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surrounded-by-superheroes · 6 years

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Queen Ch. 5

Click here for chapter four!

Summary; A shape-shifting girl with a bad past is recruited by Nick Fury into the Avengers. It’s there that she finally starts learning to let people in again and she’s especially intrigued by a blond haired and blue eyed Captain America. Will she learn to let him in? Will her past actually stay in the past?

Author’s Note; I’m so happy to be updating again, it’s like breathing after being underwater for a long time. Hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for all the feedback for this, I love you sweeties. Much love, your author.

Warnings; Language, mentions of a dark past

Words; 3,750

Chapter Five

That’s Spangled Alright

It doesn’t take us long to get to the district that’s full of shops. Tony takes my hand in his the minute we’re out of the car and begins dragging me from store to store. He buys me shirts, shorts, pants, scarves, gloves, shoes, even some heels to which I protested greatly. We’re on an escalator on the way to another store and I’m trying to get Tony to stop, or at the very least slow down. He’s making me feel guilty by buying all of these things for me when I have nothing to give him in return.

“Tony, this is amazing and I’m thankful, I truly am, but I don’t need all of this. I certainly don’t need anything more! You won’t even tell me where we’re going now!” I protest to which Tony grins down at me.

“You don’t have everything you need yet. You need something to wear for your date.” Tony chides and earns an eye roll from me.

“You already bought me that old-fashioned dress, Tony. Three, actually! That’s what I’m wearing on my date. Have you forgotten everything you’ve bought me already, gramps?” I remind him, then tease him a bit. He gives me a half smile then pulls me along to the right of the escalator. Bright pink catches my eye and I immediately start to drag my feet. “No, no, no. Absolutely not. Tony Stark!” I yell at him and finally plant my feet, making him come to a crashing halt. He turns towards me with a mischievous smile and shrugs.

“First, are you telling me that you have more than enough underwear and bras?” Tony inquires. I feel myself blush scarlet, a rare occurrence, but shake my head.

“No, but I’m more than capable of shopping for those by myself. You don’t-” Tony cuts me off as I endeavor to implore him not to do this.

“Come on, Queen. This isn’t a big deal. We’ll get you what you need, and I’ll even help you pick out something for your date tomorrow. Look, I even invited your favorite.” Tony adds with a wink. I look to where he’s pointing and see Natasha standing there with a couple things draped over her arm. Tentatively, I wave back. Tony starts walking again and reluctantly, I let him drag me over.

“This is so weird. Are you realizing that? Do you know how weird you are?” I ramble on to diffuse the tension in my chest, but Tony doesn’t seem to be fazed a bit. Not even by the occasional girl that comes along to stare and giggle at him. I hear Nat snickering behind me, but she doesn’t say anything. I’m too nervous to look around so I just stand there as Tony shoves random things in my arms. After I can hardly see over the pile, Tony ushers me to the dressing rooms and sits down just outside the door.

“Show us the ones that you like and we’ll tell you if they’re any good.” Nat says just outside the door and I lean my forehead against the wall in frustration.

“Really? You really want me to showcase this stuff? To you and Tony?” I ask quietly and hear Tony chuckle from the other side of the door.

“Yes, Queen.” Tony replies simply. I start to change clothes, not really paying attention to what I’m putting on, but continue to protest.

“Lord Melbourne, this may not be how my body actually looks, but I’m still relatively self-conscious.” I recall the name of Queen Victoria’s advisor and use it as a nickname for Tony. Finally, I’ve finished changing and I look in the mirror. “Tony, you are so full of shit.” I open the door and stand in front of him with my hands on my hips. Tony bursts out laughing and I can’t keep my poker face up. I smile and laugh lightly too. Nat even cracks a smile and raises her hand to hide it. “This is a joke, right?” I gesture to what I’m wearing and Tony falls over on his side laughing. I put my hands back on my bare hips and shake my head. I’m wearing an all-American outfit for sure. A strapless, fitted bustier is on my top half, but leaves the skin from my belly button down to my bottoms bare. Half of it is covered in navy blue with white stars while the other half is covered in red and white stripes. The cheeky bottoms are the same and barely cover my ass. Nat clears her throat and I look at her. She looks like she’s trying to compose herself again.

“I think Cap would love that.” She says in a teasing tone. I shake my head at both of them. Tony’s still on the ground when I go back into the dressing room. I’m about to shut the door when I hear Tony protest.

“Hold on, hold on.” He says. I stick my head out the door again and wait for him to tell me whatever he wants. “If you aren’t you, then none of this stuff is going to fit you.” My eyes narrow at him.

“I don’t understand.” I tell him and Natasha takes over.

“If you and Cap ever have sex, then you should look like you. He’d want you to look like you.” She explains and I nod once, understanding.

“So, even if you don’t change your face, you could change your body so that you fit the stuff.” Tony suggests. I stare at his shoes and consider what he said.

“Agreed.” Natasha speaks up behind him. I glance at her and nod.

“Fine.” I flick my eyes up to meet Tony’s face once again. “But I’m not wearing this stupid outfit.” I tell him and he cracks a smile before I shut the door in his face. I hear him shuffle away and sit on the floor once again. I strip and toss the stuff out the door at Tony to hang. Judging by his grunts, I think I hit him in the face at least once. Every once and a while I hear Nat snigger, further affirming my suspicions. I stare into the mirror at my naked body and take a breath before shifting to my original body. I increase in height just a tad, I never really change my height anyways. My skin gets paler, my thigh gap disappears, my shoulders get a bit broader, my hips get wider, and my breasts go from a B cup to a C. I even let my hair change to its original chocolate brown and give in to its natural tendency to curl. I look in the mirror and press my lips together to prevent myself from smiling. This is more me than I’ve been in a long time. I leave my face disguised though. I’m not quite ready for that yet. Since Tony didn’t know what size I was I have many of multiple sizes, so I only hang up the ones that are my size, so I know what to try on. The next few I try on are simple. Just cute lacy bras and underwear that I don’t feel the need to show Tony, but when I hear him growing restless I decide to throw him a bone. I choose a blueish silver bustier with black lace and matching underwear, it even has garters along with garter straps. I put it on and peek my head out of the dressing room at Tony. He immediately perks up and his gaze goes to my hair. He grins.

