Exciting new partnership!

It has been another exciting week in the wonderful world of Hustle&Scout! We have got some incredible designers applying to be involved in the event - Corr Blimey, Andie Meredith, Pure Pod, SZN, Sovata, Wnd.lnd...just to name a few! My dream of making Hustle&Scout an event (more so than a 'market') that will showcase exclusively high-quality and one-of-a-kind pieces is so close to being realised. 

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting with the creative brains behind FashFest - 'power couple' Clint and Andrea Hutchinson and the man who wears many, many hats in the Canberra fashion world, Steve Wright. When we weren't gas-bagging about baby fashion get-up and the serious need for a locally designed baby fashion line with swagger (lookin at you Corr Blimey - leather booties & belts!), we revelled in our mutual appreciation for Canberra fashion and the people who dedicate their days to promoting its worth. As people who want to show-off our local talent by producing innovative events with a wow-factor, we agreed it would be silly not to collaborate. I won't give too much away just yet, but there has been talk of an event in the lead-up to Hustle&Scout that will really get the punters excited - blow your minds, if you will.

The success of FashFest has lead to the creation of a new business endeavour, which will act as the over-arching body for developing and delivering events such as FestFest and Help from the Underground. 

Introducing...Haus Models.

I am excited to divulge that Haus have come on board as partners in the magical Hustle&Scout adventure. Haus' mission is to support designers, models and advertisers at all levels of the fashion industry. This is particularly a fantastic initiative for supporting local, emerging models who are ready to take their careers to the next level. Look out for Haus & Hustle - I daresay the result of this exciting partnership will involve beautiful people and visual spectacles of quality standard. 

Watch this space for more updates friends, and be prepared to seriously celebrate local fashion in the coming months!

More menswear designers, please.

I've been spending some time with my brother this weekend before he jets off to Spain for work (sigh, jealous). I commented on how each time I see him he looks more and more stylish. Today's stupidly cold high of 8 degrees saw him decked out in a double-breasted jacket, a bright blue checked-shirt, latte woolen scarf, slim-fit dark denim jeans and navy suede shoes. Nice. He is an engineer and a cyclist, which I think speak a lot to his fashion choices = practical and comfortable. He probably spends the majority of his time tucked into sweet lycra so it's really lovely to see him decked out in quality gear.  

All of this aside, today really got me thinking about local menswear designers. This quickly transitioned to a big old *GULP*. Where are they all?!

Now, don't get me wrong, Canberra is not completely void of menswear designers. Take Perpetually Five, for example. CIT fashion grad Mitchell Thompson injects colour and playful prints into his pieces, creating both casual and dressy looks with somewhat of an X factor. Knave and Fables are another local menswear designer that warrant a mention. The brother and sister duo create high-quality mens jewellery drawing inspiration from organic shapes. I LOVE their stuff and it's very exciting to see designers pushing boundaries and taking a fashion-forward approach to their design concepts. I can't help but dream of my brother and me working together on such projects...

I sincerely hope that the coming generations of CIT fashion grads produce more menswear designers. I think it's time we started giving our blokes more home-grown fashion to get excited about (and our gals more fashion-forward blokes to perve on).  

Today's schizophrenic weather calls for shelter in the cosy confines on The Front Cafe. What an opportune time to take a few moments to reflect on what has been a busy but eye-opening week.

Yesterday I caught up with the bubbly Rebekah, owner of Material Pleasures. We ran through the rain, ate chicken and leek pie, laughed and exchanged stories...ok maybe I'm embellishing a little, but we ACTUALLY did do all of those things. Rebekah shared stories from when she first started selling earrings at the ripe age of 17 at the Gorman House Markets. She recalls, to this day, the exact amount of money she took home from her first market stint - $68. It's funny you know, because this seems to be common amongst people who have made a success of themselves - they always remember that moment where they thought, 'I think I can really make a success of this'. And so they go and do it - they chase their dreams. I took a lot from this, being in the early phases of chasing down something that I feel really passionate and excited about. My excitement soared to another level when I got a sneak-peek into the back room of the Material Pleasures empire. There were beautiful clothes EVERYWHERE - racks, bags and stockpiles - but all very organised into sections for what stays, what goes, and what belongs to which season. Ladies were busily ironing, sewing and sorting while the ladies out front were serving (always with smiles) and snapping pics for social media updates. A dedicated team working hard not only for their love of fashion, but for a wonderful woman.

