Fashion: Punk to Pakistan

Photo Credit: Sally Edwards,
Boys and Girls are Choice

Exams are over, pencils tidied and library books returned, which means it's time for QUT's fashion graduates to don their best frocks and tails and walk their collections down the runway! This year's show entitled, Six, sees each designer debut a collection of six pieces, with inspiration for the designs internationally eclectic. Designer Sally Edwards says her androgynous collection, Boys and Girls are Choice, is aimed at "new punk" mixing tartan with the "sartorial elegance of a well-made suit". "Referencing suits and styles throughout history, I want to use these guidelines of menswear to create a collection that can be word by either men or women," she says. Opening night was last night and closing night has already sold out! But luckily, the creative folk behind the parade planned ahead for your silly season, book-in-advance forgetfulness and there's still a whole chunk of tickets left for your spontaneous attendance tonight and tomorrow. You can even bring a friend for free! Bargain!

Arty, Crafty, Artifice

Photo Credit: Artifice

There's a crafty little event happening on the north island of New Zealand from tomorrow, just in time for some christmas shopping! Artifice is a celebration of Hamilton fashion and craft culture running from Saturday evening at 6pm until December 3rd. It's one of those wonderful combo events, mixing part exhibition with part market. Instead of merely displaying art for local indie folk to buy, the artworks have functions of the cute, creative variety, perfect for gifts or a keepsake of your own.

Similarly in Sydney is the On The Wall exhibition, curated by the lovely ladies over at Leeloo. The artists have just been announced, and the exhibition will feature opposite the Leeloo stall at next weekend's Finders Keepers Markets at Carriageworks - so if you see something you like you can scoot across the masses of people and to pick up a print. Easy peasy take-home packs of art and craft, how swish!

Frocksters reunite!

Photo credit: Frock Paper Scissors

So every year in November, fashion-arty-wordnerdery-creative types dress up, drink some wine, celebrate and then collapse with exhaustion post the feat of producing a magazine from scratch. The annual Frock Paper Scissors magazine launched last night, with issue six the biggest yet. Covering fashion, style, beauty and lifestyle, these creative QUT ladies (and lad, singular) are striving for something a little Vogue-esque with their sharp content and photography. Showcasing the Brisbane fashion scene, as well as designers nationally and internationally, it's always exciting to see what the next publication will look like when it pops up each year. The students are distributing this FREE (!) magazine around Brisbane and South East Queensland from next week, so keep an eye out in fashion precincts for your copy. In the meantime, you can flip through the digital copy here. Congrats to the 2011 team! Maybe we'll see their names in high places in the coming years...

Down to a Tea!

Photo Credit: Linsey Rendell

“It’s nice to think that someone liked it and wore it for some time and you can pick it up and keep it going... I don’t know if that’s being a hoarder or recycling, whether that’s good or bad – I feel good about it.”

Well, here at Seam Magazine, we feel pretty good about it!

Mural painter, designer and all-round fashionista, Lisa Tea is quickly establishing herself as a seriously sort after artist. Recently graduated from Visual Arts at ANU, Lisa has been an avid mural painter and seamstress from the get-go.

Her colourful and beautifully chaotic work can be found around our lovely nation's capital at public spaces in the CBD, bars and various residential venues. Lisa’s detailed and eclectic style is one to admire, and she says her inspiration and materials can be found almost anywhere.

“I’m a giant hoarder and I have a compulsion to use up all this stuff which I somehow constantly acquire,” Lisa says.

“[I think] I need to simplify, I need to really try to understand the less is more concept.”

Read more about Lisa on page 28 of Seam’s The Start-Ups Issue!

Fashion Swap

Photo credit: QUT Fashion Swap

Well, it's that time of year again - QUT's Fashion Swap is on this evening. This is an awesome opportunity to recycle your clothes and pick up some new ones for free... Good for the environment and your bank account!

