As a child, I was fairly pedantic about colouring inside the lines. There were no scribbled messes for me. Even now, playing with friends children, I am meticulous about colouring in. Shame the kids are not but I figure they will learn.

And then a friend came across the most divine colouring book I have ever seen. And no way is any kid getting near my copy.

The Yves Saint Laurent colouring book is so sweet everyone of us fashionistas will want one. And not for colouring in either. This little book is what my inner child has been screaming for – and probably needed when I was actually a child – something to feed my fashion instincts.

But here it is nonetheless. Yours for $12.95 (serious bargain!) at all good bookshops. And when I say good, they had better be to be carrying YSL.

Sophia Kokosalaki orange drape dress $1579

Absolutely LOVING this Sophia Kokosalaki SS11 number, spotted at the Cecylia Boutique runway show earlier this week. Thanks to Style Melbourne for image. Thanks to Cecylia????? ??for making me dream about a ?d?r?e?s?s? that cost more than my first car?.

After months of anticipation, Catwalk Circus took over the Big Top – the Melbourne Town Hall – last Tuesday night and wow’ed the audience with a range of cutting edge performances and outstanding fashion.

As an appetiser to the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, Catwalk Circus did not disappoint, featuring a number of labels and acts that showcased exactly why Melbournians love their fashion so much.

Kicking off with Chambord and pretzels, fashion and theatre buffs crammed the rather chilly Town Hall to the opener featuring Pole Divas dancers. Two scantily clad ladies performed a range of ‘moves’ with the poles and had me ready to race out and sign up for a class – if I can ever do what those girls can, I am sure I’ll make some lucky man very happy one day.

The featured designers catwalk show followed – millinery by Alexandra Harper, exquisite dresses by Pamela Usanto, Stesha Ho and Eva Q and a performance by Circa NICA. Twenty minutes in and I couldn’t look away.

We continued with Patricia Keech headwear, personal favourite Preap and Coutts, Made in Donald and Anna Streeton – all gorgeous pieces and then another stunning Circa NICA showcase.

Personal Favourite Preap and Coutts

The talent on show was blowing me away – both in design and contortion. Seated next to the marketing and comms girls from NICA, it was inspiring to hear the stories behind the individuals performing – students to international professionals – all performing with the same passion and ability to leave the audience wanting more.

The fashion continued with Tovah, Neo Dia and et al, and was rounded out with OC Oscar Calvo and A. Concept, all accompanied by Metal Couture jewellery.

And the finale – a dance spectacular worthy of a Lady Gaga music video – was so awe worthy, I feel I will be talking about it for months. I only hope it appears on You Tube and will be sure to advise if it does. Amazing.

It is often hard to put into words the feeling I have when I watch a fashion show – I imagine it is something like falling in love – a feeling of coming home, where your heart soars and you know that you are in exactly the place you want to be.

Catwalk Circus was pretty much my first fashion event of the season and my love for fashion shows was renewed without a shadow of doubt – I am in the right place.

Images thanks to APL Photography, OC Events and Catwalk Circus
More images to come in a gallery shortly!

In my travels though fashion over the past years, I have been so lucky to meet amazing people, and to then be able to call those people friends. One such person is Olivia Nunn whom I worked with at the Myer Fashions on the Field marquee at Flemington last year.

Liv is a racing enthusiast – especially when it comes to beautiful outfits and amazing headpieces!

Liv hails from South Australia and I love keeping up to date with her racing happenings – she is even travelling to the Kentucky Derby this year to show the locals how we do it here in Oz.

Liv has been profiled in TRQ magazine – a wonderful piece about her passion for racewear and all the fashion that comes with it. Visit the site to see the article and pics in full! (Click the image) 

After a lovely weekend in the sun, Mondays are hard.

Let me make it a little easier.

During a recent Ray John Pila photoshoot in Hollywood, American reality TV star and fashion designer Jack Mackenroth modeled various pairs of Melbourne based swimwear brand Todd and Terry poolside. 

Here are some behind the scenes shots by Stephen Lucin.

Don’t you wish you were back poolside? With him?

Don’t you wish your boyfriend was hot like him?

Only four sleeps til the weekend folks!

