Fur Fur Fur

Since moving into a new house on the Gold coast I have been watching a lot of Fashion T.V. I have never had paid channels before so to me this is very exciting. Seriously, I have been glued to the T.V screen for countless hours documenting all that I love and sketching the beginnings of my first collection. The main aspect that is dominating the runways is FUR! You can’t get away from it. It is in every up and coming collection from Dolce & Gabbana to Chanel and soon, you will see it everywhere. I recently went into Forever New (a young woman’s fashion store) where they have faux fur vests, and it’s the middle of summer!

One bit of advice when adding a fur piece to your wardrobe is make sure it looks real. I don’t condone the killing of animals for fashion but if you don’t have it, fake it. Badly made fake fur I liken to a sheepskin my mother has on her couch. It is old and raggedy and pills like crazy. There is nothing lush about it. There is absolutely no point in following this trend if you’re not going to do it properly so invest in your fur jacket or scarf and look after it properly. Here are some examples on how to wear fur this coming winter.

Note: Fur bag in the centre!

 

Snake in the house!

Since moving to Australia in December, I have come across many animals and insects I would definitely not see in New Zealand. There have been lizards, bats and spiders all roaming (or flying) around the main city. I have since had to move to the suburb of Helensvale. A little north of Surfers Paradise, it is not too far from the city lights. When my boyfriend and I moved in with some Australian friends, we were told a story about a poisonous toad that had been found in our flat mates bedroom. It had come in through a hole in the screen door. I asked about snakes but they said that just doesn’t happen. A few nights later I was woken at 2am to my flat mates yelling to close my bedroom door (so that I didn’t get freaked out). A snake had slithered in through the hole in the screen door and eaten her 2 pet mice and left a third petrified to death in the mouse wheel. It turned out to be a carpet python which don’t bite but strangle their victims to death. This one was quite small and pretty harmless to humans, thank god!  Quite an experience for a little New Zealand girl but I got a photo and now might even put it in my ‘like book’. Doing a little research got me thinking about incorporating snake skin patterns into my designs. Some of the big names are using snakes for inspiration for their 2011 collections.

         Christian Dior snake skin pumps                                 Stella McCartney python print dress

Fashion Inspiration

I have been on my feet all day. Starting work at 7.30 isn’t all that bad but when you’re up all night buzzing with ideas for your new business it’s not all dandy! However, I get to finish the day early, at 3…time for shopping! And no, not so predictably for clothing. Today I was looking for a ‘like book’. A journal I can put all the things I love in. Pictures, quotes, magazine articles, colours, fabric, designs…INSPIRATION! It is from my ‘like book’ that I will design my first clothing range. I looked for hours to no prevail. There was nothing that I liked out there. Nothing screamed DESIGN IN ME or I’M YOUR MUSE! I need to love this book if everything I design is going to stem from the pages. I will keep looking for mine, but in the mean time I have a task for you…YES, YOU!

I encourage you to find your own Like Book. If you’re a creative type, like myself, you know that ideas come to you at the weirdest times. Carry it everywhere you go. Write down EVERYTHING you like or catches your interest in a unique way, you never know what idea will turn into your next creative piece! Most of my ideas come to me as I’m falling asleep. I will keep my Like Book with me at all times, even on my bed side table. Every two weeks, look back at your progress. Find an idea you are still inspired by and expand! Build on this idea and find you’re own unique spin. In my case I might think of a new way to fold my fabric (from origami) or use a colour combination that I saw on a beautiful bird. If you find the things that inspire you, design will naturally follow.  

It's a start!

Well I've followed Sarah Prouts advice and started a blog. I never read, so it was even a shock to me to be walking out of a book store having purchased something! I got home and started reading immediately. I took down notes and updated Facebook, Twitter and  Hotmail. Which leads me to now - my very own blog.

I am not a writer, nor have I ever written a blog, so bare with me here.

Everyday I have tried to do something towards reaching my goal. This is to have my own, successful business. Today, I found a profile picture. Sounds like a small and insignificant task I know, but it's an important one. It connects you to me. It lets you know that I am a real person, just like you, with passions and desires, striving to make something of myself. I looked for something that shows the real me, a genuine moment. Nothing posed or fake. The profile picture I chose is from New Years, 2009. The drinks had not started, the make-up had just gone on and I was into my sparkly outfit for the night. My favorite part, getting ready! I know it should be the event itself but my favorite part of any fancy occasion is getting dressed up. Finding the perfect shoes to go with the right dress that had been put with a great belt. Oh and then there's a hair do, make-up and accessories! I get carried away... But this is what I love. This is my passion. And this is why I've decided to do this. It's a start!