I’ve been lazy about bringing back Dressing Songy. It really just started out as me rummaging around my wardrobe to see how I could re-vitalise my ‘style life’ with your help. Presenting a pair of shoes and challenging you to come up with outfits to match was great fun when I had tons of time for this website. That original concept soon became not so viable. One big issue was funding new pairs of shoes. That was nearly solved by Betts. They were happy to help but shoes are not the only problem. Time and my wardrobe. Of course, the original format of Dressing Songy still remains and I’ll sooner or later present with ‘new challenges’. For the new year, however, I had a better and more fun idea. How about getting emerging designers to dress me! Getting someone else to dress me is such a hoot. Don’t you think? I don’t claim to be the most stylish person I know. Far from it really. The idea came to me when I started noticing some amazing local talent. Let me be honest, it came from my greed. The greed to try all that is fabulous, amazing and handmade by fellow Aussies. Sure, I don’t get to own any of it (except one thing out of this post) but I can assure you I don’t want everything I see and try anyway. That’s good and bad. This gives me chance to try the things I’d never try on my own.
It wasn’t terribly difficult to choose first few designers I wanted to work with. Luckily, I was able to catch Ellie Meyer before she runs away to Melbourne for the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (she is one of two WA students to participate along with Daniella Caputi). As you know she is also one of three students selected at PFF09 to work in a special studio in the city to present a special collection this year too. Quite a special lady then to open a new season of dressing Songy.
I turned up at Ellies place in Fremantle one evening last week carrying a huge bag of shoes and basic stuff. She chose my long witchery boots and sportsgirl slip then the adventure began.
Ellie is a quiet but funny girl. She is into making garments which are wearable multiple ways. Have a look at this special vest I bought from her at Unwrapped 09 in Leederville. I can wear this in four different ways – up and down both inside and outside. Even after Ellie ‘dressed’ me with it I haven’t quite worked out how but I did wear them in all different ways as you can see in the photos. The multiple way thing wasn’t really my attraction at first. I really liked how cleverly patterns were cut and put together. I asked her what her usual approach is with garment design. Her simple answer was ‘draping first and pattern making next’. You know the usual way of garment making right? Pattern making, cutting and putting them on a dress making dummy. Not that it is ground breaking as I know of quite a few designers using that very method but they don’t always come out with fantastically clever designs. Do you see the necklace I’m wearing there? That’s Ellies’ new creation and you can buy them at the Form Gallery shop in Murray Street in Perth.
There’s another example of ‘multiple ways’ dress. I nearly bought that dress but I secretly want both of them (puffy and up and down dress). Apart from the purest greed of mine – wanting to try out designer fashion – it is interesting to see how what we saw on runway can be worn by a regular girl like me. you know what I mean? These pieces were shown both at the Perth Fashion Festival 2009 and Homeground Curtin graduate show 2009. Of course they were worn by tall, skinny and stunning models. I’m a size 10 regular girl with not so long legs etc…etc the bottom line is I haven’t got any quality that models got so if garments work on me any regular people should be able to pull them off. When Ellie was dressing me it felt quite effortless yet special.
Ellie is still not sure about the name Prufrock for her label. Whatever she decides to call it in the future I do hope that she continues her design with her signature inquisitiveness and frankness. That’s an amazing quality to have in the so called fashion world.
I dare say this has been a very successful launch of Dressing Songy 2.0. I’ll be back with more of interesting and sometimes predictable Songy’s favourite designs by local designers soon.
By the way, the satin heels giveaway is still happening. I’m really giving a winner a pair of brand-new heels from Betts. It’s not that difficult to enter either so go on and ‘get engaged’! If commenting isn’t your thing, email your answer to songyknox [at] gmail.com.
