Valley girls

Had a bit of a manic Tuesday. Flew to Brisbane to moderate and talk at a fashion seminar convened by the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE. The panel included sass & bide’s operations manager Stephen Carter, who regaled the room with details of the brand’s manufacturing logistics, quality control, what designers Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke look for in hiring and the revelation that the latter prefer to move on to new designs, rather than repeat best-sellers in-season. Also on the panel: Brisbane-based Subfusco designer Joshua Scacheri, Ethical Clothing Australia’s Emer Diviney and Molly Williams, agent Jess Meester, Hot Tuna founder Jo Meldrum and Bright Bots designer Jodi Baker. Dashed from TAFE straight to Scacheri’s boutique in hip Brisbane fashion hood Fortitude Valley, where who should be waiting but surviving Australia’s Next Top Model Cycle 6 contestants Kathryn Lyons and Amanda Ware, together with ANTM model mentor Josh Flinn.

Grabbed these shots and the following quick video iv with the girls.

Apologies for the poor quality. I flicked on the camera light, which appears to have distorted not only the picture, but also the sound quality. It is, however, quite clear if you listen to the iv with headphones. 

So what was the ANTM connection?

All were en route to the group Schwarzkopf show later that evening, as part of the Brisbane Fashion Festival. Scacheri's Subfusco collection was included in the show.

Flinn and Scacheri share the same publicist (Mother and Father PR), which dispatched Flinn to the show - with Flinn dragging along his two Brisbane-based ANTM charges as a favour.

But their ANTM chops did not apparently cut much mustard with the Brisbane Fashion Festival organisers.

After being denied front row seats alongside Flinn, Ware and Lyons wound up going home instead, still dressed in Scacheri's clothes.   

(L to R) kathryn lyons, josh flinn, amanda ware and joshua scacheri