Rock on - David Jones Spring/Summer 2011/2012

Miranda Kerr has done rather a lot since she headed offshore to try her luck on the international fashion stage in 2005, like so many other eager Aussie hopefuls before her. The following year, after scoring a Maybelline contract, she landed what would evolve into a highly lucrative deal with US intimate apparel giant Victoria’s Secret. Kerr returned to the Australian market in 2008 in a big way as the new face of Australian department store David Jones, an astute marketing investment that is presumably costing DJs much less today than it is currently worth in media coverage. In the eighteen months since Kerr last walked DJs' biannual runway showcase, she has emerged as a truly global star – not just one of the world’s highest-paid models, but a household name whose every move is charted by the paps. Sure, the marriage to Hollywood heartthrob Orlando Bloom hasn’t hurt her profile, ditto the birth of their beautiful baby boy Flynn in January. So refreshing, then, to see Kerr backstage at DJ’s Spring/Summer 2011/2012 showcase on Wednesday night, hamming it up as just another one of the girls. 

Frockwriter was backstage for the show’s duration and watched Kerr's antics with her old runway mates like Tiah Eckhardt, Stephanie Carta and Annika Kaban, as well as the crop of new girls who are rapidly rising up in Kerr and co's wakes (backstage portfolio of 73 shots, below - best viewed on the blog). Names such as Samantha Harris, Amanda Ware, Emily Wake – whose identical, non-model twin sister Elyse was standing backstage throughout the show, prompting more than one double take – and of course Rose Smith. 

At last season’s DJs show in February, Smith had yet to work internationally. In the interim, she has been cast in no less than three Chanel shows (ready-to-wear, cruise and haute couture). 

Another rising star on DJs runway: Claire Collins, whose modelling experience prior to July’s haute couture shows in Paris was one Australian fashion show. Collins was one of four Australian models booked by Chanel for its Fall/Winter 2011/2012 haute couture show, alongside Smith, Julia Nobis and another newcomer, Caitlin Lomax. 

It might be the toughest Australian retail climate in half a century – with David Jones itself issuing a shock profit downgrade last month – but the runway and backstage vibe was upbeat. Setting the mood: some psychedelic, boho de luxe offerings from Sydney-based caftan queen Camilla Franks and Jets' sensational, colour-blocked swimwear. Shots of a pneumatic Kerr in Jets’ foxy collared maillot with plunging neckline were beamed across the world.

Also in the lineup: a few of DJs’ 60 fresh brand additions, including Lover, Carl Kapp and Ksubi’s new Kustom range of customised luxury denim pieces that are festooned with studs and graffiti - arguably the smartest business decision that the bad boys of Australian jeanswear have made in quite some time. The world’s economies are going to hell in a handbasket, but with luxury sales booming – and über efficient fast fashion powerhouses such as Zara giving consumers runway trends at killer prices - cash-cautious consumers, it seems, are more than happy to open their wallets for merchandise that they consider special.

Once were couturiers - Australian fashion icons reband to launch LMFF 2011

So there I was, navigating the fluorescent yellow bowels of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, when I bumped into an Australian fashion icon waving a steam wand. Jenny Kee, co-founder of the 1970s label and boutique Flamingo Park, was trying to get the creases out of a multicoloured scarf headdress that was due to be showcased in Fashion Full Stop, last night's opening show of the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival (which frockwriter is attending as a guest of the organisers and Tourism Victoria). Kee was resplendent in three examples of her own handiwork: a 1983 suit from Karl Lagerfeld's debut collection for Chanel, which incorporated Kee's black opal print, some vintage Flamingo Park and one of the scarves from her brand new online boutique. "It's all about online now" noted Kee, when I asked why she and former sidekick Linda Jackson don't relaunch Flamingo Park. "You need lots of money" explained Jackson backstage a few minutes later - reiterating sentiments she expressed at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week back in 2008, after Therese Rawsthorne showed a collection using Jackson's waratah print. They might not (yet) have put the band back together, but fantastic to see Kee and Jackson together again making fashion magic last night, with more than a little help from the new generation of Australian fashion talents, in one rollercoaster retrospective that spanned fifty years.