“Is that your real hair?” He points and asks. Curls fall over my shoulder as I nod. Natasha nods slowly as she looks at me. She’s probably one of the rare people who also understand what it’s like to constantly change how you look.

“This is all me, okay? Except for my face. So, no making fun or pointing out stupid stuff. Deal?” I request. Tony nods with soft eyes and a happy smile. I wonder if today is just as much for him than for me. I open the door all the way and resist crossing my arms in front of me. Instead, I hold my arms out a bit and turn in a circle, thanking whoever made this for not making it sheer. When I face Tony and Nat again I shrug. “So, thoughts?” He’s smiling ear to ear, so I take that as a compliment. “Good? Thumbs up? Please say something so I don’t keep feeling this awkward.” I plead and he laughs while Nat smiles.

“You look great, Queen. You’d blow anyone away in that. Especially since it’s the real you. Love the hair, by the way.” Tony compliments me multiple times, bringing the smallest tint of pink to my cheeks.

“Since I don’t think Cap has seen any lingerie in the recent decades, I think he’ll really appreciate any outfit you have on.” Natasha teases, then her face gets more serious. “But I think it’s the person underneath that really matters.” I meet her eyes for a moment and nod. I understand what she’s saying. She’s telling me to be myself, and to not hurt one of her boys.

“Thanks, Tony. Thanks, Nat. I have a few more, but this is the only one I’m going to show you.” Tony pouts but I hold out a hand. “This was more fun than I thought, I admit it, but I think I can make it from here on out. I’ll show you the ones I like afterwards.” I leave no room for argument and shut the door. I wait for a moment in case Tony starts to argue, but I only hear him sigh in acceptance. A slight slapping sound makes me think that Nat hit his shoulder, but I leave them to argue for themselves. I choose at least a dozen lace and silk bras with matching underwear, but only choose five sets of fancy lingerie, including the set I showed Tony and Nat. I walk out, finally done, and Tony jumps up to see what else I chose. Natasha is more content to just walk by me. After Tony approves heartily of everything I chose, we check out and somehow manage to fit even more bags into the little black car we drove here. Nat gets on a motorcycle she must have ridden here and leaves before us with a small wave. We follow right after. At last, we head back to the tower. Tony even calls some of his robots down from the tower to carry all the bags up to my room. Still in Nat’s outfit, I head in with Tony’s ever-present arm around my shoulders. Tony seems to be attached to my hip because he comes up with me to my room to so-called, ‘help me unpack’. I rolled my eyes at that one, but allow him to tag along. I enjoy his company anyway. But, we’re both in for a surprise when we open the door to my room. “Steve?” I ask. His form is familiar, although he’s facing away from the door. He spins around and smiles at me, although I don’t miss how his gaze lands on Tony’s arm first.

“I’ll give you two some alone time.” Tony says loud enough for the both of us to hear. He gives me a quick kiss on my forehead, whispering, “Misbehave, Victoria.” I glare at him as he walks away, but he only laughs. “Later, my Queen!” He says dramatically, making me roll my eyes. I look back at Steve and smile, shutting the door behind me as I enter my room. The robots have left all my bags in front of my dresser, and of course, the bag that is front and center is Victoria’s Secret.

“Hey.” I say quietly, remembering the events earlier today. I assume he’s here wondering why I conceded the fight. I walk forward so that we’re only a few feet apart.

“Hi. I see you and Stark did a bit of shopping?” Steve notices and gestures with his head to all the bags, thankfully, he doesn’t look at them. I nod. I see Steve take note of my hair and my different figure, although he’s a gentleman so he doesn’t comment on it.

“Yeah. I needed some actual clothes. I can’t just keep borrowing from Natasha all the time.” I point to her suit that I’m still wearing. I walk over to the bags and block the bright pink and red bag from his sight. “Would you mind, actually?” I ask and gesture with my finger for him to turn around. He watches my finger, but glances back at my face, confused. The corner of my mouth twitches as I fight a smile and walk over to him. I set my hands lightly on his shoulders as he stares at me, startled. Gently, I move him so that he’s facing the other way. “Now, don’t turn around.” I tell him and walk behind him, unzipping the suit as I go. I watch Steve and have to press my lips together to stop my laugh. His shoulders immediately tense when he hears the zipper to the suit. I shake my head at him. What a sweetheart. “I figure you’re here because of what happened earlier today?” I ask as I step out of the suit and boots and reach into the Victoria’s Secret bag for a pair of bra and underwear. Grabbing a white, lace pair, I slip them on as Steve struggles to talk to me.

“I, uh, yeah,” He clears his throat, “I wanted to check if you were alright. You seemed a bit off when you left.” Steve says, his voice a bit nervous. I rifle through some of the other bags and grab some dark jeans and a white t-shirt. Slipping them on, I respond.

“Yeah, I just-” Tony’s voice comes back to me from earlier, telling me I have to tell Cap. I look at Cap’s fidgeting figure and purse my lips. “Some old memories came up and I needed some time alone to handle it.” I do my best to be honest. Finally, I’m finished changing. I go over to Steve and lay a hand on his shoulder, telling him it’s okay to turn around. He jumps a bit at my hand and I laugh. “Steve, I’m done.” I go around in front of him so he sees that it’s safe. He breathes a sigh of relief and I find myself giggling at him. I sit down on the chest at the end of the bed and pat the spot next to me so he knows he can sit down. Hesitantly, he sits next to me and I turn to face him.

