Byron and Beyond

It has been a busy year in this little town of Byron and here are a few projects that have been in the works.

First the Aila Blue look book for designer Mai Miyama.  We shot on the beaches of Belongil with model Alyce Crawford.  Take a look at more of Mai's beautiful silky ikat designs here.

Next up was a impromptu shoot with the gorgeous Indonesian model Fa Empel and Spell Designs featured here on The Ben Trovato Blog.  Thank you for all the positive feedback!  We have received so many emails on this one.  I really enjoyed working with Fa, the Spell sisters and Johnny Abegg who made the short film, Freedom in Solitude.

NY cult magazine Lovecat Music Issue #4 with up and coming model Maddie Daisy Dixon as Anita Pallenberg (Rolling Stone muse and Keith Richard's wild woman partner).  I was over the moon to be featured in the issue with the cover and several fashion spreads being shot by Ellen Von Unwerth (Guess ad's fame) as well as many other talented photographers.  Special thanks to Ashlea Penfold who helped transform Maddie to her Anita character as well as the rest of the team that day!

In the works is the new Anna Beck Jewelry campaign in which we (Johnny Abegg and I) jetted off to Bali to shoot Indonesian model Salvita De Corte.  We also were lucky enough to produced an Anna Beck sponsored film on the courageous and giving Robin Lim, 2011 CNN Hero.  All coming soon.

Last but not least get ready for the music webisodes filmed at our summertime beach house project sponsored by Corona.  A surf boho residence where some of Australia's best artists come to unwind, relax and record and we get to capture their creative process.



Busy busy beautiful Byron -  I do love all the creative energy and people you hold in your heart!

INSIGHT | MAI MIYAMA OF AILA BLUE

Mai Miyama is an American designer living in Australia.  An old friend of mine, she's your quintessential gypsetter.  An enviable Japanese + American mix, legs as long as a giraffe and a heart as sweet as sugar...her next collection for her label Aila Blue is candy coated silks for days spent lounging in Ibiza or sipping cocktails at the Karma Kandara on the shores of Bali.

Posted Up. Cairns, Australia
Inspired By. Strong fearless women living unconventional lives, showing the rest of us women that we can live out our dreams and still be mother wife sister daughter.
Current Designer.  The list is always revolving. At the moment I can't get out of my Acacia bikinis. The finest Italian fabrics and beautiful cuts, they are beyond gorgeous.  I love that the girls behind Acacia (Naomi Newirth and Lyndie Irons) are changing the game of swimwear.  Showing women how to embrace their curves and tastefully flaunt it.  No more baggy bikinis!
Best Recent Purchase.  My black Valentino studded stiletto boots. They make me want to jet back to my LA stomping grounds and drink dirty martinis til 3am with my best girlfriends.
Coveting. A classic black Chanel bag, every girl should own one.  A teacup Yorkshire terrier.  A white cowhide rug for my office.
Favorite Websites. I'm always on bloglovin catching up on my favorite blogs.  And I adore Etsy!
I love how you can search things like antlers or chevron or boho and come up with the most incredible one of a kind treasures. 
Dream Trip. India!  I haven't been and it's all I think about! The vibrant colors, textures, culture and spiritual vibrations.   A sensorial paradise. My best friend and I plan to go soon, we haven't taken a trip together in over 10 years.
Something about Me. I'm getting married this year and I feel like a deer caught in the headlights!  I have no idea what I am doing.  I am so impressed and in awe with women who seem so together and instinctively know how to pull it all together. I seriously need bridal 101.  Wish me luck! 

Can't get enough E L L E R Y

I tore myself away from our hotel room after Mai Miyama and I had a wild night out after partying and playing with Mandy from Oracle Fox, the girls from Style Stalker, Gary Pepper Vintage and a whole crew of fun girls from the Sydney fashion scene.  We danced our hearts out at White Revolver where I kept calling Mitchell (lifewithoutandy) Andy, and he kept telling me his name is not Andy but that his website is an ode to Andy Warhol-ok duh.  So the next morning I stroll over to the White Rabbit Gallery to catch this show before I caught the flight home to my gorgeous girls.  I was surprised to spot myself at 1:25 but happy that one of the highlights of my Australian experience thus far is here.  How gorgeous are these clothes? Thanks to the awesome Sacha from my new favorite blog stylelexicon for posting.


Ellery x Belvedere By Darren McDonald from PEDESTRIAN.TV on Vimeo.

Ellery S/S 2011 and the Ellery Gazette

I flew down to Sydney yesterday with my good friend Mai Miyama (designer for Aila Blue) to check out a few shows at the Rosemount Australia fashion week.  The most coveted ticket in town was the Ellery show at the White Rabbit Gallery.  The collection was so beautiful to see in person-the quality, details, tailoring and presentation.  Each guest (and all guests got a front row view) were presented with the premiere issue of the Ellery Gazette, a thick glossy magazine that the designer and her team brilliantly threw together.  The photography in it is so gorgeous and there's more that I couldn't post here.  If you can get your hands on a copy it's like sitting in her studio with her and seeing how Elleryland runs. She dishes about her collaborations, team, inspiration and much more.  

Images from Vogue.com.au 

Editors Letter from the Ellery Gazette.  Is there anything that Kym Ellery cannot do that isn't design perfection?

Sandlocked Editorial by Holly Blake

Black and White Images from Darren MacDonald and Andrew O Toole

For insight on Kyms design inspiration and backstage madness check here.