Michelle Jank did a tremendous job styling the show, together with Kelvin Harries. Other brands included Norma Tullo, Prue Acton, Kate Durham and Morrissey Edmiston. Models included Rachel Rutt, Tiah Eckhardt, Christina Carey, Simone Kerr, Samantha Harris, Vanessa Milde, Emily Cattermole and Greta Chesterman (who could in fact, it now occurs to me, pass for Anja Rubik's little sister).

I shot the whole show from backstage, which was manic, as the very large production included dancers, entertainers and various Melbourne celebrities. 

One memorable moment came at the very end of the show, as Jank and team frantically attempted to secure a massive tulle headpiece to Rutt's head at the climax of the bridal finale. 

An elaborate contraption that included several illuminated paper lanterns, it proved too difficult to secure in time, with Rutt's exit apparently synchronised to a fireworks sequence that was already queued. As they finally gave up and pushed her out onto the runway sans veil, at least a dozen people who had been watching uttered a collective sigh, which seemed so loud it may well have been heard from the audience. 

Rutt subsequently returned backstage, the headpiece was finally secured and she did a victory lap in the full ensemble. This may explain any continuity issues with photos. 

Great kickoff to the week. 

Click (here) to see frockwriter's Posterous backstage pic gallery of 72 images. 

The show goes on for David Jones... without sass & bide

 

As per David Jones' famous advertising slogan, there used to be no other department store in Australia for sass & bide. But after days of rumours, it is now confirmed that David Jones' arch rival Myer will become the brand's exclusive Australian department store partner moving forward, having just acquired a 65percent stake for A$42.25million plus a performance bonus based on fiscal 2011 sales results. David Jones, which has winter 2011 sass & bide stock on its hands and features the brand in its winter 2011 "brand book" catalogue (above), has responded with its own Australian Stock Exchange announcement this morning that it is ending its 10 year association with sass & bide following David Jones' decision not to acquire a stake. Oh and it wasn't doing very well anyway, added DJs (at least at DJs - Myer reports that sass & bide overall delivered 50percent year on year sales growth for the past two years). Noted ceo Paul Zahra, “We did the calculations and could not justify the price paid for the business, particularly given the lack of growth in our sass & bide business with sales and gross profit in FY10 at approximately FY05 levels". This is fascinating, given that David Jones gave sass & bide its prestigious finale spot in the Autumn/Winter 2010 show one year ago. What the Myer decision ultimately means for the sass & bide brand remains to be seen. Not surprisingly perhaps, the brand has been yanked altogether from tomorrow's lineup, David Jones has confirmed to frockwriter.

But that's not to say that there won't be some familiar faces on the runway. 

It might not be quite the same as having Miranda Kerr, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Catherine McNeil in the show, as occurred in the last two seasons, but David Jones nevertheless has a pretty impressive cast list for tomorrow’s Autumn/Winter 2011 showcase, which kicks off at 6.30pm at the Elizabeth Street, Sydney, flagship. 

Led by Nicole Trunfio, the cast includes several Australians with international runway experience, notably Alexandra Agoston, Myf Shepherd, Christina Carey, Tiah Eckhardt, Stephanie Carta and thirtysomething Queenslander Heath Townsend, a former face of Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Ralph Lauren. 

Others of note include Samantha Harris, Pania Rose and Chic newcomer Rosemary Smith, who will be heading to the Milan and Paris legs of the northern Fall/Winter 2011/2012 show season in a fortnight. 

Here is the complete cast list:

CHIC MANAGEMENT
Nicole Trunfio
Alexandra Agoston
Myf Shepherd
Christina Carey
Samantha Harris
Pania Rose
Charlotte Lohmann
Anna Sjoberg
Vanessa Breuer
Emma Taylor
Emma Power
Louise van der Vorst
Rosemary Smith
Sarah Stephens
Cisco Tschurtschenthaler de Helmhein
Jasmine Yarbrough
Annika Kaban
Brigitte Malcolm
Valerija Erokhina
Amy Finlayson
Lina Mihailova
Clare Venema
Heath Townsend

