Fashion is Complex - Changing, The Wearer's Right - Trade Show - We Were there...

I can never understand when talking to some people and you mention fashion and; they just seem to think its a special realm for no-brain-pixies and well nothing-smart-or-intelligent could ever happen there. But the deeper I get inside of fashion; I realize just how complex it really is - and if you are going to represent fashion, visually; you need a pretty high Fashion IQ which is not an oxymoron, no its something that is incredibly rare and no doubt something of a creative gift...

My reason for clearing the air is that when you are walking around a trade show, EVERYTHING is competing for your attention. Sure you could just look for stuff you like but thats for shoppers not for stylists, commentators, buyers etc... And all 'new' designers or designers 'planning' on launching a range of anything should attend a trade show before they do anything else and meet the competition because; it is fierce!

There were of course some labels that really caught my attention the first being Francis Leon who are designing wonderfully structured Jackets in leather, leather and wool combined jackets, pants, dresses.. And all from Brisbane. I was gob smacked, "its too hot to wear this in Brisbane" I said. Thankfully they have distribution in Melbourne and no doubt here to soon...

New Zealand was powering all over - Lela Jacobs offering with elegant sleek and a little quirky Yves Klein Blue High/second Summer shirts and blouses; 'riddle me this' had sweet 'cotton ball' jackets in cool colours and pretty vintage styled dresses. Kathryn Wilson was showing her shoes, two ranges (more in a separate post to come).

It seems I do have a bit of a shoe fetish if the stands I engaged with most is anything to go by, French shoe makers Twins have a unique (I think) marketing position, buy a pair - a second pair goes to a child in need in a developing country. While Melissa make all their shoes from plastic, not a new brand but new to me.

On the home front, I had a chat to shoemaker Andrew McDonald (last portrait below) about his lovely Mens Shoes; I always find myself ogling his William St shop window, and we also discussed hats, as I was wearing my new hat! Mr Carter had almost every youth marketing to males trick in the book ticked off box by box. I also met and had a fabulous and extended chat to designer Amanda Garrett who is after many years of "going Bridal" yes that was a quote is back doing some fashion for AW12. Affordable lux Gothic inspired pieces. Sorry, no pictures, I was far to busy talking! I have provided a link below to Amanda's site, you might need to email her to see the look-book.













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The Wearer's Right

potmeetspopdenim.com
riddlemethis.co.nz
The Wearer's Right
twinsforpeace.com
mrcarter.com.au/
lelajacobs.co.n
melissaaustralia.com.au
kathrynwilson.com
francisleon.com
andrewmcdonald.com.au

amandagarrett.com

So some fabulous Brands, beautiful Fashion and clever Marketing! All at Sydney's newest fashion trade show. And did I metion I attened after spending the day as a judge for Miss Universe !~) Will wonders ever cease...

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Launch My Label- *Flash* Kapow!

I was going to title this Blog, 'Why I am the worst best runway photographer in the Universe'  but then I decided that would be far to controversial a title and decided to go with the more pedestrian one above. Yes I have been coaxed yet again to attend a Fashion Show, this time Launch My Label by Chic Petite Events. "This is a quarterly event ,etc etc etc emerging artists, organisations and talented young people to effectively launch their label in the Australian market."

Well that is definitely a good thing & as my readers will know I am becoming quite familiar with the new phenomenon of Fashion as Entertainment! This time I found myself in the photographers 'pit' with a view to doing some real runway shots, well why not. The problem was that I was a bit lazy last night and while I did take my bigger camera I decided to leave my flash behind as I hate carrying too much stuff around. I thought well, I will just make-do.

Making-Do has its own special surprises though and last night it was that as the models made their way to the end of the (short) Runway the spotlights which were only on one side only really illuminated their bodies not their heads. Of course if you were just watching the show you probably would not even notice this but my camera certainly did and I very quickly had to decide if my next Blog would be about 'Headless models on the Catwalk, We only show the clothes'. Ah Catwalk, thats a phrase I far prefer to Runway!

No; headless models would never do, they would never forgive me. Everyone else with a camera was however using flash, they were firing off all around me from every conceivable direction. I thought "you know theres plenty of light going on here I just need to use it", and so I did setting my camera to long exposure and coming up with a kind of beautiful, 'Village of the Dammed' version of Launch My Label that I am sure will be far more entertaining to my readers than any normal runway pictures could ever be.

After the show we, (my photographer friend & I) headed backstage to meet the designers & models and congratulate everyone on a job well done. I was telling everyone "no I don't shoot runway I'm a photographer, but I do have a blog called Street Fashion Sydney". And we were all swapping cards and stories as you do! My cards which are quite big and look like this,

and this,

and this.

Seemed to go down quite well.

But it's not about us, it's about the designers who last night were, 
Carmen Steane
ZarBe
Clover Love
Laura Maidment
Samantha Chan
Rebekah Anne Fashion
Thulie

Accessories,
Coco Liberace
Featherhead
Danyelle

As these are emerging designers I think the best way to find them will be to cut and paste their names into that search bar thingie at the top of your Facebook page. Everyone has a Facebook page & I suspect they do too. (Revised - images refreshed 2026)

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/