All I want for Christmas is…
Yves Saint Laurent. Alternatively, I want to stop dreaming!
Every year, Christmas proves to embrace general merriment, faux pas hand-knitted Rudolph sweaters, glitter tree ornaments and goodies which a well-trained Santa leaves in our Opaque Stockings.
If you’re anything like us, flickers of OCD present themselves when trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for friends and family. During the rest of the year the pure physicality of shopping proves to be euphoric but Christmas time always strains the shopping psyche!
At Raw we’ve devised a Top Ten Chrissy wishlist for today’s fashion conscious woman.
10. Lipstick Wedges from The Shoe Link
9. Nomiki Glynatsis Couture Earrings
8. Buddha Wear Yoga Pant
7. Gypsea One Piece
6. Elle Zeitoune Vitoria Dress
5. Lisa Blue Bikini
4. Lingerie from Nomiki Glyntatsis Couture
3. Siren Heels from The Shoe Link
2. La Piu Bella Clutch
1. Achea-Mpong Gown
We’ll leave you with a few wise words from the glamorous Fergie- “Don’t cry, buy a bag and get over it.” Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas from the team at Raw Fashion Agency.
‘Tis the season to be… FABULOUS!
This festive season may very well be filled with Egg Nog, Christmas Carols and Candy Canes- but for the scrooges and fashion elite, an open bar at the annual office Christmas party proves to be the highlight for end of year festivities.
As we may be well aware of, plunging necklines, short hems and ridiculously figure-hugging dresses will need to be left at home for a next Saturday night, and replaced with modest, knee-length cocktail dresses on the night. Monochrome colours may compliment a glass of red quite nicely, somewhat maintaining a level of professionalism to soften the embarrassment likely after a karaoke session your colleagues will hopefully forget the next morning. As the fashion conscious know, accessorising is key in amping any outfit. So throw Plain Jane away in background and dazzle with clutches and statement jewellery to set yourself apart from the rest at this years Christmas party.
Statement jewellery such as drop earrings and chunky necklaces will intensify your cap sleeve, pencil fitted, plain black dress. Brisbane-based jewellery designer Nomiki Glynatsis has Swarovski encrusted pieces which will definitely get jaws dropping at this years Christmas party.
For the perfect handbag to make any outfit, look no further than Australian-based handbag label La Piu Bella, whose bags exude classic luxury to imprint an enduring impression amongst your colleagues. La Piu Bella’s bags are features on sale on the “What’s On Sale” website at http://www.whatsonsale.com.au/la-piu-bella-sale/r1490 to add to your Christmas wishlist!
Summer Sizzle?
Women across the nation are up in arms about the diminishment of Australia’s beloved summer days. Over the last few summers, blistering heat has progressively been replaced with overcast and a volley of showers. Consequently bikinis remain collecting dust in our walk-in wardrobes with scarfs and ponchos maintaining their overdue welcome. For now.
Greeting summer with open arms, Swim 2012 runways have hosted an array of colours, shapes, and thematic variances. Triangle cuts, push up halters and bandeau shapes have been spotted on the catwalk, with the maintenance of luxury one pieces and tankinis meaning swim style for all shapes, and thus hopefully eliminating any poolside faux pas. Bright block colours with aquas’, teals and burnt oranges have also seen heavy prominence, in addition to tribal designs and large graphic prints.
The Summer 2011/12 lines from Australian Brands Gypsea and Lisa Blue both sport current seasonal trends, with their statement swimwear making waves in their first and second summer runway shows.
Utterly Afrique
For many, Vogue Australia operates as the quintessential Style Bible for both the fashion elite and the style misguided. The December Issue of Vogue features an editorial on the forthcoming Tribal and Afrique trends sported in the First Fall Runway. It displays a collaboration of iconic designers such as Louis Vuitton, Thakoon Panichgul, Fendi and Gucci (to name a few) engaging in charitable initiatives to raise awareness and support for the impoverished African community. Support from high profile personalities including Michelle Obama, Liya Kebede and Frida Giannini have all collaborated with organisations including UNICEF and the World Health Organisation to help raise awareness for serious global concerns.
