the epitome of our being.

i have this thing with collecting garment pieces i knowingly well won’t have anywhere to wear it to, but i purchase them because i know it will sit perfectly in my room amongst the other gems i’ve accumulated over the years. or alternatively, use them in a fashion shoot. this addiction goes hand in hand with what i like to do in my spare time collaborating with photographers and models.
earlier in the week i had been disheartened by the lack of appreciation and acknowledgement i receive from the hierarchy at work. the only cure was to surround myself with free spirits who want something so much more than what society measures success to be. so we sat down over coffee and planned a life in a studio in Brooklyn, a job that would allow me to travel, and pencilling in a forthcoming exhibition i will hold in the new year. after the crazy fulfilments of 2012, nothing is impossible anymore. i’ve also gone back to basics and started sketching again. my friend and i are making the commitment to go to life drawing every week to keep sane and motivated. already, by changing what would’ve been a draining week ahead and envisioning life after the rat race, i turned that silly frown upside down! come Friday i get a call from my photography teacher asking me to do some work for him. one could only dream of working alongside a mentor who inspired, supported and challenged me. and one that’s work i respect highly. 

i’ve often been very picky with the projects i’ve been involved with in the past, and now i know those decisions were the right ones. it’s reflected in the circle of creative’s i associate myself with now. my presence in the industry is minute, but i'm there. somewhere among the crazy artists i call my friends :)

just enough to fill the void.

love. i was afraid my perception of the noun had been tainted from the past, but in reality i’m surrounded by it. therefore how could one not be a believer or a witness to it, right?

submission and possession, i confuse the two for love. but this is how i see it. there’s this boy i know, and it wasn’t until i found out that he had found ‘the one’ that i realised our relationship was in every way an exemplification of the word. after all, this world only reflects what you see and believe in your own mind. i captured these images from the past couple of years knowing it would illustrate a story somewhere down the track. and here it is, the things i want in life. 
...
i know you randomly read these threads when you’re curious of what i’ve been up to. this post is for you. as pessimistic and closed off as you were about love when we first started to get to know each other, i am at peace with where you are in your life. words can’t explain how proud i am of you.

the damage from way back when it mattered.

my packing skills only becomes less organised with each trip i go on. i fly out in a few hours and i'm still dawdling around. but before i go i had to post, because we all know how badly i articulate what i need to say in real life, so i shall write my thoughts out with the aid of my thesaurus.

it's been less than a year since i went on my first world adventure. i caught the disease from a few gypsies i'd been spending too much time with at the time, and here i find myself at the airport again. to think, that once upon a time i was made to believe that traveling had to be saved for marriage life. nah. not me. my life consists of inconsistent relations, impulse buying and temporary highs but at the end of the day, i'm still doing what i want to do, right or wrong. i'm off to catch up with some friends around the world, but i know i'll always come home to family. 

peace.

photo credit: Rennan Dizon, Camden Markets London 2012

only for the diligent.

i recall the time when it was no longer fitting to wear baggy jeans out clubbing. i also remember not giving a fuck about what was ‘socially acceptable’ to wear out in public. the ever growing trend of fashion blogging has somewhat destroyed the illusive world of fashion for me. it used to mean something to get accepted in a recognised fashion school to study the design principles among other enthusiasts and be taught by professionals in the industry. now all you need is a url and hey presto you are a certified style icon. here are my top 5 fashionista woes:

1. having mountains of clothes doesn’t measure how fashionable you are, i can guarantee you that a good amount of that wardrobe would not be accepted at Salvos.
2. designer wear is all the hype. half of you don’t even know why you spend thousands on a designer piece, other than the fact that it was featured on your instagram feed. high end fashion was once known for it’s impeccable detail, quality and exclusivity.
3. enhancing your body and saying it’s to boost your self confidence and then having the sudden urge to post provocative ‘model’ shots on the web AND THEN letting the world know you are unimpressed by the unwanted attention you get is just…confusing really. way to be humble.
4. throwing on all your mismatched clothing doesn’t make you eclectic. it just doesn’t.
5. and lastly, uploading shameless selfie pics (clothed or unclothed) with your iphone in the frame is not attractive. nor is it sexy.

this is not me being cocky, this is my developed thought process and evaluation of how quickly technology and society has advanced, or rather, misinformed the scope of fashionistas out there. dare to start a fashion blog, but please do have something different and informative to talk about.

