eventually it took the place of love.

David Jones Bridal Expo on Seven, 4th & 5th May.

(display work by Kirryn Ross, Maie Dionisio and Samantha Robertson 

for Lisa Gowings, Karen Willis Holmes, Lanvin and Oscar de la Renta)

Wang joins a weird trip.

i woke up to updates yesterday with Alexander Wang's face photoshopped on Balenciaga's Join A Weird Trip print tee. and with that i thought to myself, the kid has made it big time! i wanted to post my initial reaction to this yesterday but thought, i 'm not those fashion bloggers who post themselves sporting the latest collections so who was i to blog about my opinion on this. but after someone who i had became friends with through my design work messaged me last night asking what i thought about this big industry move, i said, fuck it i'm gonna tell you what i think anyway...

i got hooked on the Balenciaga aesthetic ever since it's Fall 2007 collection which saw the popularism of the jodhpurs and sports jacket. and after learning a bit more of the fashion house's history on my visit to the Cristobal Balenciaga exhibition in Paris and watching a documentary on the rise of a star, Alexander Wang on the flight to Europe, i base my opinion on this. 
i love Alexander Wang, his style and work was one of those that got me intrigued about runway fashion. to have had only been in the industry for just over 5 years and now set to be the successor for Balenciaga is a testament to this designers talent. but a part of me feels that he needs a few more years under his belt to be 'running the show'. Cristobal Balenciaga was known for his intricate embroidery and atypical silhouettes by broadening the shoulders and losing the waist, fashion forward beyond his years. as Wang's aesthetic is young and very much sportswear with the 'just rolled out of bed' attitude. in saying that, under the reigns of Nicolas Ghesquirre the design house has acquired a biker edge with its recent collections.

only time will tell the outcome of this massive move. all eyes are definitely on this young designer's every step. and i for one anticipate the trappings of his success.

Maison Martin Margiela: above the creation of mankind.

i thought this post would be relevant for the eve of the launch of MMM for H&M. all hail the genius that is Maison Martin Margiela! it's the designers reinterpretation of everyday objects and manipulation of garments that create such a stir in the industry with this sense of an anti-fashion vision that is ever so addictive. i'm not quite sure if i can fully support these high end fashion house collaborations with fast fashion retail clothing companies such as H&M, as it defeats the purpose of the designer's exclusivity. but on the other hand, it gives the opportunity for non high rollers such as myself who can only dream of having a wardrobe of designer pieces at hand, with a reasonable price tag attached. aside from the fashion, MMM has a very avant-garde twist on the way they represent the label. it was on the top of my list to visit a Margiela boutique or two while on my world trip. and not once was i disappointed with what was presented in front of us. here are some of the sneaky snaps i took at the Tokyo boutique.

what would Jesus want.

it takes a certain kind of crazy to do VM as a job. like anything in fashion, there's a lot more to it than the 'glamour'. more often than not i think of running away from it all and work for another company or chase bigger dreams. but then again i think to myself, how many other jobs out there showcase your work for hundreds of by passers to see, and what other window styling job let's you choose and style a Christmas window full of stock you want for yourself! hah. i guess i could be doing worse things with myself.

but on another note, styling tips if you care to read on. this relates to both merchandising and styling for day to day. i always try to justify my aesthetic choice of black, because people often find it too dark and heavy (especially for summer). black is complementing, simple, classy and chic as fuck. need i say more?

eyes wide open.

WHITE DRAMA Comme des Garcons.

Cristobal Balenciaga exhibition.

Louis Vuitton Marc Jacobs exhibition.

Tokyo street boys.

 i’ve always thought the Japanese had an effortlessly cool sense of style, but never did i expect to fall in love with the boys of Tokyo. walking through Harajuku, i anticipated seeing the crazy infamous Harajuku girls. but instead i was entertained by how fashionable the boys were. tall, lean figures dressed in so many different types of silhouettes, from the oversized tradesmen gear, to the super slim line cut attire. streetwear at its extreme awesomeness. it's become evident where some celebrities (Pharrell and Gwen) get their street sense of style from!

