Wynnum Up Late Shopping night..

I know this is a wee way away but the amount of creative people working on it has just got me so excited I have to blab, now..

Firstly Leonie from the Collective store has a plethora of artists and designers wares in there, Kylie Gartside's amazing contemporary silver jewelry, kids clothing, wind and water designs and other fashion pieces and natural body products to mention just a few of the other 20 business women being represented in her store.

Each month Leonie features a new designer on her website that tells you a little bit more about their concept through to fruition..
http://www.thecollectivestore.com.au/feature.php

There will be lots of other local shops open late including, Mason and Daughter, Papertrenz and lots of other little stores that will have lanterns out to indicate they are open for business..

There will be a suitcase rummage down the alley way to Mason and Daughter, a footpath Fashion Parade and other little special events happening in Bay Terrace and Edith St. on the 16th of June, 2011..

There will champagne and nibbles out and about at certain shops and it will definitely be a night filled with lots of beautiful wares made by talented people.. See you there..

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150123983594095.300420.119894169094#!/pages/Wynnum-Up-Late/216591298355078

Stone and Metal.

Ok so I stumbled across this store in Arthur St in the Valley, I think about 5 months ago. What pulled me in was this black onyx faceted bracelet with a sold silver skull on it. Now this bracelet always gets a great reaction from people some positive and some quite confronting, so therefore I love it..

It is run by a beautiful lady named Sam who just happens to have a child at the same school as my son's, great coincidence.. She also has this insane chair made out of horns and cow skin that makes it just an amazing piece of work that is also functional..

There are many artisans with their jewelry in there and the price points are insane reasonable.. They are unique and diverse, I love going in there to see which piece I can lust after next. So if it is for a special event or someone, or just because it is time for a treat, go and see what little gems are on offer..

Stone and Metal..
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-And-Metal/141349025895330

Arthur St,
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane..

Streamline Luggage

I have a love of vintage luggage or bags. I don't know why they just make me feel, magical.. So I have been on this endless search to find someone who made just the stuff and didn't live in England and not post outside of their country. Frustrating..

So I was watching this modern French movie the other day and I saw it, so I thought I would google the movie and the luggage used in it and voila. I found them..

http://www.steamlineluggage.com/ is the website you need to get to to find some amazingly gorgeous and user friendly luggage.. Hopefully they have the forethought like Spencer and Rutherford who supply you with a plastic fitted bag that goes over you luggage to protect it in the airplane and also stops you having to use all that plastic in the airport.

I think if you collect a few pieces here and there they make a great investment piece. Like anything you love, you don't have to say no to them just pick your moment to spend time with them.

Golden find, share with only your closest girlfriends as we don't want them to become too popular..

Designer Brisbane - the Loft

I put my hat in the ring for being the fashion blogger for Broadway on the mall and as such I had to go in there and interview shops to get their perspective on their shops ethos...
I found awesome shops in there on the second and top floor. A bit of a maze to get around it all but still a little adventure if you have the time to let it unfold.

Natalie Denning is a machine, she has the Loft - ladies wear, Dirtbox menswear and Bessie head. Her collection of designs in all her shops are so desireable you want to sell your house and use all your capital to have those clothes. But to be honest unless you go there when there is a sale I don't see how the average person who wants a little something new regularly would be able to go there regularly. On and off over a year maybe 2 or 3 times maybe but not exceptionally regular. So put your name down on their mailing list and run to them when they have a sale on. Rachel Gilbert is so my favourite designer right now, that woman has it all covered and if she isn't the next big thing from Australia then that would only be a crime..

I could rattle about these shops as they are a big step in style for Brisbane. Including on the ground floor where Scotch and Soda are, it is like walking into a big warm walk in wardrobe with all your favourites in there. There are staples in such cool fabrics and colours and mostly natural fibres. Hurry with them though they are moving away from those as their main port of call which I hope they don't go too far down that track.. Divine pieces, a step out of the usual for you staples. Men and Women can shop in there side by side and come out feeling that retail satisfaction.. Most of their designs are pretty reasonable but some are definitely up there.

The rest of the Broadway Mall well, it goes from this high end to well Just Jeans and this discount store that has mainly synthetics and so many copies of each you would be afraid to buy anything in fear of being a carbon copy of the cheap and nasty. Sorry have to be brutal here, even though I liked some pieces the fabric was cheap and there were too many of the same thing there..

This is where my label and other hand made and local designers, I feel fills a need, that middle road fashion. Awesome uniqueness without insane prices to be different.. There are some amazing designers at local handmade markets like Etsy sellers at Bris Style events, soon to Laneway markets on the first Saturday of the month in Winn Lane where the Flamingo Cafe is. Also at places like Portside Markets (2nd and 4th Sunday) and of course the Young Designer Markets on the first Sunday of each month. So support the little guys and be unique, it will be easier on your wallet and give you diversity that isn't always available in stores..

Then from the money you save from shopping there you can go to Bessie Head and Scotch and Soda and be decadent for a day and not feel guilty..

Make your dollar and your style count..
Irene

Shoe Fettish

Ok so how is this for serendipity. I love a good shoe like any hot blooded woman so when I came across this website mentioned by my crafty neighbour Emma from Red Revival at YDM on the weekend well...... It's Tuesday and I have woken from drool coma..

How I love thee, like Dorothy, except instead of just in red they come in all assortment of colours..
So I have made contact with the lovely swedishhasbeens.com and am in negotiations with getting a collection over to use in my upcoming photo shoots and fashion parades which will be a plenty this year.. In between liasing with students in photography and make-up etc. lovely customers who rock my range like a trooper.

Things will be getting so down right funky you just won't be able to look away.. As I always do vintage designs and I favour the 70's it seems like a perfect match.

Yes they have a price tag on them to deep breath through but you know what! All this fast consumerism is doing my head in. Give me a piece that makes me glide through the air as I go from shop to shop, meeting to meeting and I will show you a successful woman, a happy wife and a loving mum.. All is bliss when you step out on the right foot..

check them out. www.swedishhasbeens.com