The Collective

SWEET

2012-02-10T22:08:00.000+01:00

Living the sweet life is an appealing idea but also a boring one. Lately work has been all-consuming. So much so that I haven't had the chance to feel inspired where as usually a stolen moment will do.

It's been close to a month since we've been back in Stockholm. The tan lines have faded and the post-holiday glow is now gone. I was sad to see it go but it's nice to be back in the swing of things. A life of leisure is what so many aspire to but I think it's a waste. Contributing something by developing your talent or learning new skills is far more interesting. Although some days I would prefer to paint my nails, I like getting up and having somewhere to be. Here's to those moments where we can slow down and do not much at all.

WHOLESOME

2012-02-02T22:52:00.000+01:00

The girls of So Much To Tell You have ended their blog. It was a sad day. They were my inspiration for The Collective. Though it wasn't totally unexpected as there have been less posts lately but for good reason as they now have their own individual sites. An acceptable consolidation. I've already gone and had a flip through the archives and they're pretty great.

Nathalie always has such interesting content to share. She has declared this year as the year of being more sustainable with a list of high expectations but said she'd never give up her trashy treats. I'll admit I'm the same. There's too much pressure in doing everything right. In being wholesome and well-rounded. I think good deeds, like everything else, should be done in moderation. Even if that means your health in exchange for ice cream. Because ice cream can keep you sane.

BYE BYE BABY

2012-01-29T15:29:00.000+01:00

I'm always drawn to white. The combination of a white dress in the summer is unbeatable. It feels comfortable to be dressed in white though I'm not altogether sure why. It's fresh and says I'm pure of heart. It's what you put on when you don't know what to wear.

I think white can be sexier than black but it's reputation for innocence has people confused. It's a shade with more depth and potential than it's given credit for. It's got substance. The strength lies in it's weakness; the presumption that the wearer is youthful and perhaps unaware of the world around them. Those who wear white hold power but only if they understand how to use it.

Kate Moss by Mario Sorrenti, Vogue Italia

A CERTAIN KIND OF SADNESS

2012-01-25T23:25:00.000+01:00

Break-up songs are the best. But they're also the worst especially if you're going through one. It seems that there's no escaping their reach. Radio stations pump them out with no remorse because most songs are break up songs. They're all heart and cryptic lyrics but somehow you just get it. Like horoscopes you find what's relevant. And the world makes sense again. Someone has felt what you're feeling. You're not alone out there all washed up in emotions. Let's face it, we're addicted to love. Love and a certain kind of sadness. This is my current favourite. And it will always be the song from the summer of 11' in Australia. Break-up or no break-up.

GLOW

2012-01-17T23:04:00.000+01:00

Holidays leave you with this glow. It's a certain kind of glow. I've recently been told I have this glow. Not the kind you get from the sun but something more. It's a refreshed glow. The kind you get from excess sleep, good food, good company and hours of doing nothing in particular.

The greyness in your complexion lifts along with the circles under your eyes and the luxury of time slows you down. It renews your outlook. All of a sudden not much seems important enough to upset your day. Though strangely enough you don't notice a change until you're back at work. Heels drag as you resist the adjustment with the same conviction that had you convinced taking a break wasn't necessary. But as it turns out, it was.

Now it takes you twice as long to do anything but you're contented and unfazed by the faces on the street. Admittedly a holiday in a place where there's sun does speed up the process. I put my glow down to freckles and blonde hair dye. Now just to keep it up... Fake tan is hardly up to the job but it might just have to do. I don't think I'll bother. There's no substitute.

BLONDE CRUSADER

2012-01-16T07:41:00.003+01:00

No wallflower is she. A crusader at heart. Blonde waves dominate her stare. Don't look away, don't loose sight of the green in her eye or you'll miss it. It's fleeting but you'll find it lingers long after it's gone. Wearing lace and heavy knits she armours herself from the day and from the roll of the weeks and months. A distraction at best. The raspiness of her voice comes unexpected with words carefully chosen her actions are swiftly taken. Don't cross her in plight for there's a chance the green won't linger but sear right through instead.

Jess Gold by Bec Parsons.
Styled by Romy Frydman with Hair & Make up by Victoria Baron

HOT IN THE SUMMER

2012-01-11T14:57:00.000+01:00

Not so long ago the heat of an Australian summer was just a distant and rose-tinted memory. I welcomed the thought of being hit by a wall of humidity, the sun beating down on the pavement its golden light making an impression on my skin. I didn't even mind the possibility of my clothes being soaked through with sweat. But the reality of this experience is something else. With a constant need to run into sprinklers and to hide out in air conditioning, just a walk to the shops becomes a challenge. I think my most used words over the last month have been 'It's hot.' The storms have been illusive and there's a haze that's beginning to set in over the horizon. The grass is drying out. The nights are still and the crickets have us surrounded in our homes. Productivity is at a low point with all the lounging, talking and eating that's been going on. But then that is the holiday season.

I've also rediscovered that looking your best isn't really an option. The only way you can use this weather to your advantage is if your at the beach where a good bikini, shorts and sunnies will do. Less is definitely more in this lazy summer heat.

WATERMELON

2012-01-02T06:32:00.000+01:00

There are many moments in my life when I say something profound like 'I carried a watermelon.' These are the moments where baby really should have stayed in her corner. Countless moments of clarity are spelt out into defining revelations. Revelations that others usually find unnecessary. Funny but unnecessary. Though this awkwardness is not restricted to words because being a cluts effects all areas. In fact if it weren't for those who knew me I suspect things would regularly go quite wrong. Here's looking forward to a more together 2012.

CHIC ABODE

2011-12-28T01:48:00.000+01:00

Daphne not only has a cool name but she also has one of the most enviable loft apartments situated in New York. It's other-worldly but doesn't venture out of context. Much like her photographer, Nathalie Joos she has an affinity with vintage. Her relationship to vintage is "long-term and committed" stemming from the kind of nostalgia that makes you yearn for a time you never lived. She tends to gravitate "towards classic pieces very much inspired by the style icons of the 60's and 70's like Romy Schneider, Goldie Hawn, Francoise Hardy, Mary Rickards..." And with a love of "true navy blue" Daphne sums up what I love about vintage.

Tales of Endearment

SHAKE UP

2011-12-19T13:38:00.001+01:00

If there's one thing that will shake you up it's travel. Shocking your senses into the moment. It doesn't seem to matter whether you're returning home or on an adventure, the experience effects you in much the same way. Everything feels new. It peels back a layer of the eye revealing all the differences between where you've come from to where you are. Things look different, they smell and sound different, they feel different. The environment has changed around you and it seems that the same rules don't apply. It's familiar yet it's altogether new. You're just a babe in the woods. You remind me of someone I used to know.

Photographer Dan Martensen
Styling Gilian Wilkins
Models Anna Speckhart & Camille Rowe
Russh Magazine Issue 42

HELLO LOVER

2011-12-15T13:31:00.000+01:00

Russh's Christmas Gift Guide for the Best Friend. Yes I realise this is another Russh post...I should really just repost everything they do. But I already almost do. I'm still into red - isn't the leather notebook a keeper? Might also try my hand at escadrille's this summer. Love my Havianas but sometimes you need a bit of sophistication on the beach front.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

2011-12-14T00:29:00.000+01:00

Snow white in the woods she's delicate but not fragile
Lovely but not lacking in wit
Inquisitive beyond cautious
Don't seek her, you won't find her
She's left town.

