Empire Rose | Studio 54 Runway

Empire Rose’s Studio 54 themed Telstra Perth Fashion Festival runway show and after party took place on Thursday 13th September and boy was it a hit! Once again Kath proves she is the rockstar designer most coveted by WA fashion’s elite with a new collection that had everyone’s palettes dripping for more.

Disco balls, sequins galore and a bit of debauchery on the runway in the form of tshirts emblazoned with statements such as ‘not here to fuck spiders’ and ‘low key live for the drama.’ The Studio 54 vibes spread throughout the show and into the after party held within Optus Stadium at the Victory Lounge.

Model squad goals – models wearing own clothes as they wait backstage

All different hair styles for the models by Scott Sloan for L’Oreal Professionnel

Sunglasses and bum bags by Poppy Lissiman. Make-up by Artists @ Play.

Kath is so chill backstage, a sign of a designer who has put a tonne of hard work and dedication into the show during the lead up with every meticulous detail thought through. There is no doubt that Kath is a hard worker, yet her real gift for marketability and creating #squadgoals is something that is innnate within her and is why the Empire Rose brand is 21 years strong.

Next up, after party!

Shhhhh!

xxx SV xxx

Gendermess @ Kennedy ART BALL presented by VOGUE Australia

Perth’s answer to the Met Gala and Studio 54 which grace’s Perth with its presence for one night only each year, is back like never before for its third instalment with a new line-up of talent and provocateurs taking to the stage and offering its now notorious and titillating activations at the Art Gallery of Western Australia this Saturday night, 26th May.

If the following list of entertainment and delights in store for this weekend doesn’t excite you, I recommend you have your pulse checked..

Architecture in Helsinki
The Brass Cartel feat. Odette Mercy
The Southern River Band
Ukiyo feat. Your Girl Pho
The Potbelleez
Joel Creasey
West Australian Opera
Zara Bryson (DJ debut)
Ash Baroque I VDLV + Stryker Meyer
Blonde Ambition Floorshow feat. Kinetica, Cultural Renegades and BarbieQ
Gendermess Productions
Koala Parlour
The Confessional
Wearable Art
Champagne G.H.MUMM
Aperol Spritz
Negroni’s by Campari
Italian chow via Comestibles

Ahead of the debauchery, Style Voyeur caught up with one of the performers who is all set to showcase on the night and is very likely going to wow even the most avant-garde attendees of the bunch. Creative flair is an understatement when it comes to describing this artist’s body of work and I am thrilled to share this interview with you all, featuring some tips and tricks for thinking outside the gilded gold box this Art Ball.

A big SV welcome to Ginava from GENDERMESS Productions

Name –  Ginava

Hometown – Perth

Occupation – Performance Artist

Style Voyeur: Please describe yourself in 5 words – Ginava: Colourful, Confident, Creative, Crazy, Cross-dresser!

SV: Describe your brand/ business and what you do – Ginava: GENDERMESS Productions is a performance platform that I started 5 years ago when there wasn’t one for artists like myself. We explore the subversive, alternative sides of society and disrupt the whole “spectrum” of gender. It features drag, club kids, dancers, monsters & gender f*** performance artists

SV: Tell me about your involvement in Art Ball and how that came about – Ginava: I attended Art Ball the first year wearing a dress I made and had such a fun time. I love showing my art through fashion, so what better place to do that than Art Ball.

SV: What can guests expect from Gendermess on the night – Ginava: Glamorous drag fashions and some of my favourite creature creations from over the years, showcased by the brilliant high energy Gendermess.

SV: What inspires you to create – Ginava: Music! I find such fascination in how someone’s story can be found in or be told though music. I like to create and interpret my own stories through what I hear in the music and translate them into a visual medium

SV: Where do you seek and find inspiration – Ginava: I’m drawn to performers and artists that can go to many different extremes to trigger certain ideas or view points that would normally be deemed too much or inappropriate. Especially regarding the subjects of gender, religion and sexuality.