This week I have also had the pleasure of meeting three lovely Canberra fashion bloggers: Fiona from Opshoppers, Jay from Closet Voyage and Elle from Elle's Fashion Boudoir. I have to say, I am stoked to have met three such down-to-earth and genuine ladies. Since going 'live' with this new venture, I have been amazed at the enthusiasm and support from the Canberra fashion community. You know, I don't really know if I would have had a similar response if I were based in one of the 'big cities'. There's something special about our city - we are community-minded and we are not afraid to get in touch with a stranger and say 'Hey there, I think we we could collaborate at some point because we're both into the same thing'. GO CANBERRA. 

I am pumped for this week to come. Some interviews lined up and some more catch-ups with some lovely folk, including the crew at Haus Models. Looking forward to seeing where this week takes me...

Recent news of Lisa Ho's business going into liquidation has really got me thinking. It is SUCH a shame that talented and respected designers, such as Ho, have had to pack-up shop and farewell the fashion industry, all due to the fast-paced pressures of an international fashion industry built on mass-production. 

These days, it has become very apparent that people are opting for cheap, knock-off designer pieces over quality, Australian made fashion. In many respects, I don't blame these people (and I too am guilty of having several mass-produced labels in my wardrobe). The trouble is, this kind of fashion is so accessible (online and in every shopping mall) and a lot of people simply do not have the time to seek out unique, Australian-made pieces. The fashion industry creates 'trends' that the majority of us have little choice but to follow, so when we hear about designers going bust we really have to look at ourselves and the choices we make each time we whip out that credit card. 

'Conscious consumerism' is a term that is thrown around a bit these days. It is premised on the idea that we should all look more deeply into the products we purchase. I do this when I buy free-range eggs and when I look out for grain-fed meat, but do I really do it when I shop around for my next look? If we all made the conscious decision to buy pre-loved, Australian-made and locally-designed - we could set the Australian fashion industry back onto the right course. 

The great thing about buying vintage is we are essentially recycling our fashion rather than adding to landfill. The awesome thing about buying Australian-made and locally-designed fashion is transparency - we know where it has come from, and we can learn about the stories behind each piece. I imagine a lot of the stories connected to mass-produced fashion today can be traced back to an over-worked and under-paid woman in Bangladesh - that's not a story I want to connect with my body. 

All of this reinforces my goal for Hustle&Scout. If we can provide the public with more opportunities to buy from local designers, chat to them, form associations with their collections and hear about their inspiration, we can really give something back. We had our minds blown when we were introduced to our talented designers at FashFest, so it seems only timely to open up a space for these designers to network, chat to the public and launch their careers! 

Designer a day: SUNDAY (the last day of the challenge!)

Today is the final day for my 'designer a day' challenge. I think I did alright! I was really happy to see that my wardrobe consisted of so many pieces by Australian designers and from local, Canberra businesses. 

Sunday's outfit consists of drop-crotch Peter Plaid jodhs by designer Soto Smith (sotosmith.com). I cannot get enough of these pants - they are so comfy and warm and I can't help but feel a little swagger come on when I throw these bad-boys on :) I am also wearing a thrifted Ralph Lauren shirt (thank you Salvos Fyshwick) and a recycled, velvet bow-tie brooch by 9 Lives Re-creation. 

WELL! That was an interesting week of taking shameless selfie's...not really used to the concept, but all to make a point. Hustle&Scout is really about championing Australian designers and one-of-a-kind fashion pieces. I'm not suggesting mass-produced consumer brands are bad, but if we have more access to unique, Australian designer fashion then why not support our home-grown talent?! This is what Hustle&Scout hopes to instill in all of its future customers. 

Designer a day: SATURDAY

Tonight's lil 1980s mustard number was purchased from Canberra's one and only, Librarian Chic. I LOVE this dress and wish I had more opportunities to wear it. It's rather sculptural, which really appeals to me - it makes me feel like I'm wearing a retro piece of art. 

