Once upon a time in David Jones

the great restaurant at david jones, 1938

With apologies to Miranda Kerr, the terrific cast and some great Australian designer offerings at David Jones' Autumn/Winter 2012 showcase on Wednesday, in frockwriter's opinion the real star of the evening was DJs' just-restored On Seven space. This was no mere refurb, but essentially the fruit of retail archaeology - not to mention a multimillion dollar budget that must have made the David Jones board hyperventilate when it was first proposed mid 2011, shortly after ceo Paul Zahra issued a shock profit downgrade. Originally launched in 1928 as The Great Restaurant, the space was shuttered in 1965 and eventually cut in half with a floating ceiling in 1981, to make room for an international designer brand floor. The remaining void became home to over 200 different utility cables and a lot of dust. The space has been hidden from public view for the best part of 50 years.

Nicole Trunfio to officially replace Miranda Kerr as the face of David Jones' winter 2011 launch

vogue italia

In July, following the news that Miranda Kerr would be skipping David Jones’ Spring/Summer 2010/2011 runway showcase to enjoy her honeymoon with Orlando Bloom – amidst a deafening chorus of speculation she was three months pregnant – frockwriter predicted that Nicole Trunfio would replace Kerr as the face of the department store’s upcoming Autumn/Winter 2011 runway showcase and that Kerr would resume her official duties for the Spring/Summer launch in July 2011. So it’s official. Today’s Sunday Telegraph reports that Trunfio will “replace [Kerr] as the star of the David Jones Winter 2011 season”. Trunfio, who is also currently profiled in a video interview on the website of Vogue Italia, was flown by DJs to Sydney this week to shoot the winter catalogue. 

Myer backstage at RSFF

sonny vandevelde

Herewith an exclusive preview of Sonny Vandevelde's backstage portfolio from Myer's SS0910 show last night in Sydney, in which we saw a lot of colour, a lot of dresses, "statement shoulders", as Myer face Jennifer Hawkins referred to the silhouette in our video chat - even if 'the Balenciaga shoulder' is what we called it at RAFW four months ago - and rather a lot of eveningwear. The show commenced with an eveningwear medley from various designers and closed with Aurelio Costarella, the Perth eveningwear specialist who has spent the past few years showing at New York Fashion Week. And who told frockwriter last night that, GFC notwithstanding, there are still plenty of Australian women who think of nothing of spending $2500 on a special dress. Costarella also observed that showing in New York is "less stressful" than showing in Sydney.

Toni Maticevski's new Maticevski Sweethearts line also enjoyed an outing. That's Maticevksi's new bridesmaid-skewed line of dresses that is fully customizable up to a size 24. Did any plus size models get a guernsey in that section? Not a chance. After making such a song and dance about including plus size models in Myer's suburban shows, it seemed like a lost opportunity at last night's high-profile launch event.

The cast included Australian haute couture queen Alexandra Agoston, fresh from the Paris couture shows, ANTM Cycle 5 winner Tahnee Atkinson, Rachel Rutt, Simone Kerr, runway veteran Tanya G and Tallulah Morton.

For more pics from the show head to Sonny Photos.










all photos: sonny vandevelde

A chat with Tahnee Atkinson at Myer

Also on deck at Myer's SS0910 show last night was Tahnee Atkinson, the winner of Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 5. Here is the quick chat we had just prior to the show kickoff. On the agenda: her upcoming gigs and how she is finding the real world of modelling vis-à-vis the ANTM modelling hothouse. We also briefly touched on the recent Facebook imbroglio, which saw show co-hosts Charlotte Dawson and Alex Perry lambast Cycle 5 runnerup Cassi van den Dungen after the cameras had stopped rolling, over her decision to decline contract offers from Priscillas and Elite New York.

A chat with Jennifer Hawkins at Myer

A (very brief) chat I had last night with Myer face and former Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins. We did the interview in Hawkins' private green room area and look, I'm not quite sure what it is with model green rooms and lights, but after recording Miranda Kerr's interstate press conference in her backstage green room after the David Jones show on August 4 - in near darkness - at one point, one of Hawkins' minders helpfully stood right in front of the only light that we had at our disposal. Only to then have the light disconnected altogether.