Anna de Rijk by Yelena Yemchuk styled by Leith Clark for Lula Magazine's fall winter edition.

PALE FIRE

2011-12-11T00:35:00.000+01:00

The smell of a match being lit. The sulphur is familiar. Pale fire catches engulfing the air. You watch it intently as it burns down the wooden line. When it gets dark outside, surrounding yourself with candles and things that bring light becomes necessary. So that you know you're not alone in this winter. The steady glow a reminder that time will soon turn the days longer. The open flame is dangerous and you understand this too well but it draws you in. It flickers and smokes, the pale fire it burns out. Darkness falls again. But strike and a new glow is born.

We've not even made it through Christmas and I'm already thinking about the New Year. It's a shame to be missing New Year's Eve in Stockholm because so far it's been the best yet. Partly due to and despite of the fact that the climate doesn't allow you to wear sandals like the Valentino ones above. It's the Champagne and company that makes the night.

THINGS TO COME

2011-12-08T21:28:00.001+01:00

These are my picks from the astrology report for Russh by Susan Miller. The look of things to come. I'm assuming it's the work of Creative Director Christine Thornton who 'has always wanted things to look better.' I can relate to that. So often it feels like that's what I want to do - make things look better. But is that so bad? I would describe myself as visual. The way things look so greatly effect the way we feel and act in a space it seems almost stupid to not consider appearance to be something that is important. Take it or leave it, it's all at face value.

Stonefox Magazine
Russh Magazine

LET'S HANG

2011-12-06T14:27:00.001+01:00

One of the things I love about Sweden is that often when you meet a friend you go to each other's apartments. Today I did just that. I met up with a friend and we had fika with coffee and saffranslängd at her place. It was very civilized even with a toddler in tow. And how nice it is to have an intelligent conversation. To find someone who you can discuss things with, someone who can see what you see. She reminded me that everyday is a performance and that performance is not an experience reserved for the stage. What a profound perspective..It's in the way we get up, get dressed and compose ourselves. It's everything. We are our own performance. We're on stage everyday. Let's hang more often.

BASTE

2011-12-04T22:10:00.001+01:00

We're told not to lie in the sun. Not to look up and meet it's gaze but encouraged to protect our skin from it's searing heat. Yet we continue our worship and with it's bad boy status how can we resist? We baste ourselves in sunscreen hoping it comes through on it's promise only to know the outcome when the damage is already done. The warm glow it transforms you slowly getting deeper each day your out, when your hairline lightens and your freckles they start to join up. Somehow you managed to pull it off, from transparent to tanned over the summer, with only a few minor set backs you're normal again, now doesn't that feel great?

Nirrimi
BASICWONDER by studioFRONTdesk!
Zimmermann

STIFEL

2011-12-04T01:50:00.000+01:00

Does training stifle creativity? I wonder if the more training you receive in any pursuit, especially art-related, the less able you are to experiment? The less freedom you feel, possibilities you see and individual you are. All the while you become more of the technique you studied, the people who taught you and those you endured it with. You're stamped, trademarked-your creativity stifled. Your voice repressed, confined and suffocated. To experience being outside of an institution for the first time since your training begun, you almost need to put the training wheels back on, to remember who you are outside of the rules that bound you all together.

I like the words above taken from Russh. It feels that whenever I do anything creative it's never completely mine and mine alone. So much is stolen from others, elements taken, inspiration drawn. The movement engrained, the image imprinted, the vibe captured. Originality is not something I feel you can honestly claim, individuality yes but originality not so much. Too much has come before.

COCKTAIL

2011-12-02T22:15:00.001+01:00

I'm watching Cocktail tonight. They just keep showing it and I can't help but watch it. It makes me reminisce the days I spent working behind a bar. The highs lie in the fast pace and atmosphere whilst the lows are in long hours and hard labour. The good times were the best and the bad times were the worst. Much like a bad boyfriend, addictive. The film is so 80's it's fantastic and young Flanagan, charming.

IDEAL

2011-11-27T20:45:00.000+01:00

This is interesting. The Benah's new blog has a recent post about luxury. The idea of luxury, our need for it and how to sell it. What struck me was this connection between luxury and our ideal selves.

I remember I saw an interview with the Ralph Lauren family on the Oprah show about the success of their brand, which I now already regret sharing...The man himself said, 'What I do is about living. It's about living the best life you can and enjoying the fullness of the life around you - from what you wear, to the way you live, to the way you love. I don't design clothes, I design dreams.'

That about sums it up I think. Ralph Lauren light blue was the first perfume I owned. Me and a lot of other teenage girls at the time. It must have been some dream we wanted to be apart of.

Luxury is about creating the best reality imaginable by understanding the value it has in your everyday. 'The modern luxury brand -from Dior to Louis Vuitton via Givenchy and Chanel are ubiquitous in contemporary culture and aim to promote an ideal lifestyle, an aspirational vision of what we want ourselves to be and to look like, to dress and to smell.' (Benah)

And I agree with Mr. Lauren that 'There is something exciting about buying something you have to save for, as opposed to people who have had these things all their lives. There is more of a discerning taste that you develop.' I like the idea of growing into a lifestyle. It sounds luxurious, the kind of stuff dreams are made of.

METALLIC

2011-11-23T21:51:00.000+01:00

All I wanted this time last year was metallic polish. You wouldn't think it would be too much to ask but could I find one? No. Black was everywhere. Though the chic of Black Satin wasn't what I was going for. Festive and slightly tacky was. But the powers that be decided it just wasn't the right time for metallic. Apparently the right time to be both chic and slightly tacky is now with the Illusion d'Ombres collection. Graphite, Quartz & Peridot are the new kids on the block. I like the silver hit you get from Graphite. There are others I could swing to but it just wouldn't be right. Then it might just be tacky.

BRAZEN

2011-11-23T14:07:00.000+01:00

Brazen it out. Shameless and bold. Made of or resembling brass. Unrestrained by convention or propriety. Barefaced. Brash. Unconcealed. Forward. Defiant. Spirited and original. A metallic ringing filters the sound. All brazen and cool-skinned hesitation. Sold she was set in stone. Above skies are brooding, don't lead her astray...'blame it on my wild heart'.

Stonefox magazine via Badlands

Lula magazine

Clemence Poesy from Jalouse

Stevie Nicks Wild Heart

CRUSH

2011-11-22T15:46:00.000+01:00

Girl Crush. There's something about Isabel, I've said it before and I'd say it again. She's more than pretty. She carries this dark moodiness and character in her features. Her gaze is intriguing in this shoot for French magazine Jalouse, photographed by Matthew Frost and styled by Jennifer Eymere.

WALKING THE TALK

2011-11-18T19:54:00.001+01:00

I walk differently in nice shoes. They instil me with a certain knowing pride as I walk the street. The thing about nice shoes is they have a way of finishing off the line of your leg, of refining your stride and making each step a careful, considered one. Watch the crack, tip-toe around the gum, jump the puddle and steer clear of suspiciously dirty pavement... I even keep them under my seat on the train so not to be trodden on or overstep my gait to avoid meeting something less than clean.

