Céline Paris/Sydney - On the Eastern Suburbs Line..

It's always interesting , what your eye is drawn to, and how when you spot something once it can start turning up all over the place. I do think that the Céline Paris tee shirt is on the rise in Sydney going by my recent experiences.. Is it because when I Google "Céline Paris" I find a line of advertisements of Tee Shirts like these on EBay.com.au  from 13.99! 

I don't really know, but that bag does look like it might have the famous Céline bag silhouette, albeit with the ends folded in instead of folded out; and I think this is a pretty fabulous pared down ensemble, the Tee, the black bandage skirt and suede boots and large brown bag; right down to the white iPhone ear buds, nearly every commuters friends these days it seems.

Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 

Deeper into a Surrealist Bodyscape - Lexi Land's 'Illuminating Darkness' 2013

Last Thursday evening saw the launch of Lexi Land's much anticipated 2013 solo exhibition "Illuminating Darkness" at Leonard Mattis Studio in Sydney's Surry Hills. Much anticipated? Yes I think so, and certainly not only by me after last years successful "Pieces of Me" exhibition shown at the same venue. Lexi has the great sense or is it marketing genius of dropping hints-of-her-new-works; and the occasional completed image onto her facebook page so we all have some idea of where she is going with her next show; which on this occassion seems to be deeper into a DADAist or Surrealist trance and spiritual collaboration with the likes of Man Ray and Kurt Schwitters; all the while becoming her very own auto-manipulated and life-size Hans Bellmer doll.

The evening began in darkness with guests being asked to view the artworks with tiny LED torches and three hours later the evening concluded in the same vein, at which time I took the opportunity to not only photograph a small sample of the works by torchlight (including a shadowy self portrait reflected in Lexi's glory) but also some portraits of the as-always wonderfully-dressed and styled Lexi herself using the very same torchlight for illumination.  "Illuminating Darkness" from now until the 26 of October, details below..

ILLUMINATING DARKNESS
DISSECTED DREAMSCAPES OF A LUNARTIC

Leonard Mattis Studio
8 Fitzroy Place, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia

26TH SEPTEMBER - 25TH OCTOBER

HOURS:
Mon/CLOSED
Tues/Thursday 10am - 8pm
Wed/Fri/Saturday 10am - 6pm

Lexi Land on Facebook
Leonard Mattis Studio on Facebook

Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 

Back follows Front - Details Remain Seen..

I don't think I have ever posted a solo 'reverse' view of an outfit before but I could not resist with this shot, this outfit; seen at Black Eye gallery on Thursday night. A perfect Spring ensemble of midnight blue shorts, in a 'dress' running short style! Light linen jacket, essential large bag for your goodies and some stylish matching heels. Of course people just don't look at what you are wearing from in front, the details can also be seen from behind.. And a rather wonderful portrait show, PASSION AND PASSION  - A transparent view of Man by photographer ANDREAS SMETANA; clever without being cliché. Well worth a look http://blackeyegallery.com.au/..

Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 

The Social Party at Pelicano David Jones for VFNO ..

Was it a big night out, you bet it was; after all it was the 4th Edition of Vogue Fashion's Night Out in Sydney and 'The Social Party' was "The central hub of Vogue Fashion’s Night Out - this hot spot at Fashion’s Night Out will be the central focus for designers, Vogue editorial teams and artists who have performed throughout the night on the culture stage."

Aided and abetted by ULTIMAT VODKA and PATRÓN TEQUILA cocktails which seemed to make everyone happy, they were certainly enjoyed by my friends and I. And it really was the social hub of VFNO and I do need to pay a little more attention so I can do a bit more social schmoozing and networking while I am out-and-about as my viewing of the 'official party pictures' shows more than a few people I would have loved to have shared some fashion time with!

The Social Party venue also played host to Vogue fashion & portrait photographer Hugh Stewart's pop-up portrait studio where Hugh with his team of assistants and the fabulous make-over team from YSL cosmetics spent the night creating beautiful portraits against a black background. I have seen this sort of mini studio before but I have never seen one with a photographer of Hugh's calibre at the helm. Well done Hugh!

Photographer Hugh Stewart taking a call.

And of course I do love documenting Sydney's social and fashionable set. It's great to be able to create fabulous pictures of such fabulous events!

Previous VFNO posts on Street Fashion Sydney,
2013 - VFNO - Getting it on in the Pitt Street Mall with the Big VOGUE Balloon
2012 - VFNO - Miranda Kerr & KORA - & The Crowd Went Wild!
2011 - VOGUE FNO Sydney - The People's Fashion Night!

 Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 

VFNO - Getting it on in the Pitt Street Mall with the Big VOGUE Balloon.

While waiting for friend and fellow fashion blogger of Viva La Viv Vivienne Shui to attend Vogue Fashion's Night Out 'The Social Party' at Level 7 of David Jones; I decided to snap a little of the activity in the Pitt Street Mall while soaking up the vibe of the evening, here are the shots including Viv with the big illuminated VOGUE FNO balloon light which everyone interested in the night seemed to want to take a picture of! Stay tuned for the 'The Social Party' event write up cross blogged by Vivienne and myself, till then..

Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 

VICE Mag's - Richard Kern Exhibition Sydney + 'Wanderlust' Fashion Campaign - Film by Oliver Heath.

A big night last Thursday for Photography and Film, Portrait and Fashion.. First off portraits by reining king(?) of voyeuristic soft porn photography Richard Kern. I must say I was feeling a bit conflicted by this show as although his website states "Richard Kern, photographer and filmmaker remains, first and foremost, a portraitist." I found his hit-and-run approach to portraiture seemed to say more about 'Kern, me-me-me as a photographer' than he was able to say with his camera about most of his sitters. And quite frankly I think his nudie pictures of young women are far better than his portraits - if you like that sort of thing which apparently VICE mag does, (there is a complete series of R.K at work over on the VICE web site here - Shot by Kern - the same films showing now on SBS 2) then I would go look at his girly pictures instead - which begs the question VICE Magazine; why the portraits and not a room full of nudes???

Director Oliver Heath - 'Bless'ed are the Meek'  'Wanderlust' Fashion Film at Oxford Art Factory..

After about 45 Min at the 'Vice Portrait Show' it was time to head over to the Oxford Art Factory to see the official launch of hat wearing friend Oliver Heath's fashion video for Bless'ed are the Meek's SS13 fashion campaign 'Wanderlust' which was shot in the outback of Australia's Northern Territory. I must say it is nice to have an Aussie fashion label shooting in the Australian Outback; using the exotic nature of this great continent as the inspiration for the visual imagery.

I suppose I should also mention I have had a bit of a 'bee in my bonnet' and have had the occasional dummy-spit over so many Australian fashion brands taking the USA Route 66 - We-have-no-idea-so-lets-take-a-North-American-Road-Trip approach to fashion 'cool'.. that I take my hat off to Mother&Father PR' Bless'ed are the Meek & Tourism Northern Territory and all involved for pulling this campaign off.

S/S13 Wanderlust Campaign from Bless'ed are the meek on Vimeo.

Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1