“Old memories, huh? I know a thing or two about those. Do you want to talk about it?” He asks kindly, blue eyes shining. I curl and uncurl my toes nervously. This isn’t like it is with Tony. Looking into his eyes, the way my heart feels, the way my stomach feels, it seems to matter more. I take a deep breath and decide to tell him, at least the basics. He should know who he’s going out with tomorrow anyway. If he still wants to go after hearing this.

“Uh…sure. From the age of five until I was eighteen, I was kept in a sort of facility. The people there made me this way, they gave me the abilities I have, but don’t get the wrong idea. They were not kind people.” I explain quietly. “The memory that came up today was me in a cage, people standing just outside, waiting and watching.” Realization dawns on his face. I know he remembers how bothered I was when I saw the others watching us. He opens his mouth to speak but I hold up a hand to stop him. “I’m not finished.” I tell him and he quiets. “I was kept in a glass cage a lot of the time. The whole thing made out of two-way mirrors so they could see me and I couldn’t see them. But I could feel their eyes.” I shiver slightly. “Then, there was the metal cage. The only reason I was put in that cage was to fight in human form, then kill…whoever I had fought.” I pause, waiting for it to sink in for Steve. His face hardens as he looks at me.

“You killed them?” He repeats, even his voice is hard. I nod slowly.

“Yes. After each fight, I would be ordered to end their life and I would do so.” I continue, almost flinching at my own words. “Before you ask, I don’t know how many. I lost count over the years.” Steve stands and walks away from me. I sigh quietly, trying to keep my emotions under wraps. Of course, he wouldn’t just take in stride, Victoria. I scold myself. “I understand how…how upsetting this is for you-”

“Upsetting?” Steve exclaims and turns back around to face me. I shut my mouth and look up at his troubled face. “This makes me a little bit more than upset.” Steve huffs.

“You don’t think I hate myself for this?” I say in a hushed tone. “Every day, I wish that I had chosen death over murdering those people. Every day. But I was a kid and I-” I try to explain myself a little further, but Steve interrupts me.

“Wait. Chosen death?” Steve reiterates. I stare at his blue eyes, waiting for him to ask his question. “I don’t understand.” I take a deep breath and, for the second time that day, show my burns. I’ve seen Cap narrow his eyes at my slightly shiny fingers before, but when he sees my toes are the same he still doesn’t comment. What a tower of a gentleman. I slip off my left sock and hear Steve’s quiet gasp as he looks at the sole of my foot. He kneels in front of me to look closer, then looks up at me, at a loss for words.

“I didn’t want to kill those people, Steve. If I refused, if I asked any questions, they’d run electricity through the metal cage until I eventually complied.” I sniff and push the sadness down that’s rising in my chest. “I’m sorry, Steve.” I apologize and shut my eyes to stop the tears. After a few calming breaths, I open my eyes and look back into Steve’s without the danger of crying. The hardness that was present earlier has vanished, leaving nothing but the soft Steve I know. I slip my sock back on and put my foot back on the floor as silence washes over us both. Cap still kneels there, seemingly deep in thought. I look down at the floor between us and mutter, “I understand if you no longer want to go out tomorrow. I just put a lot on you.” I glance back up at him, but he’s still motionless. Suddenly, his hands are on either side of my face and he’s much closer than before.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything, I just…” He stutters a bit, looking for the right words. “I’m glad you’re here with all of us.” Steve whispers and I can see the honesty shining in his eyes. “I’m glad you’re here with me.” He says, even quieter. I blink, surprise flooding me.

“Me too.” I whisper back, swallowing. I reach up and remove his hands from my face, instead just holding them in my lap. I shift my face into my real face, the one I was born with. The structure of my face changes first, becoming round instead of oval shaped. My lips change from being thin to being slightly uneven, my bottom lip thickening so it’s a bit bigger than my top lip. My nose shortens, converting to a button nose that turns up just a little at the tip. My eyebrows become less manicured and just have a soft arch to them. I change my eyes last. The shape changes to a downturned almond and the color shifts from the startling blue I favor, to green with light brown surrounding the pupil. Finally, a smattering of freckles dot my face and I hold my breath, waiting for Steve’s reaction. He watches me with awe and fascination, making me feel even better about my decision. “I think you’ve earned it, Steve.” I speak in my normal voice. Silvery, and slightly higher than the voice I chose for raven-hair. He smiles a bit.

“What about a name?” He asks, his eyebrows popping up in a cute way. I half smile and shake my head slightly.

“Victoria Elaine…Redhallow.” I hesitate before telling him my last name. I know what he can look up from that last name.

“Victoria Elaine Redhallow.” Steve repeats, but unlike Tony, he doesn’t say it in a whisper. He pronounces it. Like the beginning of a speech or announcement. The volume almost makes me jump. Steve smiles and nods. “That’s why Tony calls you Queen, because of Queen Victoria.” I chuckle and nod.

“Yes, that’s the nickname he has decided to call me.” I confirm. Steve stands and I release his hands, forgetting that I was even holding them. He sits down beside me once again and I turn to face him, crossing my legs beneath me.

“Victoria,” He grins a bit while saying it, “I would still very much like to take you out tomorrow. If you still want to go.” Steve tells me in his gentlemanly way. I smile and nod.

“Of course, I’d still like to go.” I say. He nods and walks towards the door. “Uh, wait, Steve. What should I wear?” I ask self-consciously.

“Oh. A dress would be fine.” He tells me and I’m suddenly very glad I asked. I never would have guessed to wear that. He opens the door after I nod, but pauses in the doorway. He turns sideways and looks back at me. “You’re uh, you’re really beautiful, by the way.” I smile brightly, genuinely, and happily at the compliment. No one has ever said that meaning me, the real me, is beautiful. No one. Steve nods and scratches the back of his neck as he leaves. Slowly, the door closes behind him, leaving me alone in my room.

Chapter Six found HERE.

