, no smoke, no soot! Nice! So why did you get into this and how did you? A good friend introduced me to Scentsy. I signed up as a consultant for $152 and received my starter kit which included a free web page for three months, catalogues, order forms, and a Consultant workstation where I can enter all my orders and keep up with the latest Scentsy news. For me there is nothing better than having a clean home, with a beautiful fragrance. As a young Mum I used oil burners with tea lights, but with three young boys I was always on edge because I was concerned that they might get inquisitive when I wasn’t looking. When I learned about the Scentsy system I got excited because I knew others would also appreciate the concept. Scentsy sounds as if it is safe and is great for the senses, so can you make money out of it as well? You sure can. Scentsy is a direct sales business, similar to Tupperware. As a Consultant I have the ability to set my own schedule and determine how much or how little to work my business. The great thing about Scentsy is there are incentives for everyone. If you buy you have a wonderful product, if you host a party you can earn free and half price items, and if you join you have the opportunity to own your own business while having the best time of your life! ! Scentsy seems to be the BIG BUZZ in Australia right now, how long has it been here? Scentsy opened in Australia 2 September 2013, and Australia has fallen in love with it! I signed up on the opening day, and while I was waiting to see the products in person I remember thinking, “if they’re ugly then I’m not putting my name to them”. To my delight Scentsy Warmers are very stylish, so I just fell in love more! I know it’s only just been over a year that Scentsy has been in Australia, but are there any stand out moments? Too many, but I’ll share a few – partying for a living with my husband, Stanford Forbes (yep, he’s a Scentsy man), becoming a Director within six months, working with the best team, Scented Memories, earning an all-expenses paid incentive trip for my husband and me, and travelling with six of our team members to the Scentsy Family Reunion, held in the United States, and contributing financially to our family budget. But best of all, I love watching my team members as they build their business, and seeing them realise their potential and achieving their goals and dreams! It sounds scentsational!! How does someone go about signing up? Check out my web site www.cherief.scentsy.com.au or message me on my Facebook page Cherie Forbes Scentsy Independent Director
Tattoos Make Up Artist: Matison Lavery www.facebook/matisonellen Hair Stylist: Lisa Sleep www.facebook/lisasleephairstylist.com
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are an expression of walking art and this photo shoot exposes the different sides of ink complimented with Citizen Reign’s latex couture collection. The contrasting innocent and dominant attitude of each model is emphasised by the Geisha inspired hair and make-up.
Styling Assistant: Rae Kruger www.facebook/missrkrue.com
Contributor: Alexandra Rigney www.27photographs.com Photographer: Lance Balchin www.27photographs.com Designer: Citizen Reign www.citizenreign.com Model: Alice-Maree Joy @_0doylerules Model: Mia Rickards @miarickards
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Coffee Review
Recently, Team FOM had the
chance to spend the afternoon at Brisbane’s famous Pawpaw Café and test, taste and enjoy a number of coffees.
Campos
Team Average Score – 7 Campos coffee is famous for their caramelized tasting coffee. It is full-bodied with both a rich and creamy texture. Everyone loves a Campos coffee.
Rouge TEAM FAVOURITE **
Team Average Score – 8 The Team FOM favourite coffee is none other than the Brisbane roasting houses’ Rouge Coffee. With a slightly fragrant after taste the Rogue coffee is full of flavor but not overpowering. Rouge Coffee is perfectly delicious and super easy to pull a good shot.
DiBella - Standard Blend
Team Average Score – 5 DiBella coffee is perfect for soy milk drinkers! It has a good after taste with hints of chocolate (yum!). This is your everyday coffee.
DiBella - Reserve Blend
Team Average Score – 6 DiBella’ Reserve Blend is a smooth coffee for the everyday coffee drinkers looking for a bit of luxury. Sooooo good.
Griffiths – Fair Trade
Team Average Score – 6 Griffith’s Coffee has created a Fair Trade blend. A coffee with a cause as I like to call it. It is easy to drink, aromatic and smells amazing. It does have a more mild taste than the other coffees and therefore great for the people out there.
