Valentino and Tattoos go well together

The hype over Valentino's new campaign has been no surprise. The ethos of Valentino does not include those who choose to decorate their skin with ink rather than fine jewellery, but there's a first for everything. The famous tattoo-clad fashion photographer, Terry Richardson, has lent his hand in modelling for Valentino... literally. It's humbling to see that the campaign has kept the raw style of photography Terry is known to execute with no flaws, whilst showing off the surprisingly Punk-ish designs of Valentino, so I guess it goes, excuse the pun again, hand in hand. 

To shop Valentino's latest collection, head to www.valentino.com 

To view Terry Richardson's photography, head to Terry's Diary or WWW.TERRYRICHARDSON.COM

Images courtesy of The Telegraph and The Fashion Spot

The First Screen Test

A collaboration between the punk Versace diffusion line, Versus, and renowned British fashion designer, J.W. Anderson, has been tightly wrapped for a while now. The diffusion line has been inactive for a quite a long time, and it's been interesting to think such an eccentric label such as Versus by Versace would be revived by a strictly minimal designer. But at last, the first "screen test" has been released, giving us a preview of the clothes in the collab collection and a look at the models who are going to be the faces of the collection. 

Just from the preview, hints of Donatella's influence over the design of the clothing is already noticed - the wild, hypnotic black & white print being the standout so far. The rawness of this Andy Warhol x Calvin Klein Jeans style ad is the type of advertising that is missing in the fashion industry nowadays. This type of ad allows us to relate to the people who are representing the collection and look at the clothes - without all the flash and extravagance. Here, take a look for yourself:

THE COLLECTION AND WEBSITE IS DUE FOR RELEASE ON THE 15.05.13
http://www.versusversace.com/

For a closer look at the collection, CLICK HERE
Images and videos courtesy of Models.com and Dazed Digital

Ksubi's Structural Spring/Summer collection

Ksubi has taken an architectural spin on Spring/Summer fashion, and have furthered their fashion design prowess by incorporating elements of Ancient Egyptian and South American artworks to their upcoming collection. Since Ksubi did not show at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, which may have been due to the launch of Ksubi designer, Dan Single's, independent line - DAAN, fans of the rebellious Australian label have awaited the release of the look book. The orderliness of quilted bombers, double collar leather jackets and tesselated sweaters mesh easily with the psychedelic tie-dye, odd plaid and symbolic patterns in shady hazes of blue - set to create a trend amongst the younger fashion-conscious market.

Images courtesy of RUSSH Magazine

To view the complete look book, CLICK HERE

The Innovators of Australian Fashion

TAFE’s fashion designers are a formidable force within the myriad of young designers in the industry, so it's no surprise that The Innovators collections were no disappointment. Leroy Nguyen started off the show colourfully with kaleidoscopic prints, then as Elissa McGowan took over the runway, the atmosphere changed as the structurally feminine collection was unleashed, with sheer panels in interesting shapes which ran like rivers through white, peach pink and navy blue ensembles forcing our eyes to actively map the clothing. Paul Scott's menswear was next - a daring mix of cityscape prints, vinyl leather and mismatching pattern panels that will surely bring a new dimension to menswear in Australia. Paul’s clever enmeshing of the relaxed mood of Australian fashion and undertones of bold British men’s fashion make for a trendsetting collection for the coming Spring/Summer season. Ying Yuan continued from Elissa's architectural aesthetic, but again quickly changed with Vinh Nugyen’s contrasting menswear to Pauls, which added a more space-aged dynamic to menswear - the abundance of cool mints, midnight blues and stark black a complete opposite to Paul's. Finally, Inder Dhillon's sequin filled beanies and dresses brought a vibrant and eccentric end to the showcase of skill and talent of these young designers.