The mentioned labels maintain currency with the thematic “Afrique” trend using raw and natural materials with intricate beadwork and canvas textures to create earthy pieces. Tribal accessories are also featured in the editorial, with statement jewellery, shoes and bags remaining an omnipresent trend for the style savvy.
Sydney based label Achea-Mpong features a tribal inspired line, adhering to current tribal trends, including urban safari looks, earthy tones, alternatively bright geometric patterns.
Thematically, Achea-Mpong remains on trend with a localised couture collection of African-Inspired pieces. Their amalgamation of statement pieces and bold patterns create the ultimate Tribal Queen.
To view or purchase the new Achea-Mpong Collection you can email us at shiralee.c@rawfashion.com.au, or hop onto their Website or Facebook:
Fashion Round Up!
Melbourne Cup – the festival of fashion! Racewear has evolved and has now become a trendsetting forum, allowing guests to transform their styles and raise the bar.
Each year the cup proves to bring out the best in the fashion stakes, revealing the latest trends and best known celebrities. Attention to detail is given from head to toe ensuring that each aspect of an outfit is on trend and relevant for the regular race day crew.
This year at Derby day the dress code was serious and so were the clothes; elaborate choices implemented to set apart the risk takers and the ordinary. This year at the cup to main differences were apparent; some guests pushed boundaries in bold prints, structured silhouettes and sequnied jackets. Others went for the more delicate look opting for traditional silhouettes, gloves, and fascinators.
Headpieces were classic and simple in colour yet eccentric in design. Most guests went for the stand out pieces that contrasted their structured outfits.
The key trend that most guests opted for at cup day were bold colours and prints with neon accessories.
Neon brights were evidentally popular in shoes where guests opted for classic styles with a splash of colour as shown above and seen in this season trends on the shoelink.
Sydney based label Achea-mpong is on trend with key pieces being structured, using vibrant fabrics and bold prints that transform each style into a class of its own.
The ultimate go-to pieces are those that are going to set guests apart from each other. On race day there is nothing that is too eccentric or risky, hits and misses are a chance that they take when pushing the boundaries for the ultimate race outfit.
A Roaring Success
The ROAR charity (Rwandan Orphans Assistance Response Incorporated) hosted a spectacular fashion event on Saturday 8th October 2011, with over 160 guests in attendance. The High Tide Room at the Bondi Pavilion was transformed into a glittering catwalk for two glamorous fashion shows. Guests were also treated to drinks, cocktail food and live entertainment. Over $20,000 was raised from the event ticket sales and a live auction. The proceeds will make a phenomenal difference to Rwandan orphans and disadvantaged children, particularly their educational and health needs. This year, ROAR has concentrated on building a well in the Linganwe School, in order to provide Rwandan children with access to clean water. Water quenches more than a Childs Thirst.
Sheron Sultan, the 2011 Miss World Australia Finalist, opened the show in a Swarovski crystal bikini.
Models showcased Lisa Blue, Gypsea and Daniel Hetcher Swimwear. They also showed off glamorous Roopa Pemmaraju kaftans.
Guests were then treated to an evening-wear parade, featuring designs by Elle Zeitoune, Elliat and African designer Acheampong.
Check out the Melissa and Estra shoes from The Shoe Link, worn by the ROAR fashion models.
Thank you to everyone who attended the event and continued to contribute to such an amazing charity. It was a roaring success!
Shoe Addiction
Shoes are a definite necessity; we all wear them – whether for work, casual weekend trips, attending dinner parties, summer afternoon BBQs, cocktail parties or black tie events, they complete our outfits. Moreover, the type of shoes we wear define our personalities and determine how people perceive us. Therefore, it is important that when we wear our clothes with pride, we also wear our shoes with pride.
The media advocates wearing stylish shoes with movies (think Carrie Bradshaw from SATC), advertisements in magazines and billboards (Jimmy Choo) and there have even been controversial court cases over shoes (Christian Louboutin and YSL – read our previous post about it here). Celebrities endorse shoes with their large shoe wardrobes – I mean – rooms. Here are two impressive shoe rooms that belong to Christina Aguilera and Tamara Mellon, the Chief Creative Office and co-founder of Jimmy Choo.
