Cameron Silver: Duke of Melrose

photo: supplied by foxtel

I first met Cameron Silver at the Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2004 when he was guest speaker at the event. A cabaret singer-turned-vintage retailer, Silver operated a by that stage seven year-old boutique called Decades on LA’s Melrose Avenue and he had established himself as a go-to guru for high-end, pre-loved couture gowns from upwards of the 1920s; seducing a swag of Hollywood power stylists and their A-list clients such as Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow. Silver’s comrade-in-couture is Christos Garkinos, a former marketing manager for Disney and Virgin Megastores, who joined the business in 1999, launching what was up until 2011 an adjacent contemporary designer resale boutique called DecadesTwo, which sources pre-loved designer fare from a global network of over 3000 consignors – including many celebrities. The businesses have since merged. The duo – who have arguably peeked inside more private wardrobes than anyone on the planet - are the stars of Bravo’s brand new reality show Dukes of Melrose which debuted on Foxtel’s Arena channel in Australia last night at 10.00pm. Part of Arena’s new triple fashion reality show bill for Thursday nights, the show follows straight after The Rachel Zoe Project (Season V) and It’s a Brad, Brad World (Season II). I have also watched a further three episodes and it’s as funny as hell. I caught up with Silver earlier this week to yack about the show, vintage, “insane” and “unscrupulous” red carpet politics - and what kind of milk Catherine Deneuve takes in her coffee.

Backstage at Riddle Me This - NZFW AW13

I loved everything about the Riddle Me This show on Wednesday. The brand was launched by Mount Maunganui-based Liz Turner in 2008 and the fresh, young, high street vibe of its Autumn/Winter 2013 collection was brilliantly accentuated by the styling of New York-based expat Zara Mirkin, one of numerous, young New Zealand creatives who are finding their feet internationally and who will bring back home some invaluable expertise. On hand were some other local stars such as up-and-coming stylist Thistle Brown - who we first met at last year's event when he called himself Duncan Lamont Brown and who we have a hunch might not be too far behind Mirkin in heading offshore - as well as hair director Lauren Gunn from Sebastian/Stephen Marr and M.A.C. makeup artist Josie Wignall. Great energy - and great backstage vibe. 

The producers: Mark Vassallo - MBFWA SS 12/13

backstage at josh goot SS1112/sydney may 2011

Sydney-born, but now "globally"-based  (or so he says on his new website), Mark Vassallo has had a hand in some of Australian Fashion Week’s biggest fashion ‘moments’ of recent years. He has played the roles of independent publisher (Mark and Petit Mal), editor (Follow), fashion director (Harpers Bazaar Australia), creative director, casting director and stylist. He launched the career of Gemma Ward, among others. And he has helmed a number of memorable  runway presentations, for designers such as Josh Goot, Dion Lee and Romance Was Born. As part of frockwriter’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia SS1213 series, we thought we should give it up for - and pick the brains of - some of the hardest-working, least-visible players of the fashion week pack – the producers. First up: Vassallo. 

Royal commission: The Queen's Australian tour wardrobe

reuters via daylife

Because noone ever seems to track what eightysomethings wear on the red carpet, frockwriter thought we would buck with tradition and clock the frocks in which HM Queen Elizabeth II rocks up during her 10-day visit to Australia. This is her 16th trip downunder and many predict it may be her last. After touching down yesterday in a British Airways 777 at Canberra's Fairbairn RAAF base - welcomed to Australia, for the first time in history, by an all-female Australian power posse in Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Governor General Quentin Bryce and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher - HM wore an aquamarine military-style coat by British couturier Stewart Parvin; a short-brimmed aquamarine straw hat festooned with grey silk flowers and plumage by Rachel Trevor-Morgan and a wattle and tea-tree blossom brooch designed by Paul Schneller, a sentimental favourite from the Royal Collection. Commissioned by Melbourne jeweller William Drummond & Co, the subsequently much-copied yellow and white diamond brooch was presented to the Queen by Prime Minister Robert Menzies in 1954, during her first Australian visit, reportedly eliciting the response: "I value this magnificent brooch not only for its artistic beauty but as the symbol of the kindness and loyalty of my people in Australia". Corgi suit-clad Republicans notwithstanding, the "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!"chant that erupted yesterday would indicate that she still has quite some local support.

