Cocktails and Couture, Fashion Start-up Insights with Kacey Devlin

Another K&L Gates event of Fashion intelligence; this time with National Designer Award winner Kacey KACEY/DEVLIN Devlin (KD); is that an eponymous label name? I think so. This intimate evening talk Cocktails and Couture was not about the usual branding or design elements of fashion; it was about developing depth to your fashion business through a deeper understanding of business. This was the second time KD had applied for the award which is only open to designers in the first five years of their operations; as if starting out is not tricky enough - this prize is highly demanding in terms of preparation - though the "prize bursary valued at over $100,000 including cash" must certainly be a shot in the arm for any new business. There were a few key takeaways for me from this Q&A type discussion with Kacey, chaired by K&L Gates IP Partner Lisa Egan.

• Understand your clientele.
• You can't do everything yourself (forever).
• Treat it like a business - and keep some time for life.
• Not all opportunities are (good) for you!

One of the things I found fascinating was that KD had a strong background in PR here in Sydney and mentioned having interned during her fashion design studies; and after graduation worked in fashion PR for some years before finally biting the bullet and starting her own label. I have to say her marketing looks spot on and I can feel the fashion when looking at the pictures; which is great and a little unusual. Curiously, in the days before this event I read somewhere - but where - that designers were not "draping" anymore; and yet here is a designer that does draping beautifully! And it was in conversation about draping and wrapping that Kasey gave us some insights into both her design process and understanding her all female clientele. In a nutshell the garment is informed by a flexible fit/fastenings evolved out of the draping, and watching how women chose to wrap their clothing on their bodies. One could almost call it a scientific approach to design. While watching the slides I was drawn to the idea that many of the KD designs would also work very well for men. I took the opportunity during question time to ask if there might be a menswear range on it's way. Sadly the answer is no, or not yet  and "men don't buy fashion" which is pretty much true. We buy clothes.. and that's about it really - come on Aussie guys! Anyway; congratulations to Kacey Devlin &  KACEY/DEVLIN and thank you to K&L Gates for a top night with lovely drinks and food; it really was a wonderful and informative evening of business and fashion.

Oh, and it's all made here in Australia - Cheers to that too!
http://www.kaceydevlin.com/ http://www.klgates.com/
Previously with K&L Gates, http://streetfashionsydney.blogspot.com.au/is-it-yours-is-it-stolen.html

Telling Stories in Pictures all over..

Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Back in SydneyLand - Art All Around & Fashion at The Strand..

Yes back making the gallery rounds in Sydney, seeing lovely work and catching up with friends and sharing a few drinks as well. And the best place for a few glasses this week was the Veuve Clicquot bar / meet the designers night at The Strand Arcade. And you know what, The Strand really must be right up there as one of the most beautiful covered arcades in the world - yes truly, so don't forget to give it some thoughtful appreciation next time you go wandering through..

July saw the lunch of new -f-i-l-t-e-r- gallery at the previous Badger and Fox space; 201 Albion Street with Peter Maddison and Ian Geraghty moving the focus to contemporary art. Fridays and Saturday only. Scroll DOWN for more Shows & Pictures..

Peter Maddison and Ian Geraghty Opening of -f-i-l-t-e-r- gallery.

If you have ever wondered what Reductive or Non Objective art is all about; LINE AND SPACE: curated by Suzie Idiens ON NOW at Crawford gallery is a great show to access this style of work. Lynne Eastaway, PJ Hickman, Annelies Jahn, Pollyxenia joannou, Brent Hallard, Susan Andrews and Louise Blyton. A very nice show indeed.

PJ Hickman, Annelies Jahn, Suzie Idiens (curator), Susan Andrews, Lynne Eastaway.

Two stylish young women at “HER” M2 gallery.

Nyk Sykes, Catherine Hourihan, Dan “Ears” O'toole and Jessica Matino come together for “HER” at M2

Veuve Clicquot bar / meet the designers night at The Strand Arcade.

Anna and Anita; Harlequin Animalia by Anna Wheeler at Janet Clayton Gallery.

Congratulations to Anna Wheeler on another beautiful and shamelessly colourful showing of her paintings at Janet Clayton Gallery - On NOW - I loved it; and as you can see I was not alone!

And if you are still reading.. the new banner has the words Special Editions; which is exactly what you will be getting for a while; not just Sydney; Paris, Prague and more still to come so stay tuned.
https://thesydneyfilter.com/
http://www.crawfordgallery.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/artbinge/ M2
https://www.strandarcade.com.au/
https://www.janetclaytongallery.com.au/

Telling Stories in Pictures all over..

Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Twenty Pictures of Cyclists Commuting on Boulevard du Palais Paris

Peak Cycling in Paris - Get on ya Bike!

Cycling in Paris? Well sadly I admit I did not manage to straddle a saddle and go cycling through Paris myself, although I certainly would have liked to. Although I have not had a bike for the last few years - insert sad face - cycling has been my primary form of transport for most of my life; so it was with much interest and both a cyclist and a photographers eye that I  paid considerable attention to the style of bikes I saw being ridden and the personal style of many of the people I saw riding those bikes. And as a rider from Australia where cyclists are sadly viewed as a menace, road-kill and potential cash-cow.. it was truly great to see the wide cross-section of people choosing a bike as their means of transport to get from point A to point B. It's also nice to see people free to ride without a helmet - I read recently that many European countries have introduced a law where if there is an accident between a car and bicycle the driver of the car is automatically at fault; which is the opposite of the law here in Australia I believe. Perhaps this is one of the reasons people can ride without fear for their safety; though having competitive cycling as the #2 sport throughout Europe I think means your average Madame and Monsieur are very bike aware anyway. It seems too that age is no barrier to getting on your bike, nor is fashion a problem, wear what you like. The bikes? I must say I was happy to see what I took to be an inordinate number of vintage 1980's frame sets; it seems you can't beat an Iron Horse after all. Of course the 20,000 Vélib bikes certainly made their presence felt too and next time I am in Paris; I will certainly be taking one for a spin. So here you are, 20 views of cyclists commuting along Boulevard du Palais just after 6 pm, 28°C while I enjoyed a lazy beer at L'annexe - I didn't even rise from my café chair to get the shots! If only things could be so civilised back home.

Telling Stories in Pictures all over..

Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

Facebook Twitter