PRISCILLA'S
Eliza Humble
Greta Chesterman
Simone Kerr
Stephanie Carta
Rachel Grasso
Laura Gorun
Bella Barber
Cat Edwards
Kerry Doyle
Bruce Raubenheimer
Blair Norfolk
Lewis Grant

VIVIENS
Avril Alexander
Tiah Eckhardt
Nicole Sherriss
Karima Alexander
Ruby Brown
Nick Ingall
BJ Jarrett
Philippa

CHADWICK
Claire Quirk
Lorene Renard

EMG
Adhiel Tulba
Chris Knee

FRM MANAGEMENT
Nikki Thot

MENS DIVISION
Nicolas Curnow
 

Wake in fright: Samantha Harris toughens up for Karen magazine

 
We won't be seeing any of this at the David Jones Autumn/Winter 2011 runway showcase on February 8 presumably. But here is current season David Jones face and former youth ambassador for the upmarket Australian department store chain, like you have never seen her before. Recalling the modern horror cinematic genre - and perhaps some of the horrors experienced by her ancestors at the hands of European settlers - in the Bound More Than a Madman Is story from the upcoming edition of Karen magazine, the indigenous Australian model is blindfolded and bound to various pieces of furniture. These include a coffee table and an antique wood-and-wicker chair that looks like a sinister film prop from a Victorian lunatic asylum. Shot by Cara Stricker and styled by Bex Sheers, the story is accompanied by a short film (below). Here are a couple of images. Head to Pedestrian to see the remainder. Given that Harris returned from London Fashion Week earlier than expected last year because, according to industry buzz, she was a little intimidated by the big, bad world of international fashion, looks like she's over her shyness. A Terry Richardson shoot surely can't be too far away.

images: cara stricker forkaren magazine via pedestrian

Was Marion Hume fired from Vogue Australia for putting a black woman on the cover?

Naomi Campbell is never far from the headlines. On Sunday she managed to inadvertently embroil an Australian publisher in one. In a story headlined 'Editor sacked in racism row', Campbell told the UK Telegraph, "One time, I went to Australia. The editor-in-chief of a magazine there told me that she got fired for putting me on the cover. I do remember going there and saying, 'Where's the Aboriginal model? There should be one. They're beautiful women.'" No names are mentioned. But coincidentally, another Brit by the name of Marion Hume edited Vogue Australia for 18 months in the late 1990s, during which time she commissioned Peter Lindbergh to shoot Campbell for the June 1997 cover, above. In 1998 Hume was fired, following a controversial tenure, during which, it should be noted, she did not manage to stem the erosion of circulation and advertising that had begun prior to her appointment with the arrival of marie claire in 1995 and continued with the 1998 rebirth of Harpers Bazaar Australia. From 1995-1999 Vogue lost almost a quarter of its readers and two-thirds of its ad share. In 2002, Conde Nast withdrew from Australian publishing, selling the Vogue license to FPC Magazines, which in turn was acquired by News Limited in November 2006. 

Another British native, Juliet Ashworth, briefly succeeded Hume at the helm of Vogue Australia. She lasted a year.

Industry insiders claim that Hume was responsible for budget blowouts that took current editor Kirstie Clements, who arrived in 1999, years to pay off. One could speculate that had Hume managed to turn the circulation around, Condé Nast might have turned a blind eye to the costs.  

Hume was also criticised for taking the magazine "downmarket". A newspaper-trained journalist and former fashion reporter for The Financial Times, Hume's critical reviews of the thin-skinned designers on show at the newly-minted Mercedes Australian Fashion Week caused a minor uproar in Australia at the time.

But could the Campbell cover really have factored into Hume losing her job?

Frockwriter contacted Hume, Clements and News Magazines earlier today and we are waiting to hear back. Not that News Magazines was involved at the time of course. 

The whereabouts of Peter Gaunt, the former Condé Nast Australia managing director who fired Hume, are unknown. But we are also waiting to hear back from Didier Guerin, the former Condé Nast Asia Pacific president who hired Hume and who is now the president and ceo of the Sydney-based company Media Convergence Asia Pacific.

A former Vogue staffer who worked with Hume said they had never previously heard the racism theory floated with regard to her termination. They did, however, concede that the Campbell cover, which was apparently Hume's first complete issue, did raise eyebrows in the industry at the time.