For the rest of us, who may not have been blessed with thousands of shoes, we can at least make a start. For girls, The Shoe Link offers a vast range of shoes for work as well as social events.
At Raw Fashion Agency, the girls are head over heels (excuse the pun) in love with their exclusive range Esdra.
For a decent price, you can purchase impeccable shoes from The Shoe Link – which is what we all need. Best of all, The Shoe Link caters to females, males, and children, making the hunt for the perfect shoe less difficult. After all, Cinderella is proof that a pair of shoes can change your life.
Fashion and Philanthropy
It is evident that when one is passionate about an activity, they tend to feel a sense of relation to it. Therefore, they are more likely to repeat the activity more often which may mean that they are able to achieve a greater output. Such an instance is demonstrated in celebrities who advocate philanthropy and are able to use their power, wealth, and fame to promote and donate to causes that they care about. In the world of Hollywood, there are a lot of trends that go in and out of vogue but philanthropy has been one that has stuck; whether it be to look good, or for genuine concern, celebrities advocating fashion for a cause is an inspiring notion for many around the world.
One example of a charity advocated by celebrities is Solar Aid, a foundation endeavoring to combat climate change and global poverty. Last year, adding fun fashion to the cause, Haviana took a step (pun intended) towards philanthropic fashion, collaborating with Solar Aid to raise funds by running a stand where festival-goers could create and customize their own Havianas. For something so simple, it definitely goes a long way. Other major charities include Oxfam, UNICEF, Wateraid, Amnesty International, Millennium Promise Foundation, International Medical Corps, RED, Worldwide Orphans Foundation, and Homes of Hope, to name a few.
Below are three major celebrities that donate:
Charlize Theron The beautiful South African award-winning actress is involved in many charities, and has started her own appeal, the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project. Celebrities who endorse her appeal include Oprah Winfrey, Ashton Kutcher, Alyssa Milano, and Will Ferrell.
Madonna 21st Century Pop Icon and mother of two adopted children from Malawi, Madonna is also a large contributor to many charities and has since established her own volunteer organisation, Raising Malawi which aims to assist and provide food, water, education and medical care to orphans in Malawi. Madonna is obviously very passionate about her volunteer organization as are her celebrity friends Alicia Keys, Heidi Klum, Katie Holmes, Rihanna, and Salma Hayek.
Oprah Winfrey Topping the 21st Century celebrity philanthropist list is Oprah, who has contributed several millions various charities and organizations, has founded The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, The Oprah Winfrey Operating Foundation, and The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, one of her major projects in which she publicizes on her talk show, mentioning that 100% of donations go towards projects such as the Academy. Moreover, as if her benevolence was not already enough, stated in Oprah’s will, she states that she wishes to donate 1 billion dollars to charity.
Charitable celebrity power couples include humanitarians Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who have half a family of adopted children all around the world (rainbow family) as well as their own self-titled foundation Jolie-Pitt Foundation, and also Victoria and David Beckham who also have a self-titled Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust.
Other philanthropic A-listers include Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Lady GaGa, Meryl Streep, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Ashton Kutcher, Sting, Hugh Jackman, Serena Williams, plus many more.
One of Raw Fashion’s clients is ROAR Inc. (Rwandan Orphans Assistance Response Incorporated, a non profit organisation based in Sydney, Australia, and was founded in 2006 by Lily Nyamwasa. Every year, Raw Fashion and ROAR Inc. collaborate with many sponsors to hold an annual fashion show to create awareness and raise funds to improve the education and health of the disadvantaged children and orphans in rural areas of Rwanda. Pleasing to see is that many of Raw Fashion’s showroom clients such as Lisa Blue and Love from Venus who are more than happy to help out by donating their products for the event’s auction as well as loaning clothes for the show. In addition to their altruistic actions, the aforementioned clients also contribute towards a cause that they are passionate about. For instance, Lisa Blue is involved with the Save the Whales (25% of all net profits go towards protecting whales and dolphins, plus 100% of net profits from the Lisa Blue Whale Tale bracelet is donated to help save the whales) and Love from Venus’ designer Georgia Hatzis is a huge fan of Olivia Newton John, advocating her fundraiser appeal, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, as well as being a sponsor in another fashion charity event, Couture X Cure, where all proceeds will be directed to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.