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jeremystrele · 3 years

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Meet 14 of Australia’s Most Exciting Textile Designers

TDF Design Awards

by Lucy Feagins, Editor

Photos – Zoe Helene Spaleta

Photo – Molly Heath

Badaam, The Meeting Place

The Meeting Place collection by Badaam encourages cultural exchanges by experimenting with drape, silhouette and patterns found in the Asia-Pacific region. The symbol and line prints represent ancient knowledge systems passed down through carvings on rock or ground, while the rawness and colour of handwoven silk reflect the earth these symbols were first drawn.

The collection hopes to remind people of the sacred role of creation, and that each shared story contributes to the diversity and cultural understanding of the environment they inhabit.

Amber Days, Wanala Collection

Founded by Yorta Yorta and Boonwurrung woman Corina Muir, Amber Days is an apparel label inspired by the Australia bush, desert and sea. In Wanala, the Aboriginal-owned, female-led label collaborated with Aboriginal artist Arkie Beaton on a playful print depicting floral energy in bright bursts of colour.

Since launching in October 2018, Amber Days has released five collaborations with female First Nations artists. With each new collection comes a new opportunity to strengthen awareness of Aboriginal culture, stories, and the importance of caring for the country.

Left photo – Victoria Barnes. Right photo – Timothy Robertson

Photos – Jesse O’Brien

Instyle Interior Finishes, Native

Native is a beautiful commercial upholstery fabric designed by Carol Debono from Instyle’s in-house textile design studio.

The inspiration for Native was driven by colour and a desire to create a pared-back textile with a

timeless and versatile appearance at an accessible price point. Working closely with Instyle’s longstanding Australian manufacturing partner, Carol utilised existing yarn qualities made from high-quality Australian wool to translate these into a new fabric design. By using quality raw materials and the simplest of constructions (a plain weave) the resultant Native textile is understated, price-competitive, heavy duty and highly versatile, complementing a vast range of furniture types and shapes.

Nobody Denim and GEORGE, Woven Bag

The objective of this textile project was to reduce Nobody Denim’s footprint and reimagine commercial textile waste. Cut offs otherwise destined for landfill were gathered from the denim label’s cutting room floor, and rerouted into the hands of weaver and designer, Georgina Whigham for her label, GEORGE.

Prioritising a slow approach to manufacture, each bag is meticulously handmade by Georgina using her traditional four shaft floor loom. Completely left to chance, the colour palette of each piece is determined by what denim fabrication has recently been cut at Nobody’s factory. The process takes several hours to complete via the laborious process of cutting, weaving and sewing.

Left photo – Georgie Brunmayr. Right photo – Hattie Molloy x Annika Kafcaloudis

Photos – Still Smiths

Curio Practice, Australian Woollen Blankets

Curio is a practice in slow craftsmanship and responsible knitting, partnering with ethical local factories and using consciously selected Australian merino wool yarns to create heirloom-quality blankets for the everyday.

The label’s blankets are made using around 1.9kg of high-grade Australian merino wool sourced from farms across Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia. On average, each blanket takes two hours to knit in ethical Melbourne knitting factories, and are then linked, washed and pressed.

Takeawei, Glaze Test Woollen Blanket

Ceramicist Chela Edmunds of Takeawei collaborated with Geelong Textiles Australia to create a colourful blanket that simulates the process of glazing of clay bodies in the weft of the weave. Unlike symmetrical checks that rely on mirrored elements, the check design is irregular and features large sections of block colour, tonal stripes and small pixelated colour transitions to show the breadth of variation that can be achieved. Edges are naturally frayed from the weaving and milling process.

The woollen blankets are made from 90% Australian wool and 10% nylon for durability, wash and wear.

Photos – Victoria Aguirre

Photos – Getty Images

Pampa, Eclipse

Working with their partner weavers in Argentina’s Andean mountains, Pampa produced a collection of rug designs inspired by the moon and sun. These celestial bodies are re-cast as universal symbols of warmth, vitality and comfort during a year of instability and uncertainty.

Taking its cues from Bauhaus, Eclipse is an exercise in colour play and architectural form. The result is a series of textiles that are bold, bright and expressive. Handwoven in luxuriously soft sheep’s wool, each piece takes many hours to weave and is entirely unique in its craftsmanship.

Tara Whalley, New York Fashion Week Collection

Created specifically to show at New York Fashion Week in 2020, Tara Whalley’s uplifting fashion collection was inspired by bright and joyful flowers, from those spotted on strolls through her Melbourne neighbourhood to the striking blooms Tara admired in Japanese markets on her honeymoon. These references were channelled that into a bold collection that includes apron dresses, boiler suits, kimonos, loose-fit pants, silk scarves and eye-catching ball gowns.

The 28-piece collection as always features Tara’s whimsical, hand-painted artwork – a mix of pencil and gouache, translated into digital prints. Each piece is designed to be trans seasonal and inclusive.

Photos – Caro Pattle

Photos – Jenny Wu

Caro Pattle, Woven Vase & Cup

Using machine-made textile remnants sourced from a neighbouring dead stock merchant and her own wardrobe, Caro Pattle reproduced contemporary domestic objects including a vase and cup in handwoven form.

Woven Vase & Cup are the result of an iterative research and development phase that focused on creating the perfect balance between process and material. The vessels are a collaboration between industrial and hand-crafted techniques, combining industrially produced fabric with the ancient technology of coil basketry. Woven from a single cotton/elastane textile remnant, the objects pay homage to the unique properties of the gauzy fabric. In restricting the material palette, Woven Vase & Cup offers a moment of aesthetic appreciation for an undervalued resource.

Oat Studio, Capital Collection

Textile label Oat Studio’s Capital Collection integrates iconic architectural shapes and lines into a printed fabric design. Inspired by Australian modernism, the collection expresses a love for these bold architectural forms, and expresses them through the contrasting soft tones and textures of natural fabrics.

All Oat Studio fabrics are printed-to-order to eliminate waste. The studio uses water based inks and recycled paper by-products, and works with printers who have achieved a Sustainable Green Print Accreditation.

