Racing Fashion: April 2013

Monday, 29 April 2013

My Favourite Hatty Shoot RIGHT NOW!!!! De Porcellana Hats

When I am happy, I look at and wear hats, when I am sad, I look at and wear hats, in fact my whole life is about my family, and my extended family, THE HAT!
Even when taking a trip to Prada on Sunday, shelves of amazing beautifully crafted handbags and shoes, and what draws me in. A one of a kind vintage Prada Hat. Currently showcased in Melbourne. Yes it was worth the call to get me in to have a peek and the new Prada collection is AMAZING!

As I was looking through the stunning images of De Porcellana Hats in Argentina and found this wonderful shoot from Vogue Turkey, Enjoy!

Racing Fashion loves Vogue Turkey for De Porcellana Hats

Images are courtesy of Vogue Turkey
De Porcellana Hats, Click Here.

www.racingfashion.com.au

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Fashion Icon = Tall, Long Hair, High Heels and Classic Beauty! NOT!

A real fashion Icon saves her best wears and has the most beautiful distinctive look.

Their face may not launch a campaign, but their fashion prowess CAN!

The more I need real fashion right now, the more I feel that we are living in void right now of the consumer not knowing exactly who they are.

Walking around the shopping centre, I am always down the end of the 'Fresh Food' market and not the fashion end. There is nothing better than having everything cooked from scratch and knowing where your food is coming from.

When I have to go in the fashion sections of the High Street Labels, I am seeing anything that will bring a consumer through the door. Bright colours, with the latest model poses on the mannequins. There is a sense of looking at the exterior of ZARA, with a reminiscent ring of PRADA lighting and straight up and down mannequins with the starch look of an open front with very small place for merchandise as the higher end stores usually have a maximum of about 2 in view of the public. There is always a need for you to think, you have grabbed the last one.

This is very clever marketing strategy so you spend your $ in that store. I see clones of young girls walking in school uniforms after school into Diva and Louvisa of which I do think, a great cheap accessory does immediately bring a classic dress or suit into the current trend. Just make sure the suit or dress is a great fit and fabric.

When I listen to great people in fashion such as the wonderful past 'Anna Piaggi', she was mad about vintage in the 70s. One thing I really miss from my grandmother is not being taught the art of home sewing. More than ever, I am searching for beautiful rich fabrics, that have depth and personality. I am having to search vintage collectors for silks of which I will want designers to make into a creation for Spring Racing Carnival. In Melbourne we do have a few secret locations, but I want to think about individual lace and no more of those horrid prints that are coming in the length to the buyer in the length of the Great Barrier Reef.

Beware now of 'Josh Goot' wannabe prints, that are looking really cheap and body con dresses, that just are not!

This winter, as Melbourne Uniform requires, it is black, black and black, with a jean and ballet flat for me, I know the boat shoes are in, but being dressed down with lengths of hand knitted black yarn drapping like a bridal train, cat eye sunnies, paspaley pearls with a french roll and beanie, somehow looks so much more chic and fashionable than the latest blocked in China designer pants with badly cut blazer with cheap fake red soles heels.

It is like keeping your ingredients real. Go to the butcher for meat, fish monger for fish and market for fresh veggies, designer duds not always from the 'Fresh Food People'.

Anna Piaggi

Anna Piaggi

We Miss you Anna Piaggi,
You always lead the way in dressing to impress, YOURSELF!

www.racingfashion.com.au

Friday, 12 April 2013

Copy CAT! Flattery or a cheap RIP OFF?

What is a copy and what is inspiration?

Is it flattery or is it a rip off?

These are questions constantly being asked and you only have to google copy and see all the rip of Louis Vuitton and Prada bags to see that you are in good company when you feel like the system has failed.

Recently in the world of Millinery, there has been dispute regarding a hat that has been made and clearly looks like 'inspiration' from an overseas Milliner. There is nothing worse than feeling like that a part of your soul has been taken and your artistic creativity has been compromised.

As we know there is no copyright in Millinery and Dress Design, although in the world of Millinery it is an unwritten law among this group of artists that you do not 'copy' another designers work.

There does come a grey area where Milliners are most of the time using the same fabrics, similar blocks and allot of the mediums come from the same distributor. It is hard with say a generic pillbox with silk flower on top to say that is my design.

One Milliner I do know well, glared at a hat made in a similar design to theirs and remarked “It is meant to be flattery!”.

I guess as soon as someone sees something they like, they think, Yes, I want that, but at what cost?? Racing Fashion although it was a very small community when it started now has an international following and I am proud that I can bring the love of the races, fashion and hats to all. When I was interviewing for extra bloggers and guests for the show, many were just more interested in entering the 'Birdcage' with the excitement of Melbourne Cup Carnival and meeting celebrities rather than looking at hats, horses and people.

I head to the races just about every week feeling fantastic and a fabulous hat, that is what I care about and having a punt or two. Fashion is just a part of the races, we must be mindful of horses, riders (Jockeys and Strappers), trainers and the bigger picture of what the races are. Dare I say, even more than just wearing a HAT!

Be mindful of the charities that sponsor races and Jockey Trust Foundation. We are lucky to have this sport of Kings where we can embrace fashion.

This is OK, because we all have different motivations as why we do things.

My motivations have been going strong and I love what I do, I make no money.

But back to the Hat!

When you are a master in your craft, really anything that anyone else does just looks like a cheap rip off and most of the people will know. I mean how could someone copy Stephen Jones or Philip Treacy, they can have a really good go, but they are not even going to be in the ball park.

In this instance the hats in question have been a focus on facebook. It has been a name and shame incident. I am not saying which party is correct, but the hats were so similar I think that in some instances we do have the right to say 'Hey', this has been done before in remarkable similarity.

In the days of social media, it is very difficult to keep a tab on images and who owns what.

I made a mistake with music a long time ago, approximately 15 years and I learnt my lesson. When you own something, be protected. Sketch the hat, photograph the hat and date it and seal it in an envelope with a postmark. Don't open it, but keep it in a file called, copyright.

In legal dispute the letter shall stay unopened until the point the judge asks for proof of copyright. It will be sealed with the date and thus YOU WIN!!!!

Racing Fashion at Zaidee's Rainbow day, Easter Saturday

Zaidee's Foundation, click here.

www.racingfashion.com.au