Excessive? Possibly. Obsessive? Maybe. But the thought of harm coming to them burns my face red, too awful to imagine. Almost every time I wear my nice shoes I profess my love for them. Unhealthy? Yes, probably. But then I'm not complaining. I like our arrangement.

BLUE SKIES

2011-11-15T14:58:00.001+01:00

Lately my clients have been asking me if I'm excited. Out of context this sounds strange. But they were referring to my upcoming trip home to Australia. And to answer that question...I started packing last week. The chosen clothes are now lying in a pile on the floor waiting for my suitcase to make an appearance.

I have to say it doesn't look good for my summer style if you even could call it that. An odd bunch is more like it and that's after sifting through the dregs. I've noticed it's become progressively worse since I moved to Stockholm. No one does summer like Australia. Australian girls have this undone coolness about them that doesn't translate. The French have got their polish but we're cool. Peter Morrissey's said 'Australia's personality is the essence of its style'. And I think that rings true.

The shots above are from Bergdorf Goodman's resort 2012 catalogue starring Bambi Northwood-Blyth and taken by Cat Bird. It's what summer should look like.

ULTIMATE

2011-11-14T22:48:00.001+01:00

The perfect wardrobe. Does it really exist? There are a lot of people that would say yes. These are the people dedicated to its pursuit. The pursuit of perfection. You need discipline for that and I just don't have it. It's too restrictive and too dull to follow rules that limit your choices. But the ultimate wardrobe is another thing entirely. It's real and it's out there. In my mind it's about buying things that can be mixed, worn, re-worn and remixed. It's about having limitless choices.

I often buy from Beyond Retro because the thrill of finding something unique, its threads laced in another life is liberating. You know you won't be passing an identical copy on the street. Sometimes the details can be forgone for an overall impression. But buying new is important for the main body of your wardrobe because quality and cut is key. You can't always get that second hand. Though I think the industry is too changing to truly invest and to reach that perfection in a wardrobe at any one time. Maybe that's what makes it's pursuit so appealing, you'll never quite get there. But you go after it anyway.

All the above images are from net-a-porter and are a part of my ultimate wardrobe fantasy. See, it is limitless.

I SHALL NOT WANT

2011-11-12T18:13:00.001+01:00

But I do want. And there it is...the sound of the approaching holiday season. And with it brings a list too long to admit. Though there are some things that just can't be shaken. Even if I know it not possible to prioritize luxuries there's always the hope that it might be. The compilation of a list is usually enough to quieten the want bringing you one step closer. And with them you imagine the dullness of routine can be lifted by their collective loveliness. Could it be true, might they be yours?

1.Benah Nico Drawstring Bag Leather and suede with brushed gold hardware 2.Cat Bird First Knuckle Ring 3.Moleskin watercolour sketch book and Winsor & Newton watercolours 4.Just about everything in Decade Diary's collage, especially the Dries van Noten suede wedge 5.Diptyque 'Philosykos' eau de toilette or along those lines & Diptyque 'Firewood' candle 6.This Rag & Bone hat 7.BRVTVS Claudia Necklace 8.Summer sandals by K Jacques St Tropez

YOU KNOW ME BABY

2011-11-08T22:50:00.002+01:00

Oh, the longer the waiting, the sweeter the kiss
It's better my darling I promise you this
The next time I hold you I'm not letting go
Will you wait for me darling I need to know

Well, you know I'm a sailor and tomorrow we sail
It's a hard way of living but I know it well
And if I surrender my life to the sea
You can marry another it's alright with me

Though we won't be together again 'till the spring
Just imagine the treasures I'll bring
Come lay with me, stay with me, soon I'll be gone
But I will remember you all the winter's long
When I return to the one that I miss
Oh, the longer the waiting, the sweeter the kiss

When the mornings are warm and the valleys are green
I'll come back from wherever I've been
We will give up the ocean forever, I know

Lyrics from Ann Ternheim & Dave Ferguson's The Longer the Waiting, The Night Visitor

HOSPITABLE

2011-11-08T16:49:00.000+01:00

As the weather closes in with summer now behind us and the remnants underfoot the focus shifts inside. To the home. It's never far from my thinking but even more so now given the lack of inspiration outside. If you ever saw this place in the winter you'd understand how Scandinavia got it's reputation in interior design. It's about survival. I've always felt like home is such a private place that requires such careful thought. It's important to get right and it's not easy. I'm not quite there yet.

This is illustrator Bernadette Pascua & fashion photographer Andrew Evan Stinson's Brooklyn apartment. You know how I like Decade Diary and well this sneak peak into their lovely reality just sealed the deal. It's in the bold black against white, soft luxuries and pretty details. She describes it as just a rental but I think it's a little more than that.

The top picture is of Marine by Vanessa Jackman
Design Sponge

HAIR TO LIVE BY

2011-11-05T09:08:00.001+01:00

Hair. You can't hide it. It's the one thing that has to work with everything. Though despite these expectations it doesn't always perform up to standard. You can comb it or brush it, blow dry or towel dry, straighten, curl or even crimp it. You can buy the creme de la creme of hair products or use egg yolks, avocado and vinegar. You can DIY dye it or pay top dollar for what suits your skin tone. I've done almost all of the above and probably more. But when it comes to hair there are simply no limits and I dare say a lot of women have these same complexities with their tresses.

Right now my hair resembles something of the bottom right in the picture above. It's been six months since I've had it cut or coloured. That's right s i x m o n t h s. People say it looks alright, good even, like I'm achieving the grown-out look but I'm beginning to feel homeless. And that's never really a good thing is it? So it's time to make an appointment to relieve me of my mane that's grown thick and unruly. Though the question still remains fringe or no fringe? So far no fringe is the prevailing answer but you always want what you don't have. And restless by nature you won't catch me in the one style for too long.

IN THE GARDEN

2011-11-01T22:37:00.002+01:00

Lately I have been wanting to plant plants and to spend time in a garden. To get my hands dirty and to watch it grow. This is partly brought on by the change of seasons but also because I just finished reading The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. Historical fiction full of mystery, suspense and secrets set between Brisbane and the Cornish coast. Delicious.

Alexis Mackenzie collages
Lindsey Wixon photographed by Angelo Pennete. Styling by Ondine Azoulay via self service

BLANK

2011-10-29T00:31:00.003+02:00

A blank page has always been the most promising of things. A fresh start to make a new mark. A chance to unleash you're creativity. It's also one of the most daunting of things. It's bareness so full of endless choices.

When I catch a glance of my sketch book lying around it stares back with judgement. It sits and waits impatiently. The pages so loud in their nothingness they ring through the black casing and spiral binding that keep them together. A pressure surfaces through the white noise. It urges me to make something good. Something worthy of a wall. But unable to shake it off I keep coming up blank. It felt like something drastic needed doing.

Then I remembered an article I read in Russh Issue 35 entitled The Artist's Way--A practical guide to making your mark in The Art Issue. I've read it through so many times. Danielle Top talks about her encounter with a self-help manual by Julia Cameron. But before you stop reading know that The Artist's Way is not famed as your average self-help book, though it may technically belong in the aile. It originally started as a course in New York during the 80's to help people at odds with their creativity and has since become a portable manual to 'focus on channelling one's creative potential.'