Merlo
Team Average Score – 7 Merlo coffee is a name we see everywhere and there is a reason for that – the coffee is both delicious and economically in your favour! For all those milk-based coffee drinkers out there you will be ensure to enjoy a hit of the strong taste of Merlo coffee.
Moccona – Instant
Team Average Score – 6 Not everyone has a coffee machine – and instant coffee is a quick and easy way to get your coffee fix. Moccona is possibly my favourite instant coffee. The Moccona variety is huge from fruity flavours, to chocolate, caramel and full on coffee. They are delicious and you are sure to get your coffee fix without all the hassle.
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BLOGgER
1 fashioncolumntwins.com
Visit BLOG VISIT BLOG
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BLOGgER
My name is Emily and I share a fashion blog with my twin sister, Elizabeth based in Lawrence, Kansas. Growing up, we’ve always been interested in fashion and loved to go shopping with our Mom. We used to plan out our outfits for school, and back-toVisit BLOG school shopping was something we always looked forward to. I remember looking through the catalogs of different retailers and marking everything that I wanted to buy (or have our mom buy for us). As we became older, our friends would always ask us for fashion advice or borrow our clothes. Elizabeth and I finally put our love of fashion into blog form when we decided to start Fashion Column Twins. We wanted to create a site that people could go and get as much fashion inspiration as possible.
At the beginning of our blogging career, our photos were rather low quality but we kept blogging because we loved it. We aren’t photographers so that was challenging trying to figure out how to use a DSLR camera. We were also really insecure about putting our blog out there for people to see.
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For so long, we kept it to ourselves until we finally decided to post it on social media. It’s funny looking back now about how scared we were to put it out there. Today, neither of us miss a beat about throwing our photos up on Facebook or Instagram. After about 4 years or blogging, we recently met a local photographer who has been working with us and taking our amazing photos. Within the last several months, our blog has evolved a lot and we’re really happy with the way things are going.
BLOGgER
When we work with brands, we really try to take our photoshoots to the next level and create photos that have more of a lookbook, stylized feel. We are so thankful and are amazed at how this blog has grown since we first started. Elizabeth and I also write a weekly fashion column for our local newspaper, and we are the fashion spokeswomen for a local outlet mall. We do monthly fashion segments on local TV
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2 fashionsucht.de Visit BLOG VISIT BLOG
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Hello world, all we do we do it together - because we are fashiontwins. To introduce ourselves - we areBLOG Daphne and Visit Vanessa from Germany and we run our own blog: “fashionsucht�. We love the streetstyle and colorful side of fashion. www.fashionsucht. de provides users and followers not only with fashion and lifestyle content but we also introduce them to a bit of our private world. We blog about what we like, love, must have, would like to have and cannot live without. Life as a twin is special, exciting, funny, intense, sometimes annoying, but never ever boring. This is why we believe our world is worth being documented on the internet as not just another fashion blog.
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BLOGgER
Of course when you start your own blog you have to deal with, in the beginning, plenty of hurdles and questions. Starting with technical issues on the site itself, especially when it comes to managing to create high quality pictures. Aside from this you have to find the right spots for your shoots, the right outfits and last but not least the right mood.
After a while you also have to figure out what partners and labels are fun to work with; who fits to your style and who doesn’t. After working on this blog for about one year we finally got what we wanted -nice comments, compliments and personal emails by our users. It brings us joy to see that people care about our blog and like the information we provide them with.
Visit BLOG
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BLOGgER
3 nyane-mpho.tumblr.com
Visit BLOG VISIT BLOG
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We are 20 year old twins born in Middlesbrough, England but originate from Lesotho (Southern Africa) and are now living in Southampton, England. We started our blog in the Visit BLOG summer of 2011. It started off as a mini page linked to Nyane’s tumblr page where she posted pictures of us. It then catapulted into a blog due to the response we were receiving. People were intrigued with our personal style and the fact that we were twins, however our styles showed differentiation from one another. Nyane would wear more structure based clothing with an 80’s influence whereas Mpho was more into oversized and layering clothing. We’ve always been interested in fashion from a young age, we’d save lunch money given to us by our parents for at least 3 weeks before going shopping to find the latest bargains. Around the time we started our blog we were very into vintage clothing, so we basically lived in vintage and thrift stores, searching for one-off intricate pieces. The fact that everything we came across was cheap also had us addicted.