SV: How do you best channel your creative energy – Ginava: I like to let go of thoughts and ‘rules’. If I’m too much in my head about what I’m wanting to say or do, I get a creative block. I try and let creative energy come from my gut feeling and instinct so that when I look at the end result, I can be proud it’s come from a centred place.

SV: Do you have a style mantra – Ginava: I don’t dress for anyone but myself!

SV: Who is your style guru? – Ginava: David Bowie, no words needed!

SV: Do you have any advice for the people of Perth in how to dress for the Art Ball – Ginava: If you are saying yourself “I don’t know about this outfit, it might be a bit too much” then thats what you need to wear. Art Ball is the one night you can throw that ‘too much’ concern out the window!

SV: Do you have any advice for the people of Perth on how to be more open-minded and imaginative in the ways they live and dress – Ginava: How I feel in clothes, for me, overrides how I look in clothes. A person’s energy they are feeling inside exudes more than the exterior you are trying to carry off. Dress for how you feel, rather than faking it with something sensible.

SV: If we can have one take-away from your fabulous style ethos to have with us through life, what would it be – Ginava: Taking a fashion risk each time you dress will always teach you something new about yourself. If we were to dress in the same habits everyday, we would never be able to evolve our creativity or style.

SV: What are you most excited about for the future – Ginava: The alternative queer scene and overall perspective in Perth has been growing more and more and the new creative and collaborative opportunities that have come about have gotten me really excited for the future. I’m just taking each day as it comes and putting myself out there as much as I can.

Thank you, cannot wait!

Kennedy ART BALL presented by VOGUE Australia
Sat 26 May 2018 l Tickets from www.artball.com.au
#KennedyArtBall

Art Ball Campaign Shoot – shot for STM Magazine

Creative Team: Photographer – Jeremy Choh, Styling – Zoe Van Zanten, Hair – Pauline McCabe, Make-up – Rebecca Collins, Models – Gemma Stewart, Chanel Caldwell and Lily Grace from Chadwick Models. Artwork from Galleria Corsini, Florence currently on display at the Art Gallery of WA.

StyleAid 20th Anniversary

For the final Styleaid in history, we saw 20 iconic WA designs take to the stage featuring local labels who have showcased at the event since its inception in the 90’s. Last night’s event was bittersweet for the iconic hair and make-up teams, all the models and of course for the incredible crew who have volunteered their time for Mark Reid and Aly May’s iconic event which has raised funds for the WA AIDS Council since 1997. What a feat! Congratulations to all and I am thrilled to have been lucky enough to have been able to cover the event from backstage over the past few years, adding to some of Style Voyeur’s best archives in my blogging career to date. Thank you for having me and never kicking me out of the backstage area Aly and Grant, even when all the other bloggers had to leave! I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such talent in this humble state and what an exceptional platform for WA’s creatives Styleaid has been.

Kudos, kisses and dolla dolla bills !

Above: ERICAAMERICA

TINDALE

FLANNEL

Make-up Director, Carol Mackie working her magic!

ONE FELL SWOOP

ZADAR

EMPIRE ROSE

AURELIO COSTARELLA

The Blue Wren by FENELLA PEACOCK

AE’LKEMI

ZHIVAGO

ELLE CAMPBELL

HOODED WEPT

MONSTER ALPHABETS

MORRISON

NOM*D (from NZ, the exception to the rule)

xxx SV xxx

Art Ball 2017

The inaugural Art Ball took place on Saturday night at the Art Gallery of Western Australia with guests living up to the exceptional dress standards that were set last year and have forever defined this event at Perth’s own answer to the Met Gala. Once again, Art Ball was supported by Vogue Australia and run by the legendary, Grant Capriotti of Muse Bureau and boy did they deliver!