All you need to do is have a little spring clean and find up to five items you are willing to set free. Bring them along to The Glasshouse at QUT from 10am and then get your searching boots ready for an evening of rummaging! At 6.20pm it's every fashionista for him/herself as you scurry about for the golden goods. Ready, steady, swap!

Meet Me Monday: Blossom

Photo credit: Blossom

If you take a pinch of vintage, add a little beautiful and mix it all together in a handmade headpiece, what do you get? Why Blossom of course!  Say hello to Adrienne Grace, the brains and beauty behind Blossom's creations. These delicate headpieces have been blooming their way around Brisbane and are becoming are 'must wear' at any special occasion.

How did Blossom start?
Blossom started a year and a half ago, after designing a few headpieces for myself.  It was actually a uni assignment which required the marketing and sale of a product at a market day. We decided to design headpieces. My friends started asking me to make the headbands for special events and it grew from there.

What is your greatest Blossom achievement to date? 
I have had so many fantastic opportunities come my way in the last year, but I think my greatest achievement has been my interview on The Great South East.

Where do you get your inspiration? 
My inspiration comes from anything that's unique and quirky. I love roses and vintage.

Where can we find your pieces?
You can find my pieces online at SorellaBella EBoutique, and the From Little Vintage boutique in Bundaberg. I'll also be at the West End Twilight Markets every Saturday starting 12th November.

Where should we be wearing your pieces? 
Anywhere and everywhere! Weddings, races, or tea and scones with girlfriends.

What's next for Blossom? 
I'm not sure what's next for Blossom... continue doing what I love for as long as I can!

What's your favourite Blossom piece? 
My favourite Blossom piece would definitely have to be my hot pink rose crown and my crochet collar.

A secret vice, that is no longer a secret? 
My secret vice would definitely have to be my obsession with tea sets. Between Royal Doulton, op shop finds and Shelley tea sets I have so many tea cups and tea pots it's ridiculous.

What are you wearing?

Photo credit: Zoe Mellick

By Zoe Mellick

Yes I’ve been there. Lusting over the latest dress that just walked into my line of vision, indulging my imagination into a world where I would be incomplete without it. But this happens on a daily basis.

There are many words that describe fashion – from trend to style and words akin – but sustainability is rarely mentioned. But we can’t deny that fashion is a huge and wasteful industry that we are all involved in one way or another. When a new season breaks we all want to upgrade our wardrobe or become transfixed with the ‘new stuff’ (leaving last season’s clothes to the side of course). But three Brisbane ladies have set out to challenge that wardrobe mentality.

Edda Hamar, Kirsten Stallard and Kobi Lagana have created Undress Brisbane – an annual rooftop runway event kicking off the shift towards a sustainable fashion scene in Brisbane. Sustainable fashion is a complex issue and not one that a designer can solve alone. The Undress Brisbane team believes it’s a social responsibility to inform and educate the locals of Brisbane with a fun runway show, cocktails, goodie bags and well, everyone will be there. 

The goal of Undress Brisbane is to tap into the unsympathetic reality of consumerism and tune guests into the necessity of sustainable fashion. Marketing manager Kirsten Stallard says the break in this unsustainable chain can and will only come from consumer demand, and more importantly, consumer awareness. “For every person in Australia there is 30-40 kilograms of clothing that goes into land fill every year. On top of that, there are only 22 million people in Australia, yet we import an outstanding one billion items in clothing every year. Australians are huge fashion consumers and we need to slow down that consumption.”

The educational fashion event will be presented in three bite-size segments including vintage, and emerging and existing designers of eco-friendly apparel. So get your second-hand socks ready to be blown off, and most importantly, get thinking about what you’re wearing! 