Photography by me

To view the collections and watch the fashion show, CLICK HERE

Vanishing Elephant in an Industrial Wilderness

In the depths of the industrial Australian Technology Park, Vanishing Elephant unleashed their Spring/Summer 2013/14 collection to a vibrantly mixed fashion crowd, led by Australian supermodel, Julia Nobis. A collection inspired by the impact of repetitive patterns and the structure of industry, the collection complemented the highly manufactured setting of Australian Technology Park yet still separating itself with its tailored elements, cleverly placed paneled patterns and mild contrasting colour palette. The range of patterns against plains, including polka dots and blocky stripes against stark whites and somber blues with hints of orange, khaki and navy are heavily influenced by the cleanliness of Scandinavian fashion, and its respectable that the designers to bring this to the attention of the Australian fashion crowd. Vanishing Elephant, with the help of Mark Vassallo, has successfully achieved in producing a collection that suits the post-punk revival of the fashion forward youth.

Photography by me
To view the complete collection in colour, CLICK HERE
To view the fashion show, CLICK HERE
Visit the official Vanishing Elephant website HERE

Jayson Brunsdon's Walk in the Dark

A collection that exudes both classical elegance and structural sturdiness is hard to come by, but Jayson Brunsdon has managed to create one that succesfully does so. Jayson Brunsdon's Spring/Summer 2013/14 collection has allowed crystalline beauty to fuse with the geometric shapes of modern minimalism. This fusion gives birth to a mysterious, yet undeniably relevant collection to the woman of the future. Amongst the melancholic quietness of Phillip Glass's piano pieces, the collection completely shatters this with the crisp whites, powerful reds and glowing glimmer of crystals which captured our eyes. Overall, the masterpiece that is Jayson Brunsdon's Spring/Summer 2013/14 collection is an embodiment of a woman's loveliness and complexity.

Photography by me
To visit the official Jayson Brunsdon site, CLICK HERE
To view the complete collection, CLICK HERE
To view the fashion show, CLICK HERE

Before the Winter Cold

 It may be sweltering here in Sydney, but the look books of the upcoming Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 collections has got me eager and ready for the change of season. The look books also give us all an informed view on how fashion will once again change this year, and have been released in anticipation of the upcoming fashion weeks, the first being London Collections: Men. My favourite Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 collections are from Belstaff, Louis Vuitton and Burberry Prorsum.

Belstaff Pre-Fall/Winter 2013

Belstaff's latest collection stays true to its heritage whilst adding contemporary details such as stitch patterned reptilian leather on bags and the tightening of the lower legs of the pants. Classic styles of trenches and jackets  are made dynamic by the dark colour hue and ultimately adds a hyper masculine quality to the collection as a whole, a turn from the soft colours last season.

Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall/Winter 2013

Louis Vuitton's latest collection encompasses a lot of pieces both effeminate, e.g. embroidered floral shirts and neckerchieves, and masculine, e.g. aviator sunglasses and structured quilted jackets, and when worn together equates to a collection for every man.

Burberry Prorsum Pre-Fall/Winter 2013

Romeo Beckham may be stealing the world over for the Burberry Spring/Summer 2013 campaign, but in my honest opinion, Burberry Prorsum's Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 campaign is much more captivating. The abundance of ox blood, patent leather and speckled paint print is a calmer, less exuberant move away from the bright metallics  this season.

Images courtesy of Fashionising

Dior leads the New Year of Fashion

There is no doubt the release of Raf Simons' debut ready-to-wear collection for Dior is one of the most anticipated for the Spring/Summer season. His collection led the way for other brands and designers, grasping a dictatorial hold on upcoming trends such as stilettos, neck scarves, capris pants and silk skirts. The runway show was a minimal spectacle, showing off Raf's distinguishable aesthetic, and the campaign, released today, only adds to the beauty of the collection and is essentially a look book reflecting the runway show.

The campaign perfectly presents the pieces from the collection by highlighting these pieces, rather than the models. Raf Simons has unleashed the new Dior woman, and she is unstoppable.

Images courtesy of Styleite