Similarly, RED is highly supported by Scarlett Johansson, who visited Rwanda in September, 2008, to increase awareness of AIDS sufferers in African nations. After attending AIDS clinics for four days, she stated, “It was important for me to come here and see the issues we’re up against first hand. I came here with an open mind, wanting to listen, understand and learn; I leave with the overwhelming understanding that the small action of making a [RED] choice in your purchases… has an enormous impact on the lives of people in countries like Rwanda.”
Johansson and the aforementioned high profile celebrities demonstrate that although it is fun to receive, it is always better to give. Johansson continues, “It’s amazing to come home when you see people living in poverty. On one hand you’re thinking, my celebrity life is so surreal, but it’s my work and it helps me bring awareness.” Well said – we definitely agree that philanthropy is the way to go so make sure to get your tickets for the ROAR Charity fashion show on October 8, 2011 at the Bondi Pavilion. It will be a great night, great food and beverages, fun fashion show and a great excuse to dress up. Check their Facebook event page for details or call (09) 8212 8500. We hope to see you there!
Bridal Boom
At one stage in every female’s lives, whether they be 5 years old or a happily single 40 year old, she has thought about getting married. And we’re not just meaning a casual thought – the mind of a female goes through overdrive (a lengthy process) when thinking about the big day - from the perfect man (of course), the perfect diamond ring (of course), the perfect dress/es (strapless or Chantilly lace sleeves ala Kate Middleton), the perfect shoes (of course), veil or no veil (?), the perfect jewellery, the perfect hair (up or down, straight or curled), the perfect make up (sultry or minimal), the perfect bridesmaids dresses, the perfect location, the perfect music, the perfect cake, the perfect food and beverages, the perfect photographers, the perfect flowers, the perfect flower arrangement, the perfect invitations, the guest list, seating arrangements, gift registry… etc etc etc… right down to the colour of the napkins (ecru , eggshell, or nude perhaps?), everything has to be “perfect”.
As modern women, most do not have time to do a lot of the planning therefore, to make one’s life easier, one may hire a wedding professional, also known as a wedding planner, but this almost always brings out the Bridezilla in even the most decent women. With the warmer weather now fastly approaching, wedding season is just around the corner which means that the first batch of brides-to-be are now in full zone, flicking through bridal magazines, testing out different champagnes, and cutting out all carbs to ensure they fit their perfect wedding dress. Another life-saver for brides-to-be are wedding trade events, such as the Liverpool Wedding Expo. Held on September 25th, the event is a great way for brides-to-be to meet other brides-to-be, gain an insight, and to gain inspiration for their big day.
Specifically, one label that will be taking part at the Liverpool Wedding Expo is La Piu Bella. The brand caters to all women with their assorted bags and accessories suitable for bridal wear as well as social events – a night out on the town, summer afternoon BBQ, lunch with the girls, or a hot date.
To see the beautiful collection at the expo, make sure to pre-register your attendance. Also, for those that have a special friend who is thinking of getting married soon, make it a gift from you to them by taking them out for some girly pre-wedding fun.
Reviving the 70s era
Remember our previous post about how fashion revolves in a 20 year circuit? Here is evidence again…. the revival of the 70s flare pant has kicked off. And who would have known? Since the skinny jean came back in vogue, we thought it would be ‘au reviour’ to the flare pants but evidently, it has returned and is ‘back on the circuit’, seen on major international bloggers such as Rumi Neely, and especially on the runway.
We are loving these wide legged pants from Logic and Emotions. To shop online, visit their website http://www.logicandemotions.com.au/
Another great trend for the upcoming season flare pants are great for the office or lounging around in during a summer picnic with friends. One advantage is that flare pants are stylish and a great way to elongate and create a longer aesthetic on the body, so whilst we may not all have supermodel legs, we can always go faux.