The gorgeous earrings above were a commissioned piece organised by my lovely friend, Belle. She designed the earrings specifically for me as a wedding gift (sorry Simon) and worked closely with Melbourne jewellery designer, Aurelia Yeomans, to realise the final design. Belle told me she wanted something raw and rustic-feeling, oval to go with the shape of my ear and face, silver to go with my fair complexion, and a little 'bling' to transform them into a versatile piece for formal and informal use. There is a 'T' engraved on one, and an 'S' on the other. Belle said, 'like Simon and you, these earrings are a pair, and one cannot exist without the other'.

Five diamonds were selected specifically to represent balance. I did not understand this at first, but I learnt today that balance boils down to odds, not evens. This is what I love about fashion and design - so many pieces are designed with very carefully considered concepts in mind. The fact that these were designed for MY ear shape, face shape and complexion, AND are intended to represent the love between my man and me makes them SO much more special. 

A designer a day: FRIDAY

...OR you could don a super sexy leather jacket and call it a night? Or both?

Today's ensemble consists of electric blue Bettie Page wiggle dress with upcycled rubber necklace by Australian designer, 9 Lives Re-creation. Topped it all off with a sweet caramel 1960s leather jacket, delish!

I wore this outfit to the launch of Darling Central's new store in Gold Creek this evening. I consciously tried to mix old with new and LOVE blue and caramel together.

FYI: Darling Central are Canberra's one-stop-shop for beautiful quality, vintage-inspired outfits. Pieces are inspired by styles spanning from the 1920s to 1960s. This cute boutique  stocks brands such as Bettie Page and Bernie Dexter (2 of my personal favs). You can drool over their range at http://www.thedarlingsisters.com/. 

Dream BIG.

I am having a bit of a moment. I don't know what changed, but this year has well and truly turned into the year of being PROACTIVE and not being afraid. It sounds so cliche, but sometimes I get dizzy with the idea that we only get one chance at life and I freak myself into making goals and taking steps to follow through with them. My partner in crime, Simon, was the one that really made me believe I could do anything.

To those of you out there...even if it is just the few people that read this post...ask yourself this: 'what would I do if I knew I could not fail?'. Follow through with your dreams, and dream BIG.   

A designer a day: THURSDAY

Today's ensemble features wool-blend coat by Melbourne-based label, Munk, which I purchased second-hand from the lovely Mel at Librarian Chic. Librarian Chic sell beautiful quality designer labels and are often spotted at Bus-Depot Markets. They also have a great online shop: http://www.librarianchic.com.au/. 

My pink jersey scarf is by Goulbourn-based textile designer, Third Bird. Known for their contemporary and unique patterned accessories, ceramics and homewares - Third Bird are an Australian favourite. I love this scarf because it is compeltely one-of-a-kind. http://www.etsy.com/au/shop/thirdbird?ref=em  http://thirdbirddesign.blogspot.com.au/

Here's a closer look at the detail from the jersey scarf range...

  

First musician lined-up for the market - the lovely James Pender. James is classically trained in guitar, piano and violin, but is more commonly known for his acoustic gigs around Canberra. 

This is a pic of James playing at my wedding in Braidwood. Simon and I asked James if he could do us a rendition of 'Tale as old as time' from Beauty and the Beast for our wedding song (we're big Disney fans). James took on the challenge and made our day so much more special because of it. Looking forward to having him be a part of another new chapter of my life. 

www.jamespender.com.au

A designer a day: WEDNESDAY



Handmade 50s-inspired dress by Australian designer and collector of all things vintage - Coco Repose. Love the button details on the collar. 

A designer a day: TUESDAY

Today's outfit - stripe skirt by Blue Mountains designer, Violet Fish, paired with vintage cape and gold-studded tights and shoes. http://www.violetfishfashion.com.au/

A designer a day: MONDAY

This week I am putting my wardrobe to the test. I will wear pieces by Australian designers or local Canberra labels. Today's outfit - long stormtrooper t by E4 clothing, and vintage knit cardy from Material Pleasures. This should be fairly easy :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hello fashy friends...

4 words: NEW CANBERRA FASHION MARKET. 

More soon... x