Neon Hart - Jessica Hart’s line for General Pants

New York based Melbourne model Jessica Hart has announced that she will be designing a line for retailer General Pants, Neon Hart. In stores next year, part of the proceeds will be going to Children’s Charity Destiny Rescue. By the way, check our her blog - I am currently obsessed with her style - think Alexander Wang, Balmain bags and Helmut Lang. Sigh! If only I had her wardrobe….. oh, and was a gorgeously tall, skinny and blond.

’til you drop shopping -a Melbourne History

This State Library of Victoria exhibition will run from 11 December 2009 - 31 October 2010 (and is free!) . ’til you drop shopping -a Melbourne History celebrates Melbourne’s passion for shopping. from the Paris end of Collins Street to the local corner store.  The exhibition explores Melbourne’s social history by revealing our shopping habits from early settlement to today. The exhibition celebrates how and why Melburnians love to shop and reveals the indulgent side of shopping - the exclusive stores, luxury goods and seductive advertisements that feed our addiction to pleasure and style. Items on display range from a 19th-century cash register to ephemera such as wartime ration cards and Buckley & Nunn shopping receipts. It also features many classic photographs that evoke Melbourne’s changing style over the last century. A little birdy told me that MATERIALBYPRODUCT is involved too.

My bag was treated to an immense pampering experience last weekend at the newly opened Australian branch of My Bag Spa. Unlike myself who is looking distinctively neglected, my bag was left in the the hands of dedicated professionals at My Bag Spa.

Opened by David Chen and Alex How, the ‘bag spa’ philosophy is that ’staying clean is beautiful’.  Designer bags are really investment pieces that you want to keep for many years and need love an attention. Specialists in designer bags, a visit to My Bag Spa involves an initial consultation with what is involved to make your bag as good as new, with processes such as dying, cleaning, stain removal, disinfecting and small repairs.

‘Expensive bags have many memories associated with them’ David told me ‘it could be something you bought for a special occasion, or perhaps from your first boyfriend or an anniversary present. You want to be able to use the bag for many more years to come. We remove stains and fading and general wear and tear, or maybe an unforeseen circumstance like a cigarette burn. Most bags are limited pieces so if anything happened to your bag, more often than not you can’t buy the same bag again even if you could afford it’.

I can’t wait to use my rejuvenated bag!

Address: The Paramount, Top Floor Suite 15, 108 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000 VIC
Phone: +61 3 9654 1189

Mon - Sat: 10am - 7pm
Closed on sundays & public holidays

Melbourne Fashionista loves….wait for it….. new Melbourne label….Ever Layne. Think outfits with an edge to wear with sexy tousled hair on long summer nights with a alcoholic beverage. Do you think I have a vision?

Ever Layne launched their first collection this summer and I am in love. Designed by Melbourne designer Sarah Turner Woolfrey it is heavily influenced by her own free spirited childhood in the sun-drenched central eastcoast of Australia. Her debut collection plays with texture and volume, without sacrificing a wearable, feminine and extremely sexy aesthetic.

100% made and designed in Melbourne, I think we should all get out there and support a great new Melbourne label.

Melbourne Stockists are as follows: Liquid Boutique, Dorothy & Evelyn, Green Love by B, Mint Boutique, The Thread Den, Mirror Mirror, Bronze Snake and Wilga.
P.S. I also got to have a sneak peek at Sarah’s winter’s range - can’t wait! I might even share them at a later stage. Maybe.

Fawn Sale

Well as you all know I love a bargain (doesn’t everyone?), so I’ll be hurrying along down to Greville street after work as Melbourne label Fawn has teamed up with Runaway Lovers and Paperdaisy to bring to you a fabulous sale - starting TODAY. A little insider birdy told me items are going at red hot prices - also I got a little peek at some of the pieces that are going to be available and to quote the Black Eyed Peas ‘I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night’. If you’re lucky enough to not be working today, I say pop on down when it opens at 11am this morning.

Thread Den - North Melbourne Market Day

Gee I am just totally full of Melbourne activities for this weekend aren’t I? Due to its overwhelming success, Thread Den are hosting their second ever North Melbourne Market Day. On this Sunday the 15th November, there will be over 60 stalls featuring vintage clothing, indie designers, handmade toys, stationery, textiles, homewares and home-baked treats, making it a great spot to pick up special Christmas gifts (for the organised among us) or something for yourself. Held undercover at the Lithuanian Club on Errol St, doors open at 10am. $2 entry.

