The Royal Hall of Industries at Moore Park buzzed with excited shoppers scouring racks and racks of designer clothing for the best bargains and I’d be surprised if anyone was disappointed. Be sure to excuse the blurry images, TFJ was a little distracted by all the fab prices.

Wayne Cooper, White Suede, Kirrily Johnston, Miss Unkon and many, many more brands pulled out stalls for the occasion with quite a few of them being so overloaded with crazy consumers that there was no room for your elbows.

Samantha Wills was filled with ladies of all ages digging through pretty trinkets to find the perfect gem. Rings, necklaces, cuffs and more were discounted from $100-$200 down to $40 or even less.

Along with killer prices, FWS offered customers some extra goodies too. Napoleon Perdis invited ladies to sit back and relax while an expert applied powders, shadows, liners and more.

Miranda Kerr’s KORA Organics team were on standby for beauty dilemas, dishing out advice and products.

Sally Hansen took customers’ nails into their own hands, filing, buffing and painting tired nails back to perfection, while Tony & Guy were giving out free blowdries for those in need.

And for those ladies who were all shopped out, Tempus Two served up comfy couches and plenty of champers.

Of course, TFJ couldn’t help but pick out a couple of pieces that caught the eye [both ofcourse, covered in sequins].

The Cassette Society sequin cardi

Rachel Gilbert sequin dress

And here are a few more snaps from the occasion:

Coco Liberace

Miss Unkon

Bec & Bridge

Talulah

Kicking yourself yet?

Brittany Bennett stood before me just like any other savvy fashionista immersing themselves in the industry. Dressed in Lucette and Trios (brands she is well acquainted with), Bennettt chatted away to a street style photographer, describing in depth each piece she wore and why she liked it so. It was after she pulled out her business card that I piped up and introduced myself.

Bennett is the stylish face behind the Australian online boutique Miss Radar, an online store that supplies women of all types with up-to-the-minute fashion from local and international up and coming designers and a few old favourites.

Bennett explains that Miss Radar formed after a 9 year long career in the fashion industry, some of which was spent in the PR business.

“I didn’t love PR, however, I learned from the best in the industry and decided that whatever business I create, I have to use the invaluable skills that I have learned.

“I love finding new, rising designers and created Miss Radar as a place where people can come to find them. I want customers to be able to make their own trends and wear something that is unique. I find shopping is much more inspiring that way.”

Bennett says that while fabric plays a big part in the choices she makes when stocking Miss Radar, it’s the fit that finalises her decision.

“If I find that a label sends me clothes where the fits are way off I won’t trust them again. I want my customers to feel secure in purchasing from Miss Radar because the clothes are true to the description, sizing etc. that is reflected on the site.”

And if you’re wondering if Miss Radar is your cup of tea, Bennett says there’s something there for everyone, from the young, outgoing and corporate customer, to the more conservative and money conscious.

“I try to keep my prices below $350 as much as possible as well with exception of an incredible leather jacket or show piece. Prices usually sit at $150-$250.”

As for the future of Miss Radar, Bennett has all kinds of ideas to expand and encompass many more brands and designers.

“I am already expanding to include new labels Ixiah and August Street (both designers are formally Uscari) and We are Handsome.”

TFJ asked Bennett to give us her top two pieces of the moment, which you can purchase at Miss Radar. Here they are!

Lucette ‘Armoured Biker Jacket’
Brittany says: Lucette is an incredible label which has been around for a few years.

Trois ‘Dali Skirt’
Brittany says: Trois is only in its 3rd or 4th season and it is to die for. They do lots of texture clashing such as silk chiffons with cotton and leather. The quality is amazing.

You can visit Miss Radar here, follow on Twitter and like on Facebook.

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TFJ spotlights a few designers from day five of MBFWA.

Akira:

What else would you expect from Akira Isogawa other than beautiful prints and plenty of colour? His latest collection had all this and more. The ‘more’ being circular headpieces, feathered hairpieces and embellishments crafted from fabric. Rather than opting for the normal runway show, Isogawa decided to go for ‘The Box’, an area MBFWA decided to bring in this year so that designers could display their designs, rather than send them down the catwalk.

Bless’ed are the Meek:

Sportswear? Boho-chic? Eye-catching glamour? This collection had a bit of everything, from metallic hot pants peeping out of sheer outerwear to mesh pieces and dramatic frocks. Prints broke into the collection on trousers and blazers, braces sat over beaded dresses and sequins sang out too.

Suboo:

If you plan on hitting the beach next summer [who isn't?] then there may something in this collection just for you. From island goddess dresses to sophisticated swimwear and sexy outwear, summer is set with Suboo. Floral prints covered swimmers and neon yellow poked through sporty outer wear. Dresses were breezy and, yes, billowed a little. Summer is already in the air and winter has yet to begin!

Images: Vogue Australia, FabSugar

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TFJ shines the spotlight on a few of the designers from day 4 of MBFWA.