"I remember it being 'shocking'" they noted. "I do recall people talking about it being controversial, but in a brave kind of way in the fashion industry. I don't remember anyone being aghast".

Being Hume's first complete issue, this also meant that she survived in the job well over a year after the issue was published. 

As part of her settlement with Condé Nast, we understand Hume signed a confidentiality agreement. 

vogue US, september 1989 via we shall overcome in couture

Why would anyone be shocked about a black woman being on the cover of Vogue Australia? 

Because there have been so few black women on the cover of Vogue Australia.

And indeed even on the cover of the American edition. Some may recall that when flicking through old issues of US Vogue in The September Issue documentary, editor Anna Wintour paused at her September 1989 edition, that was covered by Campbell (above), and made a point of noting "that was a very controversial issue".

It is unclear just how many times women of colour have graced the covers of Vogue Australia since the publication's 1959 launch.

In terms of indigenous Australians, there have only been two in 51 years: Elaine George in September 1993 and Samantha Harris in June this year:

vogue australia june 2010 via TFS

It was tricky tracking down a complete Vogue Australia cover archive, but certainly on the seven year cover archive on vogue.com.au's website, Harris appears to be the first non-Caucasion to have made page one since 2003.

Diversity of all kinds is currently a hot button issue in the fashion business at the moment. 

In terms of ethnic diversity in the modelling business, longtime black inclusion activist Bethann Hardison told The New York Times in 2007 that “It’s the worst it’s ever been”.

Campbell has also been extremely vocal on this issue, claiming in 2007 that she had never once appeared on the cover of her home town edition of Vogue, ie Vogue UK.

It subsequently emerged that Campbell had in fact been on the cover of Vogue UK eight times in 20 years. So really, how credible is her testimony?

Super Tuesday at David Jones

 

Tremendous effort this morning from David Jones. The retailer's corporate stewardship might be under a dark cloud of controversy at present thanks to a sexual harassment suit, but as far as fashion shows go, it was the best DJs show that this journalist could remember. "I'm rolling with the punches" new ceo Paul Zahra told frockwriter before the show, when asked how he is coping with his baptism of fire. Beyond the scandal that prompted the "mutual termination" of Zahra's immediate predecessor Mark McInnes on June 18 - which culminated in yesterday's shock news that the retailer is now being sued for A$37million - the company also had to contend with the sudden withdrawal of its expensive new fashion ambassador, Miranda Kerr, just a fortnight before its biggest fashion showcase of the year, after she eloped with her Hollywood fiancé Orlando Bloom. The solution: wheel in some supermodel replacements. 

Sure, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Catherine McNeil had walked in DJs shows before - years ago, prior to heading offshore to try their luck on the international fashion stage. Kershaw used to be a DJs youth ambassador. McNeil's last DJs show was in August 2007

But they returned today as modelling superstars, opening the show in tandem - in spite of reports that the show would be opened by Nicole Trunfio (who turned up a little later in the first swimwear section).

The cast was exceptional. 

Alongside Kershaw, McNeil, Trunfio, haute couture queen Alexandra Agoston and Stephanie Carta, the show included some of Australia's finest up-and-coming modelling talent, including Samantha Harris, Emily Wake, Meg Lindsay, Victoria Lee and the stupendous Ajak Deng - who arrived on a flight from New York earlier in the morning and headed straight to the show. Top of the list of brand new faces: Chic Management's exciting new name Rosemary Smith eighth shot from the bottom, below), who really stood out. 

After four years at various locations around the city trying to out-do Myer in the so-called seasonal "store wars", this season's "at home" location really worked: Djs' erstwhile designer floor on level seven. 

You could almost touch the models and you could see the details on the clothes and the accessories. 

The collections included snapshots from some of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week's best shows, including Camilla Franks' dazzling digital print kaftans, Zimmermann's geometric print tunics and leggings (but not the spectacular, fringed tabards, surprisingly) and Carla Zampatti's bold cocktail and eveningwear, as well as Akira Isogawa's vibrant floral print dresses that have not been seen on a runway.