preparing for twenty eight.

second week in and most of my boxes are unpacked. scribbles in sketchbooks are accumulating,  sewing machine plugged in, and studio set. we've befriended the locals on our strip and have become regulars at the cafe next door. the inner west has that sense of aspiration in the air that was lacking in the west. but don't get me wrong, i've been missing home like crazy. i am so far from my safety net and i feel people are already awaiting failure. it's this misconception of happiness and succes that baffles me with some people. i've been having alot of impromptu catch ups with friends, and their perceptions of my life and expectations of where i should be in life have been a little more than disheartening. here's the thing about me, i am a simple creature. the images i post don't portray a fancy life, they're my everyday objects in my everyday life. and you should already know that i see things differently. to me, the ugliest things in life have the most potential of being a work of art. take this as a metaphor or take it as it is. people need to analyse their own lives before they let me know how to live mine. i had an old man who i say hello to everyday at work ask me, "how do you keep a smile on your face everyday? you're always so happy."i actually don't know the answer to that question, it seems to be my only facial expression. even i don't know how i feel sometimes. but right now i'm happy daydreaming and getting back into the swing of things with my art and designing. so the moral of the story is, i've got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one. think about it.

all the cards begin to stack up.

the truth is, i'm finally ready to move on. in every sense of the statement. life is traveling a hundred miles an hour right now and i'm overwhelmed and abit nervous. but more so excited. i've decided that i will have to pick up the bridal projects again if i want to live comfortably in the new chapter i'm beginning. but in saying that, i'm not going to say yes to clients with 'budgets'. bridal wear is strictly business and that's exactly how i'm going to treat it. 

these are exciting times ahead. wait for it to unfold.

this is why we hate you.

so there’s this fashion blog which has been the main subject of conversation at work for the past 2 weeks. just a quick rundown of what the blog is about: two Sydney ‘fashion bloggers’ who easily between the two have accumulated over 25k followers on their blog and instagram accounts. i, being one of them. but not anymore, and this is why…

not for the fact that either actually have style judging from the amount of #ootd #selfie pictures they take, nor is it because they claim to purchase and name drop designer labels making people think they live the oh so envious ‘fashionista’ life, but because of this… one of the ladies had just uploaded a shot of her new calling cards with the title ‘EDITOR’ under her infamous name. and if you know me personally, you’d know that i am not one to be easily annoyed or frustrated. but this post just took the piss out of what it means to be a creator of something worth a ‘like’. and so i commented with these words:

"ok, so i follow your blog and instagram as a fellow fashion enthusiast. but ‘editor’? of what? the real creative’s behind these pictures need to be credited. not just where you cut and paste jpegs from. please don’t reply with hate mail, i just feel very passionate about the art behind these pictures."
 and one minute later, the comment was deleted. not even a comeback? i would respect these girls if they actually made a story with the photos they post on their ‘daily delights’ or grabbed a proper camera to take shots of their outfits. in this day and age, it’s almost impossible to have ownership with what you upload online without watermarking all your work. this “editor” just printed a stack of business cards with a collage of editorials that she did not photograph, style or EDIT.  and she gave herself the title of editor, go figure. mind you they have been photographed for Vogue online and had been part of an SDS campaign where she recreated/designed customers denim shorts with buttons and shit. let’s throw designer and stylist on the qualifications too shall we.

but in general, fashion blogs are becoming a joke! flashing designer gear DOES NOT make you stylish nor does it make you some kind of fashion icon. you ARE NOT Moss, Slimane or Centenera!! (unless you really are and happen to be reading this). do your research on the history and aesthetics of these fashion houses you like sooo have to have for next season and upload on instagram, before you hashtag the shit out of your keyboards.

the end. like my post or i will defriend or block you.

p.s all you hipsters repping Tupac slogans, this shirt is for you. 

art, the life we chose.

i began 2012 with my annual trip back to Manila, where i met a couple of strange looking designers dressed in all black. then and there i knew the year would bring me to different corners of the world where i would keep crossing paths with such creative and interesting creatures. this is just a post to toast those who have played a huge part in my life, personally and creatively. i've always been considered the 'weird' one in my social groups, and now i have grown close to a handful of other dreamers i can be weird with! each of you should know who you are and know the impact you have had on me this past year. so this is my thank you for 2012. 