Props to Myer for welcoming plus size models onto its SS0910 runways. But why exclude them from the big Sydney media launch?

beth ditto for evans/news.softpedia.com



In addition to semi-regular fashion chats with various radio stations, I am now doing a fortnightly chinwag with the Afternoons with Carole Whitelock show on ABC Adelaide, every second Tuesday at 2.00pm AEST. This week, we discussed the news of the move by Australian department store Myer to incorporate plus-size models in its upcoming Spring/Summer 2009/2010 season launch parades around Australia - and the general subject of fashion and the larger woman. Click the player above to hear the iv. I do hasten to add here, however, that the plus-size models will be appearing everywhere other than the Sydney launch on August 19. At the time of the interview, having read several interstate stories, I believed they may also have been due to appear in Sydney. My apologies for the confusion. Myer's plus-size brands – which include Basque Woman, Jane Lamerton, Taking Shape, Nouvelle Woman and Estelle – will only be shown in the consumer parades. Myer spokesman Mitch Catlin told frockwriter that plus-size models will appear in Myer's consumer parades, including the five Sydney downtown parades, but not at the most high profile event on August 19, “Because that [parade] is Australian designer and they don’t make plus size. Also, it’s a media event, not a public event. We decided that all of our public events would reflect what consumers are buying”.

Although the public might not be invited to the Sydney press launch, they will of course be viewing the reports.

As we already know moreover, one of Myer's best-known designer brands, Leona Edmiston, does in fact cater up to a size 24. Same goes for Toni Maticevski who, from this month in 20 Myer stores, will offer a custom-make bridesmaids range called Maticevski Sweethearts that also caters up to a size 24.

So that's two of Myer's headline designers who will be featured in the August 19 show, who already cater to the plus-size market. Why on earth not show some of their merchandise?

I wrote about Edmiston's decision to upsize to 24 on my Fully Chic blog at NEWS.com.au.

Fully Chic readers who migrated to frockwriter may recall that the Leona Edmiston post prompted quite some debate – not to mention vitriol. And from both sides; that is, from both fat and skinny bashers.

Many larger women applauded Edmiston's decision to finally cater to their needs, while some criticised her decision to sell the larger sizes in the online boutique only. Others claimed the move was "normalising" obesity.

One commenter attracted a lot of attention - from not just blog readers, but also from the hosts of 10 Australian radio shows that wound up talking about the post - when she noted that she would hate turning up to a party in exactly the same dress that a size 24 was wearing.

Edmiston's decision to make larger sizes available exclusively online was based on the company's market research that indicated many larger women feel uncomfortable in designer boutiques - something that was certainly borne out in comments on the Fully Chic post.

Several months later, I did an interview with Paris-based American plus-size model Velvet d’Amour, who says she has been criticised for "ruining" the plus-size modelling industry because she is so much bigger than the plus-size norm.

I had originally interviewed Velvet in October 2006, when she was modelling in Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring/Summer 2007 show in Paris. It was her first full-length interview and it attracted quite a lot of attention at the time, notably from the US.

Last year's Fully Chic interview also prompted heated debate amongst NEWS.com.au readers – and yet more vitriol. Although Velvet encouraged me to publish some of the harshest comments, to demonstrate the vilification that is often faced by larger people, there were many, many comments which just could not see the light of day because they were so disgusting.

Damn those larger ladies and their propensity to hog the fashion spotlight. Can’t they just stick to muumuus? Don't they know their place?

Apparently not. As Velvet noted in the latter interview, there is a “quiet, fat revolution” underway, spearheaded by larger-than-life high-profilers such as Beth Ditto.

Ditto, the frontwoman of American indie rock outfit Gossip, has no fear of fashion, pouring herself into Hervé Leger and Alexander McQueen – among other brands - all of it presumably custom-made by designers who don’t mind high-profile larger women wearing their clothes. Which is, one has to say, pretty unusual. Although truth be told, the designer brands worn by Ditto would be hard pressed to cater to even a size 16 in their regular offerings.

At the same time Ditto, alongside other larger celebrities, stands accused by medical authorities of helping normalise obesity, which of course many believe is rising at alarming levels around the world.

