MSFW Designer Series Runway 2

When you think how much fashion passes down the runway by the end of fashion week, it is staggering, and also sometimes a bit of a blur. Hence it is always nice to look back at your photos and re-live the event and study the clothes further. Wednesday night was the 2nd designer series runway with a great collection of designers on show. Lots of digital prints, animal prints, metallics, white was a dominant colour with splashes of blue, orange and green thrown in the mix.

Tomorrow's Heroes wow us today at MSFW

This show was another highlight for me at MSFW. It followed after the RMIT student runway show and I thought, now how can you top that? Well, it obviously wasn't as conceptual as the student show, but these designers after all have to think about selling to the consumer. But there were some definite show stoppers such as Neo Dia who owned the runway in a flowing black number with gold geometric chest wear- or as I like to look at it as a sun baking reflector! Orri Henrisson thankfully offered the gents in the audience something to feel excited about with great use of colour and different materials to contrast what could normally be rather plain menswear. Thursday Sunday made me feel like I had stepped into a retro Technicolour 50's film which made me incredibly happy to see that silhouette come back adorned with large brimmed hats and wedges, while Catherine Leon gave us fun prints, colour and some shimmer in metallic jackets. I think Spring has most definitely sprung people and I look forward to seeing the next instalments from these designers.

LIVIA ARENA

ORRI HENRISSON

CATHERINE LEON

THURSDAY SUNDAY

NEO DIA

Finale

I extend my hand for Rolling Stone and Snakadaktal

Growing up, I would always get comments from my mum on how long my fingers are and that they were meant for creativity. I've been told they are excellent fingers for guitar playing and piano, but never did I think I could live out a secret fantasy of being a hand model- for Rolling Stone Australia no less! Well, I can now tick this off my list of things to do in this life time as I had such an experience. A while ago now, I was asked to assist stylist Philip Boon for an editorial for Rolling Stone on the young Melbourne band Snakadaktal, winners of the Triple J Unearthed competition. Something you would naturally jump at the chance to 'keep your hand in' styling, never dreaming that you would be lending more than a helping hand. 

I had worked with Philip before and the photographer for the shoot John Tsiavis at his great studio so I was looking forward to something I knew would be pretty awesome having seen the concept that he and Nik Dimopoulos came up with. The thing that makes a great shoot is the creativity of a group of people working together for a final outcome. Every single person on that set contributed something to help the day run smoothly and efficiently and relatively stress free for the band. It was a great effort by all involved.

Philip had chosen a great collection of young Melbourne designers for the shoot to complement the young Melbourne band including Neo Dia, Limedrop, Strateas Carlucci, Alpha 60, taxidermy neck pieces by Fionnbharr Pfeiffer and cuffs from Madam Virtue & Co. It's always amazing to start the day with clothes on a rack and to see them come alive and take on a personality of their own once the wearer is in them. One of the most powerful things I feel fashion and clothes can do is how it makes you carry yourself and the trans formative nature of it.

So when I painted my nails the day before I had no idea they would grab the attention of the photographer who asked if they could use my hand to be in one of the shots. I don't know who was more nervous- me or my hand. So, in order to relax it, I warmed it up up for my close up by trying on a YSL bracelet, courtesy of Madame Virtue & Co in Melbourne. Very hard taking this one off I tell you. Ahh...

And this is the final result, the published photo from John Tsiavis with my floating hand up the top just like magic. This is my favourite shot (and I'm not just being biased here) but I think Phoebe looks amazing and she most certainly pulled off this outfit to perfection!

And in case you missed it! Ha Ha!

Love the props that you find lying around on a shoot. I thought fish did a great job, it was feeling a bit parched by the end of the shoot being a fish out of water and all!

The group prepare for the 'big shot'. Just how do you balance a human being on 8 hands?

Very, very carefully!

There you go! Look how relaxed she looks while hoping not to be dropped.

The band take a sneak peak at the end result enjoying seeing the process evolve. I love what hair/make-up artist Kim Tavares did on Phoebe's hair! Wondering how I can do that at home?

And the final editorial looks like this. Look how effortless those guys are holding her up.

Big thanks to a wonderful creative team with Photographer John Tsiavis, Creative Director Nik Dimopoulos, hair & make-up artist Kim Tavares and of course stylist Philip Boon and all the wonderful designers for their clothes and accessories. I had a great day and I hope you check out the September issue of Rolling Stone Australia to see the shoot in more detail.