December 24, 2009 | Cool Travel | by Laura McWhinnie |
Take a detour off Newtown’s main drag and you’ll find more than just unaffordable terraces and a place to park your car. The corner of Wilson and Brown is home to Satellite Espresso and one of the most impressive breakfast menus we’ve seen in a while. Step out of your egg and bacon comfort zone because there are more delicious options, like the fried herbed mash with kassler (double-smoked pork loins), homemade relish and rocket. Read more
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November 30, 2009 | New Trends | by Laura McWhinnie |
Now we’re not ones to create alarmism, but with summer in Australia almost here, we feel it’s our duty to warn the men in our lives. Board short lengths are on the rise, along with the fear of knee exposure amongst the male population. We know what you’re thinking. Real boardies cover the knee. You can surf in them, ride your pushy down to the beach in them, heck — you can even head up to the pub for a beer in them. But this season short shorts are here to stay, so it’s only a matter of time before you find yourself in the foetal position on a change room floor. Come on. What’s the worst that could happen — that people will see you have knees? Well, I guess you could find yourself on the Dads in Short Shorts Read more
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November 30, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
If you’re not in the southern hemisphere, then we’d like to apologise in advance because one look at Seventh Wonderland’s latest swimwear collection will be a cruel reminder that there’s a summer happening somewhere. But it’s this very emotion that continues to inspire Sydney-based designers Bonnie Coumbe and Carlos Aviles. Read more
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November 27, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
Boys have had to way too easy for far too long. Back in the day, it was either budgie smugglers or a pair of knee-covering boardies. Not exactly a hard choice. The only problem is that no matter how many boardies you owned, they all produced the same look. A bit like Zoolander with his Blue Steel, Le Tigre, Ferrari and our personal favourite Magnum. But that was before Aussie label Franks hit the scene and before you had options. Now you can kick around at the beach wearing a short leg or mid leg alternative in a variety of colours and hand-drawn prints. Oh, and they work really well with that low-cut v-neck tee your mates love to give you crap about. Read more
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October 16, 2009 | New Events | by Laura McWhinnie |
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
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October 13, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
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
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September 28, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
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
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August 31, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
You’re having a relaxing Saturday when suddenly a phone call throws your wardrobe world into chaos. It’s your peeps, and they’ve decided to start the night early with some afternoon drinks in the sun. Sounds like heaven, until you realise that carefully planned after-dark outfit just won’t do. It’s enough to throw even the most stylish member of the crew into a full-fledged fashion meltdown. You need threads that can go from day to night, which is what Aussie label Illionaire do best. Their latest collection, Echoes, has colourful figure-hugging minis for the girls, and digital silk printed tees for the boys. With a palette like that at your disposal, your fashion future looks bright. Read more
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August 5, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
If you ever asked for a brag-worthy souvenir as a kid, only to have your dreams crushed by some play it safe relative, then chances are they brought you back a tourist tee instead. Now, it may not have cemented your status as the coolest kid in school, and you certainly couldn’t take it into show-and-tell. But by the looks of Melbourne label Limedrop, you might have been onto something. Their latest collection, Places I’ve Never Been, takes inspiration from the vintage tourist t shirts they’ve collected over the years, and the cities they aspire to visit. Slip into nomad mode wearing featherweight fabrics, and travel to faraway lands without even leaving your hood. Who knew dreaming about travel could be so fun? Read more
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July 2, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
As we made our way to the bar at RAFW this year, it was obvious something was going down. A crowd had gathered around what we assumed to be an off-duty supermodel, but as we ordered our white wine spritzers (they were all the rage) it became apparent that this was no ordinary celeb spotting. The fashion pack were salivating over a man wearing what looked to be a life-sized rat dipped in some sort of neon plastic coating. We needed to know who was behind this, and now finally after months of extensive of research the mystery has been solved. The girls responsible for this Zoolander-like moment are Aussie label Make Believe. They coat flowers and toy rats in high-sheen latex to create scene-stealing jewels. Who’s up for a bit of menagerie accessorizing? Read more
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June 4, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie 
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You’re running for your chosen mode of public transport when suddenly you realise that pocket full of shrapnel you’ve been carrying around for a week is gone. It’s at home in your coin jar, along with the change from last night’s cab ride that claimed your last twenty bucks. We know what you’re thinking: ‘why does this always happen to me?’. Well, we can tell you why, it’s because you don’t have a coin wallet from New Zealand label Deadly Ponies. Their latest collection, Hathor’s Revenge, breaks down the nanna like stigma often associated with a coin carrying device. Using deer and cow hides in nude, grey, black and purple hues, these unique designs will have you paying with coin at every opportunity. But be warned, they’re a real conversation starter.
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April 29, 2009 | New Fashion | by Laura McWhinnie |
Cult indie label Maise shunned Rosemount Australian Fashion Week and instead went for an off-program showing in a secret inner-city warehouse before the event’s official launch. Inspired by teen flicks from the late 80s and American high school culture, the label’s designer, Claire Greaves, and Sydney styling guru, Ms Fitz, had guests sitting in the bleachers with the venue decked out like a high school gym. Read more
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April 28, 2009 | New Trends | by Laura McWhinnie |
It’s embarrassing to admit, but Barbie’s recent anniversary got us thinking. Are we the only ones having trouble telling young starlets apart? You know the look: teeth get whiter, hair gets blonder, and dress sizes get smaller. Luckily, a backlash against this so called ‘perfectionism’ has been building, and we like it. Over the last few years, fashion houses have been turning to unconventional beauties like Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chloë Sevigny and Vanessa Paradis to inject quirky nonchalance into their brand. And finally we’re seeing a trend emerge with an edgy new wave of models, actors and socialites who are embracing gapped teeth, scars, prominent bone structure, freckles and birthmarks. So if you haven’t already realised your flaws are features, it’s about time you started working them to your advantage.