Photo – Stephanie Cammarano

Photo – Mike Baker

Kuwaii, ‘Chronicle’ For Spring/Summer ’20

Melbourne fashion label Kuwaii reimagined the colourful painted pieces of local painter Charlotte Alldis onto silhouettes in their summer 2020 clothing and footwear collection, Chronicle.

The range was inspired by story telling, and fully made up of archival Kuwaii styles spanning our 10 years of business. Designed to be worn over and over, Kuwaii imagined pieces to be like ‘walking artworks’ – pieces customers would keep and would remember forever. Pieces were constructed in Melbourne on a selection of natural fibre based cloths (linen and cotton).

GH Commercial, Oceanic Commercial Carpet Collection

Combining non-traditional graphic elements with functional comfort, the designs for the Oceanic carpet collection by GH Commercial are inspired by ocean ecosystems in the Great Barrier Reef and the Tasman and Coral seas.

The objective of the carpet collection was to enhance user experience through striking patterns and biophilic design elements, but also providing exceptional comfort underfoot and reduced noise reduction in busy commercial spaces, providing a more pleasant indoor environment. The cohesive collection features three different carpet mediums to provide an extensive array of patterns that work as standalone solutions or grouped together.

Photo – Christian Koch

Photo – Sam Wong. Set design – Nat Turnbull

Ikuntji Artists + Publisher Textiles, Clothing Collection

Aboriginal art centre Ikuntji Artists partnered with Publisher Textiles to release a collaborative collection of 100% Australian designed and made clothing. Prints were created by both established and emerging artists in order to show the breadth of Ikuntji designs, provide a diversity of prints for different markets, and provide income to artists. Each piece was crafted by Publisher and the fabric screen printed by hand.

Artists drew their inspiration from their personal Ngurra (country) and Tjukurrpa (Dreaming). The designs are unique to Central Australia, particularly the sand hills, waterholes, jagged mountains and sandy plains of the West MacDonnell Ranges.

Paire, The World’s Comfiest Socks

Paire socks are made from a hybrid wool-cotton fabric that combines the comfort of the former with the durability of the latter.

The Melbourne label developed their unique yarn-blend from scratch, made up of 50% Australian merino wool and 50% organic cotton. The smoother, softer, moisture-wicking and odour absorbing fabric is a true chameleon that’s warm in the cold and cool in the heat. The socks are cut at 90 degrees, hand sewn shut so there’s no irritating seam, and contain cloud cushioning for added support.

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biofunmy · 5 years

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I thought the Elvis fan festival would be funny. It cracked me open and changed my life | Meg Watson | Opinion

It’s often said that watching Elvis Presley was a religious experience. He sent women into fits and presided over his disciples, singing gospel and gently blessing them with silk scarves. I’m not a religious person but in 2016 – 39 years after Elvis died – I saw the neon light.

This was also, not coincidentally, the year I gained sympathy for journalists who pursue stories about cults which they then end up joining.

I travelled to country New South Wales to cover the Parkes Elvis festival for the pop culture website Junkee. This rural town (population 11,000) hosts an annual celebration with more than 25,000 Elvis fans, impersonators and tribute artists. The best among them compete for the title and glory of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist. I went in thinking it would be a funny and novel story. Elvis was good, sure, but who are these people dressing up and singing in the streets? I left as one of them.

Over the past four years I’ve desperately tried to communicate the joy that this festival and, more importantly, this community brings me – but I always come up short. It’s not what you expect from someone in their 20s. People offer furrowed brows and pitying looks. Sometimes they laugh along, like this is a long, ironic joke. But there’s nothing ironic about the Elvis posters and records and badges in my home. I’m not joking when I talk about “my favourite Elvis tribute artists” (ETAs), or detail the differences between a tribute artist and an impersonator (let’s not start).

Sean Luke Spiteri performs at the 2016 Parkes Elvis festival. Photograph: Bonnie Leigh-Dodds

Fandom is intoxicating. Anyone who truly, wholly loves a boy band or a football team will tell you the same. But there’s something transcendent about the way Elvis fans love Elvis. It’s eternal.

Kids slick their hair back and practise dances their families have passed down (the parents of one seven-year-old performer told me he picked it up from watching Uncle Jesse on the 90s sitcom Full House). Women of all ages are allowed – encouraged – to be sexual. They twist and swoon and dab the sweat off Elvis’ chest as he gyrates on them. The men performing are a mixed bunch: some do it for a laugh and others are more solemn in their mission to honour the man and the music. Ultimately they all want to make people happy.

Happiness this intense is contagious, and it brings out the best in people. Each year the residents of Parkes open their homes as extra accommodation for visitors. Elvis songs soar through loudspeakers at all hours, and strangers literally dance in the street. Each ETA has their own community of open-hearted fans who, whether on the dance floor or in the corresponding Facebook groups, share their lives with one another. There are bedazzled shirts at each show which don’t read “Elvis”, but “Sean Luke Spiteri” and “Kingsley Rock”.

This kind of daggy devotion was alien to me in 2016. I was 24 years old, spending too much time online where the default mode was cynicism, crippled by self-doubt and illusions that “cool” was something not only worth chasing but best attained by being detached or aloof. Four years is nothing but I think it might be an eternity in your 20s. I’ve changed so much. This fandom cracked my chest open and made room for something bigger, warmer and sillier.

‘Happiness this intense is contagious, and it brings out the best in people.’ Photograph: Bonnie Leigh-Dodds

My only friend who really understands this is the one who experienced it with me, taking photos of the festival in 2016. This year, for my birthday, she paid a not-insignificant sum for us to watch the British ETA Gordon Hendricks at the Athenaeum. The other week we trekked to a pokies pub in Airport West for the Melbourne ETA Damian Mullin’s Sunday matinee. We pulled out our dorky rehearsed moves to Suspicious Minds and made new friends while barely saying a word. In a place like that, you don’t need to.

We’re heading back to Parkes in January and I can’t stop grinning. You’ll find me on the dance floor, spreading that joy, eyes closed and arms raised, reaching for a silk scarf.