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Over the years, our style has evolved as we have grown up. We dress slightly more similarly now in terms of colour palettes and silhouettes, however our styles always complement one another. Nyane will always dress in white and Mpho black, there is always a contrast but similarity with our styles. Our main source of inspiration is and has always been the Olsen twins, we are obsessed with their effortless style.
At the moment Mpho is doing her last year at University, studying Fashion Buying (With Design), whilst Nyane is based at home fashion designing. We are very much interested in starting our own fashion line. At the moment we are still at the starting point of it all but we hope to have it up and running within the next year.
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When was the last time you thought about living the life of another person? It could be anyone, somebody you’ve admired or a lifestyle you’ve always wanted to have. Something you don’t have but always dreamed of having; a storybook with adventures. That’s how we saw blogs. Blogs share parts of your life Visit BLOG and how you live, only better. Blogging is creating a whole new world. We were so into this magic that we started to create a whole new us, with new names and a new backstory.
We began our blog as two dolls, who had escaped their playhouse to discover the world. Isn’t fashion simply like dressing up and expressing how you feel? For us it’s like stepping into a fairytale. We started making flowered headbands, experimenting with photography and searching for locations that suited our outfits. We especially loved to escape into the forest as nature is very dear to us two girl who were born in the countryside. Ever since we moved to the city we have been searching for our childhood memories: the ones where we played in the garden, were told bedtime stories and searched for clothes to make us look like heroes or princesses. It was these memories that were transformed into our blog and along with new memories that have been created.
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Blogging for us isn’t just about fashion, it’s about searching for who we are, what we want and who we really want to be. Who hasn’t dreamed of living in a big castle, magical forest, or a land where you never grow old? The fairy tales that inspire us the most are Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. Sometimes we actually think we’re living in a dream world, so sometimes it’s can be hard to keep both our feet on the ground, but we think we all have to escape the reality sometimes. Like Professor Dumbledore says: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”.
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Besides the blog, we led normal lives in which we have to study and work. London is currently studying to become an art teacher and Paris has studied Social Work, but has had to work in a Sport Shop since, as finding work in Belgium is hard. So we’re not quite living in the dream world that we’re creating in our blog, the world we create is just an escape from reality. This quote from Alice in Wonderland makes it clear where our blog title comes from: “Have I gone mad? I’m afraid so. You’re entirely Bonkers, but I’ll tell you a secret, all the best people are.” Don’t be afraid to be different, silly or mad. We all have a unique story to tell.
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Style STEALER
Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivids Lipstick RRP $13.00 available from www.boots.com
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River Island Lilac fluffy knitted top RRP $46.00 available from www.riverisland.com
Fashion Icon/Blogger: Zanita Whittington www.zanita.com.au
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Butter London Union Jack Black Nail Polish RRP $21.95 available from www.powderrooms.com
ASOS Vintage Style Boyfriend Strap Watch RRP $41.00 available from www.asos.com
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Red Modern Tote tote bag RRP $72.00 available from www.debenhams.com
6 BCBGeneration Ollee Pump RRP $58.00 available from www.nordstromrack.com
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See-through Dot Full Skirt in White RRP $49.00 available from www.getthelooks.com.au
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Kate Spade Women’s Brigit Rectangular Sunglasses RRP $105.00 available from www.overstock.com
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Violeta by Mango Flowy Blouse, Bright Red RRP $37.00 available from www.johnlewis.com
