STRIPPED DOWN.

Stripped down to the bare essentials, the program for Marc Jacob’s latest collection was a direct reflection of the minimalism, but ever so powerful show that was to come. An artistic display at the completely opposite end of the spectrum from his last collection, Jacob’s drew inspiration form the pinnacle of New York magic. Think icy blonde hair, deep dark eyes and iconic black stockings, a tribute to the legendary Factory and it’s most infamous ‘it’ girl, Edie Sedgwick! Lead by a black and white clad Ruby Jean, the army of models tramped down the runway proving not only the powerful of the understated, but also the pure ingenious of Marc Jacobs. Simplicity with the backbone of slightly tragic glamour, this collection was proof that fashion’s power lies in it’s ability to tell a story, and this season, Marc Jacob’s proved the fabulously eccentric memory of Andy Warhol’s super star lives on! 

My Love Affair with Stockings

By now I'm sure we've established that I have a serious obsession with stockings... So what did I get up to on a freezing afternoon in the midst of devouring the latest style.com/print? Head over to the Street Scholars and find out!

Stockings in Summer? Love it!

Last week’s unusually chilly weather saw me pulling out one of my favourite things about winter… black stockings! Yes that’s correct, last week it was significantly cold enough for me to be wearing stockings…in Queensland…in summer! Completely weird I know, but considering how unpredictable the weather is at the moment I guess anything’s possible, so instead of contemplating the hows and whys, I ran straight to my old favourites to embrace a little touch of winter, before it was once again ripped from underneath me.

I know they’re not everyone’s metaphorical fashion cup of tea, but I find stockings to be the epitome of style. I understand that most people find it difficult to move past the associations that stockings have with work attire, or an old, frumpy and essentially un-sexy look, however through my eyes, if worn correctly, they embody everything that is chic and stylised while possessing an innate element of cool, combined with subtle undertones of rock and roll edge. To me, stockings are an effortless accessory, they go hand in hand with the ultra-cool aesthetic of smoking a cigarette, matte red lips, slightly scuffed up ankle boots, or an abundance of eclectically mixed gold and silver rings. They’re worn by the girl whose individual style is so coveted, it’s emulated everywhere. She’s the girl who inspires your style, the one you want to dress like and more importantly the one whose wardrobe you dream lustfully about…
Of course, one of the most appealing, inspiring and important aspects of my love affair with black stockings is the fact that they were revolutionised by my all time idle, the ever eccentric and always alluring Edie Sedgwick.

The Publicist, The Stylist and The Editor

I recently interviewed a young designer and asked her, ‘If she were to host a dinner party, which three people would she invite?’ The reasoning behind my question didn’t really have all that much to do with the dynamics of her imaginary dining room, it was rather a comical way to find out about her idols, icons, inspirations and heroes. As with most interviews, I started to think about what my own answers would be to the questions, and when I came to this one I knew my response almost immediately. These three women have inspired and encouraged me to not only want to succeed, but to actually take control and do something about it. They have unknowingly influenced me, pushed me creatively, challenged me to think beyond the predictable and channel the unexpected. Their career battles and triumphs have encouraged my determination and passion for what I do and where I want to go, they have inspired my creativity and made me realise that if you really want something you go for it 100% and refuse to accept defeat until you reach your goals.

And so if I were host a dinner party, the people at the top of my list would be…
Kelly Cutrone, Rachel Zoe and Franca Sozzani.
The fashion industry is an exclusive, cut-throat, VIP-access-only world, but despite this, these three innovators have created unique niches for themselves as they continue to build and develop their empires, inspiring and encouraging people like me every single day.

“You can fake your way to the table, but ultimately you have to learn how to eat.”- Kelly Cutrone

“Around three years ago, everything began to change. The nature of what, or who, is a celebrity has expanded. We aren't saving lives here, but we are creating images, and images create opportunities in a lot of areas”- Rachel Zoe

“Especially today, images can be printed in such a high quality, but that also flattens them out. There’s a similar problem in fashion, everyone can buy clothes, but unless you look at the label, you don’t know who it’s by. It’s this kind of over saturation that makes me believe we are on the brink of another huge change.”- Franca Sozzani

It is empowering, strong-minded and determined women like these three unstoppable forces that help to paint a some what realistic picture of the fashion industry. It’s not all roses and Louboutins, it’s hard work, sacrifice, unimaginably late nights, a phone that never stops and a pretty serious caffeine addiction, but with this comes the immense satisfaction of making your dreams a reality. Kelly Cutrone, Rachel Zoe and Franca Sozzani, have taught me to understand that it’s not going to happen over night, you have to fight for your dreams and be prepared to give up nearly everything else. They have made me realise that in most cases, nothing is ever really going to go to plan and if something can go wrong, it usually will. Their determination and success have been beyond inspiring for me and their illustrious careers are a major influence in my drive to accomplish my aspirations. These inspiring, amazing women continue to encourage and motivate my creativity and determination each and every day…

N.B. For those of you who are curious, if I were allowed to invite ten people to my fabulous dinner party, the guest list would also include…

-Alexander McQueen

-Grace Coddington
-Karl Lagerfeld
-Edie Sedgwick
-Anna Wintour
-Coco Chanel
-Andy Warhol