My Alexander Wang Rocco Dupe

Its been a long time! Things have been rather chaotic; I am now a newly minted lawyer busy with job hunting and keeping a level head. I have also been working with some amazing creatives doing some brilliant photoshoots which I’ll be excited to share soon, but in the mean time here’s something which I absolutely LOVE!

My New Bag

So the Alexander Wang Rocco bag has been making the rounds and I have to admit I was intrigued. Retailing for $895.00 though, I could either beg for this or resign myself to the fact that I shouldn’t have such expensive tastes. The I spotted something eerily familiar on the colettehayman site and was like ‘hello!’ A quick trip to the store at Melbourne Central ensured this little baby is ALL MINE.

Alexander Wang Rocco

The Colette Hayman studded tote is a superb dupe of the Rocco, in fact I’ll say it’s the more accessible cute twin brother, considering I got it for about $40.00! It is a barrel shaped tote, of a convenient middle size with an inner zip and pouches for phone and keys. The exterior is a soft pebbled texture faux leather with four lines of gold studs at the bottom, two handles and a detachable shoulder strap with gold hardware. Really the only difference is that the Rocco is 100% lambskin and the studs are bigger but I do prefer my bag as it’s much lighter! I’ve really enjoyed carrying it around as it carries everything I need and suits all my outfits, it feels really well made and durable and super chic!

At LMFF

So here’s for finding a super bargain. I’m pretty sure it’s still in store but have a look for yourself because I know Colette Hayman has two kinds of studded totes which I saw that are similar but not quite the same!

BTS and Editorial: Beautiful Boys

Looking through the endless number of folders I had completely forgot to upload this. I thought I had but apparently not. My Beautiful Boys editorial was meant to have been published, perhaps it was last year and after waiting and waiting and waiting and countless emails to the editor and wondering whether an volcano had blown up the magazine office, I gave up. These things happen.

I don’t shoot male models as often as I should. As a young lady of healthy persuasions you would think I’d take every opportunity too, that is if I’m not muttering incomprehensibly behind the camera about how the light -just- doesn’t -quite- hit the rights spots correctly and why do guys just -don’t- move in quite the same way as girls do.  And then self despair wallows me up while I figure out why I am -just- so crap and will never amount to -anything-. And young men really do not like being painted on. Which I what I like to do best, hovering over makeup artists brandishing open their lovely shiny palettes and saying ‘how about we try them ALL?’ Cue dramatic emo curtains and musical self pity. Us photographers are fragile little things. Moving on…

So the joys associated with drinking copious amount of tea from big cups and dressing in ludicrous items of clothing because they’re lying around, I love photo shoots. They’re the most exhausting, sometimes wrenching things ever, but ah, the satisfaction. Especially with young beautiful men in leather pants, adorned with spikes and collars and furs.

With me were fashion stylist Krissie Cao, makeup artist extraordinaire Justine Bruers, models David W and Dan B from Chadwick and of course my awesome tea making friend and roped in assistant Anna.

And boys ARE gorgeous. They model even when they’re not modeling. Maybe I should be shooting more of them.

Love.

Eurotrip: Italy 2012

I love Italy. After possibly France and Japan, Italy would be my favourite country. The food is gorgeous, the people unusually warm and the culture is beautiful. I have already visited Venice earlier, and this time around we’ll be hitting Milan, Florence and Pisa before traveling by train around the coast to Nice. Really around this point, traveling is beginning to take a toll. After Budapest, the weather has gotten cold again, reaching freezing temperatures in Florence for some bizarre reason, hotels are more expensive, bags are heavy and our propensity for understanding language has gone to non-existent.

In Milan especially I made the horrible mistake of checking us into what is now termed the ‘pimp hotel’. Notwithstanding the terrible directions and wandering around lost for a couple of hours in the middle of the night, we had high hopes for a hotel with ‘grand’ in its name. When we arrived however….we were met with the duty manager wearing a pimping gold chain around his neck and a heavy slurry voice in an attempt to charm. The bedroom was small, the bed was definitely not twin beds, with several discernible stains and there were no hot water in the shower. While we were checking in, several highly suspicious elderly men passed by to pick up keys and go up. My paranoid radar was bouncing through the roof. The next morning, we found a bullet hole in the window.
Needless to say, we ran.

Milan itself is a high rush shopping paradise. It’s great to walk around and get acquainted with hidden gelatterias or pizzerias , or wander down the big streets lined by the biggest shops you can find. There was even a castle fort! The prime attraction however is the Duomo, situated right in the middle as a towering gilgamesh of various influences- in fact it was just recently finished 50-80 years ago. We even managed to get in for Easter’s High Mass, certainly something not to be missed!

Florence on the other hand was much humbler. Less people, almost deserted churches and still amazing food. They had the best gelati and I absolutely adored browsing through the daily market. Funnily enough here I had my first encounter with the laundromat. Figuring out how to wash my clothes in Italian is a hoot.

Have I mentioned Italy has the best coffee ever? How did I ever survive without this stuff? Now I know why there are coffee addicts.

And well, Pisa was alright. It had that tower….several in fact. And a big river, which was pretty decent. Mmm…pizza……

Milan Fashion Week Fall 2012

Oh Milan. The lush furs, the shiny leather, the androgynous military look with gothic romanticism…..It’s pretty, it’s dark, it’s been done. Even that baroque showing….seems reminiscent hm?

I love Milan but I think the top fashion houses are struggling rather. Here are a few highlights including Jill Sander’s lady like colour palette, Max Mara’s too cool for you silhouette, and Gianfranco Ferre’s architectural lines.

Alberta Ferretti

DSquared

Emilio Pucci

Gianfranco Ferre

Giorgio Armani

Gucci

Jill Sander

Max Mara

Prada

Salvatore Ferragamo

source: fashiongonerogue