Sunday November 15, 10am-2pm @ The Melbourne Lithuanian Club 44 Errol St, North Melbourne.

Tightology

Just launched 4 months ago, TIGHTOLOGY, a Melbourne based business creating a range of organic, Melbourne made footless tights and knee highs, is going great guns. They already have over 38 stockists (Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and QLD). Their passion about design and the environment must be resounding in the hearts of Melbournians I think.

Meeka, 19

I am wearing a dress which I bought from Savers. I think it was a wedding dress! It was floor length so I cut off myself. My hat is from a shop on brunswick street and my shoes belong to a friend of mine.

Ben, 26

I am wearing a Marcs suit and a Pierre Cardin shirt and tie.

Maya, 23, Student

I am wearing a Review blazer,  a Cooper Street dress and  Gregory Ladner Hat. My shoes are Vivienne Westwood for Melissa.

Melanie, Accountant

I am wearing a Karin Millen Dress and a hat from Lyndal Parker.

Isabelle, Fashion Designer

I am wearing a Scanlan and Theodore dress. My hat and bag are vintage.

Chrislyn, Model/Actress

I am wearing a dress which I bought on Chapel street, Sergio Rossi shoes and a Mimco hat.

Sarah

I am wearing a dress which I bought in the UK. My shoes are from Top shop and my hat is by Angela Menz a Canberra based milliner. She is great.

Mark

I am wearing a Peter Jackson suit and tie.

Bridget

I am wearing a Morgan and Taylor fascinator and a Sass and Bide dress.

Giselle, Model

I am wearing an Alannah Hill dress and hat.

Emily, Orthodontist

I am wearing a Manning Cartell top, Kookai dress and a Mimco Hat. I can’t remember where I got my blazer from.

Kate, Pr

I am wearing a Boss Black for Hugo Boss dress.

Monica, Model

I am wearing a Herve Leger dress, a Mimco Hat and Peep Toe shoes.

Sarah, Pr

I am wearing a Cohen et Sabine dress and a Alexis Belcher hat.

Guess what? I have a scoop! Katani has just opened at West Beach St Kilda on 330A Beaconsfield Parade. Formerly an old 1920s bathing pavillion the building will now house Katani a Melbourne beach and lifestyle shop, with a high end cafe next door. I met up with Bec van der Sluys the co-manager of the store a week ago and got a sneak peek before the opening.

With a background in Marketing, Event Management and Retail you can see that Bec is ideal for the position of co-manager. The sunfilled store is filled with goodies and sits right on the beach with a magnificent outlook of kiteboarders in the water. ’With a lot of surf stores they have to bring the feel of the beach into the store with photos and posters’ Bec told me ‘but we actually have it right outside the door’. With that in mind, the store’s fittings are minimalistic. Together with co-manager James Weight, Bec has found a perfect balance between a beach lifestyle and surf store. The store stocks men and women’s clothing, accessories and surf gear with labels such as Quicksilver, Tiger Lily, Jets, Analog, Roxy, Hurley, insight and many other labels including State of Georgia.

Not your typical surf store the store also stocks left of centre pieces such as Polli jewelllery, Sanuk shoes and Little Misek cards and artwork. 7 years in the making, a lot of thought and time has gone into Katani and it shows, from the 70s iconic Australiana style couch and furniture pieces to the urban photographs from Melbourne photographer Natalie Jeffcott.

Katani also hold their own kiteboarding classes and stock their own in house label boards and clothing. James has an extensive background in Kitesurfing (he and his Kiteboarding partner Ben Morrison-Jack hold the world record for crossing the Bass Strait).

I also got to see behind the scenes and check out Bec and James’ view from their office (see below). A wall is dedicated to newspaper clippings documenting the process involving the site and the area.

I am totally in love with this recent addition to the Melbourne retail scene. I envison making a day of it, with a meal at the next door cafe, a shop and a laze on the beach in my new bikini!

Katani, 330A Beaconsfield Parade, St Kilda VIC 3182, 0409 792 244