My night began with a pre-event function hosted by the ever so fashionable AMP Capital Shopping Centres who were naming rights sponsors of the night. Guests who were lucky enough to be in attendance at the embargoed new Mello House space, a private members club soon to launch in Perth, enjoyed champagne, canapes and mingling amongst industry locals and special guests who were flown to Perth especially for the night. Phones and cameras were off limits at Mello House so I had an hour off the clock and had the honour of meeting Editor and TV personality Melissa Hoyer, model Rosie Tupper, fashion aficionado Brioney Prier and reunited with friends and colleagues fresh off the plane from Sydney, including Prada and Miu Miu’s Shay Thomas, model Amy Finlayson, designer Melanie Greensmith and AMP Capital’s Alicia Kemp and fashion consultant Antonia Leigh who has been like a fashion mentor to me since having the pleasure of meeting her through Telstra Perth Fashion Festival, last year.

Before long it was time to head off to the ball. 10 black cars were waiting for us and we were ushered into the Art Gallery and presented with a disco ball-esque sparkly wrist band which pretty much embodied what was in store for the rest of the night, DISCO balls a plenty. There were a few highlights of the night for me, one was watching a middle aged man in a traditional tuxedo dance up to the bar looking as happy as a human could possibly look. He told me he was from the country and his friends got him a ticket, he was truly delighted to be there and his vibe was just great. I ordered him a drink and we clinked our champagne glasses to toast a merry good night. Also awesome were the performances by the WA Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Ngaiire and people were absolutely sick for Client Liaison. The biggest highlight I would say was watching people get live tattoos which I was clearly so enthralled with, I forgot to take any photos of it and the disco ball room was rather spectacular and let off the most incredible shards of light, providing the best backdrop for my pics and for people to hang out amongst whilst sitting on puffy white air filled bag/ seats.

Check out some of the happs from the night below.

The image above features Art Ball advisory board member and Super Elixir founder, Andrea Horwood-Bux, Wheels and Dollbaby designer, Melanie Greensmith and Perth born model, Amy Finlayson, outside the Como Treasury before the pre-function.

Antonia Leigh, Brioney Prier, Alicia Kemp and Scott King

Rachael Shaw and friend

Brooke, Kath from Empire Rose and me because…why not

Zara Bryson

Naked live body painting anyone? Thanks for the cool backdrop ladies! <3 Pippa McManus

the Art Gallery of Western Australia atmosphere

Claire Ridley, Antonia Leigh, Melissa Hoyer and Alicia Kemp = powerful business women I adore!

Prada and Miu Miu’s Shay Thomas

Bronx Whitehorn

NGAIIRE

The Bachelor’s Megan Marx and friend

Samuel England and Pippa McManus

Claire Davies

Claire Ridley and Scott Nugent

Shay Thomas and Paul O’Connor

El Peteski and Jacinta McDonald

Amy Finlayson and Antonia Leigh

‘Til next time xxx SV xxx

Fremantle Fashion Collective

PSAS

This Spring, Fremantle Festival will celebrate everything fashion, culture and the arts with a slew of curated events that run for 10 days, featuring a range of high quality and thought provoking ticketed and free to the public events, including my favourite –  the annual sell out Fremantle Fashion Collective on 4th November.

This year The Fremantle Fashion Collective will once again present its runway show to the local community, the media and industry at large at the local creative hub, PSAS (pictured above: otherwise known as Pakenham Street Art Space), showcasing 7 Fremantle based fashion designers including: Wild Horses, PekhoLittle Dove, KINN, Empire RoseMegan Salmon, Yuuki and retailer, Harpers Emporium.

Harpers Emporium

(Harper’s Emporium, 85 George Street, East Fremantle)

Tickets to Fremantle Fashion Collective’s premium runway show are so sought after that when I called the designers to ask some questions, they begged me for the ticketing information so that they could swiftly buy theirs for friends and family haha. This ‘ain’t no media release fodder people, tickets sell out fast!

So how does one get tickets to revel in this glory? Well before I get to that sweet spot, it has to be said that the WA fashion industry has Fremantle to thank for some of its most successful and longest standing fashion designers. The likes of Empire Rose and Megan Salmon began their fashion careers in Fremantle in 1996!! And it goes without saying that there is definitely something in the water in Perth’s port city with the likes of muso John Butler, actress Emma Booth, model Tahnee Atkinson, music producer/ frontman for Tame Impala Kevin Parker and Author Tim Winton, all born and bred in Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River, the gateway to the West.