I LOVE TOKYO BOYS!  

the darkest element.

today my colleague and i dressed a few mannequins on the young fashion level at work. the only briefing and direction we received from H.O was to go black and minimal. instinctively i had a big grin on my face. i started off with a black mesh bra and ended up with this, the “Widows” as we are now referring them to. as we were wheeling the mannequins onto the shop floor, one sales assistant commented, “omg that looks scary, she looks like a cancer patient” – enter// shit dumb girls say. rather horrified by the sight of my model, i turned around and replied “a burns victim actually!”. not to offend or mock anyone. but things that are not straight out of the ‘on trend’ catalogue is quickly scrutinised and categorised as ugly. especially here in Sydney where fashion is nothing more than a carbon copy of what the next person is wearing. think about this when you next step into your local hipster store, you are actually getting ‘styling tips’ from a 15 year old, with the kind flattering gesture of being called babe. real trendy at  the most.
but other than that one comment and several strange looks from children and elderly women, this has all been taken as a compliment. disturbing the public is more satisfying than giving the customers a traditional DJ’s store experience.

 on another note here are a few shots of my Ksubi window from a couple of months back. again, a look that i am completely comfortable with and enjoy styling. i dream of styling for these kids, or better yet, design for them. so Ksubi boys - get at me!

friends of maiden: OS Accessories.

OS, a street accessory brand by multidisciplinary creatives AJ Omandac and Paul Jatayna in Manila, Philippines, revolves around the versatility of polyurethane bone reproduction as accessories. Raw and edgy, OS produces painstakingly handcrafted necklaces, bracelets, harnesses, and caps that are completely wearable -- giving your personal style some teeth.

not quite sure how i came across this label, but i'm crazy grateful that i did. not only do i own some bone pieces in my family of suicide wristwear, but i got the chance to meet and dine with the kids behind the wicked label back in February on my visit to the homeland.

what was meant to be a quick trade turned into an unexpectedly fun night over sushi and endless conversation! naturally, i cliqued with these two guys straight away. i honestly, for the first time in my life felt like i belonged and didn't feel self conscious. we all got to know each other pretty well in a course of a few hours. they've only been at it for a year or so, and they're already spreading their osseous matter crazily over in Japan! i adore these two for their humbleness, off-centred nature, their love of black and daringness to dream big! here's how they came about...

insert title here | OS designer (& founder)    

age | 22, 26

how did the both of you come together to create OS?

[AJ & Paul]: A trip to Baguio. We were walking along Session Road when we saw a snake spine - real one. We tried to wear it & wrap it around a regular Topman metal chain necklace & surprisingly it looked so good.

what were your inspirations behind this bone collection?

[AJ & Paul]: Initially we wanted to combine metal & bones. Now we want to experiment with combining bones with leather, or acid, or whatever that looks good with it.

what have been your biggest achievements to date?

[Paul]: I finally created my own fashion brand!

[AJ]: Creating something that moves (sells!) haha. A brand that we (I) totally believe in and could represent Philippine creativity.

describe your "style".[Paul]: I get inspired with anything 90's. I love the music, the fashion, the culture...[AJ]: I don't think I have a personal fashion style. Maybe in design or art I like natural, organic & something macabre.

were you outcasts in school?

[Paul]: Very much but I always hung out with other "outcasts" so I don't feel alone.

[AJ]: Yes! I was the fattest kid in school haha! And back then I was in the closet, so that probably outcasted me more.

FASHION is...[Paul]: more fun now because kids like me are into trying to create something new.[AJ]: a lifestyle, not just clothes & fashion accessories.

plug your label here:                                www.os-accessories.com

save us.

killing time is a dangerous game. i always seem to spend, more than i save nowadays. i was walking around aimlessly last Thursday in Westfield when a halogen light framed fixture stopped me in my tracks. the first piece that caught my eye was a red felt skater skirt. i proceeded to go through the racks not really looking for anything in particular, when i found the perfect black mesh top i wanted to pair with my black velvet knicker shorts i ordered online! 

i went back to the skirt and asked the kind stall keeper if it came in black, i then asked her where the designer was based. lo and behold, the lady in the cute collared shift dress was the designer of the label sa/eus. i was so impressed by the workmanship from each piece, they were so beautifully sewn and well tailored. make sure to drop in and check out the "Everything, Nothing" AW12 collection when your next in town!

Maison Martin Margiela.

 the book arrived from England last Friday. seventy dollheads well spent. enough to make you want to cry.