So apparently this predicament I'm in is referred to by Cameron as 'caught between the dream of action and the fear of failure.' What a ground breaker. According to Top, the book takes you through a program which helps to broaden and balance your experiences along with the perception of your artistic limitations.

Some of the course's key tools include making a list of things you'd try if you weren't afraid of being bad at them and a thing called Morning Pages. These pages are written daily from your stream of consciousness, three of them in total and first thing in the morning. Completely uncensored. Cameron believes that 'all that whiny petty stuff you write down in the morning stands between you and your creativity.' She might just be right. But to find out I'll have to order the book first.

ALL RAG & BONE

2011-10-27T23:43:00.000+02:00

Rag & Bone's latest is brought to you by their ingenious DIY project. Meaning no stylist, no hair and make-up and no lighting. Just the girls, their jeans and a camera. As far as advertising goes it's as raw as it gets.

OUT 'n' ABOUT

2011-10-27T00:47:00.000+02:00

I like girls with a certain rat-bag quality. The kind of intangible quality that allows you to skip the make-up and still look good eating a burger on the run. To buy clothes from thrift stores, to cut your own fringe in or to manage your schedule from a café, all the while looking better for it. She's lovely, she's charming and she's known for being the sweet yet slightly glamorous rat-bag she is. Hitting this balance is not easy but the ones who do don't have to try.

It's obvious that Jeanne is one of my favourite modern day muses and of course Jane Birkin's qualities transcend time. But did you know that all three of our names come from the feminine form of Jean? And did you know that in French my name is pronounced the way Jeanne is spelt? It's nice to think you have something in common with people you admire even if it is just the name.

The Sartorialist
Vanessa Jackman

STRONG POUT

2011-10-23T00:41:00.000+02:00

Yes but does she have a strong pout? I like Tom Ford's version of the most dramatic accessory for the focus of the face. Lipstick. It's such a powerful tool. Whether it be Nude Vanille or Spanish Pink to enhance your natural shape and luminosity, or my pick of True Coral and Cherry Lush for that buttery pop of colour. Lipstick is there to be enjoyed so let's use it to our best advantage.

STEVIE'S OYSTER

2011-10-17T23:37:00.000+02:00

When I saw this editorial for Oyster Magazine issue #95 I thought how it looked quite Stevie Dance. You know what I mean... In Stevie's last address to Russh readers as Editor she said she had a need 'to go to Morocco to burn incense and taste fragrant oils in Italy and sail ships in my mind.'

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt that after six years her leaving Russh meant a personal, public and painful break up that hopefully would not be permanent. Though it's a relief to know she's out there taking that road trip from Nashville to Memphis with Will Davidson and Lindsey Wixson for company. Not a bad result either.

LONDON & MILAN

2011-10-16T20:24:00.001+02:00

Paul Smith wore Patti's pants

Acne Marrakech

Dolce & Gabbana Italian roots

Missoni Dancing in Sardinia

Versace Donatella's moment

Blumarine outrageous indulgence

Jil Sander visions of an icon

Prada all sweetness

Marni paradoxial precision

And now to London and Milan. A little delayed yes, though it's taken some time to process the thrill of the onslaught and that's not even accounting for how long it took to edit down this lovely bunch above.

Generally and in brief London wore the pants with a slightly more subdued tone than usual while it was no secret that Milan was out to enjoy the finer things in life with bold couture-minded collections. There was also an overall lean towards retro shapes and prints. And that meant flower power for all.

Style.com

GEARING UP

2011-10-11T23:09:00.000+02:00

Autumn is well and truly here. This week I put on my Filippa K jacket for the first time since last winter. Suddenly ten degrees and below is freezing. In December my Swede and I are Australia bound so although the threat of winter is imminent so is the real possibility of sunshine and balmy nights.

Fashion Gone Rouge
Turned Out
Lula Magazine

BARRETTE'S & BOBBY'S

2011-10-05T22:48:00.001+02:00

The barrette's and the bobby pins. Sometimes the simplest of things are the best.

RASP'D IN RED

2011-09-29T23:04:00.000+02:00

It's been a while since I enjoyed wearing red. But somehow this season it feels right again. A pair of J Brand mid-rise twill cropped skinny jeans in that tomboy red would be perfect.

EVERYBODY'S TALKING

2011-09-25T20:57:00.001+02:00

Alexander Wang

T by Alexander Wang

Derek Lam

Diane von Furstenburg

3.1 Phillip Lim

DKNY

Preen

Rag and Bone

Karen Walker

Holding off on discussing upcoming seasons until they're upon us is just too hard. I've tried but have admittedly come to realise that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. And so here we are in the spring of 2012.

Everybody's talking about the explosion of print, colour and volume on New York runways which saw many designers change their tune. And with a nod to the British they found more than the simplistic silhouette's of late in a bright and loud voice. It seems the industry feels ready to create a scene again. And as expected there were running themes across the board.

Stand-outs were Alexander Wang's take on athletic chic, DKNY's city strut, Rag and Bone's genius progressive streetwear, Preen's digitalized florals, Karen Walker's blush of optimism, the sartorial sorbet of 3.1 Phillip Lim whilst we were feeling good at Diane von Furstenberg and California dreaming with Derek Lam. I could go on and on but instead I'll let this round up do the talking. It took real discipline to edit these down but, I did it.

Style.com

CREAM

2011-09-23T23:25:00.001+02:00

What is it with Paris Vogue? The covers are better than most and the interior pages are more appealing visually than any other versions of The Bible. I have contemplated buying it but have too often stopped myself for fear of embarking on yet another project fuelled by optimism. Because learning French would be a bi-product of page-flipping and you see I just don't want to overcommit. Here's the latest cover wisped up with Mary Katrantzou's bright young things. Photographed at London Spring/Summer 2012 by Morgan O'Donovan for self service.

HARNESS

2011-09-21T23:48:00.000+02:00

Backstage and street shots have a great energy. You feel the stress and excitement of fashion week in harness.

Self Service Magazine

OH MY...

2011-09-21T00:11:00.000+02:00

Some favourite's from NYFW. I have to agree with Hannah-Rose here that the girl in background of the last image is the stand-out. My review for both New York and London is on it's way. Sit tight.

Tommy Ton for Style.com
Tales of Endearment
Mr. Newton
Hanneli Mustaparta

WIDE-BRIMMED HEAT

2011-09-19T14:03:00.001+02:00

Donna Karen in an ode to New York, created a smart and practical collection of 'unadorned silks cut loose and breezy, like dolman-sleeved shirts with drawstring shorts and mullet-hemmed slipdresses' with 'a sporty anorak, a classic brass-buttoned blazer, or just a chic, wide-brimmed sun hat.' This strikes it right down the middle of easy and put-together. So even on the steamiest of days you know what to wear.