Amanda Ware and Jordan Coulter cover Wish

We might not have seen Amanda Ware at any Milan Fashion Week shows this week, but she booked a solid showlist at this month's New York and London Fashion Weeks. And the Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 6 winner is about to score her second cover in four months of The Australian's luxury magazine Wish - alongside Jordan Coulter, another rising local star. Here is an exclusive preview of the October Wish cover and accompanying editorial which showcases brands including Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton. Lensed by Pierre Toussaint, with styling by Ken Thompson. On newsstands October 7th. 

Carla Zampatti's fair ladies

Frockwriter hears that Carla Zampatti had to have her arm twisted to use the basement of her Kent Street headquarters as a show venue on Thursday. Originally used in the late 1800s as a carriageway for horse-drawn vehicles, but now serving as Zampatti's garage, presumably the Australian fashion industry veteran figured the crumbling industrial interior was not sufficiently chi-chi for her classic, uptown designs. Celebrating her 46th year of business this year, good to see Zampatti take advice from a younger creative generation. The space was not unlike many edgy show venues that you would see at London Fashion Week. And stylist Michelle Jank made full use of the 19th century brickwork, using it as the backdrop for a model tableau that was choreographed at the end of the show. Wearing the strikingly elegant eveningwear from Zampatti’s 'Strength of Simplicity' Spring/Summer 2011/2012 collection, which included columns with sporty necklines in tangerine, cobalt, black and ivory and a pretty short shell pink taffeta puffball dress - all teamed with beautiful, Beaton-esque picture hat-like silk georgette headpieces from Jonathan Howard ‘Hatmaker’ - the models draped themselves over chairs and ladders at the end of the runway. The image evoked the iconic Cecil Beaton photograph of models in Christian Dior’s 1957 collection, which has been copied a number of times by fashion magazines - one example of which we spotted backstage as reference. 

Deep in Vogue - LMFF 2011

Second up on the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival's main runway schedule was the Vogue Australia showcase, featuring the finalists of LMFF's 2011 Designer Award: Melvin Tanaya's and Lyna Ty's three seasons old menswear brand Song for the Mute, which won the award, plus Arnsdorf, Bassike, Dress Up, Ellery, From Britten, Laurence Pasquier and Lui Hon. Styled by Vogue's Trevor Stones, it was an edgy showcase of exciting, emerging Australian design talent. And it wasn't only the new brands that attracted frockwriter's attention. Rachel Grasso (above) was also a standout. Modelling for four years and repped in Sydney by Priscilla's, the 20 year-old Perth native of Irish/Italian ancestry must have walked in front of our camera on more than one previous occasion. For some reason, we really noticed her this week.

The lovely bones: Anna Lundgaard

nick kelly/velour via noir facade

 

Frockwriter recently launched a new series dedicated to images of extreme thinness that are promoted by the fashion industry. Whether these are the fruit of contrived poses in which the models have been art directed, crafty Photoshop work or else that is exactly what the models in question look like, we thought it was worth sharing a few of those shots that some publishers green light, which prompt others to do a double take. While this hilarious shot of Dane Anna Lundgaard from the latest issue of Velour magazine is clearly a fantasy concept, we couldn't help pondering its inescapable irony against the backdrop of the skinny model debate. One assumes it may be deliberate satire. Lensed by Brit Nick Kelly and styled by Alexia Somerville, it's part of an editorial called 'Heroes or Villains' that is based on the cartoon superhero world. And quite possibly inspired by Skeletor and Scare Glow, the two skeletal villains of Mattel's Masters of the Universe cartoon franchise. Head to Noir Facade to see the rest of the series.

Emma Balfour shoots Willow... and Céline?

