King Flinn

The live finale of Australia's Next Top Model is tomorrow night at the Sydney Opera House, a time that's sure to prompt a little soul-searching amongst ANTM-ites. Questions such as "Will the series be renewed for 2012?" and "Will I, won't I, have my contract renewed"? Although no Foxtel announcement is as yet forthcoming, given that ANTM is the highest-rating Australian production on pay tv, the chances of a Cycle 8 are good. Josh Flinn, the show's model mentor for the past two seasons already has, we hear, a few other tv irons in the fire. So stand by to see if he becomes ANTM's next breakout star. In the interim, here is Flinn like you have never seen him before. Produced and art directed by Mother & Father PR as a frockwriter exclusive, the story was lensed by Sonny Vandevelde, styled by James Dykes, with hair by Natalie-Anne Ayoub and makeup by Rebecca Hatherly for Napoleon. Entitled 'The thin white duke', it was inspired not by David Bowie, but in fact Edward VIII, British monarch from January-December 1936, who became the Duke of Windsor following his abdication.

Given that the Duke of Windsor died of throat cancer, the cigarettes are more than appropriate. They're no props, however. But Flinn is not the show's only smoker. Judge Alex Perry, who recently described the fashion industry as "a glass of champagne and a cigarette", once had a 20 fag-a-day habit. Perry is currently trying to give up, which is probably a good thing given how many impressionable teenage girls watch the show.  

Royal commission: The Queen's Australian tour wardrobe

reuters via daylife

Because noone ever seems to track what eightysomethings wear on the red carpet, frockwriter thought we would buck with tradition and clock the frocks in which HM Queen Elizabeth II rocks up during her 10-day visit to Australia. This is her 16th trip downunder and many predict it may be her last. After touching down yesterday in a British Airways 777 at Canberra's Fairbairn RAAF base - welcomed to Australia, for the first time in history, by an all-female Australian power posse in Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Governor General Quentin Bryce and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher - HM wore an aquamarine military-style coat by British couturier Stewart Parvin; a short-brimmed aquamarine straw hat festooned with grey silk flowers and plumage by Rachel Trevor-Morgan and a wattle and tea-tree blossom brooch designed by Paul Schneller, a sentimental favourite from the Royal Collection. Commissioned by Melbourne jeweller William Drummond & Co, the subsequently much-copied yellow and white diamond brooch was presented to the Queen by Prime Minister Robert Menzies in 1954, during her first Australian visit, reportedly eliciting the response: "I value this magnificent brooch not only for its artistic beauty but as the symbol of the kindness and loyalty of my people in Australia". Corgi suit-clad Republicans notwithstanding, the "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!"chant that erupted yesterday would indicate that she still has quite some local support.

getty via daylife

For today's meeting with the Governor General at Government House, followed by a tour of Canberra's Floriade flower show (below), the Queen wore a lavender ensemble: double-breasted coat by Karl Rehse for Karl Ludwig Couture, a floral Stewart Parvin dress and a Philip Somerville hat.

the daily telegraph

The Queen's wardrobe is organised by her stylist, Angela Kelly, whose official title is  Personal Assistant, Adviser and Curator to Her Majesty the Queen (Jewellery, Insignias and Wardrobe). 

No word yet on the sensible black pumps worn on both occasions (quite possibly royal warrant holder Anello & Davide) or the boxy black calfskin tote. The Queen's preferred handbag supplier is Launer London, however the double 'U' clasp is different to the one currently used by Launer.

One thing we can tell you about the bag is that, just like the wattle brooch, it's from the Royal vault.

The Queen carried the very same bag on at least two previous international tours, some 40 years apart: to meet US Presidents Richard Nixon in 1970 and later, Bill Clinton. Both eventually disgraced, of course. Probably more of a coincidence, than a coded message to Gillard.

via daily acid

Middleton English

getty via daylife

Queen Elizabeth II has touched down in Australia, where she will attend the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth. Less than a week after she greeted Elle Macpherson, Hugh Jackman, Andrej Pejic and a swag of other prominent Australians at Buckingham Palace. With 10 days of royal news ahead of us downunder, frockwriter thought we would address one little aristo puzzle that has perplexed us since April 29th, when Prince William married Kate Middleton and the titles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Earl and Countess of Strathearn and Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus, were bestowed on the couple. Why does the media insist on continuing to call the Duchess/Countess/Baroness by her maiden name? It’s not just entertainment sites and blogs bereft of iron-fisted sub-editors who religiously vet house style sheets and protocol lists that are doing it. A case in point E! Entertainment, which recently ran the headline: “Bitch Stole My Look: Kate Middleton vs. Cat Deeley”. Even newspapers and mainstream tv news sites don’t seem to care. Here's a small sample of stories that have run since the wedding:

CNN and MSNBC: “Kate Middleton pens letter to young cancer patient” 

CBS: “Kate Middleton headed to princess school” 

US Weekly: “Prince William, Kate Middleton Attend Children’s Cancer Center Opening” 

WWD: “Kate Middleton Shops Topshop” 

The Sydney Morning Herald: “Kate Middleton claims fashion crown” 

The Daily Mail: “Why having Kate Middleton on U.S. Vogue's cover is a master stroke by Anna Wintour”

So is Middleton entitled to keep her maiden name?

According to an interview with the BBC’s "royal expert" Laura Trevelyan conducted shortly before the wedding, absolutely not. 

“No" Trevelyan told BBC America; "she’s marrying into royalty!”

According to a St James's Palace spokesperson, however, it's no concern of theirs if that is how anyone else chooses to refer to her.

"We are relaxed about it" he told frockwriter. "After the wedding she did not lose her personal name, but officially her title is now The Duchess of Cambridge". 

Blowout at Buckingham Palace

antipodium's facebook

So Buckingham Palace's Australian reception is done and dusted. Three hundred and fifty guests descended on the palace last night for a special meet-and-greet with Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, ahead of next week's royal visit downunder. So far there don't seem to be terribly many photos of Andrej Pejic. But Antipodium designer Geoffrey J Finch snapped these two shots of Pejic en route to the do in a rather demure black vintage Versace pencil skirt and charcoal grey Paul Smith blazer (and not Jean Paul Gaultier, a rack of whose clothes, we hear, had been sent to Pejic prior to the event). Teamed with, Pejic tells frockwriter, an Issey Miyake blouse, black tights, boots from Australian high street chain Tony Bianco and his mum's vintage gold belt from the 1980s, the most extravagant aspect of the outfit was his coiffure: dead straight blond hair extensions which reached to his waist - the antithesis of his Bellatrix L'Estrange-meets-Marie-Antoinette up do at Myer's recent relaunch party. In the absence so far of any photographic evidence, did Pejic actually get to meet the Queen or did he just mill about the reception rooms while a select few were run past Her Majesty? "All the guests who attended last night's reception were presented to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh" a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told us.
 

antipodium's facebook

 
It is highly likely that Pejic and Australian singer-songwriter Gabriella Cilmi, both just turned 20, were the youngest invitees. 

Also in attendance were Finch, Collette Dinnigan, Yasmin Sewell, Jason Donovan, Hugh Jackman, chef Bill Granger, who assisted the royal kitchens in the preparation of lamingtons and pavlova (iconic Australian pastries) and Elle Macpherson, who curtseyed when meeting HM (see below) and looked equally demure in a nude silk cocktail dress and matching handbag and pumps. 

Not quite so demure was Australian novelist Kathy Lette, who rocked up to the event with her husband, British QC Geoffrey Robertson - both staunch Republicans - in an outfit emblazoned with pictures of corgis wearing crowns. 

The Queen was resplendent in what we are reliably informed was an eggplant silk cloque tailleur by British couturier Stewart Parvin.  

getty via daylife

Andrej Pejic and Geoffrey J Finch gear up for their hot date at Buckingham Palace

geoffrey j finch's facebook, juergen teller/photoshopped by frockwriter

Our recent post about Andrej Pejic heading off to meet the Queen at an upcoming Australian-themed reception at Buckingham Palace caused a minor stir. Although Pejic’s Australian agency Chadwick had initially confirmed Pejic would be attending this Thursday's soiree, faced with what we hear was a subsequent barrage of calls from the Australian mainstream media, the agency later played it a little coy, claiming Pejic “had not decided if he would make it to London”. Yeah, right. This morning, we spoke with fellow Buck Palace invitee, Pejic’s London-based Australian designer mate Geoffrey J Finch, who tells frockwriter the pair plans to head to the soiree together. “I couldn’t think of a better date to go with” said Finch, who was the first to put Pejic on a runway in womenswear way back in May 2009 in Sydney, when Pejic opened Finch’s Antipodium show at Australian Fashion Week. Finch is suiting up for the royal occasion in a double-breasted charcoal Burberry. Is he at all concerned that his date might turn up channeling Princess Diana? “It would be quite incredible, I’d love to see him in a little pleated collar” he noted. So far, however, we gather Pejic has been mulling over a rack of Jean Paul Gaultier. “I can’t wait to see what he pulls out of the bag” says Finch. UPDATE 14/10: Blowout at Buckingham Palace.


