Sophomore, fashion NYC style

View of Courage NYC jumpsuit adventure

I ventured to New York City from my home base in Sydney for the very first time in August 2009. Armed with an electric guitar and a couple of unique jumpsuits designed by my creative studio, View of Courage Studios, I was ready for what the city had to offer. I played a couple of audio visual shows in Brooklyn, under my performer guise, Flutter Lyon, in Bushwick and Williamsburg, that were very well received. Then I felt the need to get these jumpsuits that I had designed, hand-printed and made in Sydney onto some of the new friends I had made during my time there. So I took the Brothers Barragan, Arto and Daniel, on a little adventure through the streets of Williamsburg one afternoon. Read more

Mike and Chris

Who else can create a sleek feminine look like New York’s husband and wife team, Mike and Chris? The designer duo have developed a cult following with their signature lambskin leather jackets, quirky detailing and exceptional tailoring. The success lies in a melded chic and street fashion that is both laid back and stylishly edged. Shoulder flaps, exposed zippers and angled front pockets all add character to the supple black, lightweight leather. Mike and Chris are the prime example of why underground is always better: even if celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Rachel Bilson, Cameron Diaz and Laura Conrad choose to wear these classy pieces. Hit up Singer 22 or Blueheaven Boutique if you want one.

Lauren Kovin

New York designer Lauren Kovin’s Spring Summer 09 collection is a combination of dynamic transformations and avant-garde beauty. Equipped with a striking palette of black, white, blue, and coral, her line features eight fluid jersey pieces that can be configured multiple ways, adding a futurist approach to the garments. Read more

Girls Against Gold at Sydney’s Blank Space Gallery

With the price of gold hitting an all time high, it was only a matter of time before designers took a hard look at what this metal represents. But just because gold has never been more unattainable, doesn’t mean our jewellery box has to suffer. That’s where Sydney design group Ten More Girls come in. Standing true to this philosophy, their latest exhibition Girls Against Gold kicks off this Saturday at the Blank Space Gallery in Sydney’s Surry Hills. They believe that preciousness lies not in the materials used, but in the piece’s emotional value. Crafting silver, brass, wood and bone, they’ll have you lusting after a whole new array of materials. Read more

After the Apple

Life is made up of a series of moments. Some of them you’ll blink and miss, but others can shake up your entire world and leave you questioning just about every baggage purchase you’ve ever made. Think we’re being dramatic? Take a look at ex-Mimco designer Rachelle Dendle’s label, After the Apple, because her first collection titled FINS is going to stop you in your tracks. Made up of twelve basic bag shapes that will be adapted to a new theme every season, each bag fits a particular person’s need. This season’s dozen takes inspiration from under the sea, giving us injections of tropical colour and flashes of marine form. So which bag will you be fishing for? Read more

Tom Binns’ Neon Chandelier earrings

The fashion pack may have renamed the common ‘fluro’ to an edgy ‘neon’ this season, but that doesn’t mean we’re about to step out in the head-to-toe highlighter hues we’re seeing on the catwalk. Out in the real world it’s all about subtlety, and what better way to make a statement than with a pair of iridescent chandelier earrings by Irish designer Tom Binns. Inspired by the early twentieth century Dada movement, Binns takes crystal embellishment to a whole new level with neon pear-shapes and studded fringing. These babies are just what your wardrobe neutrals need. Read more