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Monochrome Large Houndstooth Wrap Skort RRP $33.00 available from www.newlook.com
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Atmos&Here Flower Power Clutch RRP $18.00 available from www.theiconic.com.au
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Samarah Double Ankle Strap Stiletto In PU in Black RRP $48.00 available from www.fashionunion.com
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FASHION
Review
Photographer Stefan Gossati Renier van Nieberk
TELSTRA PERTH fashion
Festival PLAY
Photographer Sunny Lim
MELBOURNE SPRING FASHION
Week
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2014 Photographer Sunny Lim
MeLBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL
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s l e d Mo ke a m t a OP P th n o i h s a f
model
Ashleigh Hawthorne Brisbane-based Agencies Dally’s Models [Brisbane] FRM Model Management [Melbourne]
Details 5’10 [height] 33 [bust] 25 [waist] 35 [hips] 8 [dress size]
9 [shoe size] blonde [hair colour] green [eye colour]
caris tivel Perth-based Agencies chadwick models
Details 5’10 [height] 32 [bust] 24 [waist] 35 [hips] 8 [dress size]
7-8 [shoe size] brown [hair colour] green [eye colour]
dylann cranswick Perth-based Agencies Vivien’s Models
Details 5’9½ [height] 32 [bust] 26 [waist] 36 [hips] 8 [dress size]
8.5 [shoe size] dark-blonde [hair colour] blue [eye colour]
Ruth Wilmer Perth-based Agencies Vivien’s Model Management Photogenics [Los Angeles] Mannequin [Singapore]
Details 5’8½ [height] 32 [bust] 24 [waist] 34 [hips] 8 [dress size]
7 [shoe size] brown [hair colour] brown [eye colour]
Tahalia Williams Brisbane-based Agencies Dally’s Models [Brisbane] FRM Model Management [Melbourne]
Details 5’9½ [height] 32 [bust] 25 [waist] 34 [hips] 8 [dress size]
8-9 [shoe size] brown [hair colour] hazel [eye colour]
Style
TECH Tech for your BATHROOM
1) CLOUD NINE THE ORIGINAL IRON – limited edition The Cloud Nine is by far the superior hair iron. Team FOM are Cloud Nine-users and in love! With black ceramic plates with a ‘mystery’ ingredient your hair feels shiny and smooth after using the hair iron. RRP $259.95 www.ry.com.au 2) PHILIPS FLEXCARE PLATINUM ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH A healthy, white set of teeth and red lipstick can help a woman win any fight. The new Philips Flexcare gives your teeth that dentist clean feel everyday right in the comfort of your own home. RRP $269.95 www.davidjones.com.au 3) CLARISONIC MIA 2 SONIC SKIN CLEANSING SYSTEM Clean, smooth and beautiful skin is a summer-essential. The Clarisonic uses a patented sonic frequency to rid your pores of dirt and trapped oils. The new Mia 2 is much more powerful than the original and offers some new bonus features. RRP $190 www.ry.com.au
Tech for your LIFE 4) MOPHIE SPACE PACK Introducing to you the world’s first rechargeable battery case with storage space. For an fashion-week-goer you would know the pain of having too many videos and pcitures and not enough space/battery life. The Space Pack is your lifesaver. RRP $179.95+ www.mophie.com
5) BOSE SOUNDDOCK PORTABLE DIGITAL MUSIC SYSTEM Bose is the Apple of speaker systems and Team FOM are obsessed! The physical speaker features a carry handle, has a crazy battery life and can be connected to virtually any device via the auxiliary input. For small sized speaker system it really booms a big, high-quality sound. RRP $298 www.jbhifi.com.au 6) SAMSUNG NX3000 COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA For any budding blogger or professional Instagrammer the new Samsung NX3000 is your must-have accessory. It instantly transfers high-quality images to your phone or laptop via WiFi. RRP $599 www.jbhifi.com.au
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THE
FIT
kit
Small changes make a big difference when it comes to being active. 1. PIPING HOT ONE PIECE One pieces are making a serious comeback in both the swimwear and fitness world and thank god I say! They are a great way to hide the bits you are so comfortable with as well as guaranteeing that you won’t loose your top when the surf is rough. The Piping Hot one piece is a stylish way to integrate your fit life with your beach life. RRP $49 www.target.com.au
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3. RUNNING BARE CAP In summer Team FOM loves getting outside and enjoying the sun while exercising, but we like our skin healthy so I good SPF cream and hat is a must. We love Running Bare’s cap – it stays on, is comfy and doesn’t get all sweaty.