Meenal Mistry for Style.com
Tamu's Diary via Capture the Castle

IN MOVEMENT

2011-09-13T22:33:00.000+02:00

To me there are few things more beautiful than movement. An impulse that can't be suppressed. Something moves you to move. We were encouraged to find out what that was. To explore, to be creative and to act without hesitation. Access all areas was the thinking. To control or manipulate the aesthetic product was never the point of motivation. And what a relief that was. To strip back the expectations and allow the stream of consciousness to propel you in that moment. Our improvisation teacher taught us that and it's never left me. What a lady.

CRIMP IN THE SUN

2011-09-08T09:45:00.000+02:00

Gotta love a good crimp. Not much can out-do a crimp with a heavy fringe. When I saw these images I lost it. Just ask my boyfriend. He had to listen to me rant about how fashion and photography isn't about things but moments, people and places. Okay sometimes it's about the product but that's not what makes it interesting. So I put them together side by side. The seaside photographs are by Johann Darcel via Miss Moss. Julia Stegner by Katja Rahlwes for Vogue Japan. Let's take a trip down to the Mediterranean.

FILIPPA K now & ahead

2011-09-07T08:35:00.000+02:00

"Spring/Summer 2012 – Woman" by Filippa K from Filippa K on Vimeo.

"Fall/Winter 2011 – Woman" by Filippa K from Filippa K on Vimeo.

Even more than the FK lookbooks and campaigns I love their shows. To see the clothes in motion with the soft light illuminating the fabrics, it just doesn't get any better. The SS12 collection is especially exciting with the electric blue against the peachy greens, browns and cool silver. At this rate we'll have to start saving for next summer now.

STUDIO GLAMOUR

2011-09-06T11:50:00.001+02:00

There's an air of glamour about this fall season and you can see it reflected in the editorials coming out. Eniko is strong and expressive in these deeply contrasting black and white's. Each image is full-up with movement, texture and line. Photography by Anthony Maule and styling by Samuel Francois for Numéro #126. This studio shoot is a new favourite and that's saying a lot. I may change my mind frequently when it comes to certain things but I almost never tire of Eniko Mihalik's work.

REYTAN'S VISION

2011-09-05T22:47:00.000+02:00

Last week I saw one of these necklaces on the Metro's Mode page. Denise Julia Reytan is the designer behind these amazing pieces. She challenges conventional forms of jewellery using non-precious materials forming her 'own, individual language of form, trying to find a new definition of jewellery as well as a new place for it in today's society.'

Reytan says, 'Furthermore, my necklaces are about the unconditional beauty of colours and shapes and about decorative equality. My necklaces are made of materials which fascinate me, of objects from everyday life, consumption and the environment, which represents me, my culture and the time I am living in.'

I love the composition and the visual effect of these unusual materials.

REYTAN
TALES OF ENDEARMENT

UNDER THE SURFACE

2011-09-04T01:33:00.003+02:00

The last call of summer is out. Pack up you're bikinis, shorts and Hasbeen's because the air is crisp and Autumn will soon be a-falling. To be honest this summer was all work and no play. No beaches, no vacation...bet you feel sorry for me, right? And I don't blame you, I put up a pretty good case. But honestly don't. In just a few short months I'll be in Australia soaking up some real sunshine. Can barely wait for the wash of all things familiar and an ice-cold Bundaberg Ginger Beer.

cargocollective/BASIC WONDER by studioFRONTdesk!

ON TOUR

2011-09-03T00:15:00.001+02:00

As you can see it's a bit of a Russh special today... Being on tour is not a likely reality for most. It's a lifestyle made legend by those that have gone before us. This nomadic existence is a club reserved for the uber-cool and talented. It's these people that can be seen doing the global circuit. And it's also something a dear friend of mine calls her job.

But like everything else it looks different from the inside out. Managing the riggers of travel with the incredulous highs of the show and trying to live out of a suitcase must be hard. Perhaps not your first priority but you're wardrobe has to work hard. It has to be structured to cope with the demands as well as being versatile and practical in travel-friendly fabrics. 'Cause who knows when you'll next wash? But it also has to speak for itself. It has to assert who you are within a group. This gathering of images is inspired by my friend's experiences and to continue to inspire her look.

BRAIDED CYGNETS

2011-08-17T20:25:00.000+02:00

This Rodarte for Opening Ceremony collection is inspired by the "Nordic Romance of Scandinavia". It's true, it is romantic up here in the North. Sometimes it feels like you're in a fairytale it's so idyllic.

I like the Lolita braids against the Gothic layered structures and tailoring. The traditional Swedish knits look cosy against belted leather skirts, printed silks, collared-billowing dresses and wild furs. The stockings and socks in heels are wholesome and remind me of a white Christmas. These braided Cygnets stand together four for one and one for all.

Photography by Austumn de Wilde
Modelled by Stephan Haurholm & twins Gwen & Donna Loos

MiH behind the scenes

2011-08-13T01:29:00.000+02:00

I saw this behind the scenes shoot and got excited for summer's next round. Made in Heaven they are. Vanessa Jackman was invited to capture the making of the lookbook for MiH's SS12 collection. Chloe Lonsdale the founder of MiH has a lineage in the business of denim.

It all started with her father trying to sell old denims to boutiques in London in the early 70's. Out of the back of a van. When they knocked him back he opened his own store on King's Road in Chelsea, the legendary Jean Machine. Stock sold out within weeks of opening and he was dubbed the Blue Jean King. Chloe's mother Chekkie Maskell was the denim model for their first MiH collection she would later become the Blue Jean Bride. In short you can see how the brand ended up in Chloe's capable hands.

Now I can't say that I love the way they fit my bum because I haven't tried them. But I can say that I love the way they fit everyone else's. I just don't know if I can wait until next year for this collection..

SUNNYLANDS

2011-08-12T00:11:00.000+02:00

What did I tell you? Arabella Ramsay's new season of Sunnyland is here...and you only had to wait a month. Suggesting there will be hot and bright days ahead Arabella based the summer collection on the concept of an oasis dream after a trip to Hawaii. There is still this slight awkwardness and this out-of-town bohemic influence but somehow it feels more romantic this time.

The colour palette has neutrals of sandy tan and cornflour blue strongly accented by shades of cream, pink, green, citrus, charcoal and midnight. It features a kitsch hand-drawn Hawaiian print of a bikini-clad girl and leaves of blue by Douglas Ramsay. I think this seemingly strange use of fabrics is what makes her collections so memorable and cohesive. It's so effortless that you could almost question whether it was a happy coincidence.

There are tiered floral silk dresses, vintage chambray overalls and cotton mesh tee's under studded leather jackets and vests. There are crochet lace skirts and flouncy tops, high-waisted striped shorts and suede jumper's and suede skirts to boot. And where would you be without your trusty hat, socks and sandals?

SATURATION

2011-08-11T00:11:00.000+02:00

My head is so full of information at the moment much like the saturation in these images.

SUMMER HOLIDAY

2011-08-09T01:20:00.000+02:00

I love when I discover new photographers even if I might be the last..

Just the other day I was checking what's new on Net-A-Porter when I came across this. The beach is my favourite place to be so when I saw these images it felt like they spoke directly to me. You could almost be there. It's got the high energy and familiarity of an Australian summer even though it's shot in Miami.