The finale - a 40-exit ode to the nude evening gown trend, from every designer on the program - was both clever and subtle. 

Below are some backstage shots taken by frockwriter before the show.

Head to frockwriter's Posterous for our gallery of 57 runway shots - and also some of the shots we Tweeted live from backstage. 

all images: frockwriter

Thurley's butterfly effect

Deadlines kept me away from Thurley's Spring/Summer 2010/2011 runway show last night at a gracious old home in Sydney's Woollahra. But a few backstage shots were slipped frockwriter's way. The four year-old cocktail and eveningwear line is designed by Helen O'Connor, who has earned comparisons with Collette Dinnigan - much to the latter's chagrin. The new collection is called 'The Butterfly Effect' and the show featured all Chic Management girls, including Samantha Harris, Meg Lindsay, Hannah Saul and Emma Norris. Styling was by Jolyon Mason, with Jon Pulitano for Redken on hair, makeup by Amanda Reardon and shoes by Camilla Skovgaard - the real Camilla Skovgaard, that is and not one of numerous Australian mid market manufacturers who are knocking her off.








all photos: courtesy golightly pr

The models of RAFW

Frockwriter profiled some of the designers and a few of the bloggers of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, but what about the models? Sadly we ran out of time in the leadup and our planned RAFW newbies post remained unfinished in story drafts. But we did photograph quite a few models as we went along, in our Twitter/Posterous feed and show photo galleries (which have also, conveniently, been archived on Facebook – thanks Posterous). But we also wanted to check with each of the major Sydney agencies to see which of their models were the busiest at the event. Some of their nominated newbies were included. Of course there were many, many other models who worked during the week and it’s not necessarily about who pulled the most shows. There was in fact an exceptionally strong cross-section of Australian model experience on RAFW's runways this season. As distinct from runway diversity, which Australian designers - like their New Zealand counterparts - have yet to fully embrace, with Asian and black models still fighting hard for visibility above the bevy of über-popular blondes and Europeans. "It's like they'll only use a black girl if there's a tribal theme to the collection" noted one observer.


Good to see, then, indigenous Australian Samantha Harris and Eurasian Rachel Rutt among the week's top catwalkers. Harris did 20 shows. Thanks to her first Vogue cover unveiled during the week, she was catapulted to a whole new level of visibility at the event.

Just before the FW1011 season kickoff in February, frockwriter asked is the world ready for the first indigenous Australian supermodel? Judging by the international coverage of her Sydney season, it seems the answer is a resounding yes. Let’s hope Harris has another crack at the OS circuit come September - or perhaps even earlier with resort and haute couture. Harris travelled to London in February, but was called home shortly afterwards. The official story was that she came home to shoot the Vogue cover, even though Abbey Lee Kershaw's cover was shot as late as the week before Christmas, for an early February release.


samantha harris/jayson brunsdon

Runway veterans who added some international polish to the event included Alexandra Agoston, who has become far more acclimatised to the runways of Paris over the past five years, ditto Stephanie Carta, Alyssa Sutherland, Amy Finlayson and also new mum Tiah Eckhardt, who walked in 10 shows according to Viviens.



lauren brown/ginger & smart (top); julia nobis/dion lee

Then there were two of our latest OS stars, Lauren Brown and Julia Nobis. For those who were not following the Twitter/Posterous coverage, here is the short video iv that I recorded with Nobis straight after the Dion Lee show:



Work Agency only had two models at the event – Cassi van den Dungen, who only did four shows (and who it was nice to finally meet after all this time). They were nevertheless key shows: Dion Lee, Ellery, Romance Was Born and Manning Cartel. Another Work model, Jessica McColl, did Ksubi.

It was a little difficult extracting information from Viviens, which did supply a top girls list, however declined to elaborate on exact show numbers other than those of Brisbane law student Eliza Humble (16) – one of frockwriter’s personal faves, who we photographed on a number of occasions backstage. If anyone can elaborate on the exact show numbers of the other Viviens’ girls, then please feel free to add in the comments.