Not since Wispa Gold last year has a chocolate bar captured my attention the way that the new Mars Caramel has. Sure, Cadbury Bubbly was in there with a chance for a minute, but 2011 can only have one winner and this has to be it.

I’m a caramel girl through and through (again, Wispa Gold anyone?) and was sorely disappointed when is disappeared from Aussie shelves. While Mars Caramel is new to us, it seems the French had it about 3 years ago so no doubt this is also a limited time only offer.

The bar is essentially a Mars bar – without the Mars. Just chocolate and caramel. Simple pleasures.

Now I have to confess to trying the bar (for research purposes only!) which does mean I broke my little no chocolate before Paris rule, but I did share it with a friend – does that make it ok?

Get yours at 7-Eleven, located everywhere (and mostly open more than eleven).

The following piece was originally written for Australian Fashion Guide, June 2010 (Part two)

Lisa Taranto

From one beauty to another, my next stop is Melbourne’s GPO and the Lisa Taranto pop up store. It would be easy to think the well-dressed girl manning the store is simply another slave to retail but this girl is in fact designer and namesake Lisa Taranto herself, putting in the hard yards to get her label off the ground. Dressed in her own Tilly Petal Mini Coat and Harem Pants, Lisa is a breath of fresh air to the Australian fashion industry even though her fashion journey started over ten years ago.

Having launched her self-titled label in 2007 after traveling the world, Lisa has achieved much, much more in her 28 years than most other people her age. She began with the study of Illustration and Photography, moving on to the prestigious BA in Fashion Design at RMIT University. A difficult, demanding and competitive course, Lisa graduated with honours in 2004 before working in production and pattern making and beginning her travels.

The Lisa Taranto brand exemplifies attention to detail, thoughtful patternmaking and a relentless consideration for the fit of a garment on the body. Lisa explains, ‘I like to keep classic lines and unique shapes but play with the patterns, change it up with textures and fabrics.’

Currently stocked in twelve boutiques across Australia, Lisa Taranto has grown exponentially in four years. The GPO store opened in June of this year after a successful pop up store on Chapel Street and the labels fourth collection, winter 10 the fallen, was exhibited at the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival this past March.

The winter 10 ready to wear collection, the fallen, was inspired by the simple idea of light vs. dark, with moody, dramatic fabrics juxtaposed with airy tenuous ones. Lisa’s classic lines and unique shapes are clearly evident and she talks about how underlying darkness, as well as lightness and beauty, are reflected in the tailoring and colours used.

Lisa describes how the label is continually evolving and changing, and how the influences in her life affect her designs. Travel is a major part of her inspiration, along with her family and friends. Lisa also cites literature and photography as stimuli, taking every opportunity to read or use her photography skills.

One of the key aspects of the success of the label is the importance of keeping production and manufacture in Australia. Lisa and I discuss the Australian fashion industry and she expresses her desire to move the label interstate and to New Zealand in the future, but to always keep the Made In Australia tag.

‘It’s important for quality control and finishing, and to keep jobs in Australia. I want to support the industry here’ she says.

Together with design partner Lea Oldjohn, who herself has over 20 years’ experience in design, patternmaking and production in the Australian fashion industry, Lisa Taranto – the girl and the label – are at just the beginning of a very bright future. It is hard to imagine her having a bad day but she confesses they do occur.

‘Sometimes it’s great but some days you wonder! It’s definitely not easy all the time. But I do love it.’

I ask the mandatory final question – a fashion moment you would rather forget?

‘Mum used to dress me and my sister in matching clothes. I remember one outfit, jeans with a tapestry cuff and a vest in the same tapestry. I think I was thirteen or fourteen? Mum made it.’

Thankfully, it seems that Mum’s fashion choices haven’t rubbed off too much and with the ambition and dedication Lisa exudes, we can expect plenty more great things from this unique label in the future.

Note: Images from s/s 10/11 collection

February has been a massive failure on the diet front. With LMFF and Paris breathing down my neck, I have proceeded to eat my body weight in carbs and chocolate.

Hear this: No more!!

While I still feel completely ill after gorging on cookie dough this evening, I pledge to enjoy the month of March more in moderation than I did February – including a ban on all chocolate substances until I set foot in Paris.

Can’t be that hard, can it?

Can’t be worse than feeling as sick as I do now!