It was photographed by Ben Watts--Naomi Watt's brother. I must have been living under a rock because I can't think how else I missed that. I've seen his work before but didn't realise who was behind the lens until now. His work is larger than life, he makes a still image move. It's more than a scene it's another world, our world made better by his eye. It must be in the name. Benny Horne, Ben Watts? Or maybe I just like the name Ben.

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MISSONI at HOME

2011-08-07T19:58:00.000+02:00

Some friends of ours have the most beautiful Missoni apolstered 60's style chair and pillows in their home. I'm planning on ordering a cushion for our lounge in the original orange zigzag, like the one above. Everything Missoni do is glamorous. The products ooze this knowing sense of Italian luxury and sensuality. You know a Missoni print when you see one with the signature mix of rich colour and bold print. There's something very satisfying in a good print. My heart skips at the sight of anything Missoni. Towels are next on the list.

Oh and also I thought I'd mentioned that my blog can now be found at thecollective.nu. But if you go to my old address it will take you directly to the new one. There will be more changes coming soon...

NO DISAPPOINTMENTS

2011-08-04T00:38:00.000+02:00

Russh Issue #39 FAN FOR LIFE

Photography Derek Henderson
Art Direction Christine Thornton
Stylist Billie Iveson

I love this one and have fallen hard for the stripped shirt in the last shot. It came from a collaboration between Richard Nicoll and Sportsgirl. The concept of masculine fabrics and feminine tailoring go a long way.

COLOUR THRASH

2011-08-02T00:52:00.000+02:00

Just felt like a bit of colour.

The Business of Fashion

Self Service Magazine/Blog
V Magazine
Russh Magazine

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THREE WORDS

2011-07-28T17:39:00.000+02:00

It's those three words every kid dreads. Back to school. It's the worst. Code for summer holidays are soon over and your first day back is closing in. Stationery ads on the telly only made it worse, like we needed reminding. You could say I had a love hate relationship with Office Works--their back to school countdowns were not so subtle.

I went to an all girls school and we had a uniform which we tried in every way to abuse. Gluing our socks up, scuffing our shoes and shortening our tartan sport skirts. We also cuffed our shirts and sometimes neglected to tie our laces, wear our badges or straw-like school hats in public. Messy hair was key. Worn-in hats a must. No nail polish, no make-up, no jewellery was the rule. We painted our nails in white out because white out isn't nail polish. It's white out. And paper clips aren't jewellery, they're stationery supplies (so Hairy Bird a must watch film for teenage girls). Though we tidied up alright we always tried to inch our way into looking more and more undone. We understood looking effortless took effort and were willing to do the work. As far as our limited navy, brown and white's would allow us anyway. If I could fit into my tartan skirt, I'd probably still wear it.

Oh and how 'bout those patent leather heels on Ruby Aldridge? The white socks set it off nicely.

Photographed by Terry Tsiolis and Make-up by Rudi Lewis and Yadim Carranza. Stylist Tony Irvine selected pieces by Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Céline, Miu Miu, Mulberry, Y-3, Moschino and Burberry Prorsum. Images from Fashion Gone Rouge.

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PACKAGE

2011-07-25T23:57:00.000+02:00

Look what came in the post today. They were packed up so beautifully by Erin Skipter and Anna Sergiou at The New Guard, bows and all. And now these velvet-suede booties and I will only part for rain or snow.

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CELINE cool enough

2011-07-24T02:21:00.000+02:00

She's done it again. It's safe to say Phoebe Philo's Celine is cool enough. There's no doubt that this French fashion house has hit it's stride under the British designer's reign though I'm not sure it's seen it's high as yet. I like Phoebe. I like her a lot. It is a rare designer who shuns the media and speaks her mind with such honesty. She hates being interviewed, doesn't buy into what's expected or need her name in lights. And nor does she like to use words like 'staples'. The brand aesthetic reflects her no frills, 'no frivolous bits and bobs' attitude towards fashion. Photographed by Juergen Teller his unfinished technique's lay strong reference to the 90's, the era Philo most identifies with.

"I guess that period informs me because of my age," Philo says. "I don't see how one can get away from that. When I was growing up, that was what magazines and books were all about. That was how people on the street were dressing. When I go through old i-Ds or other magazines, they bring back that time when I was 20 and I remember that image or soundtrack or holiday. It brings back a nice familiar feeling."

On her media unfriendliness; Philo doesn't tweet blog or communicate via Facebook. When she shows her collections, her backstage area isn't open to the media. "Once the show has happened there's no need to control any image," she says, "but I don't like the idea of people sending out images before we've even done it. We don't allow anyone to do that. I don't like all that 'model backstage standing around having her picture taken in a stupid pose'"

"....I think that the clothes say it all much better than I can. I always find it strange after a show when everybody comes backstage and says: ''What was it all about'? It's like: 'You've just seen it. What do you mean?' My instinct is to say: 'What did you think? What did you get from it?'
To me, the show is quite a complete story. There's nothing more for me to say and, anyway, it doesn't matter what it was meant to say. It's out there. It can be whatever anyone watching it thought it was, surely."

"I absolutely love fashion. I love doing new things and finding ways to swerve in a different direction. But one of the reasons why I try to use fabrics and cuts that don't go out of fashion is because I like the idea of women buying the clothes and then...I don't know what the word is...cherish sounds over-emotional for a relationship with a piece of clothing...but for a woman to feel proud, satisfied, comfortable and powerful in them, to wear them and get on with their lives."

Cherish is a word I think a lot of women would use when describing the contents of their wardrobe's and even more so if it contained a piece of Celine. Ms. Philo you're far too modest.

Exerts taken from this article written by Susannah Frankel. For a review on the collection by Nicole Phelps visit Style.com.

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PSYCHEDELIC ANNIE

2011-07-22T13:32:00.000+02:00

This is way ahead of schedule as it's still warm enough outside for short shorts. But fashion being the pushy big sister she is, wants us to look ahead. Now that's not to say we have to listen though in this case I did. There's a visual thread that runs through this editorial that would only look right in it's entirety. The styling is somewhere between Annie Hall and 70's psychedelic in a mix of Gucci, Prada and Givenchy.

Alana Zimmer by Ben Toms for Vogue Russia's August issue styled by Katie Shillingford.

BENNY HORNE

2011-07-21T21:26:00.000+02:00

Samantha Gradoville for Exit S/S11 by Benny Horne. I love Benny Horne. Home grown Australian talent.

Benny Horne Photography

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BOOTIES

2011-07-20T18:45:00.000+02:00

The long awaited arrival of my Isabel Marant Dicker Boots will soon be over. They've been on order since April from The New Guard and I can barely wait to have them on my feet.

PROFILE

2011-07-19T23:29:00.000+02:00

Jacqueline Jablonski, Frida Gustavsson, Julia Nobis, Sigrid Agren and Jessica Miller by Ezra Petronio via self service magazine/blog. I like the raw exposure of these shots.

Frida Gustavsson's been in Stockholm a few times this year or at least that I've seen. The first time I spotted Frida was in one of my favourite coffee shops in Sankt Eriksplan on the street I work on. From the back she was so incredibly tall and gawky looking in her heels and fur jacket that I thought, 'Who is that?' She had a very specific coffee order that changed several times speaking in her native Swedish. When she turned around I caught view of her face in profile and in shock, I sat and starred. Not creepy at all...Realising this I turned my attention back to the Vogue I was reading where I found her image flat and glossy on the page. That's not supposed to happen is it? It seemed like no one else recognised her. Though it's often the Swedish way to pretend not to, I'm a believer in not intruding.