this year more than any year, i have felt the passing of time and social age gaps. so i’ve decided that the new year will welcome a shift in Maiden Threads. enter: ABSENCE OFCOLOUR: curated by Maiden. this new project is basically a continuation of the Friends of Maiden exhibition we held mid this year. where i collated things of interest to share with like minded individuals, enthusiasts, artists, designers and creative’s. it will be much like a visual diary of progression for the rebirth of a more refined label, not just of clothing but a lifestyle. through Maiden i was able to somewhat educate people about their unseen surroundings regarding the industry and art scene, and through AOC i want to showcase a collection of design elements, techniques and concepts that undermines the traditional way of perceiving objects.

i will still run the Maiden Threads blog, as it will just act as a personal blog. but i am looking to push this concept further than i did with Maiden, as i feel it is critical to go back to the roots of design and craftsmanship to broaden the understanding of art itself.

so Maidens, it is completely your decision whether you follow us into our next chapter with [ABSENCE OF COLOUR]. we will hopefully see you in the new year for exciting projects and events!
m a i e :)xx 

a year in reverse.

i'm finding that my style and vision for this label is becoming more and more irrelevant to today's haunting mass appeal. what i wear or don't wear is an expression of me, not what magazines or fashion bloggers feed me. black is a state of mind, not a fucking trend. the new year will see a shift in direction for Maiden. 

no hipsters allowed.

[photo credits: @timtamberlina @creative_binge @machickomotoi @jrmz]

day before yesterday.

thirty-two days roaming, five pit stops, one big earth. twelve familiar faces, a handful of new homies, two comedy acts, one game of buffalo. seven galleries, thousands of masterpieces, a big appreciation for art and design. hundreds of bloggers, one Sartorialist. three Aussie artists, one iconic venue. miles traveled, memories captured, Mona Lisa sited, much more to discover. a full memory card of inspiration, endless possibilities, a string of thoughts to sort through, but one very happy Maie who said she could...

i left a trace of black around the world, my way of saying thanks for having me, and i'll be back one day!

my black satchel in the streets of Hamadayama, Tokyo (next to a vending machine) | my ten year old Docs along the curbs of Brixton, London | a sketch for the lovely Frenchie who welcomed us into her home at the Latin Quarter, Paris | my bandana on a bench at Bryant Park, New York | and my art attack blazer on the balcony of Adelaide Hostel, San Francisco.

as amazing as this world is, after seeing all the different cultures, fashion and sites it has to offer, i'm more than happy to come back home to beautiful Sydney. so many people wish they could do what we just did. and there's no reason why they can't. living and working here, we have so much freedom compared to the rest of the world. the inspiration tour doesn't end here. i've caught the travel bug now :)

ending on a high.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk | Pier 39 | Big Sur | Adelaide Hostel | 

fortune cookies at Chinatown | sunset with friends and lovers.

we started off at San Francisco where i re-united with a few friends from work. it was perfect. San Francisco was everything everyone said it would be. this last leg of the trip was solely to come visit my awesome friend who moved to the US two years ago, and i’m so happy this is how i’m ending the trip. so we made our way down to the Bay area to say hello and have the time of our lives. i think my photographs tell the story better than i can ever explain it in words. so i'll let it speak for itself...

homeward bound for Sydney.

since i made it here, i can make it anywhere.

 Starbucks | yellow cab | New York Fuckin City | Brooklyn skyline | 

pigs | blood | Gotye at Radio City Hall.

New York is a thriving city for anybody who wants to be somebody. the bright, flashing lights illuminating the overly crowded streets gave me a keyhole perspective into a stranger’s life. one that i could possibly see myself living. 

NYC has been the more festive leg of the trip, which i had initially had hoped for. avenue after avenue, drink after drink, and one artery clogging meal after another, this stay has been nothing but typical. ‘buffalo’ is the game, and messed up is how you come out of it. 

enjoying our last few hours in the Big Apple at the beautiful NY Public Library after our Starbucks hit. i think my friend is more than ready to head off to the next city. you need a strong backbone to survive living here. mine is still a little wobbly so i will need to toughen up on my return.

next stop San Francisco...

this game is very religious.

i've visited zen places in Tokyo, threw coins in the wishing well, and put out my wishes to the universe.  in Paris i stopped by the Sacre Coeur to light a candle and even went into the Notre Dame and left a piece of paper of prayers. i'm not the religious type, but spiritually my heart is there. somewhere. each time i have wished for the same thing. come soon Mr. Wish Sir...