Sara Phillips RAFW Preparation Diary

Sara Phillips may only be at the start of her career, but she's already making in-roads as one of the most promising commercial designers on the Australian market. Her cute party dresses and pretty prints are exactly what girls want hanging in their wardrobes, and as a result, the designer is already creating up to four ranges a year, and collaborating with the likes of Sportsgirl, and this season Ecco shoes.

We asked her to tell us a bit about her collection, and give us a rundown of her RAFW preparation process:

Our Summer 2011/12 collection is based on the beauty of our native Australian flora and fauna. We have taken inspiration from the harsh beauty of native flowers such as banksia, bottle brush and the waratah.

We have also examined reptiles and their beautifully detailed scales.  We took silhouettes from their form and colour and pattern from their skin.

It is a heavily print-focused collection with both hand-drawn as well as photographic offerings.

Here's a timeline of how it came together:

3.1.11
Finalised design concept - inspiration etc

27.1.11
Chose fabrics

1.2.11
Went to the flower markets, found more inspiration. Found some great native flowers that I could turn into some really beautiful prints

13.2.11
Started to hand draw our prints, so exciting seeing everything come together

29.3.11
We’ve got so many prints it’s hard to choose my favourite

1.3.11
Started to workshop our beading in India. We found some really interesting textures/beads/yarns, we think this will add another dimension to the collection

10.3.11
Started to digitally print our fabrics, I love how immediate the technology, it allows us to see our fabrics straight away

25.3.11
Just received some summer samples back for fashion week, all the colours and textures look amazing together. Some slight changes to be made but it’s all looking really good

4.4.11
Started our fashion week productions meetings. Trying to find a way to do something really different with the venue, I think this year is going to be really special. We are trying to mix up the layout a bit and make the set design come out into the audience space

25.4.11
Received all our good bag product today from all our amazing sponsors- Ecco, Bobby Brown, Redken- some really great product that I hope everyone gets excited about

Above image: Collection preview image and mood board exclusively for TheVine.

Porcelain by Karla Spetic

Karla Spetic's SS11/12 collection was one of the brightest injections of colour in a week that was pretty kaleidoscopic already. She allowed this boldness room to breath by offering longer, leaner more grown up shapes than we're used to from the designer - who has previously worked with very short, youthful hemlines - and it worked in her favour. Spetic's showing was picked out by several critics, and one piece in particular, an apple green suit layered over lime shirting, became one of the most mentioned, and most printed, looks of the week.

We caught up with the designer to find out how she felt the show went, what inspired her, and what we can expect next.

How do you feel your RAFW showing went?
I feel it went well and it was smooth without any mishaps, which is unusual. Normally it's all very stressful but I had such a great team who made it easy. It all happened quickly so it's a bit of a blur

Was there a particular moment that stood out for you?
When the models stood in line just before the show began.

Your bright green suit was one of the most talked about garments of the week. What inspired you to go so bold with colour?
I love colour. I think people respond to bright colours and I wanted to portray a positive feel. I've been wanting to use apple green for some time now, and I feel it was right for this collection.

This season you went for quite a clean, long lined silhouette. The shape seemed a little more grown-up than in past seasons. Was this a conscious decision to appeal to an older audience?
It wasn't a conscious decision. I think with time the label evolves. You constantly move forward and learn new things and, yes, grow up.

Can you tell us more generally about your inspirations for the season?
I moved house early this year and my mind was in interior design and interior objects. I was looking at offbeat shapes and colours, art glass, fler furniture, Grant Featherston chairs, retro objects, minimalism, clean shapes. I had so many ideas to redecorate my new space, so that was all I was thinking about. I wanted to translate that into my new collection.

Where did your print come from?
I saw these portuguese tiles. They were very small tiles that had beautiful intricate designs. I decided to enlarge them and re-colour them to show their beautiful ornate detailing.

How important are the international trends when it comes to informing your design aesthetic?
I like the idea of creating what you feel without conforming to any rules or trends.

Can you tell us a bit about the jewellery we saw in your show?
Venice Rish approached the idea of collaborating for SS11/12. At first I didn't think it was something that would really work for me as I've never done anything with jewellery. After we met I was really thinking a lot about the concept and how to integrate jewellery with my garments. When she showed me her ideas I was really impressed and excited to see more. She really understood my brief and worked long hours trying to achieve new techniques. She had the idea of creating glass spheres, which were intricately engraved and set in sterling silver. It wasn't until a few days before the show that I saw the pieces, which blew me away. They were so beautiful with such a strong point of difference. Every piece worked and complemented each look so I was really happy that our vision came to life.

How did your SS11/12 showing follow on from the AW11 collection we can find in stores now. Are there some common themes we can trace through them both?
I think each collection is telling a new story so I think that summer is very different. The familiarity would probably be the continuation of contrasts such as masculine and feminine, structured and loose, print, colour, tailoring...

You've been showing at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week for several seasons now. What is about showcasing your collection in this way that you enjoy?
Seeing your vision come to life when all the models walk in the finale.

Have you picked up any stockists you're particularly excited about?
The feedback has been very positive. Sales are coming through so I have yet to see.

A lot of australian labels have been doing high street collaborations and diffusion lines lately, is this something you'd ever consider?
Maybe in the near future. I'll see what opportunities come my way.

Can you tell us a bit about your upbringing?
I was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia. When the civil war broke out in 1991 my mother and I moved to Australia two years later. It took time to adjust to a new way of life on the other side of the world. I learned English very quickly but it was the food and cultural differences that took time to get used to. For now, I can't see myself living anywhere else.

How did you first get into fashion design?
When I was eleven years old I decided I wanted to make clothes. I always loved making things, drawing and painting so it seemed natural for me.

In what ways has the Karla Spetic woman grown or changed since you first began?
I would like to think that she is more refined and unaffected. 

source: text thevine | images vogue.com.au

Pretty PRESS! Camilla & Marc, Kirrily Johnston, Gary Bigeni & Therese Rawsthorne- all available in store x

SECOND NATURE by Elke Kramer

The Second Nature Story.

For her SS10/11 Elke Kramer imagined a glamorous botanist, her jewellery and accessories reflecting her fascination of the amazing and rare flora and fauna she examines picturing her sitting in her summer garden a cacophony of details and natural beauty surround her and adorn her.

Inspired by the microscopic studies of plant cells and the floral investigations by German biologist and philosopher Ernst Haeckel, Kramer has created a rich and intricate jewellery story borrowing from the beauty of tendrils and spores, lichen and protozoa, mould and fungi.

 

Collection available in store at Mclean & Page

Please call the store for enquiries 02 9976  3277

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