While others believe the obesity epidemic has been overstated.

Earlier this year Ditto made the inaugural cover - and naked - of Katie Grand’s new magazine LOVE.

Last month she unveiled a collab line with British plus-size highstreet chain Evans.

David Jones's rainbow children

kent vaughan


Frockwriter talked about the intense colour in David Jones's Spring/Summer 09/10 show - and mentioned there was a makeup brief to match. Here is a backstage close-up look: Chic's Annika Kaban in the 'Youthful Beauty' look designed by Shu Uemura makeup director Jody Oliver to accompany the eye-popping colour of several collections, notably Akira and Easton Pearson.

On the campaign trail with Miranda Kerr

After today's David Jones Spring/Summer 2009/2010 presentation, I made my way backstage to attempt to track down some models and notably, the star, Australian supermod Miranda Kerr. In attempting to secure a one-on-one - which I did eventually, albeit very brief - I wound up tailing Kerr as she attended to a series of press commitments, recording as I went with live streaming video. Here is the series of videos. And apologies for the poor quality. The light backstage in the green room was particularly bad.

First up: a big post-show photocall on the runway with all the photographers, during which Kerr was joined by the retailer's former face, now DJs ambassador, Megan Gale:



Then, a kind of mini press conference backstage in Kerr's private green room, during which Kerr answered questions from the interstate press. After taking notes initially, I thought I would just start recording in the hope that at least Kerr's answers would be audible:



Once the interstate press had cleared out of the green room, a camera crew from Nine's prime time tabloid tv show A Current Affair rocked up to discuss the best place to record Kerr's voiceover for a story that is apparently going to air tonight.

Kerr is the reporter on the story and I was told that in it, she interviews several David Jones parties and designers.

Evidently, there was no time for Kerr to return to the Nine studios to put the voice down, so she was obliged to do it in the field. As do in fact many bona fide reporters. I mentioned to Kerr that Elsa Klensch's producer at CNN once told me that Klensch - who pioneered fashion television news on CNN in the early 1980s - used to put down V/Os for her on-the-road stories in hotel rooms, with a wet towel over her head creating a mini studio.

After traipsing around backstage it was eventually decided that the green room was the best option. I was with the DJs posse so I went in as well. And, quality or no quality, figured it was too good an opportunity to pass up so I flicked the record sitch. At one point, I managed to signal to someone to please turn up the lights so fortunately the light does improve at one point.

On several occasions the producer tutors Kerr vis-à-vis emphasis and also pronunciation, with a debate erupting at one point over her use of the American "zee" instead of the Australian "zed".

Given that the producer spoke with a broad Scottish accent, it was somewhat amusing.

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.

David Jones Spring/Summer 2009/2010

OK folks, I'm heading down to Fox Studios to cover David Jones Spring/Summer 2009/2010 season launch show. The plan is to cover live on the spot. Think back to Rosemount Australian Fashion Week and the temporary rolling news format that the blog took that week. For those of you who don't already use Twitter, I have opened up a Twitter widget to the right-hand side so that you can follow the tweets and TwitPics. Just click on the links to see the shots. Pending work commitments, I will try to come back to the blog a little later for a more considered wrap.

So far have been unable to secure backstage access, which is a shame but if David Jones doesn’t want one of the world’s best backstage photographers at its show – Sonny Vandevelde, who is welcomed backstage at the shows of most of the international luxury brands stocked by DJs – then what chance does little old frockwriter have? Sonny is invited but has to sit in the audience.

This time last year we did run some great backstage stuff of the girls taken by Kent Vaughan (Mr Frockwriter FYI), a makeup artist who was working at that show for Estee Lauder but who has since moved over to Shu Uemura. Conveniently perhaps Shu Uemura has since picked up the David Jones show reins from Lauder. At the February show however - to which frockwriter was not invited - backstage security searched bags of all personnel entering the premises looking for cameras, so security has evidently been stepped up.

Plenty of people who work on shows take photos for their own records, including the models themselves. Frockwriter wonders if DJs plans to also confiscate mobile phones.

Leaving to one side those photographers whose sole interest in taking shots of half-naked models getting dressed, backstage photography generates considerable positive coverage and buzz about fashion shows.