• The 2020 Parkes Elvis festival takes place 8-12 January in Parkes, NSW

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foodieworldmelbourne · 6 years

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A guide to autumn markets in Melbourne

Its that time of year when we start updating the wardrobe and nestling in at home as cooler weather sets in. What better way to find that perfect something to cosy up with than exploring Melbournes distinctive markets during autumn? Boho Mama Mothers Day Market Some of Melbournes coolest jewellers, fashion designers, illustrators, artists and makers are gathering to help you find a distinctive gift for mum. And maybe something for yourself too. Browse the stalls at Boho Mama Mothers Day Market to the sound of positive-vibe-building tunes. Pause for a drink and bite, including guilt-free vegan treats, and get inspired by the fashion show featuring sunny Byron Bay labels. Sunday 28 April.

Boho Luxe Market Chinatown Market Day Did you know theres a street market in Chinatown every second and fourth Saturday? This Heffernan Lane takeover kicks off in the late afternoon, but as the sun sets it feels like an Asian hawker market. Lights and lanterns start to glow, and the sights, sounds and scents of Chinatown Market Days food stalls excite the senses. Kensington Market Discover the best that the west has to offer at the monthly Kensington Market. There are at least 70 stalls offering an eclectic mix of good things, from fresh produce to antiques and fashion. Browse to the sounds of buskers and happy conversations between makers and shoppers. Held the third Sunday of the month. Melbourne Collective Market Want to make your nest snug and welcoming this autumn? The Melbourne Collective Markets stalls will be a great source of inspiration, but hurry because its only on 3 March. This all-day home, interiors and design event also offers fine food, live music and kids activities. Plus that good feeling of supporting local small businesses. The Melbourne Art Book Fair Since the 1860s,the National Gallery of Victoria has published and distributed thousands of scholarly publications. So who better to host theMelbourne Art Book Fair? The NGVs Great Hall will become a marketplace for art and design publishers, and also a place to exchange pre-loved books. There are also talks, workshops and an all-day symposium. 15-17 March.

Melbourne Art Book Fair Melbourne Book Market As the days grow cooler, thoughts turn to snuggling up on the couch with a good book. Stock up at the Melbourne Book Market, on every Sunday afternoon until 16 April. Choose from over 5000 new and pre-loved tomes carefully selected by 15 of the citys best booksellers. Authors and illustrators are also on hand to show off their creations, plus there are secondhand CDs and records to check out. Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday Market Whether youre seeking treats and treasures for him, her or you, try the ever popular Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday Market. It gathers more than 80 unique, creative stalls that have become weekend institutions on the CBDs southern edge. From silk scarves to decadent nougat, everything is handmade locally.

The Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday Market Docklands Sunday Market Stroll by the water and get a fresh perspective on Melbourne at the weekly Docklands Sunday Market. Looking for recycled designer kids clothes? Want to be surprised by unusual finds like locally made kaftans and semi-precious gems? Just want to amble along with coffee and Village Bakery treats? You got it. All trams to Docklands are free, and the market is just a few stops from the CBD on New Quay Promenade. The District Makers Market Brought to you by Fitzroys famous Rose Street Market, Docklands own arty-crafty market offers an ever-changing line-up of creative, colourful, tasty stalls. From jewellery and homewares to artisanal produce, many delightful discoveries await every Sunday afternoon at The District Makers Market. Plus tasty treats and live entertainment, with everything under cover.

The District Makers Market https://whatsonblog.melbourne.vic.gov.au/guide-autumn-markets-melbourne/

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thescarfcompany · 3 months

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Experience Melbourne's Finest with the Versatile Silk Scarves Collection

Elevate your style with our versatile silk scarves, perfect for every Melbourne woman. From everyday elegance to bold statements, The Scarf Company offers the latest trends in vibrant prints and colors. Wear them around your neck, in your hair, or as a stylish bag accessory—the possibilities are endless. Ethically sourced and luxuriously soft, our scarves are the ultimate fashion staple. For more information, visit us at https://www.thescarfcompany.com.au/collections/silk-scarves.

#fashion #beauty #design #food #silk scarves

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melbournenewsvine · 2 years

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How to wear a hat with confidence to the races

Sydney milliner Ann Shoebridge, a favourite of Jennifer Hawkins and singer Rita Ora, recommends a firm fit when trying your hat on. “Most people will fit a 57-centimetre hat and once you have it on, it’s more comfortable than wearing a headband that can pinch as the day goes on,” Shoebridge says. “There’s also the advantage of a hat softening the way that light falls on your face. You can consider it to be your IRL [In Real Life] filter.” Despite the popularity of hats by Stephen Jones, a Fashions on the Field judge at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, and Irish milliner Philip Treacy for the royal family, the cast of the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That… and runway shows by Moschino, Thom Browne, Dior, influencers have been slow to embrace the trend. “With influencers it’s all about posting images of their faces,” Jackson says. “They need to understand that a hat worn on the right angle can add style, mystery and sex appeal.” Nerida Winter works months in advance of race days with private clients who have planned their outfits, but there are always last-minute demands from women who have just found the perfect Zimmermann, Aje or Alemais dress. “I even get people messaging me on the day of the races, which is a bit of a stretch, but people should just email me or slide into my DMs,” Winter says. “You never know what’s there to choose from.” Department stores Myer and David Jones are used to frantic shoppers on race days looking for their finishing touches. Lillian Frank in a Kerry Stanley hat in the Emirates marquee in 2008 at the Melbourne Cup carnival.Credit:Rebecca Hallas “We see customers searching for the perfect headpiece right throughout the spring racing carnival, including purchases made mere minutes before the event,” says Bridget Veals, David Jones general manager, fashion and accessories. “From contemporary hats to sophisticated headwear across designers such as Vivien Sheriff and Sarah J Curtis, we offer plenty of last-minute look options.” Stores such as General Pants and Spotlight also offer basic boaters that can be enlivened by silk scarves, fresh flowers or stray jewellery. Just don’t grab a feather and call it a fascinator. “People should aim higher,” Winter says. Melbourne hairdresser, columnist and fundraiser Lillian Frank was notorious for her big and bold hats at Flemington Racecourse before her death in August. This week her daughter Jackie Frank encouraged women to follow her lead at the launch of the Myer Fashions on the Field Lillian Frank AM MBE Millinery Award by the Victoria Racing Club. Loading “Someone asked me, ‘Were you ever embarrassed by your mum?’” Frank said, surrounded by hats made from newspaper, containing mobile phones and covered in petals. “I was never embarrassed.” “It’s the woman who wore it, not the hat, that people remember.” Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

