Whimsical princess with a rock n roll twist.

I have recently developed a new-level of appreciation for fashion designers/dress-makers/seamstresses - basically, anyone who can make clothes. I am currently taking a night course in sewing at CIT and the sheer patience and determination required is both frustrating and exciting. The only memory I have of touching a sewing machine was in year 7 when I made an apron. Suffice to say, I did not grow up in a household where the gentle rattles of a sewing machine were present in any way, shape or form. Vicky Kidd-Gallichan, on the other hand, has clear memories seeing sewing machines in action. She fondly remembers watching her Mother create beautiful clothes for her and her sister, her friends and even her dolls. One peach taffeta bridesmaid dress (a la Mum) later - Vicky fell in love. 

Vicky is the incredibly talented owner of Rockstars and Royalty - a Canberra-based label encompassing everything from couture bridal gowns and Victorian corsetry, to fascinators and jewellery. Vicky established Rockstars and Royalty in 2007 after moving to Canberra from the UK, where she grew up and studied metal work and jewellery-making. 'So you didn't even take a course in sewing or design?', I asked Vicky when she told me this today. 'No, I am completely self-taught', she replied, modestly. Wow, so THIS concept was self-taught...

Image courtesy of Leighton Hutchinson. 

You may recognise this gold and teal gown from the catwalk at FashFest earlier this year. To say it was a 'show-stopper' is somewhat of an understatement. Vicky's bold gowns truly represent the 'Royalty' half to her brand, and are in high demand in Canberra and interstate. For example, Vicky currently has dress commissions booked through until November next year. This comes as no surprise, as Vicky's creations are all uniquely handmade from her home studio and designed to reflect your personality and taste. Plus, each dress takes Vicky 80-100 hours to make.  

The 'Rockstars' half of Vicky's brand encompasses the edgy, burlesque and rock n roll-inspired pieces that are reminiscent of Vicky's personal style. I can quickly draw comparisons, for example, between Vicky's gorgeous fairy floss pink hair and colourful tattoos, with her jewellery (I have a pair of Vicky's red rose studs that are almost a spitting-image of the red rose tattoo on her arm). Other inspiration for Vicky's jewellery is drawn from her Grandmother's collection of costume jewellery that she used to play with as a child, as well as her own collection of vintage charms collected over time. 

Rockstars and Royalty will be at the Hustle&Scout market on 21 September. As well as her jewellery and accessories, Vicky will be bringing along a few of her stunning gowns for us all to 'ooo' and 'ahhh' over. It is not until you get up close to her gowns that you can truly appreciate the craftsmanship and skill involved. 

Vicky, who has attended so many markets that she now has it 'down to a fine art', tells me she loves chatting with her customers and hearing their feedback. So, if you're in the market (and at the market) for a beautiful quality, one-of-a-kind dress - look out for that glorious pink hair and go and say hello!

http://www.rockstarsandroyalty.com.au/index2.php#/home/

Do what you love. Love what you do.

When Marissa Christian's career as a Chartered Accountant was happily interrupted by the birth of her daughter, Lucia, it got her thinking about what ACTUALLY makes her happy. It was not long after enjoying the perks of maternity leave that she decided to turn her passion into her job. Long story, short - it wasn't accounting. 

Wink Jewellery was established in 2011. Marissa's inspiration behind Wink is 'to create jewellery that is simple and feminine and will look equally as good when layered with other pieces as it does when worn alone'. There is no denying that Marissa has well and truly fulfilled her own brief because her pieces are just that - simple and feminine, but also delicate and timeless. 

The simplicity of Wink Jewellery is its greatest strength because it is wearable and appeals to a range of ages. Each quality piece is created using a variety of materials such as gold, silver, crystal, pearls, glass, turquoise, sapphire, ruby, agate, and other semi-precious stones. Worn together, you can pull off a chunkier chic look with stacked bracelets or necklaces. This works particularly well with Wink's signature range of modern friendship bracelets, in which Marissa combines glass seed beads with pearls and other stones to create pieces that represent a special meaning - loyalty, honesty, courage, trust, generosity and strength. I wonder whether Marissa subconsciously started developing this range after riding the high of discovering and committing to her life's passion - her family and her small business. 

Other inspiration that has molded the Wink aesthetic is drawn from Marissa's interest in architecture and interior design. It is the minimalist forms and colour combinations expressed through design concepts that keep her creative cogs turning.

We should all take something away from Marissa's story. Too often do people surrender to social pressures and expectations when choosing their path in life. Our time on this planet is simply too short to put our passions on the sideline - we should be kicking goals and winning at life. 

I am looking forward to discovering what treasures Marissa will bring along to Hustle&Scout on 21 September. I think I'll be investing in a cocktail and a 'courage' bracelet.

http://www.wink-jewellery.com/