INSPIRE YOUR STYLE

Victoria Row Footwear

Posted on March 17, 2018

What do you get when a former marketing director (great with words/keen eye)/stylist (creatively driven) casually starts designing shoes for herself, then her friends, then the world? You get the sensational Victoria Row Footwear label that offers small runs of ridiculously beautiful shoes that will brighten up any outfit, or wardrobe for that matter!.

Get to know a little bit more about Victoria (the designer) below, AND if you are anything like me and love to own quality leather shoes that last a lifetime, go check out her launch range at www.victoria-row.com.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion is an extension of your personality. It’s another way to express how you’re feeling. I absolutely dress according to how I feel on the day, and I have different personas – sporty, minimal, quirky and colourful, and all of my “styles” come out through my clothes depending on how I’m feeling. Ultimately, I dress for me and what makes me feel good (which can be harder as you get older!) Fashion is just so much fun. It excites me!

How has this translated into Victoria Row?

Even though I may experiment from time to time with new trends or genres with my own style, there is one constant that I am always drawn to – and that’s colour. I love colour and amazing prints and textures. I also love a hint of the unexpected or a juxtaposition. So whether it be in my fashion choices or shoe designs, I like to have, for example, a masculine style oxford produced in a feminine pastel colour. Or introduce a mesh fabric ordinarily reserved for sneakers, to a pair of stylish ankle boots. I guess I like fashion or design that takes people out of their comfort zone just a little bit.

When did you realize you wanted to become a designer?

Ha! Maybe 18 months ago! My background is marketing, but with a constant love of fashion. I have been a personal stylist, but have never designed before. Much of what I am doing with VICTORIA ROW is uncharted territory for me. But, I am an opportunist and I believe I have a good eye for what looks and feels good when it comes to shoe design.

What do you believe makes a quality pair of shoes?

The quality of the detailing and overall comfort. Shoes that are made with the wearer in mind. So is there reinforced stitching in certain places of the shoe or extra cushioning where the foot needs it? Has the shoe been made by quality craftsman who have paid attention to loose threads, marks on the shoes, glue residue? How suitable is the fabric - the designer may have chosen an amazing material, but is it suitable for the type of shoe? And of course, does it stand the test of time in terms of durability, but also style? Some of my most favourite pairs of shoes I’ve had for many years and I can wear them every year and they still look awesome!

How does living in Melbourne influence your creativity?

It’s funny because Melbourne is renowned for everyone loving black fashion, and yet here I am with all my colours! I do actually wear a lot more black as I’ve got older though. I love Melbourne’s cool style, but I would say that living in London actually brought out a lot more of my creativity and experimentation with fashion. Understandably with far more people living there, you encounter so many different styles or trends, and everyone accepts whatever you wear! So it was the perfect place to experiment. I think I may have lost some of that “spunk” that I had when I was younger living in London, but I certainly draw upon the confidence I had and the fun that people had with fashion.

Favourite pair from your launch collection?

Well the shoe that really started it all was Camilla Be Cool – I started getting pairs made in Bali for myself and then my friends started asking pairs, and then it kind of took off from there! But I have to say, my favourite pair is Straight Talker. I just love the strong pointed toe with metal detailing. It’s such a perfect shoe to wear with boyfriend jeans, or a floaty floral dress, or with some cigarette leg black pants to work.

When, where and how can women get their hands on Victoria Footwear?

Victoria Row has just opened its doors online at www.victoria-row.com. There are only a couple of styles currently available – Actually Anthea and Camilla Be Cool, BUT, more styles will be coming very soon - including the Straight Talker! And at this stage we are purely online, however, we may branch out to wholesale soon.

Annnddd just because....

Favourite perfume? Oooo tough one. Right now I’m wearing Ellie Saab which I adore, but I also love Coco Mademoiselle and Narciso Rodriguez.

Favourite song to dance to? Oh what? Only one? Early 00’s dance music was my jam – that’s when I was peaking on the dance floor! So anything from that era will makes me happy. Otherwise I love a bit of JT, Bruno Mars, Calvin Harris.

Favourite flower? I’m not great with the names of flowers! But I do love a beautiful arrangement. I’m quite partial to a peony rose though.

Dream holiday destination? I would LOVE to go to Tahiti or back to the Greek Islands for a summer vacay. Paris is my most favourite city I’ve visited so far. And I am desperately wanting to visit Scandinavia to do a design tour or something where I can uncover the best interior designers / shops!