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putthison · 7 years

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Ten Things I’m Excited About This Spring

It’s easy to get down on spring clothes. They don’t have the natural appeal of fall/ winter wardrobes -- no plush cashmere or prickly tweeds to draw you in. There’s also little opportunity to layer. Once the weather warms up, a lot of guys are left scratching their heads, wondering how they can remain well dressed while also staying comfortable.

Spring can be a great time to play with brighter colors, interesting silhouettes, and unique materials, however. If you’re looking for ideas on what to wear this season, here are ten things I’m particularly excited about. In order of appearance above:

1. Tobacco Linen Suits

A linen suit is your weekend companion for when you want to look sharply dressed, but still somewhat relaxed. Good for afternoon brunches at a swanky hotel, excursions into the city, and nights at a rooftop bar with friends. Linen does well in navy, tan, and tobacco brown (the last is my favorite, and what I’ll be wearing this season). You can use the pieces together as a suit, or break them up into separates for something more casual. Linen sport coats go well with everything from jeans to tropical wool trousers. Pair these with braided belts and striped, open-collar shirts to create a more interesting look.

2. Suede Leather Jackets

Leather can be too heavy for summer, but it’s perfect for those 60s to 70s temperatures in April and May. I’m particularly looking forward to wearing suede more often this year. It scuffs more easily than calfskin, but in certain designs, that can be part of the charm. I have a suede Harrington and cafe racer, both of which I love, but I’m mostly excited about wearing this Stoffa flight jacket I bought a couple of weeks ago. Also great: James Grose’s charcoal suede double rider. A nice change of pace from the black motorcycle jackets I’ve been seeing everywhere in the city.

3. Leather Slip Ons

Penny loafers and camp mocs are my usual go-tos for warm weather footwear, but this year, I’m enamored with the idea of wearing more casual slip-ons -- something in between the formality of dress loafers and espadrilles. Unionmade has some nice ones this season from Barbanera (designed in conjunction with Eidos). I also dig these from Christian Kimber and Baudoin & Lange, the second of which is available through The Armoury. A little less dainty than Belgian Shoes, but has the same kind of charm.

4. Looser Clothes

Slim fit clothes have dominated menswear for the last fifteen years, so I’ve been looking for something fresher. Looser clothes, such as the ones you see fourth photo above, can be a nice way to play with your silhouette when you have little opportunity to wear something more than a t-shirt and trousers. Think: looser fit pants cut a fuller thigh and tapered leg, along with comfy shirts made with dropped shoulder seams. Camoshita, Our Legacy, and Lemaire are good for these sorts of things. Uniqlo can also be surprisingly experimental (and a lot more affordable). Just look at these wide pants!

5. Boldly Printed Shirts

Similarly, when you can’t wear much else, it can be nice to make the most of what you have. A boldly printed shirt in this case -- maybe even cut with a camp collar -- will look a bit more interesting than your usual, light blue OCBDs (as much as I love those things). We’re big fans of Aloha shirts here. See Pete’s two-part series on vacation wear for ideas, as well as my review of Two Palms.

6. Polo Shirts Under Sport Coats

If your clothes don’t fit as well as they should, this can go tremendously wrong (think: business guys trying to look cool a hotel bars). Instead, pick up something with a nice collar and has long sleeves, which will allow you to show a bit of shirt cuff. Layered under a softly constructed sport coat, this can be a great way to dress down traditional tailored clothing (just make sure everything fits well and don’t pair these with light washed dad jeans). Kent Wang sells some nice, affordable, long-sleeved polos. G. Inglese and Ascot Chang are also worth a look if you have more coin to spend.

7. Tonal Navy Seersucker Suits

Seersucker is an American classic, but in its usual blue-and-white form, it can feel a bit preppy. As an alternative, I’ve been really digging the idea of a navy seersucker suit. It has all the fun and cool-wearing properties of traditional seersucker, but feels a bit more updated and sophisticated. You can wear one with a band collar shirt and Vans slip-ons, like Kyle above, or with a more traditional spread-collar shirt and dressier derbies. Available this spring in a cotton-silk blend through Camoshita (which is the one you see in the photo), or in a wool-silk blend through Ring Jacket at The Armoury (the product page will be up in a few weeks. The Armoury is also hosting a Ring Jacket trunk show in NYC, starting tomorrow).

8. Colorful Swatch Watches

What good is spring style if it doesn’t make you smile? Swatch’s colorful timepieces are a great way to add a bit of cheer to your day. They’re affordable, much like Timex, but instead of those serious, classic designs, Swatch is all about bright, colorful watch straps and pop-art faces. Get one in a ridiculous color, such as sunshine yellow or apple green, or my favorite, the company’s translucent design (colloquially known as the jellyfish, which you can find on eBay). They go with nothing and everything at the same time. When the battery starts to die down, you can get it replaced for free at a Swatch store.

9. Spring Scarves

The easiest way to accessorize a warm weather outfit -- at least until the weather gets too hot in June. I love oversized wool and cashmere scarves in the wintertime, but spring scarves call for something lighter, airier, and more manageable. We have some made from Japanese boro cotton that I think go great with workwear. Drake’s also makes some really special designs, including ones in painted stripe, geometric, floral, and patchwork motifs. Another favorite is Christian Kimber’s Melbourne scarf. The clay brown really complements navy, olive, and mid-gray -- all staple colors for outerwear.