What: Undress Brisbane 

When: Saturday 15th October 

Where: Wilson Parking Rooftop in Fortitude Valley

Cost: Free in advance (book here) or $10 on the door

Not necessarily fashion illustration

Photo credit: Limn

Honours degrees are hefty business. They challenge, overwork and drain you of energy until you’re forced to spurt out some form of (hopefully) creative genius. Somehow amongst the bedraggled strain of this 8-month academic marathon, Brisbane fashion designer and illustrator Priya Cox has created LIMN, a beautiful collection of fashion illustrations. Drawing inspiration from high fashion and highlighting the current trend of androgyny, she’s combined hand drawn and digital elements to create her mesmerising pieces. LIMN (not necessarily fashion illustration) is exhibiting tonight at The Stitchery Collective – a must see for pretty picture gazers and fashionable folk alike.

Swap til you drop!

Photo credit: The Clothing Exchange

Come one, come all, National Swap Day is hitting your astroturf on the 17th October! The Clothing Exchange and 3 things have teamed up to organise massive swaps in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. The event allows keen swappers to spring clean their unwanted clothing in exchange for someone else’s pre-loved threads. The swaps are great way to find some quirky one off pieces, while still being kind to the environment… what’s not to love about that! 

Sydney

Venue: The Joan Sutherland Studio, 480 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills

Time: 6:30pm check in, for a 7:30pm swap.

For more information and ticket details here

Melbourne

Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Cnr Swanston St & Fliders St

Time: 6:30pm check in, for a 7:30pm swap.

For more information and ticket details here

Brisbane

Venue: Sling Lounge, West End

Time: 6:30pm check in, for a 7:30pm swap.

For more information and ticket details here

Canberra

Venue: TBC

Time: 6:30pm check in, for a 7:30pm swap.

More information and ticket details to come, standby Canberrans! 

Meet Me Monday: Liebe Bluhm

Photo Credit: Liebe Bluhm

Today we meet the lovely Megan Cook, the genius behind vintage collection - Liebe Bluhm! As a veteran in the vintage hunting business, Megan spills some of her little secrets about the label and her personal style.

Is there a story behind the name?

I wanted to create a label name that was special to me. My mother’s family background is German. ‘Liebe’ means love in German and ‘Bluhm’ is my mother’s maiden name. Growing up my bedroom was always filled with antique furniture and knick-knacks she had collected and I used to play dress-up with her old dresses, hats, bags shoes and scarves. She is the person who has always encouraged my love of everything vintage and antique. 

Why do you love vintage?

I love that each piece has a history, has been loved by someone and that love is then passed on to the next person to continue and create a new story. I once bought a vintage bag [and] inside was a florist’s note with a message from her husband,

“To Darling Dee, Thanks for 8 wonderful years. Love Bill” 

… it’s a humble reminder about life and peoples existence.

Who is your style icon and why?

I don’t think I have just one style icon. It’s hard to pick just one... I love finding inspiration in strange places and from many different people. Maybe Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, they have been a secret style obsession for many years.

What's the one vintage piece you found that you just couldn't part with?

It’s not a piece of clothing, it’s my vintage dressing table. I bought it about 5 years ago and absolutely love it. I think every girl should have a lovely dressing table.

It’s not very cool, but I really like…

Relaxing with a cup of tea, chocolate and a beautiful magazine. It’s even better if it’s raining outside. Ah heaven.

What’s one thing other people may not know about you?

In my final year of Fashion Design I was on the Kerri-Anne Kennerley Morning Show with six of my classmates. Very hilarious!

Vogue meets Vegan

Photo Credit: Jessica Milan

What do you get when you combine fashion and food? A lookbook-cookbook of course!

‘Lookbook – Cookbook’ is an online photographic cookbook where babes and baking meet to bring you the best vegan recipes. All (kind of) guilt free!

Created by photographer Jessica Milan, the cookbook is all about amazing visuals and delicious recipes, all gluten-free, dairy-free and meat-free.

You can find recipes for all kinds of treats and sweets to suit every taste. So for your next DIY indulgence – do it with style and visit LBCB!