Wes Fleming and Phillip Johnson in the Trailfinders Australian Garden
Picture: Ella Pellegrini
Pretty Petals of the Chelsea Flower Show
Could there be anything more inspiring for a floral print than attending the horticultural world’s most prestigious week every year? Celebrating the centenary of the of the Chelsea Flower Show
being held at its current location, the Chelsea Hospital (from 1862 held in various locations in and around London), on display are the Show Gardens, exciting new and re-emerging plants in the Great Pavilion and the Artisan Retreats to give Burke and his backyard a run for his money.
This year the Best Show Garden went to our own home grown landscapers and design team, Trailfinders Australian Garden presented by Flemings. With a billabong, a waterfall and countless native flowers and plants and with a waratah inspired studio to boot, it had an obvious Aussie spirit that bloomed out above the rest.
And it’s hard not see the connection between the Chelsea Flower Show and the floral prints that pretty up spring wardrobes (talking Northern hemisphere spring) when there is such gorgeous imagery in abundance! Take a virtual stroll along the garden paths and be inspired to wear some petals and blooms this weekend to brighten the winter drab that is threatening to soak in.
As Sydney is plunged further into cold this week it’s only normal to start reminiscing the warmer weather. Instinctively I had to have a look at the latest resort 2014 collections, and lust over the beautiful garments and dream of warmer weather. The stand out for me this year is Oscar de la Renta, the mixture of prints, lace and embroidery adds extra depth to his garments; the 50’s inspired silhouettes are gorgeous and I hope it’s a trend that trickles down into everyday life. These garments just scream wear me at a fancy party by the seaside, which is where I wish I was right now. I hope these images put some colour to this dreary Autumn day.
Oscar de la Renta Resort 2014
Oscar de la Renta Resort 2014
Oscar de la Renta Resort 2014
Oscar de la Renta Resort 2014
Images from style.com
The Great Gatsby, film still 2013
Is anyone else on the edge of their chaise lounge fastening their t-strap pumps about to bust out the Charleston, with the expectation of Bazmark’s hotly anticipated remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel of the same name?!! It’s almost as if this is the first time we’re all hearing about the decade that was the 1920’s with all the excitement and build up that’s going on. And maybe not everyone will agree on whether or not the film as a whole was worth the delayed release, but much can be (and will be) said for Catherine Martin’s costumes and Miuccia Prada’s collaboration on the project.
The new film of The Great Gatsby will highlight in particular the decadence and frivolity of the 1920’s but with a discernibly modern accessibility, inviting the viewer to appreciate and experience what it would have been like to go to an infamous party hosted by Jay and the many others like him. Fur stolls, miles of fringing, plenty of sequins, feathers and head pieces along with a dress covered with crystals all play a key role in bringing the story forward to take us back again.
Of course the catwalks for the past few seasons have shown hints of the flapper era inspiration, warming the audience up to the idea of 1920’s styling and the trend is likely to continue in one incarnation or another, just look at all the cropped ‘boy’ haircuts on celebrities at the moment or the amount of speakeasy’s (not so quietly) popping up. For the roaring era to be making such a glamorous return to many aspects of fashion and culture, those who’s Midnight in Paris perfect time period is the 1920’s, its time to indulge.
Everyone has their own techniques to get into their zone, which zone? The inspiration zone!
The Highly Anticipated Daft Punk album ‘Random Access Memories’ was available to listen to yesterday on Itunes and might I say it is one great album with the likes of Pharrell Williams, Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend and Julian Casablancas lending their voices to the somewhat 80’s sounding album. Personally I find that having music playing in the background really helps gets the creative juices flowing; Delving into different genres can change your mood in an instant, even sometimes inspiring a new design. I can’t get enough of this album and it’s only just the beginning, the album officially comes out Friday the 17th of May. Can’t wait to have this on repeat and see what kind of repeating creations follow.
http://www.daftpunk.com/
http://www.daftpunk.com/
http://www.daftpunk.com/
Images from http://www.daftpunk.com/
The Graffiti Room (www.style.com)
The Metropolitan Museum in New York opens its doors this week to the annual Costume Institute exhibition with this year’s theme, Punk: Chaos to Couture. It looks back to honour the roots of the antiestablishment counterculture that emerged in the seventies and how this ended up inspiring and influencing all levels of the fashion world from then till now.
The exhibition show cases many high end designers with pieces that perhaps were never intended to be worn in any form, and were merely used as shock factors on the runway. The question surely then has to be asked, is it really punk if its couture? If it causes discomfort, then that’s surely a nod in the right direction.