Christopher Esber:

This collection felt fresh, a little like a blank canvas waiting to be worn and made one’s own. The lines were clean and simple, the colour palette was fairly neutral, favouring a blue pastel as well as the crispness of white and cream. Blouses were a little boxy and oversized and leather and sheer textures were featured. All-in-all a collection that I believe embraced the breath of fresh air that is spring after a gloomy winter.

Carl Kapp:

This collection excited me, simply because it allowed me to use the word billowing. Because that’s what many of the brightly coloured frocks in Kapp’s collection did, billow! Bright colours littered the runway, from cocktail dress to evening gown and a jumpsuit in between, colour adorned them all. The one shoulder look was revamped with delicate gathering and the low neckline was also employed. Imagine smarties scattered on a blank page. Brilliance.

Aje:

Have I ever mentioned how much I love sequins? When I saw the AJE collection my heart leaped with joy at the sequin wonders that were apart of it. Embellishments were in overload but the colour palette was simple. Gold metallics, black, dashes of tan and a whole heap of cream and white. The collection featured cut outs and made the midriff fashionable [because there's always debate over the midriff]. An ample amount of sparkly frocks filled the runway with the occasional trouser popping in. Take note of the peplum-skirt look adorning a frock or two.

Images: Vogue Australia

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TFJ spotlights some of the designers from day two of MBFWA.

Zimmerman:

Pastels, florals and polka dot cut-outs filled the runway at the Zimmerman show. Swimsuits were selective in what they covered and a little bit of sports wear was mixed in with crocheted pieces. So what to take away from this collection? Brilliantly bold florals, soft pastels and carefully crafted swimsuits that are anything but ordinary.

Maticevski:

Last year the pressure was on for Toni Maticevski to ‘wow’ us with his return-to-the-runway collection. This year, the pressure was on to out-do his previous show. How did it go you ask? Well that’s entirely up to you, but here’s what we can tell you. The collection featured structured shoulders, a peplum waist and a dash of metallic. The colour palette was mostly dark with pops of yellow and nude. Most noticeable was the mixing of textures and the sneaky sheer addition to many of the looks.

Magdalena Veleveska:

This collection brought neon yellow into the spotlight, not just with the colour palette of the pieces, but also the beauty! Neon yellow lips also complimented tan and white blouses, trousers and oddly cut skirts. Dresses were stitched and embroidered in a unique design but over all the collection was simple, loose and one particular black frock was quite glamorous [among other of course].

Johanna Johnson:

Speaking of glamorous, what’s more glam than an Aussie designer that’s dressed international celebs for the red carpet and chooses Australian fashion week as her next achievement? While you’re lost in thought over that one, let’s discuss Johanna Johnson’s latest collection. If my babbling about Hollywood glam wasn’t enough, Ms Johnson is here to enforce that that indeed is what she does best. The collection featured billowing [yes I do love that word] silk gowns, plenty of sequins and lots of delicate beading. She paired together leather and lace and in some cases added a feather or two. And while there were pops of colour [and by that I mean pale gold], the ever-so-elegant black was carried through the collection. Oh, and did you get a look at the headpieces? Sheer glamour my darlings.

Bowie:

Here in the land of Oz, we have designers who stay true to our ‘laid back’ lifestyle, and project it through their designs. However on occasion, we have the designer who instead, wants to make an elaborate scene and turn Aussie fashion on its head. Bowie Wong is one of the latter. He’s bringing the fishtail back with his latest collection and sending out full skirted gowns along side them. The first number of the lot was adorned in a sea of sequins, promptly followed by the aforementioned fishtail and a flock of butterflies. If you have no intention to make a scene, then stay away from this collection, however if you like to go out with a bang, this is definitely for you.

Image credits: Famous

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TFJ shines the spotlight on a few of the designers from day 3 of MBFWA.

Lisa Ho:

This years collection included floral prints, full length dresses that in some cases screamed drama [see below] and some very interesting trousers. While the occasional navy or other dark shade was thrown into the collection, for the most part brights took over and there was more than a ‘pop’ of colour. The peplum also peeked in and stripes adorned a top or two.

Alice McCall:

Floral embroidery and sheer skirts were the epitome of this feminine collection. Pink stood out among other vibrant shades and white played a sophisticated part in many of the garments. Shimmering fabrics also drew the eye to the stage and cut outs below the neck consistently made an appearance throughout the collection.

Watson x Watson:

Say welcome to the Watson sisters! They debuted their first collection at MBFWA and played it safe. Metallic popped into their collection as did leather and the odd printed piece. Sleeves were absent for the most part and dresses were fitted and straight cut. A pastel pinkish-purple was played around with quite frequently, but white, blue and black all made it into the collection too!

Image credits: Famous

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TFJ told you all about Fashion Weekend Sydney here. It kicks off May 10th to 13th and now TFJ has a fabulous little offer for you!

Sydney Fashion Weekend is letting you buy two tickets to Fashion Weekend for the price of one!! Yes…TWO FOR ONE!

So here’s how you can get your hot little hands on them.

Simply CLICK HERE and enter the password 2FOR1

And viola! May 10th-13th will now be filled with fabulous fashion for you and your friend!

