Kara Smith’s vintage-ness
Pioneering Australian designer Kara Smith can definitely give Urban Originals a run for their money. She creates the most innovative handbags for those that truly want to stand out. Detailed with lovely pockets and vintage buttons, Smith’s retro inspired designs literally transform original vintage fabrics into ‘one-off’ clutches, handbags, totes and accessories. I’m in love with her clutches! But yes, if you missed her over the week end at the Blue Mountain’s Leura Village Fair, she’s stocked in Glebe and Sydney’s Todae store, as well as at a variety of online outlets.
Tagged: Australian designers, floral prints, handbags, Sydney fashion labels
RELATED
Take your fish on a walk today. That’s right. Exercise the little bugger and make a fashion statement at the same time with this stylist Fishbowl Tote by designer Michal Shabtiali. Errr, goldfish not included. Read more
Hand-made in Melbourne with in.cube8r
There’s a shop on Smith Street in Melbourne where all young designers go to live. In.cube8r supports all things craft and handmade in Melbourne, running like a long-term market, with the gallery divided into different areas that the artists lease for a tiny cost. There are more than 75 of Melbourne’s top crafters on show and the gallery is always looking for new designers.
Lea Nguyen has designed a no excuse handbag, relieving us of that moment when we are at the grocery store and the clerk asks us if we need a plastic bag, only to realize we didn’t bring a handy, re-usable carrier. UGH! The label Poupees Russes, the French name for Russian babushka dolls, offers its first line — Katarina — with the Boria tote being this friendly accessory to your daily stroll. It’s cute, functional, comfortable and helping to save the earth, one less plastic bag at a time. Just the way we like it.
Also by MICHELLE WILDING
The XX’s Infinity at Le Live De La Semaine
Infinity is my favourite track off The XX’s debut self-titled album, so watching the song being performed live is a real treat. Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim’s girl-boy harmonies are as beautiful as their deep lyrics and poignant compositions.
Saelee Oh at New York’s Jonathan LeVine Gallery
Californian artist Saelee Oh believes everything in the universe is connected, so it’s only natural that this conviction would be the central theme to her current solo-exhibit Infinite Roots. Her stunning work often depicts a harmonious world full of energy. Whimsical narratives are told by horses, octopus and also through female figures. Infinite Roots features multi-medium pieces including paintings, drawings and hand-cut paper. The intricate detail involved with her floral creations astounds me. Catch the exhibit at New York’s Jonathan LeVine Gallery until February 13. Read more
I love this photo blog by 15 year-old American, Olivia Bolles. She captures raw and intriguing photos with Polaroids and point-and-shoots, proving that a creatively discerning eye can far outweigh the technical effects that professional SLR’s offer. Read more
YOU'RE SAYING (1)
HAVE YOUR SAY
Hawaiian surfer-photographer Clark Little takes some pretty stunning photos of the waves he loves to ride. He actually shoots from inside the wave, giving laymen a glimpse at the beauty that keeps people like him hooked on the sport. Read more
So I interviewed Bianca, one half of Coco Rosie, the other morning. Love their music: very dramatic, almost operatic in its scale yet imbued with a sense of sonic unease that carries the divine melodies well beyond their maudlin minor key progressions. Read more
Ok, so maybe it’s the extra-strong Brooklyn coffee I’m drinking or perhaps its that the pine coated goodness of Christmas is well and truly in the air, but I’m kinda excited this morning as my wife has just launched her website, Feature Shoot, which is a resource for photo editors, art directors, industry professionals, and pretty much anyone who appreciates good photography. It’s a great way to discover new photographic talent and the website is already bursting with interviews with up-and-coming American photographers alongside that of established photographers who have completed a project or whose work has taken on a new direction.
London-based DJ, Kelpe, has just recorded a diverse electro mix for the Allez Allez blog, which you can download, turn up to eleven, and nod yo’ head to. It’s just the tonic for an early afternoon kickstart.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
If you’ve seen some really clever poster mash-ups going on in the NYC subway system, chances are you have graffiti artist Poster Boy to thank. It’s baffling how he can create such elaborate pieces without getting caught. Read more
Set in a remote Chinese village in the 1920s during a cholera outbreak and with a revolution bubbling in the background, The Painted Veil is a wonderfully tortured love story which excels on all levels. Based on the W Somerset Maugham novel, it was a labour of love for stars Edward Norton and Naomi Watts, who also produced the film. Read more
So here’s the scoop. Every six weeks, T-post subscribers get a new t shirt issue in the mail, with a news story on the inside and an artist interpretation of that story on the front. Yes, we agree. It’s clever, clever. Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Scanners’ new single Salvation
I love this track by London based rock group, Scanners, which is off their latest album, Submarine. Having toured with acts such as The Horrors, The Wedding Present, The Charlatans, Electric Six, and Juliette & The Licks, Scanners could well blow up in 2010. Figuratively speaking, not literally. No, that wouldn’t be fun.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
T-post: the world’s first wearable magazine
So here’s the scoop. Every six weeks, T-post subscribers get a new t shirt issue in the mail, with a news story on the inside and an artist interpretation of that story on the front. Yes, we agree. It’s clever, clever. Read more
Diane Koss’ recycled bottle monsters
Check out Diane Koss’ amazing handmade stuffed monsters if you’re looking for a last-minute gift. Her mostly cycloptic creatures are fashioned from felt made from one hundred percent recycled plastic bottles. Read more
Yum, yum, cupcakes are fun. These creations are so clever, so arty, so damn bizarre that it would almost be a shame to eat them. Almost! Read more
Trip out with Sparrow Vs Sparrow’s retro illustrations, I love their aesthetic, color use and sense of humor. Read more
Made from 100 percent organic cotton and eco-friendly, this super soft tee celebrates a sinister world of kaleidoscopic colours and ripples of psychedelia, of serenading Queens, of dancing flamingos, of unimaginable euphoria. It’s all the work of Sydney label, Das Monk and it’s available through the Lost At E Minor online store for just US$40. Now, there’s one hell of a Christmas present, even if we do say so ourselves!
We’ve just updated the Lost At E Minor iPhone app in the iTunes store with some new features. It’s a daily snapshot of the latest content from the site. You can download it now. Win? Well, it’s free. So you win, we win. Snap!
DISCOVER MORE
SO...
SEARCH: Can't find what you're looking for? Do a search..
IS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?
We hope you're enjoying your time on Lost At E Minor, but it’s not over yet. Got something to share? Tell us about it and we'll look to publish it. If you want to have your work featured on the site, we'd love to hear from you. Pssst, we also have an online store stocking some of the goodies we feature on the site.
If you're a media agency and want to use this platform to connect with our readership, then drop us a line and tell us about it. Oh yeah, and we do digital consulting for cool brands that want to reach the sort of demographic that visits this site.












Kara said | 15 October, 2008
Thanks for this! Fantastic!!!