2. AMAZONIA ACAI ENERGY SMOOTHIE PACKS Fair Trade company Amazonia never disappoints when it comes to health foods. Their smoothie packs include acai berries and are frozen straight from harvest to ensure the most fresh and nutrient-rich product is delivered to you. With the packs you can make smoothies, acai bowls or eat it as it as a tasty and healthy iceblock. Yum! A must have fit-kit item. RRP $125 for a box www. amazonia.com.u
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3 4. ADIDAS RUNNING SHORTS Want a cute, lightweight and quick-drying pair of shorts to through over your swimwear than look no further…. Adidas has you covered. This cute little pair of shorts is a fit kit essential whether you are running to the beach, having a game of tennis or hitting the gym. RRP $50 www.adidas.com.au
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5. YUR BUDS EARBUDS Yur Buds earbuds titled ‘Inspire for Women’ are tailored to suit wome specifically. The buds are designed for smaller ears and TwistLock technologies guarantee they won’t fall out (an absolute dream for runners). Another perk? They are sweat and water resistant so you can work out hard and not have to worry about your headphones. RRP $35 www.yurbuds.com.au
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7. LORNA JANE APP Whether you wear Lorna Jane or not the Lorna Jane app is a fit-girl’s must have download! They have recently redone the app and it gives you recipes, motivational quotes and most importantly it tracks your movements so you know exactly how much you put in to your workout! RPP Free www.itunes.apple.com/au
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6. TUNE BELT iPHONE SPORTS ARM BAND We love our small screens and want them to tag along on our fitness trip. The Tune Belt iPhone Sports Arms Band is so comfortable and doesn’t irritate you when you are in the zone. RRP $30 www.rebelsport.com.au
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8. BOSCH FOOD PROCESSOR Healthy living starts in the kitchen. The Bosch Food Processor cuts, blends, juices and beats your food the way you want it. This boss of a machine can turn even the most amateur of a cook into a healthinspo chef. RRP $449 www.bosch.com.au
C O N S C I O U S
Fashion
NIZAMI
Contributor/Designer: Tegan Bulloch www.nizami.com.au
1.) What inspired you to begin Nizami? I was inspired to create Nizami during my time living in the Middle East. I was pretty lucky be given the chance to visit some very life changing places which really influenced my love for colour, design and pattern. There is nothing in the world I would rather do then spend a lazy afternoon getting lost in a souk, seeking out jewellery and negotiating on the price of a rug. I guess I stated to take my favourite hobby to the extreme and when I no longer had anywhere to store all my treasures, it occurred to me that maybe others might like them too! 2.) What have been the main challenges in starting up your own business? I guess going at it alone and becoming a sole-trader was probably the most daunting part of it. I am use to working and collaborating with others so being on my own was something new and challenging for me. 3.) Where is the next destination you are planning to travel to? The Nizami range consists mainly of pieces from Morocco, Nepal and Turkey. These would have to be three of my all-time favourite places to visit, so I would love to head back to all three of these countries at some point in the near future. I would also love to visit the Caribbean. Jamaica and Cuba are two places right at the top of my list at the moment! 4.) How long does one item of the Nizami collection take to be created? To be honest it takes quite a while. My products have come as a result of chance encounters with local artisans and street vendors during various trips. The majority of their products are hand made in the traditional form so it does take them a little while to create each piece. I guess the positive side is that I can always be sure that lots of love has gone into each Nizami piece. 5.) Do you assist in the production of the pieces or is it all authentic creations by the hands of artisans? Most of my products are really traditional pieces, still made the same way they have been for generations. Some of course have been adjusted slightly so that they are a little more functional for our Western way of life. I have a range of cushion covers for example which have been made from vintage Turkish rugs and killims. 6.) What can we expect next from Nizami? And where do you wish to see this label in five year’s time? I am currently working with Moroccan leather artisans to develop a new range of leather clutches and wallets. Moroccan leather handbags are beautiful, full of character and smell ohh so great! So I really want to build upon the Nizami leather range. I am also a massive fan of traditional carpets. Not only are they such a beautiful and intricate art form but I love they way a good rug can be handed down from generation to generation. I think this level of quality and durability is something our throwaway society has so much to learn from. In the future I would love to stock a range of rugs made by independent female weavers from countries like Afghanistan. 7.) How is Nizami different from other conscious fashion labels? I think it’s great to see the emergence of so many amazing conscious fashion labels out there. For me I just really wanted to showcase traditional products which people have been making for generations. Giving back to the communities where Nizami products are made is also really important for me. That’s why I decided to team up with the Nepal Youth Foundation, if you purchase any Nizami product made in Nepal 15% of the profit will be returned to the Nepal Youth Foundation.