Follow Victoria Footwear

Insta @victoriarowfootwear

Facebook @victoriarowfootwear

Website www.victoria-row.com

0 comments

INSPIRE YOUR STYLE

VINNIES + VINTAGE // Being their Stylist

Posted on March 10, 2018

Many of you may, or may not know that for the last year and a half year I’ve had the immense pleasure of working with St Vincent De Paul Society as their Stylist. As organically as this role came around, I also believe it was serendipitous, because for as long as I can remember (from about the age of 15) I have been an avid shopper at Vinnies. I grew up in the Southern Suburbs of Sydney and I have so many fond memories of shopping/trawling/pawing through their shops (mainly Cronulla and Sutherland) for something unique or just something I thought was great and knew I would wear.

I have also always loved the “thrill of the chase” that comes from op- shopping, partly because I find shopping therapeutic, and partly because I love to uncover a vintage gem that more than likely had a fabulous story behind it. I can remember so clearly booking my first trip to New York to spend a month with a friend over Christmas (Hello, sub temperatures) and wanting a beautiful, yet supremely warm jacket to take with me. Off I headed to Sutherland Vinnies and found a cream, vintage wool swing coat that fit me perfectly and was about $30. That jacket lasted long after my trip was over, and so did the memory of it...

Cut to many years later, and here I am, as part of the state team in a role that involves a littttle bit more than getting around finding all the good vintage - having said that, I am hosting an in-store event this week that pretty much encapsulates all of the above and more -please come along if you are in Sydney and LOVE Vintage/Designer clothes!.

Another large part of my role is to Style and Creatively Direct all of the Fashion Campaigns you see online to really showcase how easy it is to create a wearable and fashionable wardrobe by shopping at Vinnies -check out and follow @vinniesnsw for all the goodness. I also have the absolute honor to host the Vinnies Styling Sessions – which are in-store events (parades, food, goodie bags, lots of fashion talk and lots of fun) all over NSW. These community events mean I get to meet so many wonderful, loyal, enthusiastic Vinnies customers plus all of new customers too. Vinnies NSW hosted NOSW (National Op Shop Week) last year and I had the pleasure of styling Rae Johnston who was the Ambassador for the event in in a Head to Toe Vinnies campaign.

I also worked on the huge project of bringing to life a new look store concept in the form of the flagship shop at Brookvale on the Northern Beaches. This was such an amazing project to be a apart of from start to finish, as it involved me doing everything from presenting concept ideas, sourcing found fittings, designing custom fittings, writing a VM guide then facilitating it to the staff, styling the shop and offering on going support/training to the staff . This particular project was a great learning curve for many reasons, but I have to say, on that opening day the whole team were beyond please with the results we produced!

Working in such a creative capacity with a not-for-profit means I get to share and execute new ideas with everyone from the CEO to the volunteers in the shops all over NSW (never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would spend time in Lightning Ridge or Bourke) which makes it very interesting, and ultimately very rewarding as the social and community aspects of Vinnies is always apart of what I do.

Now I’d love to hear from you...are you an op-shopper? And if yes, what has been your best find to date? Share below!

0 comments

INSPIRE YOUR STYLE

LABEL LOVE // AC The Collection

Posted on December 26, 2017

An interview with Ange Cleary

What do you get when you mix luxurious, classic, easy to wear and supremely feminine fashion? AC The Collection from the ridiculously stylish Ange Cleary, whose clothes celebrate women dressing beautifully and loving themselves more in the process.

AC The Collection, is a wardrobe nirvana for quality, classic pieces that you’ll love and feel amazing in. I sat down with Ange to talk fashion, the fundamentals of a fabulous and functioning wardrobe, and her inspiration for AC The Collection.

TELL US ABOUT AC THE COLLECTION

AC The Collection is a luxurious capsule collection, offering effortless elegance and timeless sophistication. Not following disposable trends, but defying fashion and accepting that feeling and looking great comes down to your confidence and attitude, not your age, shape or latest trend.

In the ever-changing world of fashion, coupled with expectations put on us in today’s society; The AC woman seeks out classic pieces that travel everywhere and will take her from AM to PM with minimum fuss. Wardrobe essentials that fit her lifestyle and streamline her choices to be relevant without compromising comfort and femininity.

She knows who she is, she knows what she wants, she knows style….

0 comments