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(Fremantle Fashion Collective Campaign – Image: Songy Knox)

To find out more about Freo life, I called one of my friends who just so happens to be Kathryn Cizeika, none other than owner, designer and founder of Empire Rose to have a chat about the upcoming event and to get some insight into what inspires her. What I got was a heartwarming Fremantle story of her beginnings as a high school student designing clothes from the age of 15. That is where she met her life-long friends (think a foursome version of Romy and Michelle but with layers instead of lycra).

“I am a Freo girl through and through. I love living by the beach, the multicultural vibe and the scene here. All my friends are in Freo and speckled throughout the industry. We all still live, dine and shop here and love nothing more than to support the local businesses in Freo.” And by ‘we’ she means the likes of model agent and scout, Christine Fox of Vivien’s Model Management (discovering Gemma Ward is just one of her career dot points), Penny Sedgwick who started Department and now owns Freo’s, Eros Clothing and Leith Groves who is founder of retail heavyweight, Varga Girl and a soon to launch online store.

They all met while at high school at Fremantle’s John Curtin High and have remained besties ever since. After taking herself through Uni and working her way up via retail merchandising, Cizeika opened her first studio in 1996 with the launch of Empire Rose. 20 years later she is one of the most successful designers in the industry and will showcase her wears at the Fremantle Fashion Collective on November 4th.

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(Eros Clothing, 79 Market Street, Fremantle)

Amazingly, 1996 was an important year for Megan Salmon also, who’s first foray into fashion began with the creation of label ‘SPPPSSP’ with fellow Fremantle based designer, Rebecca Paterson. The label only lasted 4 years but she was hooked! When I asked Salmon if Fremantle inspires her design, she replied, “I adore and love Fremantle and could never live anywhere else. I love the bohemia and it is a part of me in that way.”

Megan Salmon

(Megan Salmon, 55 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle)

The Fremantle Fashion Collective not only celebrates local fashion designers and retailers, but engages with many local creatives from event staff behind the scenes, to the campaign crew which was made up of an entirely Freo based team. The campaign shoot took place at the iconic Roundhouse with Photographer Songy Knox at the helm, model Teagan Joffe from Chadwick Models wore the collections and was primped and preened by local salon Djurra, with make-up by The Make-up Factory. As you can see, the images perfectly reflect the beach-side lifestyle and vibrant culture Fremantle is famous for.

campaign 1

Thanks to major sponsors, Gage Roads, Chadwick Models and campaign photographer Songy Knox, the event is set to be the best night out for the local community and wider industry – get on it!  TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

campaign 2

‘Til next time,

xxx SV xxx

TPFF 2016 SV WRAP

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One could say I am almost too close to the project nowadays (being the Industry Liaison of TPFF) in order to be able to actually document it but being SV’s 9th year, I couldn’t let the side down. Thankfully on Day 1 of TPFF 2016 I met a young photographer by the name of Jonte O’Neil. Mark Vassallo had enlisted him to shoot backstage and capture the happs at Opening Night so immediately I had to convince him to shoot for me. Somehow I did, but now as you know, not just anyone can capture the SV charm backstage so it is with great pride that I can say I am absolutely thrilled with Jonte’s photos, what a star! And not to mention a star on the rise. Watch this space for more of his work but for now, enjoy my Festival wrap from the 5 shows he covered for me – Opening Night, Adam Heath, New Generation, Empire Rose and One Fell Swoop. Some killer shows are missing from this list but a girl’s gotta werk! Enjoy xx

Above: TPFF 2016 FACE Lauren Brown from Vivien’s Model Management wearing Dion Lee. Love her more than words can describe! We nailed it with that kid. 