(top to bottom) cassi van den dungen/romance was born and dion lee, eliza humble/ellery and georgia fowler/romance was born

The most popular model of RAFW appears to have been Chic Management’s Meg Lindsay (below). It was by no means Lindsay’s first RAFW. Here she is in Fully Chic’s RAFW newbie list just prior to the 2008 event. Lindsay also walked at RAFW last year. Did she stand out from the pack at either event? No, for some reason. But this year, Lindsay really hit her stride, booked for an astonishing 32 shows – or over half of the entire program of 60 shows. The OS circuit could be next.





(top to bottom) meg lindsay/dion lee, rachel rutt/camilla, juliana forge/dion lee and greta chesterman/dion lee

Rachel Rutt, the breakout star of last year’s RAFW, clocked up an impressive 26 shows, with Chic’s hot new star, Juliana Forge – who looks like a cross between Abbey Lee Kershaw and New Zealand’s Georgia Fowler (who, with 18 shows, outwalked every local Priscillas’ girl), doing 21 shows in her first Sydney season.

Frockwriter also really liked Louise van de Vorst (very top of this post, backstage at Gail Sorronda - and directly below, at Manning Cartel). After having only done a few RAFW shows here and there in the past, van de Vorst also seemed omnipresent at this event. Chadwicks’ Greta Chesterman was another model we noticed. Chesterman has a bit of a tomboy vibe – à la Julia Nobis.



Also of note, Courtney James from Scene and Priscillas’ newbies, 16 year-old Ruby-Jean Wilson from Terrigal and 19 year-old Sydneysider Bambi Northwood-Blyth. In her first RAFW, Wilson did 12 shows, including Romance Was Born, camilla + marc, Ellery, Zambesi, Manning Cartel, Sara Phillips, Fernando Frisoni and Lui Hon. Northwood-Blyth did 13.





(top to bottom) courtney james (via carly hunter), sarah chuot/kirrily johnston, ruby-jean wilson/manning cartel and bambi northwood-blyth/michael lo sordo.

As a result of RAFW, reports Chadwicks, Ashleigh Wesseling and Sarah Lorimer (who we profiled here) were both picked up by IMG Development worldwide – courtesy IMG Models’ New York-based David Cunningham and Jeni Rose, who were in Sydney all week scouting.



(top to bottom) ashleigh wesseling/alice mccall (getty via daylife) and sarah lorimer/karla spetic

Myf Shepherd, who springboarded from RAFW 2008 into an instant international career, but who has put her modelling career on ice for the moment to study art in Sydney and is blogging in tandem with Rachel Rutt, made a few appearances at parties throughout the week.

As already reported, Tallulah Morton is also taking off time from modelling to study art in Sydney. So it was interesting to see her on the runway at RAFW, in no less than 12 shows – and looking pretty damned good.

Here are the top show tallies from each agency:

CHIC MANAGEMENT
Meg Lindsay - 32 shows
Rachel Rutt – 26 shows
Juliana Forge – 21 shows
Louise van de Vorst – 21 shows
Samantha Harris – 20 shows
Stephanie Cherry – 18 shows
Olivia Henderson – 13 shows

PRISCILLAS
Georgia Fowler (NZ) – 18 shows
Julia Nobis – 13 shows
Bambi Northwood-Blyth – 13 shows
Lauren Brown – 12 shows
Ruby Jean Wilson - 12 shows

CHADWICKS
Victoria Lee – 15 shows
Greta Chesterman – 13 shows
Ashleigh Wesseling – 8 shows
Sarah Lorimer – 5 shows

VIVIENS
Eliza Humble – 16 shows
Tiah Eckhardt – 10 shows
Dempsey Stewart – Shows including Zambesi, Bec & Bridge, Camilla & Marc, Ellery, Kate Sylvester, Kirrily Johnston.
Sarah Pauley – Shows including Aurelio Costarella, Sabatini
White, Ellery, Kirrily, Romance Was Born.
Sonya Kukainis – Shows including Lisa Ho, Nicola Finetti, Rachel Gilbert, Jayson Brunsdon, Ksubi.

SCENE
Tallulah Morton – 12 shows
Adele McLennan-Gillings – 6 shows
Sarah Chuot – 5 shows
Courtney James – 2 shows

WORK AGENCY
Cassi van den Dungen - 4 shows
Jessica McColl - 1 show