Pejic, Finch and, as previously reported, London-based retailer Yasmin Sewell are not the only Australians to receive an invitation. A Buckingham Palace spokeperson has just confirmed that both Elle Macpherson and Collette Dinnigan (a new fave of the Duchess of Cambridge) will also be attending.  

Finch arrived in Sydney over the weekend to attend to sales of his Spring/Summer 2012 collection which was just unveiled at London Fashion Week. Originally planning to be back in Australia for two weeks, he is cutting the visit short to leave for London on Tuesday afternoon. 

“You can’t really say no to Her Majesty” says Finch, who reports that guests have been asked to arrive at the Palace half an hour earlier than the event, which is due to start at 6.00pm. Following his RSVP, he adds, he received a black and white “GP” sticker to put on his taxi, so it can enter the palace, in addition to a small document that he describes as an HM “FAQ”. He notes, “Things such as ‘If anyone should want to write a letter to thank the Queen, this is not necessary, but if you do all letters will be seen by Her Majesty'. It doesn’t have anything on how you should address her”. 

This is possibly because the Palace presumes all in attendance have seen The Queen and The King's Speech and have the "It's Ma’am as in ham, not Ma’am as in farm" protocol down pat.  

What will Andrej Pejic wear to meet the Queen?

love cat magazine via milk made

Earlier this month, Sydney-based PR agency Under The Wing Tweeted an invitation that its client Geoffrey Finch had received from The Master of the Household of Buckingham Palace (see below) for a special Australian-themed reception on Thursday October 13th - six days ahead of the kickoff of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Australia. The London-based Australian expat is one of several hundred guests who are expected to descend on the Palace that evening and, as it emerges, one of at least three Australian fashion industry representatives. London-based retailer Yasmin Sewell has, we understand, also received a bait, as has gender-bending pop culture phenom Andrej Pejic. Although Buckingham Palace would not provide any further details about either the guest list or RSVPs when we checked overnight, Pejic's Australian agency Chadwick confirms that he will definitely be attending. The big question, of course, is just what will Pejic wear for such an occasion? UPDATE 14/10: A demure little black dress and waist-length hair extensions is the answer.

under the wing PR's twitter

Over the past year we have grown accustomed to expecting the unexpected from Pejic. This is the man who closed Jean Paul Gaultier's haute couture show in Paris in January in a wedding dress, turned up at Rio airport with a fake baby bump, channeled Harry Potter's Bellatrix L'Estrange for Myer's relaunch and, more recently, Marilyn Monroe for Love Cat magazine, amongst myriad other fashion assignments for which he has keen kitted out by stylists and designers as alternatively, a man and a woman.

christos karantzolas for schon magazine via haus of andrej pejic

Vogue Australia editor Kirstie Clements thinks Pejic should wear "a three piece suit and a drop earring to meet the Queen. A bit Bowie" - apparently overlooking the fact that Bowie himself never needed to think about dressing to meet the Queen, as he refused both a CBE and a Knighthood. As for the world's most famous drag queen, the late Danny La Rue, he graciously accepted his OBE in 2002.... in a suit and top hat.

So is there any specific protocol that would preclude Pejic rocking up to the Palace in a frock if that's how he chose to roll on the day?

Not according to Buckingham Palace press officer Marnie Gaffney, an Australian who has worked with The Queen for the past three years  - and who did, to our delight, in fact drop the term "The Presence" during our phone conversation, when we asked just how much time she spends with HRH.

After stifling a giggle on the Pejic dress question, Gaffney told frockwriter, “The recommended dress code for receptions at Buckingham Palace is Day Dress/Lounge Suit. However, this is for guidance only and guests are welcome to wear whatever they feel comfortable in.”