OPENING NIGHT

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Romance Was Born

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Zhivago

ADAM HEATH

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Ken Done on the runway for this flashback runway show featuring archives from 1960’s – the new millenium

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Akira

EMPIRE ROSE

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NEW GENERATION

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Rosemaree White

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Remi Lane

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Tamara Loo (above & below) shoes courtesy of Betts

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Elle Campbell (above & below)

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ONE FELL SWOOP

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The incredible set at One Fell Swoop’s show which featured smoke, dry ice and mannequins draped in fabric representing the masters of drapery themselves! Phenominal

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The hair and make-up was killer! One of my favourites across the Festival week – created by Ash Brockman for Artists @ Play (make-up) and Melissa Gesualdo (hair) who was our local Hair Director from L’Oreal Professionnel

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Massive shout-outs go to Hendra Widjaja who was our key Make-up Director for Artists @ Play, Melissa Gesualdo and Scott Sloan who co-keyed Hair Direction and to the Project Managers of each of the above shows in order of appearance: Ivanna Fontana with styling by Mark Vassallo; Michelle Cooke and Ysabel Tang; Emma Bergmeier-Varian and Zara Bryson; Renee Glastonbury; Grant Capriotti

All images courtesy of Jonte O’Neil – more of his work can be seen HERE

Follow him on instagram @australiangringo

‘Til next time,

xxx SV xxx

TPFF 2016 Program Launch

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This morning Telstra Perth Fashion Festival proudly launched it’s program to the media and guests with the most stunning and elegant fashion moment to date, held at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. In it’s 18th year, the Festival has gone from strength to strength with an impressive line-up of events this year featuring shows by local and national labels from Dion Lee, Romance Was Born, Manning Cartell to Empire Rose, One Fell Swoop, Flannel and more! Tickets go on sale today via ticketmaster.com.au so get in quick if you want to be part of Perth’s premier fashion event celebrating the best of our Australian fashion creatives on the runway. As an insider at the Festival, I was lucky enough to once again document all the happs backstage and can share with you these exclusive images, as always from backstage, up close and personal with our stunning bevy of brunette models from Chadwick, Scene and Vivien’s. I hope they are as fun to look at as they were to shoot! Enjoy.

Styling by Zara Bryson

Hair by Melissa Gesualdo from Renos on St Quentin for L’Oreal Professionnel

Make-up by Bruce Lim for Artists @ Play

Simone wears Flannel top and skirt, St Saviours custom hat featuring floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers (above)

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Sheridan wears Whole9Yards top and pants and custom St Saviors Hat featuring floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers (above & below)

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Stunning new face Kate from Vivien’s Model Management in the make-up chair with Artists @ Play

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Topaz from Chadwick Models getting her hair did by TPFF local Hair Director, Melissa Gesualdo from Renos on St Quentin for L’Oreal Professionnel

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Evelyn from Scene Model Management wearing Dion Lee and custom St Saviours custom hat featuring floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers

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Karis wears Elle Campbell suit and top with custom hat from St Saviours featuring floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers (above & below)

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Our bevy of brunettes catching the elevator to rehearse for the launch of Telstra Perth Fashion Festival’s 2016 program. All models were cast to replicate the look of the beautiful 2016 FACE, Lauren Brown

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Phoebe wears Manning Cartell top, shorts and vest, jewellery by House of Skye with custom hat from St Saviours featuring floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers (above & below)

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Getting to see behind the scenes of The Art Gallery of WA whilst trecking it backstage to the fashion moment big reveal

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Meg wears House of Skye jacket and Natalie Rolt crop pants whilst attaching her House of Skye jewellery

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Brittany wears One Fell Swoop shorts and vest, Betts shoes, custom St Saviours hat featuring floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers and House of Skye jewellery

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Topaz wears 33 Poets and House of Skye jewellery

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Silver boots by Betts

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Stunning florals by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers <3

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Phoebe and Pip (right) wears dress and jacket from Adam Heath and shoes by Betts

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Kate wears Empire Rose jacket and pants with Rosemaree White bralette

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Brittany wearing One Fell Swoop and Evelyn wearing Dion Lee shoot the breeze before the fashion moment begins which took place on the gallery steps

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Silver boots from Betts, black boots from Dion Lee

Once again, get yourself some tickets before they SELL OUT folks www.ticketmaster.com.au

‘Til next time,

xxx SV xxx