Friday, January 30, 2009

Tips and Tricks - Tissue Paper


Because of the ease and lightness of the pieces, the anon. women collection makes the perfect travel wardrobe (see the versatility of the 7 pieces below).

A small tip to help keep your clothes in their best condition when traveling is to wrap each piece in tissue paper. I fold a square of tissue paper to the size I am folding the garments and use this to fold them around – it gives a good base to make an even fold as well as providing extra pillowing and protection for your garment; then I wrap each piece in tissue paper. This will help reduce wrinkling and creasing and mean that when you get to your destination the garments will need little care except maybe to hang in the bathroom as you shower to allow the steam to drop out any minor creasing or just a light rub with the iron. The little extra effort in packing will be worth it in the long run.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

7 Easy Pieces



Do you have a wardrobe bursting at the seams, but still have nothing to wear?

Do you buy clothes only to realise they don't really work with anything else in your closet?

Are you sick of trying to work out what to wear all the time?

Do you wish you had a solution to look chic, effortless and elegant - something easy yet stylish?

Streamline your life and style with 7 easy pieces!

The concept of the Anon. Women collection is that is the building blocks of a woman’s wardrobe; pieces that all work separately and together, styled to reflect the personality and attitude of the wearer.

Here I have put together a selection of 7 pieces to demonstrate my point:
  • 2* Silk Pants (one in Navy and one in Taupe). Cut straight from the hip, these pants give a long languid line, chic and stylish yet as comfortable as your favourite pyjamas. Wear them everywhere from the beach to the office or out for the night.
  • 1* Silk Basic Top (in Navy). Simple and chic, nuanced to flatter the female body, holding the bust and falling languidly to the hem ‘forgiving’ the areas that need to be, a subtle arching in the back says ‘goodbye’ to bra fat.
  • 1* Silk Cowl Top (in Taupe). The soft sensual folds and drapes of this top make it perfect to go from brunch with your girlfriends to a night out.
  • 1* Silk Basic Dress (In Navy). A great staple, throw the dress on and you are out the door, cut to flatter this is the perfect go anywhere dress, destined to become your best friend in the wardrobe.
  • 1* Silk Shirt Dress (In Navy). This multi-versatile piece is a wonder. It can be worn over 5 different ways. Wear it as: a dress, belted – to the office - or unbelted – for a languid sexy look for evening; a trench coat over pants and a top or even the basic dress; or as a tunic top.
  • 1* Waxed Cotton Cardi Dress (in Navy). So chic with the row of buttons and ¾ sleeves, wear it as a dress or a coat – effortless and easy.
Here I have shown 12 different combinations - there are many more. The addition of a couple of silk scarfs really extends the wear of each piece. The versatility and ease of the wardrobe also make it the perfect travelling companion – It folds up to nothing and weighs under 1kg (what more could you ask for).

Monday, January 26, 2009

Michelle Obama


A lot has been said and written about the new First Lady of the USA; on her style, the braveness of her sartorial choices, of her ability to be a saviour to the American Fashion Industry. . .

What I respond most to - and the lesson to be learnt from her choices and the way she presents herself – is, that no matter what she wears it is all about Michelle Obama. While some of the names on the labels are little know or seen to be ‘cutting edge’ the clothes themselves are reasonably conservative; a shift dress, a cardigan and pants, a simple coat or blazer. Where she is most successful is that the clothes really act as a frame to allow us to see the woman wearing them, it is not actually the dress but the personality we are attracted to. She looks great because we can see that she is poised and confident, she is strong and efficient. The clothes don’t do this for her but the way she wears them reveals this to us.

So if you want to be inspired by the way Michelle dresses, don’t go out and buy a wardrobe full of shift dresses in interesting prints, paired with flats and a great broach. Look at the bigger issue of style, find things that express who you are, that say something about your personality and vision of the world. Wear clothes, don’t allow them to wear you. Do it with confidence and poise and you to can have style like Mrs O.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Countdown


With just over 3 months to go, preparations are well under way to show our Spring Summer 09/10 collection at Australian Fashion Week.

It all really started last year - as summer dawned, so to did the contemplation of what women will want to be wearing in a years time. The colours, shapes, mood and attitude. The collection is now well under way, and I am excited to say looking absolutely amazing, it's going to be such a beautiful evolution of the Anon. Women collection, further developing and strengthening the core values and philosophy of the brand.

As the collection starts to materialize the task of pulling it all together making it into a cohesive salable package and presentation begings - we are now working on making a show happen. With the wonderful help of Lisa Smith from Agent 25 we are in negotiations with some first class sponsors who are going to help us stage and present our show. We are in discussions with a venue, with a music director, developing accessories, the direction of hair and make-up, everything is coming together.

I am so excited about what is on the table and can't wait to share it with you as everything falls into place.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

A Piece of Cloth


Cloth - where it all begins.

I need to listen to it, understand its language; how and where it wants to flow. My job it to turn this flat object into something with three dimensions, that moves, flows and lives.

Every season I take the challenge of really understanding the nature of cloth by making a series of pieces constructed out of a single piece of cloth. I drape, tuck and catch the fabric as it moves around the body, creating a harmony between fabric and the body.

A dressmaking tradition that follows a line of designers: Poiret, Vionnet, Gres, Balenciaga, Halston . . .

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Anon. Women - Lisa Smith



I want to start featuring some of the many talented and beautiful women that wear 'anon. women'. First up is Sydney PR virtuoso Lisa Smith of Agent 25. Lisa looks chic and effortless here in our Taupe Silk Cowl Neck Dress, tied at the waist with a shibori dyed silk scarf. I love how she has kept it all very clean and 'day' with the pulled back hair, clean face and flat shoes. To transition the dress from day to night, put on a pair of heals, let your hair out and untie the wiast. The dress also looks fantastic layered under our Navy Waxed Cotton Circular Shirt Dress, worn as a trench.

Thanks Lisa for sending me this pic. I would love more women to send in their pics wearing 'anon. women' simply email them to me ben@anonwomen.com.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Toiling and Sampling




The process of bringing a collection together. . .

I am inspired, I have a feeling, a mood, a vibe for the collection; shapes and gestures present themselves to me.

My job is to interpret these into garments - I drape, I sketch, I look back and reflect. The collection needs to be a continuation of the last, bringing together the things that my clients already have and love with new thoughts that are going to move them forward - that are going to help their wardrobe grow and evolve as their lives do. I need to understand how each piece in the collection relates to the others - to those from previous collections and the other styles in the new colelction, everything needs to be able to work together in life off a catwalk and showroom hanger. Women need to be able to pull together whatever they have from anon. women with the confidence that it will work.

As this all starts to come together in my head, on paper and in drapes and folds on my half sized mannequin the process of toiling (pronounced twarling) begins. This is the process of making full sized patterns, either by expanding my scaled drapes, working from flat shapes or draping directly onto my full sized mannequin (I call her Parker after Suzy Parker a mannequin from the 1950's). Once the initial shapes are drafted they are cut and made in calico, to test the balance and proportions of shape and fit. Adjustments are made and the pieces re-made, the process continues until I am satisfied with how the garment is working. From here initial samples are made, showing the exact construction and finish of the garment, after this I will then choose the different colours, fabrics and versions i want each style to me made in for the collection. I will start pulling all the looks together, making them work as both a collection and a wardrobe for my customers.

And who knows, at the last minuite i may decide something is not right or something may need more emphasis and race the clock to get it all finished for the show!