IT'S TOO GOOD

2011-07-18T23:11:00.000+02:00

Such is the work of Muiccia Prada. Infact she may have gone too far this time. It's too much, it's too good--it's the stuff dreams are made of. A resort collection that turns out rhinestone-studded Barracuda jackets, grid-print and floral forties-style crepe dresses belted or sheered at the waist and knee-length pleated skirts in shades of sorbet is unexpected to say the least.

Knitted cardigans were slung over the shoulders of models, their arms adorned with Prada bag candy sitting perched on a set of classic Eames designed chairs, some peering through blue aviators. Each look was accompanied by printed foulards, berets and delicate footwear in the form of stiletto pumps and strappy sling-back heels.

The language of the collection lies in the unlikely pairings and details. The clash of prints; polka dots, the house's original lip print against the sheer black lace and bright paisley that come to play with the cuffed and cropped, the tied and tapered, the buttoned and the draped. In writing it doesn't quite work and nor should it in theory but visually it's a smash hit. I want to be a proper lady, Prada style.

Style.com
Vogue.com

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FOTOGRAFISKA

2011-07-17T21:06:00.001+02:00

In June I visited Fotografiska with my family, Stockholm's contemporary photography museum. The building is a former industrial Art Nouveau style building used by customs and designed by Ferdinand Boberg dating back to 1906. With a red brick facade overlooking the water it was love at first sight. I had been meaning to go since it opened last year but only managed to get around to it this summer. It felt like a place I could get lost in for a while. Wandering the space passing time unnoticed, engrossed in it's contents. I think I've found my place in Stockholm. It sounds silly to say but there are those places that resonate so clearly and so deeply that it feels they're yours to keep.

We saw exhibits by Albert Watson, Jacob Felländer, Edward Burtynsky and Jacqueline Hellman. There are a lot of great things being shown at the moment that I want to check out. Especially Robert Mappelthorpe and Northern Women in Chanel by photographer Peter Farago and stylist Ingela Kemetz-Farago. And after reading Just Kids by Patti Smith I'm keen to experience Mappelthorpe's work in the flesh.

Fotografiska

SOLAGE flower in hand

2011-07-16T10:30:00.000+02:00

Solage for VS Magazine's August issue photographed by Daniel Gurton.

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ARABELLA

2011-07-15T02:51:00.000+02:00

I'm a bit late to the party on this one since Sunnyland Arabella Rambsay's new collection is on it's way. But I feel my excuse is a reasonable one--I'm in Sweden...and slightly out of the loop on all things Australiana. The Alice is the latest to come from Arabella Ramsay inspired by a trip to the Kimberly in Western Australia where she says she fell in love with the solitude and landscape. "I designed the collection with this in mind, putting together prints with colours of the landscape: desert reds, sandstones, ochre, gumnut grey and eucalyptus."

Featuring a seasonal print of native animals sketched by her artist dad, Douglas Ramsay, it seems creativity and talent run in the family. Sparrows, mice, kangaroo paws and cane toads never looked so good... Her young label has a loyal following of which I'm sure has something to do with her Australian sensibility. There's something very appealing about her view point. Her designs are always something I adore. They have a genuinity about them and a prettiness with a free-spirited assembly.

It makes sense that her style has largely been informed by her environment growing up on a farm outside of Melbourne. Arabella describes her label as "similar to how I would describe myself: it has a girly, soft element but also a tough country spirit." The girl who she designs for is someone who is comfortable in both the city and country. "I like girls who are a bit dorky, who are willing to take a risk." It's nice that someone is thinking of us dorky girls.

Frankie Magazine

Arabella Ramsay

Fashion Review

GIRLS OF SUMMER

2011-07-13T01:11:00.000+02:00

After the boys of summer have gone we'll be found here riding the last waves.
We are the girls of summer.

BABY'S GOT BANGS

2011-07-08T13:28:00.000+02:00

Bangs Marianne Faithful style. What a babe. She's restoring my faith in the heavy fringe, pun only partly intended.

WHITE HOT

2011-07-05T00:59:00.000+02:00

What is it about COVER magazine at the moment? Great editorials. I love black and white. I remember when I first visited Stockholm I bought COVER because I liked the look of it. But when I asked my boyfriend to translate some for me he said no, as it was in Danish. I knew so little about the Swedish language I didn't realise it wasn't a Swedish publication I was looking at. So I just read the pictures and that was enough. I'm still looking for that illusive white summer dress, it's definitely on the essential's list. Despite all the premature sales I think it could still be possible to hunt down. My trusty one is on it's way out and a replacement is sorely needed.

Iise De Boer by Andreas Öhlund for COVER magazine.

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BOHEMIA on bare bones

2011-07-02T14:03:00.000+02:00

Bohemia is a word I associate with nostalgia. The idea of being bohemian surrounded by technology feels challenging if not a little odd. On one of my favourite sites SO MUCH TO TELL YOU Nathalie Smith talks about bohemianism and how she thinks, "it's by necessity or choice we're all returning to a pared down way of living."

It's such a relevant topic at the moment. And it's more than the fact that it's summer and a holiday is in order. It's as if the pressure has peeked. And as trend would have it we now want what we don't have - simplicity. I think we're growing tired of being so exposed, of having so much access and of being so available. After the glamour and big personalities of the 80's Corinne Day understood what was needed photographing 15 year old Kate Moss for Face magazine's 3rd Summer of Love edition, pictured above.

I was refreshed to read this article that Nathalie took some of same exerts from;

Bohemia is a state of mind: a threadbare but vibrant Utopia in which one can prioritise the tenets of creativity, love, merriment, experimentation and arousal of the senses.

What they universally turn their backs on, however, are the ideals of the Bourgeois: tedious middle-class pomp, etiquette and triviality. Whether a Bohemian has originally come from the lower, middle or upper classes, she must eschew the petty values of the Bourgeois: that money, property or status are anything to do with the content of one’s character; that professional success and widespread celebration have anything to do with talent. What is of value to the Bohemian instead is spiritual integrity and creative freedom. The Bohemian would sooner live in the most abject poverty than submit to an undesirable job.

This belief in integrity and the intense desire for creative freedom often leads to a threadbare existence. Perhaps this material poverty leads to the archetypal Bohemian, wild at head and empty of pocket.

The Bohemian life is, by necessity, cheap. It costs very little to engage in truly Bohemian pursuits. You don't need to save up lots of money to become Bohemian and you don't even need to have regular income. You can begin today by turning down the volume on the Bourgeois command system in your brain. By living cheaply—by lowering your overheads to the absolute minimum—you can probably afford to work part-time instead of full-time or put less stress on your own small business.

Learn to enjoy the dust and dirt. Learn to find beauty in imperfect or malfunctioning things. Allow your bare feet to touch the grass or the dust today. Spend less precious time and energy trying to tame nature.

I realise I may be contradicting myself here in my love of material things but I only want for what I need and sometimes that means not compromising on what you want... But all jokes aside-- just thinking a little more bohemian feels like being a kid again. Let's go back to collecting experiences and not things.