Groovy Making a
(Sustainable)
Statement
One T-shirt
at a Time! Contributor: Candace Vadnais (Founder of Groovy Globe) www.groovyglobe.net Model: Megan Ryan www.facebook.com/meg.ryan.102 Model: Daniel Gierach www.facebook.com/daniel.gierach Photography: Isabella Argyros www.facebook.com/bella.argyros
What do you get when you have a woman who’s an obsessive recycler and a collector of t-shirts that support causes? Well, you get someone who has made it her mission to do more than she was doing at home – something that would have a greater impact and help inspire people to want to do more to help the environment as well! Out of this inspiration Groovy Globe was born – an eco-conscious line of organic t-shirts and totes created to generate funds for non-profit environmental organizations whose sole purpose is to help improve the environment and make communities more sustainable. Launching Groovy Globe was a way me to express how important it is for people to be more conscious of our fragile environment and take measures to reduce their carbon footprint while support a great cause at the same time. With t-shirts designed to deliver messages that motivate & inspire people to make more sustainable choices, Groovy Globe’s mission is to also help spread the word about the importance of sustainable fashion.
GLOBE Today, more and more people are aware of the ecological effects of fashion production so part of our mission is to help people realize we need to make more sustainable choices both with fashion and in our lives – we need to do what we can to lessen our environmental impact. Even the smallest changes in our homes such as using energy efficient light bulbs, upgrading to energy efficient products and recycling makes a difference. Simply washing your clothes in cold water and putting them on the line dry reduces energy use. It’s not a hard as you think and in all honestly, every bit does counts! It’s up to you, the environmentally aware consumer, who will continue to play a big part in shaping a sustainable fashion industry. Because of consumer demand, big retail brands are coming forward and promising to develop sustainable fashion by using organic and recycled fabrics. We’ve been seeing changes everywhere in our lives because we, the consumer, want to be healthier and use more natural products– we want nonGMO foods, organic foods, and electric vehicles. Our ultimate goal – to make a (sustainable) Statement! And our Statement t-shirts: PROTECT (the planet), RENEW (your world) and SUSTAIN (natural resources) certainly do that. And when you wear our t-shirts you’re helping support two causes – Trees for the Future and Global Green USA. And we all know that Mother Nature could certainly benefit from a little more love from everyone!
Its wondrous and refreshing to hear female musicians break past that ‘singer-songwriter’ cliché’ and make music that is relevant, unique and powerful. Gabriella Cohen is an enigmatic songstress singing songs of bittersweet woes with pop sensibilities. Taking inspiration from the greats before her, she weaves pop melodies with honest lyricism to create a unique and infectious sound. I was first introduced to Gabriella Cohen years ago, as we both trotted up the hill at QUT, Kelvin Grove. Since then (as well as working tirelessly on her solo album) she’s completed a degree in music, recorded several EP’s with her band The Furrs, been published in Rolling Stone Australia and has an American tour lined up for 2015. Written in a moment of self-doubt and anxiousness, Cohen’s debut single ‘Bitter Blues’ was independently released in October of this year. “Songs will come when I need them most. I never force them. They work as an outlet for my emotions. They are a part of me I will carry around forever.” As well as The Furrs and her solo project, Cohen is hugely passionate about female artists generally kicking ass and hopes to start an all girl band in the not so distant future. “Whenever I play music with my female comrades we’re all struck with this wondrous joy. Bewildered almost, until we realize that it’s because we are all on the same wavelength…. I feel like I can speak for most women musicians when I say that we are all looking for that comradeship that we see in boy bands. And then it dawns on us if we push away our pride we can have that matriarchy with a group of female musicians. It’ll be wild” It goes without saying that Cohen’s musical genius and infectious sound will take the world by storm. With dreams bigger than the city she lives in and sheer talent oozing from her core, everybody keep your eyes on Brisbane’s Gabriella Cohen. Written by Irie Langlois
VIEW MUSIC HERE
E X P R E S S I O N I S M
Gabriella Cohen CLEVER CHEESE
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