T Style

A chic take on the classic tee, our basic top in silk charmuse is the perfect base to any look. With subtle nuances designed to flatter a woman's figure - the concentration of fit is at the side of the bust holding the figure in; seams curve towards the front, drawing the eye; the back arcs gently away eliminating bra fat; this holds where it needs to hold and forgives what needs forgiving.

Team it with jeans for cool casual comfort; under a sharp suit for sophisticated chic - perfect for work; jazz it up with jewels or cinch it with a great belt. Perfect for any occasion and style.

Day to Night

So often our wardrobes have to preform double duty (with our busy lives and current economic status our clothes need to really work for us). From work to cocktails, days shopping to nights out, women need pieces that they can rely upon to conquer any situation.

Enter the shirt-dress. First appearing in the pre-war collections of American sportswear designer Claire McCardell, and entering the lexion of high fashion in the 70's with Halston's takes in ultrasuede and silk jersey. I have taken on this wardrobe classic and updated it for the modern woman in luxurious silk charmuese, freeing up the silhouette giving it a languid sensuality in its soft drape and fall.

This updated version is the best selling dress in my collection and we do it season after season. Shown here in our staple navy silk. For day give it some structure for the office by cinching it in with a great belt. Tan leather accessories keep the look classic but grounded for day. As the sun sets mix it up for a night out. Loosen the silhoutte by removing the belt and undoing the top button, the feeling is soft and sensual - almost as if you have stepped out in a sexed up version of your boyfriends silk pajayma shirt. Throw on some beads, a killer heel and a statement clutch and you are ready for a fantastic time.

The Scarf

For me the Scarf is the ultimate accessory - versatile, chic and stylish. It can add colour, texture and life to a garment. Tie it close around your neck to keep you warm; loop it casually for laid back chic; use it as a belt to cinch in your waist; over a dress, with jeans and a silk 'T' style top, under a great winter coat. The perfect finish to any look.

Inspiration / Execution

The international ready to wear collections have just finished up after a month of shows in New York, Milan, London and Paris, with designers showcasing their key looks for next season, with styles hitting stores around September. One of my favourite shows was by Dries Van Noten. The palette - inspired by the work of artist Francis Bacon - was divine; with unusual and unexpected combinations of: flesh, teal, grey, navy and conjac. A lot of these colours had been featured in my current collection and inspired me to mix the styles and colours up a bit. So if you love the look, here is how you can get it NOW.

Anon. Women - Nella Sologinkin

Last month I featured Loren Sologinkin as my Anon. woman. Today it's her mum's turn. Nella is such a fantastic embodiment of Anon. Women, she is successful in her life and work, she is confident and has great style. In the collection we do three sizes that cover from an Australian size 10 through to a size 18, we believe in dressing real women, the collection isnt about plus sizes its about real sizes and I find we sell as many size 1's as we do 3's. The clothes are designed to really flatter a woman's figure, holding where she needs to be held and forgiving the areas that need forgiveness. Nella is a great example of a woman who is not a stick looking great in the collection. Here she is wearing our waxed cotton circular shirt dress in navy as a trench over our navy waxed cotton funnel neck dress. The sweep of the coat is so dramatic and chic, I love how it brings out the inner Diva in Nella. As I keep saying what ever you wear make sure you wear it with confidence and style - 'OWN IT', love your self in it and you will look great.

Wrapped

There has been a lot of discussion in the fashion media about what women are after from fashion in light of the current economy. The overwhelming response I have received is that women want a sense of value. Value in terms of wear, quality, luxury, style and longevity. If they are going to spend their money they need to get mileage out of their clothes, pieces that will do double duty for them, that they can wear all day every day, from work to the weekend, day to night. Featured here is our silk wrap dress. Cut in a luxurious silk charmuese, this dress can be worked in many different ways: from a classic wrap to a soft and flowing cardigan; wrapped and tied around the body. Mix it up and play with how you wear and tie it to get multiple wears and styles - great value from this one timeless piece.

Countdown

I have been offline for the last couple of weeks, touring the country doing a series of trunk shows. As I wrote about earlier, these events present such an exciting opportunity for me to meet and interact with the women who buy and wear my clothes. It is really thrilling for me to witness the transformations of women dressing in my collection, to see women standing up straighter and taller - feeling good about themselves. It was a great experience and I would really like to thank all the wonderful people i encountered on my travels, the women who enjoyed and appreciated the sessions i gave and to the people who made it all possible for me.

I am back now in Melbourne with under two months to go until the release of the Spring Summer 09/10 collection at Australian Fashion week. On my return i received the production samples for approval, checking for cut, fit and finish. After making notes and adjustments the pieces now move into the next stage; fabrics and colours are approved and the final show samples go into production. The collection is looking fantastic - I am delighted to see the development and can't wait to share it with everyone. As the clothes comes together we are also developing accessories and pulling together the total 'look' of the collection.

While the styles all come together so to does the process of putting together a show. I am so lucky to be working with the amazing Lisa Smith from Agent 25 who is helping with our PR and helping to organise the show.

In other news check out this months Virgin Blue inflight magazine to see our fantastic magenta cowl dress.