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April 28, 2009 | New Products | by Laura McWhinnie |
Common Projects is in the business of making damn cool kicks, and the latest collection from designers Prathan Poopat and Flavio Girolami could very well tip you into the obsession category. Their current season will have you harnessing safari styles and perforated leathers, without looking like a fashion victim. What these guys do best is subtly incorporate the latest trends into their designs, while maintaining the brand’s signature understated silhouette.
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March 26, 2009 | New Trends | by Laura McWhinnie |
Just when you thought you’d seen the last of dumpster chic, the derelict look is back with recession ready regrowth. Look around people, times are tough. We’re now cutting back on basics like trips to the salon. But from this new way of life, a ‘recessionista’ has been born: one who’s not afraid of change or pushing out a hair appointment. Two-toned hair has become acceptable and, as a result, a French colouring process called Balayage has been resurrected. Now, we haven’t seen roots this carefree since the technique first appeared on the Parisian scene back in the 1970s. Used to create a sun-bleached effect, Balayage has taken on a new look with hipsters heading into salons actually asking for regrowth. Sounds like you may need to cancel a hair appointment.
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Chris Bianchi is a freelance illustrator based in London. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2005 he has self-published two books, The Spinners and Box. He is part of the well-known illustration magazine, Le Gun. Read more
The AirPiano is an innovative musical interface which allows the playing and controlling of software instruments simply by moving your hands in the air. Above the AirPiano is a virtual matrix of keys and faders, each assigned with MIDI messages ready to be triggered. The length of a triggered note is equivalent to the time a hand is placed on the corresponding virtual key, which is also confirmed by LED feedback.
Grace is part of a new series of books by author Dale Cusack. The story chronicles the lives of Grace and her feline companion Boot in their struggle to fight the evil Drawl and the cover illustration was done by Auckland-based artist, and Lost At E Minor contributor, Dennis Juan Ma. We asked him about what shaped the colour choices for the piece: ‘I wanted to create a mystery world within the reality. I wanted the colour to encourage readers to stimulate their imagination. I illustrated the covers with a classical Japanese wood block look to show the oriental flavour of the cat’s world. And it just happens that I’m a wood block art fan’. Read more
Stylistically The Asteroids Galaxy Tour is hard to pin down, except to say that they throw one hell of a party – which may be why those music-loving folks at Apple chose them to help sell what’s being touted as ‘the funnest iPod ever’. Sun-drenched pop melodies collide with Technicolor dreams, anchored by the band’s shared love of the classic soul stylings of Marvin, Stevie and Sly that can be heard in the horns snaking through Around The Bend, as well as the slinky The Sun Ain’t Shining No More [below], the Thomas Gold remix of which we have available for free download in the Music Download section of Lost At E Minor [psst, it's in the third column], along with a stack of other cool tunes. Get those iPods ‘a thumpin’!
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As a child, I took piano exams in over-sized white rooms, on baby grand pianos that felt unfamiliar and echoed strangely as someone across the room observed me in silence. It felt clinical, intimidating and completely devoid of warmth. Last week, I started noticing upright pianos, some painted haphazardly, others respectfully untouched plonked in the most unlikely places throughout Sydney. There was one on the edge of the baby pool at the local swimming pool, with a young girl in a rainbow striped dress tapping out a happy but disjointed melody; another shaded under a tree at the park on the way home. Read more
In my next life, I want to sing like Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison. Oh, and grow a lush beard, so I can play in their band. Better start cracking.
What a wonderfully grown up ethos of punk is to be found in the latest effort by New Zealand’s Stolen Girlfriends Club. I saw sequin, lace, leather, denim, tulle, rhinestone and what appeared to be heshen, breaking all the rules of taste but nevertheless making me very, very happy. Read more
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Creative advertising packaging
Despite the intentions of many, it’s not so often that advertising — as an industry — truly thinks outside the box. Yet, when executed well, clever eye-catching advertising actually works. It does. As these examples will attest to. Read more
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.
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Entre Chien et Loup by Amira Fritz
This fashion photo series — Entre Chien et Loup — is the product of a collaboration between Parisian-based photographer Amira Fritz and Matthew Cunnington and John Sanderson. Read more
Italian-born, New York City-based photographer Paolo Ventura creates fairy-tale like pictures out of amazingly constructed, miniature dioramas that almost trick the eye into thinking he’s a tilt-shift photographer. Read more
Oslo artist Gry E.Pedersen blends digital artwork and photos, but her generally experimental artwork also includes more traditional forms of paintings. Read more
The Offering t shirt by New York-based designer Ryan Sullivan is printed by hand, one at a time, using a dye-based print. Printed on cotton/poly blend tees. Size is true to fit. Read more
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!
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