Here is a sneak peek at Australian modelling veteran Emma Balfour in Willow’s Resort 2010/2011 collection. The lookbook was shot yesterday by Max Doyle at designer Kit Willow’s Sydney headquarters and it was styled by Melanie Huynh. A stylist at Paris Vogue for five years and a former assistant to editor Carine Roitfeld, the now freelance Huynh flew out from her Paris base on Friday specifically for this job. It’s not the first time that Kit Willow and Huynh have worked together. Huynh styled Willow's 'Eclipse' Fall/Winter 2010/2011 show in New York in February (she also styled Joseph Altuzarra’s FW1011 show). Willow's Resort collection, entitled 'Bachelor Girl', will begin dropping into stores here in September and overseas, from October. Balfour was once a very big modelling name, who emerged in London in the early 1990s as part of the so-called “waif” brigade, that was spearheaded by Kate Moss. Balfour only recently returned to the business and frockwriter hears that she could be in for a major career boost - courtesy one very high profile French luxury brand.

Carla's killer chic

Pit stop two this morning was the Carla Zampatti SS1011 collection launch at Zampatti's magnificent Eastern suburbs home. Missed the first part of the show sadly, but did take in the eveningwear: a dramatically-styled series of draped cocktail gowns in charcoal, ivory and lipstick red. The makeup brief according to MAC's Nicole Thompson was "bright colour-blocking, 70's YSL/sculpted face with a shine, bright popping lips". The styling was courtesy one Michelle Jank (who, frockwriter hears, is also styling Camilla's show next week). Not sure if Jank also consulted on the collection proper, but at first glance it appeared that may have been the case. Zampatti is an Australian fashion industry icon and she is to be commended for her longevity. But a collaboration with a hot talent such as Jank would represent a win-win situation for both designers: Jank gets to eschew the mundanities of manufacturing and concentrate on her key creative strengths and Zampatti's brand gets a shot in the arm.

Carson Kressley talks Oz fashion, emus and tv conservatives

So Australian Fashion Week SS1011 is launched. Well, kind of. Wednesday's launch of the Frock Stars exhibition at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum served as a defacto kickoff, two weeks ahead of touchdown. Covered it briefly on Twitter. And frockwriter must admit, as we predicted, it was a little awkward. Case in point: amongst the speeches, not a peep from the event's founder Simon Lock, which seemed odd. The official schedule is now online. Frockwriter got pretty close to nailing it - here it is, superimposed over our original draft. Many thanks to all the tipsters who helped fill in the gaps. Celebrity stylist Carson Kressley was one of few celebs at Wednesday's launch. He was in town for a Westfield promotion and we had a quick chat - recorded on the BB using Qik.

The exhibition, which runs until the 29th August, features garments, sketches, photographs, videos and even press clippings (including one of my Sydney Morning Herald stories).

It was nice to see the following quote from Lock blown up at the exhibition's entrance and repeated on the Powerhouse website:

"Fashion week says to the world that Australia is able to compete in the most image-led, sophisticated, cultural market in the world, which is ready-to-wear fashion".

Giddy up

steven klein via nicola formichetti

How about something a little different for the upcoming Spring Racing Carnival? Fashion's bondage moment sees the men taking a turn being trussed up in this intriguing 30-page cover story for Vogue Hommes Japan. Shot by dark master Steven Klein, styled by Nicola Formichetti, the spread stars Ryan Koning, Stephen Novok, Travis Hanson, Oraine Barrett, Jason Morgan, Dough Porter, Colby Jamar and Anthony Gallo. For more images see Formichetti’s blog.




steven klein via nicola formichetti

The fur is flying in Melbourne, but where the hell is PETA?

Within one hour of touching down in Melbourne for this week's Marc Jacobs on Film festival, fashblogger Bryanboy told me he was approached by two animal rights protestors on Bourke Street over a fox fur collar he was sporting. One of two fur collars he brought to Melbourne. In the interim, the animal rights lobby has been asleep at the vegan leather-covered wheel. In spite of having been targeted by PETA last year back in his home town of Manila, a recent blog blowup about the origin of these particular furs - China - and furthermore, having repeatedly advertised his Melbourne location, not a peep out of PETA. And that's not for a lack of opportunities.

