Horses for courses

Hot shoes at thehorse.com.au, (and loving their graphics).

Arnsdorf

This post is way overdue, a discovery I made whilst in Melbourne and one that makes me very proud of our aussie designers from my vantage point in London. Arnsdorf. In my opinion this label epitomises cool, not the sort of cool that compels boys to wear their trousers too low or the cool of  girls wearing vintage that should have been buried with their grandmas. Arnsdorf is sophistication. Simple lines, controlled palette but oh so edgy. The minimalism that is offered by the hugely talented designer Jade Sarita Arnott, is the kind that takes the best of modernism and fast forwards it right into the present. There is not an ill conceived piece in the entire collection, which, by the way, is called I think we could do great things 08/09. Clothes that would normally take balls to wear, like the often gimmicky jumpsuit, manifests itself here as a beautiful relaxed piece, oozing understated style.  I have pinched some of my favourite images of the Arnsdorf collection from their website. But to see the whole thing click here. I think I could do great things in these clothes, don't you?

Help needed at the races

Well, the Spring Racing Carnival has finally come to an end here in Melbourne. Being new to the city I did loose track of all the significant days... Derby Day, Oaks Day, Ladies Day (or is that the same as Oaks Day?) I don't know! Where i come from its all about Melbourne Cup Day. If you are organised you don a pretty frock, a gorgeous hat and loose some money whilst drinking champagne. If you are like me you race into a TAB 15 minutes before the race starts, put a dollar each way on half the horses, race out again and ask a passer by which horse won half an hour later. I have never won any money! Anyway, without being to harsh about the carnival fashions I will just say that a lot of people failed to achieve the 'pretty dress' criteria of the organised group i mentioned above. As I watched tragic dresses trudge along the street I found myself wishing "if only I could add a little Yeojin Bae here". Yeojin Bae, for those of you who don't know, is an incredible Melbourne fashion designer whose waves both at home and internationally are getting pretty darn big. Since launching her label of feminine, gorgeous and elegant clothing 2 years ago Yeojin Bae is now stocked in Myer and several boutiques around the world. It is, however, her Prahran showroom above Chapel Street that is the best way to experience these clothes. This showroom is the only place that holds her entire collection and looking through it I know that Yeojin Bae will inspire passion in anyone that loves good design, especially great fashion design, though it will set you back a pretty penny. Click here to see for yourselves.