Photography by Corinne Day for Face Magazine

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IT'S A MUSE summer

2011-06-29T01:51:00.000+02:00

These two are my favourite shots from the Muse summer editorial by Jenny Gage and Tom Betterton with Constance Jablonski. It's in the colour--Yellow and gold bikini with tan suede jacket against the sharp blue of her eyes, next to denim hot pants with pink and gold stripes. The haziness of the surroundings, the ocean, the green of the grass and the soft purple of the delicate flowers. It's a gentle contrast but it works. It feels iconic and I love iconic.

Fashion Gone Rouge

MISS MCCARTNEY'S RESORT

2011-06-27T12:53:00.000+02:00

McCartney's resort collection is STELLA, pun absolutely intended. It's colliding worlds. Californian surfer-cool meets lady-like with the familiarity of her tailoring. Hawaiian prints, deck-chair-stripes, jacquard houndstooth and seersucker were a mash adorning models who were playing crochet, table tennis, hula hooping, hitting pinata's and mingling with guests. The back yard-style presentation was relaxed and fun with Stella encouraging guests and the press alike to have a beer and to try the jelly beans. Not your average greeting, Stella said 'we do conventional runway shows twice a year, so resort is a great excuse to have fun.' And fair enough too.

It was designed for the pieces to be mixed as she demonstrated with what could almost be a random selection at first glance. 'There's a lot of versatility; that's what's nice about a (resort) collection,' McCartney said. 'You don't have to be so controlled, you can give a lot of different people a lot of different things and not be afraid to do that.'

I fell for the gold palm tree broach, pink trouser, pineapple coloured jacket/trousers against the black pieces, the nude heel, the all in one black ensemble as well as the two piece Hawaiian prints. Garance Doré took and illustrated the above picture of the see through heels and the surfer bag. I wouldn't mind them either. Did you notice I'm watering down the words to like instead of love and swapping out need for wouldn't mind etc. And all this to disguise my imaginary greed, because only in my mind am I a budding shopaholic with deep pockets.

Quotes from Vogue.com. Lookbook shots from Stella McCartney via Style.com.

GARDEN STATE

2011-06-26T00:44:00.000+02:00

Watched Garden State tonight. "You gotta hear this song it'll change you're life."-Sam referring to New Slang by The Shins. That same quote can be applied to this film. If you haven't, you've got to.

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LULA'S STORIES from the city and the sea

2011-06-25T13:45:00.000+02:00

Lula right you are the girl of my dreams. Finally the next addition is out and as usual, filled to the brim. The content is thick and I'm wading through it bit by bit savouring the first flick. So far my pick of articles is an interview of Chiara Clemente by Clémence Poésy. It wasn't just the subject of her film making work I was interested in but also her upbringing between Italy, India and New York. What a culture clash that would have been...I have a smaller and less extreme experience in living here in Stockholm but there's a difference all the same.

Poésy asked Clemente about her family life growing up and she gave an almost a stereotypical image of what an Italian family is like, being surrounded by friends and by people coming in and out of her father's studio (artist Francesco Clemente) and having them stay on for dinner each night at seven, because her mum is such a good cook.

And the interview continues...Do you speak Italian together?

They always spoke Italian to us, we're four kids, I have a sister and two brothers. It's funny because I always felt so Italian growing up. In high school I used to say I didn't belong in New York, I should be in Italy and then I went to Italy and it was such a reality shock.

The fantasy fell apart? What was disappointing?

It wasn't disappointing really but...It was funny because I remember my father said: 'Be careful, you have this image of Italy that's like a fairytale, now you're going to discover the reality of it.' And I was like: 'I don't know what you're talking about, I'm going home!' But I actually really realised and recognised my New York identity there. It's one thing to go to a place every summer but to live and try to work there, really enter a mentality. I mean, I love Rome, it's one of my favourite cities in the world, I love to go back, and I have wonderful friends there but it's very provincial, especially if you compare it to New York City, which is the least provincial of towns. It's an open mix, everyone is coming in and out, whereas the history in Rome is so ancient everything is still kind of stuck in its old place, nothing really moves.

She got her first camera at twelve and tried to turn as many written assignments into film projects, like 'Barbie goes to Paris.' Clemente says her love of film came from her grandfathers story telling, an odd combination of fairytale and war stories. In high school she created a documentary film called BOYz: You'll want to take them home with you, interviewing boys about love and New York versus Amalfi...

And you interviewed boys your age?

Mostly around my age, sometimes a little bit younger, sometimes a little bit older. a lot of my friends said I was completely not subjective because the boys in Italy are all really handsome, hanging out, looking cool, and then I picked guys in New York that I filmed in really closed environments, it was all awkward and they would say things that weren't as nice. I did everything, shoot it and edit it, not even on a computer.

Off topic and further on in the article...You're always so elegant. How would you describe your relationship to fashion?

I always tell this story when I'm asked how to describe the way I relate to fashion: at the age of five my mum asked me to go get myself dressed for the first day of school and I came back wearing a princess dress with a princess tiara. I feel like there's something quite telling there. Maybe dressing up was something I enjoyed doing for a long time.

Did you go to school like that then?

No, my mum made me change.

In this article you can read about her new project Our City Dreams. Or view the trailer here. And the official site is here. You can also read about Chiara's creative process at Another Mag.

Lula photography by Damon Heath and the black and white images are by Samantha Casolari.

MIDSOMMAR

2011-06-23T23:27:00.000+02:00

Äntligen är det dags för Midsommar! It's that special time of year again here in Sweden-Midsommarafton or Midsummer's Eve. Dust off the maypole, dress in white, make flowered wreathes, heat up the grill and bring out the Rosé. Tomorrow will be the lightest and longest day of the year. There won't be any dancing around maypole's for us but there'll probably be dancing, eating, drinking and music...eating, drinking, swimming and drinking...etc. Can you pick which part of the traditional festivities we will all be taking part in?

UN-COVER POOLSIDE

2011-06-21T22:29:00.001+02:00

Hanging Poolside this summer would be cool if not a little bit nostalgic. Except there are hardly any pools around--it couldn't be any less like Australia in that sense. There are lakes but lying by the lake in a bikini, sneakers and a cap doesn't have the same impact. Here's to girl's who love sweats and sneakers thanks to COVER magazine's July issue. Model, Josephine Skriver was photographed by Rasmus Skousen and styled by Kathrine Agger.

AND YOU WOULD WAIT TABLES

2011-06-21T01:32:00.000+02:00

The right of passage to something more. Someday I'll be the man on the screen.

Inspired by Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues. Credits for these photographs were hard to track so if you know any please let me know.

CAMBRIDGE

2011-06-14T11:48:00.000+02:00

Wouldn't mind one of these...in neon...and navy. Cambridge Satchel Company was started by an entrepreneurial mother and daughter with the initial idea of making ends meet. Originally inspired by what Harry and Hermione would've carried around they have a particularly British feel about them. The company's success completely by-passed their expectations as the satchel has reached cult status amongst the fashion savvy. I love their authenticity and sense of nostalgia with the insistence that they continue to be handmade in Britain. They aren't expensive and can even be inscribed.

Read their story.

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