On Tuesday, frockwriter was down in Melbourne to moderate another FGI Fashion Flash industry seminar, this time at the Fashion Exposed trade show.

Spent the rest of the afternoon out and about town with Bryanboy and a blog posse that included Matt 'Imelda' Jordan, Helen 'Sassybella' Lee, Hayley Hughes and celebrity stylist Philip Boon.

Bryanboy was wearing the silver fox and frockwriter couldn't resist doing a little impromptu styling:




In case there is any doubt that that is, or at least was, a fox, here's a closeup of its face:



I did not manage to get a shot, but FYI the mouth opens and closes.

After we both tweeted the shots, I was a little concerned that Bryanboy might be on the receiving end of a bucket of red paint. And that I might inadvertently cop a little PETA "fur scum" rage by way of proximity:


imelda

But nada.

And as if Bryanboy needed any encouragement on the fur front, moreover, Boon appears to be even more of a fur-ophile.

Here's a shot from Boon's iPhone that was recently taken during a trip to the Victorian Alps:



This afternoon, Boon took Bryanboy on a Melbourne shopping tour, which swung by numerous shops selling vintage fur.



bryanboy

And apparently Bryanboy did not walk away empty-handed. Here he is back at the hotel:


bryanboy

Shots and shop locations were tweeted by both Bryanboy and Boon all afternoon.

But still, no reaction.

So there you have it.

In spite of recent protests outside the boutique of Melbourne designer Alannah Hill (and an email death threat which PETA denied had anything to do with them), PETA has lost the battle against fur in Melbourne - where a fur coat would no doubt come in very handy during the chilly southern winter.

Too busy busy pumping energy into the mulesing saga downunder?

A chat with Kelvin Harries

Sydney stylist Kelvin Harries pulls together all the David Jones shows. Here is a quick chat we had backstage after this morning's show, during which we talked trends and models - notably, just how young Australian models are supposed to get any runway experience now that Rosemount Australian Fashion Week has banned under-16s from its event and David Jones will now not use anyone under the age of 18.

Gaga for V

A sneak peek inside the engine room of a Lady Gaga fashion shoot, this just-posted video shows preparations and vignettes from an upcoming editorial in the 60th edition of edgy US fashion title V magazine. Styled by Nicola Formichetti, it was shot by Argentinian Sebastian Faena - who recently transformed Australians Catherine McNeil and Abbey Lee Kershaw into campy 60s horror heroines for another V editorial, entitled 'Hell's Bellas'.

Australia's Next Top (male) Model

Cat McNeil isn't the only Australian to benefit from Mario Testino's magic model touch. Meet Josh Dagnall - who's just been shot by Testino for V Magazine.

According to a story today in PerthNow moreover, the 16 year-old from Rockingham, WA, has MySpace to thank for the Testino coup - even if, apparently, he had never heard of the venerated fashion snapper prior to posing for him.



Perth stylist Lincoln Ferguson reportedly spotted Dagnall on MySpace and then hooked him up with "Sydney agent" Kirk Blake. Blake, in fact, is not an agent but a Sydney-based fashion scout who consults to various agencies. Dagnall is now repped locally by Scene Models.



Confusingly, PerthNow reports that Dagnall was in Year 11 at Warnbro High School and had just started an electrical apprenticeship when he got the model call.

Dagnall himself puts his age down as 28 on his MySpace page.

In these portfolio shots from the Scene website, he certainly looks well-preserved.



MySpace is emerging as a major fashion sourcing force.

Last year Dazed & Confused creative director Nicola Formichetti, who also styles freelance for names such as Gareth Pugh, told the UK Telegraph that he does most of his casting and sourcing these days via MySpace.

Noted Formichetti:

"MySpace is endless – you're not restricted by a casting director's book any more. Most people I now use are too much for casting directors anyway, because they might have loads of piercings, or crazy colours in their hair."