It all comes down to the truism that everything old is new again, and when considering fashion everything really has been done before but the magic is how it is interpreted and reinterpreted. Surely everyone has had a go at punk, whether it be street level or couture. If you look back and see a (fake) leather jacket, ripped jeans, a safety pin holding something together even if unseen, that rebellious piercing or tattoo when you were 16, the political t-shirt you now just wear to bed…It might not be properly hard core but there’s an undercurrent just as there is a flower child in us all as well!
So get a little disruptive this weekend, provoke your inner punk and meld in a little DIY couture just for the hell of it.
Ukraine born Masha Reva is an artist who is using fashion as her current medium, and absolutely killing it. After researching up on Reva I was confused as to why I hadn’t heard about her work earlier, she is a truly gifted being. Her website showcases all her work from videos, illustrations, photography and collections. Seeing her ‘merging’ 2012 collection I instantly knew what I wanted to share on this blog; the explosion of print, the styling, and the backdrops all work together to show off these incredible prints and garment shapes. It’s no secret that I love the use of prints to revive a design and Reva has highlighted how well a print can make a garment.
http://www.mashareva.com/main/index.php?/fashion/-/
http://www.mashareva.com/main/index.php?/fashion/-/
http://www.mashareva.com/main/index.php?/fashion/-/
http://www.mashareva.com/main/index.php?/fashion/-/
Images from http://www.mashareva.com/main/
I find myself finding print inspiration everywhere, this time it was as a Flume gig. If you don’t know who Flume is let me give you a quick recap. Flume is Harley Streten, a young Sydney DJ who in 2011 released 3 EP’s with the record label Future Classics. domain rush He is famous for the song’s ‘sleepless’, ‘Paper Thin’ and ‘over you’; his debut album then followed late 2012, which he is now touring Australia with.
How was I inspired for prints at a gig you may ask? Not only does Flume play amazing beats but he has a visual spectacular to accompany the music. Lasers, projectors, lights and screens all are in synch with every beat drop; one image in particular that had me captivated was the cover art of his debut album being repeated in a kaleidoscope on screens above Flume.
Putting this image into a repeat was as simple as dragging the image across and down, resulting in a unique print ready for a tote or swimwear or anything to be honest; the possibilities are endless when you have your own custom fabric.
Images from http://flumemusic.com/
http://flumemusic.com/
- http://flumemusic.com/
- http://flumemusic.com/
Spring 2013 Ready to Wear – Mary Katrantzou
Mary Katrantzou IS digital printing. With every new collection there is such a wow factor of colour and scale and pictorial combinations that it’s hard to imagine anyone else ever does prints or at least that there is another collection that reaches such digital print design heights.
There’s not much babbling to go on about this week as the images surely speak for themselves and when you’ve got yourself into enough of a tizzy with these images, head to style.com to paw through her collections from the past handful of years.
All images from style.com
Basso & Brooke are masters of digital prints and construction; there is no doubt about it. Their latest sweaters are no disappointment, with their realistic textured prints that I love the most all over these cottons sweats. Basso & Brooke highlight the impact a print can have on a garment, they transform an ordinary cotton sweater (the type we see endlessly) and have incorporated these exotic and textured prints to freshen them up.
My favourite by far is the half snake skin half knitted printed sweater; with the aid of Digital Printing you can make any fabric look like another, there is no limit in colour or print.
www.bassoandbrooke.com
www.bassoandbrooke.com
www.bassoandbrooke.com
www.bassoandbrooke.com
www.bassoandbrooke.com
Images from www.bassoandbrooke.com
Firstly, why is this not more heavily promoted?! Seriously, why are we not more motivated celebrate this day and use it as a call to action or at least contemplation?
Is it because ANZAC Day is just around the corner and we’re all too busy working on our two-up strategy to notice. Well if so, perhaps we need to take a long hard look at our priorities as individuals, a community, a nation and a planet! Get them in check and it’ll make that beer and two-up win next Thursday even sweeter. Just take a sec to check it out, World Earth Day 2013.
And perhaps the fashion industry needs to take heed. Often given a bad rep, polyester fabric and in turn sublimation digital printing, could be that “little bit” that goes a long way when you consider it as an alternative to some natural “green” fibers. The argument is that, for example, cotton (even organic) has a larger footprint than polyester when you compare factors such as water usage and pollutant hazards; renewable and recyclable sources; and the potential for a closed-loop production cycle. There’s plenty of reference material out there on this, but here’s just one interesting read on Social Responsibility.
Marvel at the amazing place we live in and be inspired to love it and not abuse it. Consider your choices and the impact they have not only in your immediate environment, but also as an ongoing process over the coming months, years or decades.
Cherish your Earth and she will cherish you. Happy Weekend!!