To find out more about the event you can read TFJ’s previous post here or visit the Fashion Weekend website here.

See you there!

Day one of MBFWA kicked off with a bang (Romance Was Born) and ended in a celebration (Ginger and Smart’s 10th anniversary!) so lets have a quick look back at some of the designers of day one and what they had to show us!

Romance Was Born:

If the backdrop wasn’t enough to notify you, Romance Was Born’s collection was all about the comic book superhero. From flaming red hair and over exaggerated eyebrows to body con pieces that screamed in colours, RWB hit the mark with this one. Prints and clashing colours brought comic books to life, drawing on the archives of Marvel comics and daring us to be bold.

Lisa Maree:

If this collection has anything to do with it [and I'm sure it will], the Aussie spring/summer season will be spent by all lazing by the beach and drinking cocktails under the barely visible stars. The only thing body con in this collection were the one-piece swimsuits with cheeky cutouts. In summation: frocks will billow, crochete is not just for your nana, the maxi’s back and skin is in.

Gary Bigeni:

Gary Bigeni’s collection showed an influx of colour blocking, geometric patterns and covering up for spring/summer. Tan and varying shades of blue surfaced repeatedly on the cat walk with a nod to pastels. Ankle length trousers and simple tees were combined and belted waists were thrown in the mix.

Kirrily Johnston:

This collection showcased a neutral colour palette with a pop of pink. There was subtle drapery and the odd sheer piece, the peplum made an appearance, layering pitched in and most frocks were to the knee and above. Take note of the accessories, big and bold, plus an interesting head piece if you’re game enough to try? All in all a chic collection that sends a slight sea breeze in our direction.

Camilla:

When someone says ‘Camilla’ the first things that comes to mind are caftans and colour. While the caftans laid low this collection [mind you not too low], the colour made sure it was heard. Yes, heard, not just seen. Prints, be they animal, tribal or a little on the Mediterranean side, were out in colourful hoards as the collection, entitled ‘Gypset’ was exactly that. Coined jewellery and feathered hair pieces sang out to gypsies and perhaps the native indian or two [they sang and danced too!] as breezy jumpsuits, trousers and yes, caftans, danced down the runway.

Aurelio Costarella:

Forget what you know about Australian fashion, this collection defies all that ‘easy, laid back’ mojo and just heads straight into an international look that should be walking catwalks globally. Feathers, beading, lace, pom poms, you name it, this collection had it. Think sculptured pieces that are red carpet ready and you have Aurelio Costarella’s collection in a nutshell.

Ginger and Smart:

Ginger and Smart celebrated their 10 year anniversary with their new collection and it was all quite fabulous indeed. Bold colours, metallics, pop-out pieces and one shouldered, billowy frocks all joined together to create a stand-out collection. The odd print popped up on blouses and trousers but colour, colour, colour was the basis of this collection [like so many others on day one!]. The vibe of the collection says sophisticated, chic comfort and modern style.

Image credits: Famous

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Artist turned jewellery designer Zoe Sernack, the creative brains behind Zoemou, has recently drawn on Australia’s Next Top Model alumni Rebecca Jobson to lend a hand in a short video promoting Zoemou’s latest collection.

The 2012 collection is titled ‘Nomadic Sun’ and draws its inspiration from the ancient Navajo culture and all things tribal. Watch the video below:

Gold and silver brass plated pieces have been fashioned to reflect tribal cultures with a modern, artistic edge and a strong focus on jewellery as the centerpiece, rather than the accessory.

Each piece in the collection lends itself to Navajo folklore with a Navajo name and a strong connection to the ancient silver smithing tradition.

Celebs such as Sienna Miller and Lily Allen are big fans of Zoemou and you can become one too! Visit www.zoemou.com or head in store to pick up the latest collection. You can also read Zoemou’s blog, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter here.

Sienna Miller wearing Zoemou ‘Mirella’ earrings from the Gypsy Moon collection

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They say that trends start on the streets, and in many cases, they also start on the blogs.

Neon [or fluro?] has been popping up on blogs and websites globally and has been dressing celebrities left right and centre. So TFJ thinks it’s fair to say, it’s a trend!

Some people may be a little wary when it comes to wearing neon, perhaps because it is such a bold colour choice or perhaps because they don’t know what to wear it with. Here are two tips for those of you who are struggling with the idea.

1. Use a neon accessory to centre your look around. This could be a bag, belt, jewellery, shoes or even make up, and make this the centre piece of your look. Try to dial everything else back a bit and let your neon piece pop.

2. Go all out. Wear a neon coloured blazer, pants, blouse, dress, whatever! And stand out in a crowd! Be confident when you’re wearing it. People will only think you look like a clown if you’re the one who believes it!

So what colours do we go to when trending neon? Yellow, orange, green, pink and perhaps even the slightly duller purple and blue [hard to make it neon when it doesn't have that bright pop!]

Here are a few pieces you might want to look towards for inspiration:

Image credits and product links:
7 For All Mankind, Brain Atwood, The Cambridge Satchel Company, McQ dress, McQ belt, Juicy Couture

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