Frockwriter also asked for a list of the complete model cast. Apart from Miranda Kerr, Jennifer Hawkins and one or two others, most of the models at these store parades remain nameless.

Chic Management has 17 models in the show, from a cast of what DJs informs us is a cast of 37.

Beyond Kerr, here are the Chic Management names were were allowed to report:

Rachel Rutt
Annabel Maitland
Anna J
Camille Yi
Charlotte Lohmann

As for the SS0910 trends backed by DJs for this season, going from the DJs release, we can expect to see harem pants, safari jackets and lightweight trenches, boyfriend jackets, animal prints, stripes, embellishment and lots and lots of colour.

Colour was also the brief for the makeup team.

Forget store wars, now it's a social media skirmish

Sydney’s so-called “store wars” - a biannual fashion faceoff between Australia's two department store chains - kicks off tomorrow morning with the David Jones Spring/Summer 2009/2010 launch parade. David Jones has been feeding stories to the traditional press over the past few weeks, as the company has done for many years. Myer meanwhile, whose show is not until the 19th August, has decided to dive into the social media arena. Not only is Myer already on Twitter, unlike David Jones, Myer has also just revamped its website. There is as yet no direct two-way communication via blog or other on the site however three video profiles that were uploaded to YouTube over the past 24 hours (see below) do have a comment component, so you could say that Myer is edging towards giving its online audience a genuine Web 2.0 experience. David Jones does have a YouTube video channel however it does not appear to be integrated to the David Jones website, which is stuck in the Web 1.0 dark ages. In fact the most exciting brand message currently being communicated by DJs website is its offer of a 25percent discount.

Murder on the shop floor

racked

What is it with luxury retailers and their horror window displays? Oh yes, that's right, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Frockwriter recently showed you the spooky, Re-animator-style windows at Hermes’ Australian flagship in Sydney, which depicted the skeleton of a mad scientist attempting to resuscitate a series of dead critters. This followed a 'Murder at Midnight'-themed display in the same store, which showcased a pair of bloodied scissors and detailed the lengths to which a desperate luxury enthusiast might go to get their hands on a Birkin. Well now Barneys New York has gone one better at its New York flagship. Two Expressionistic window displays feature discombobulated store mannequins that appear to be the victims of some violent crime - complete with splatters of fake blood on the glass. UPDATE 23/07: The windows have now been removed by Barneys.


racked

The windows are not located in prime position on Madison Avenue, which the store fronts, but instead a series of slightly more discreet vestibule displays.

But that has not stopped them coming to the attention of New York media blog Racked – and indeed some of the site’s readers, who don’t seem particularly impressed.

Notes one:

“You have got to be kidding. Violence against women is such a huge global and domestic problem - often culturally ingrained and acceptable - honor killings as just one well-known example. What is wrong with you? This is horrific and totally inhumane. Let's have a torture window as well - we could have waterboarding for displays of swimwear - would that excite you?”

While according to another Racked reader:

“How witty and clever! Elegantly dressed woman dying violent, bloody deaths.

How modern, how post-feminist, how curiously emblematic of the newly hip tolerance for making sport of women. What's next, a mannequin buried up to her limp neck, rocks strewn about, her chandelier earrings dangling "just so" from her lifeless frame?

This season, I will not be caught dead in...Barney's.”

The problem for Barneys – and of course many other retailers, notably at the luxury end of the market – is that shoppers won’t be caught dead inside their stores at the moment, irrespective of what they have in their window displays.

With luxury department store sales plunging, amid drastic price-slashing, the US retail shopfloor is increasingly looking like a bloodbath. So is it at all surprising that the retailers' creative departments are so keen to play out this horror scenario in their VM displays?

Although one of the last department stores to cut staff, in March, the Barneys New York department store chain has not had a ceo for the past year.

In April, the company received a US$25million cash injection from parent company Istithmar World, the Government of Dubai-owned, Dubai-based private equity company which acquired Barneys New York – and US$500million associated debt - in 2007 for US$942milllion.

Two Barneys stores are tipped to close, amidst speculation that Istithmar World may offload the retailer altogether.