10. French Chore Coats

French chore coats tick all the right boxes for spring outerwear -- zero structure or lining inside, which makes them reasonably comfortable on warm days; cotton drill shell that’s dirt resistant and easy to wash; and two oversized hip pockets that are perfect for carrying an average-sized paperback book and a sandwich. As a relatively simple design, you’ll want to play with the details. Pair them with old tees or Breton shirts, fuller cut chinos, and either slip-ons or boots (if you’re wearing boots, roll the chinos up a bit higher to create a more interesting look). I listed a bunch of options here, but really -- when it comes to French chore coats, you should just get a vintage one.

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theweaversden-blog · 7 years

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Get Double delight offers on scarves @ theweaversden.com

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morrisbrokaw · 5 years

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PURE LONDON ANNOUNCES WOMENSWEAR EDIT AND DEBUT BARBARA HULANICKI COLLECTION FROM FLARE STREET

Festival of Fashion, Pure London has announced an incredible line-up of inspirational new designers and much-loved returning womenswear brands, including the debut collection from Barbara Hulanicki for Flare Street.

The iconic founder and designer of Biba, Barbara Hulanicki has collaborated with slow-fashion ethical label Flare Street for a new AW20 collection which will be launching in the UK at Pure London. Barbara has created a hand-drawn textile design exclusively for Flare Street featuring on a range of modern and meticulously tailored flared bell bottoms and dresses. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, all garments are hand-made and vintage-inspired.

With its electric atmosphere, a spacious, light-filled hall and stunning architecture, visitors to Pure London at Olympia London from the 9th – 11th February 2020, will also discover the new collection from luxury fashion designer, Matthew O’Brien. Since winning Britain’s Top Designer at 22, Matthew has spent the last few years building his brand where everything is the best of British, designed, sourced and made within the UK. In 2019, Matthew staged the biggest couture fashion show outside of London and was recognised as Young Business Person of the Year for his innovative designs across multiple fashion categories, from menswear to millinery. Matthew is showing key pieces of evening wear, ready to wear and a small selection of bridal from his autumn winter 2020 collections at Pure London.

Gloria Sandrucci, Event Director at Pure London says: “The ultimate destination for style essentials, Pure London showcases the newest global brands and the latest trends across our ready-to-wear and premium sections. I feel tremendously excited about the forthcoming AW20 show in February which will stage a fresh and new edit of directional pieces and distinctive designs for the new season.”

Valentina Poltronieri, a young Italian fashion designer, is presenting her new collection in the Emerging Talent space showcasing Italian craftsmanship. Chasing the Stars is the name of the new collection that will bring the viewers into an imaginary and virtual journey from Venice Beach to Santa Monica, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Technical and eccentric fabrics, fluo colours, handmade embroidery and stellar prints will be the main features of the new collection.

Derhy, the Parisian brand that launched in 1969, is celebrating it’s 50th birthday at Pure London by re-visiting its original fashion success stories. It was during a road trip around India that the Derhy family fell in love with the Indian culture and philosophy, the immensity of its ochre landscapes, the saturated colours of the women’s saris and the sarongs. Recalling the nostalgia of the 1970’s, Derhy has revisted their best sellers from the 70’s adapting them for 2020.

Returning to Pure London are Wibes, a French premium, ethical and multicultural brand creating contemporary and colourful sneakers made in Côte d’Ivoire, and Nomads, an ethical fashion brand based in North Cornwall, specialising in high-quality, contemporary garments that embrace colour and print.

Part Two was founded in Copenhagen in 1986, and more than thirty years later, continues to draw on its rich Scandinavian design tradition. Characterised by simplicity, functionality and minimalism, AW20 designs express an understated femininity through luxe fabrics, unexpected details and flattering, modern silhouettes.

Key brand values at Tif Tiffy are quality, design and sustainability. As a family run business it’s ethos is a kind approach to each other, those around us and our planet. 100% mulberry silk kaftans and kimonos, recycled polyester and regenerated wool scarves showcase in its AW20 collections.

Hilary MacMillan is a contemporary, Canadian, cruelty-free womenswear brand. The eponymous brand was founded in 2013 and is renowned for offering versatile pieces in timeless silhouettes. The brand focuses on using high-quality fabrics to design ready-to-wear pieces in bold colours and textures with the modern-day woman in mind, with plus sizes and recycled cotton being introduced at Pure London.

Silk meets the art of painting at Castlebird Rose, a Nordic slow and sustainable fashion designer brand. By recreating artists´ original paintings on genuine silk and other authentic materials, they design deluxe garments to give every day a touch of luxury and magic. Castlebird Rose silk fabrics are custom printed in England and each collection is produced in limited edition, in order to give it a touch of couture.

1,618 will debut their first gender neutral collection. Manchester brand Urban Bliss will launch a new trend-led fashion collection including luxe knitwear and must-have outerwear. Lemuel MC creates timeless clothes from 100% linen, with ethical sustainability at its heart. Each item has been designed and made in-house at their London studio, made to last and made with love. Vicher bases its projects on light, casual combinations of modern forms with various aesthetics, drawing on art and culture. The brand’s collections are distinguished by original fabrics with hand-painted illustrations made by local artisans. Esfera is a regenerative clothing brand for the eco-conscious, fashion-forward woman. On a mission to establish a fully transparent business model, Esfera works with block chain technology and QR codes to bring the supply chain directly to the customer.

Sofie Schnoor launches its Femme Power Autumn 2020 collection comprising strong, sharp cuts with soft fabrics and ﬂoral prints. AIRFIELD, the fashion label for the modern and self-confident woman, returns with it’s innovative, high quality designs to fit every situation in life.

Known for its simple and stylish designs in arrange of colours and beautiful prints, Leo & Ugo is a knitwear brand from Paris. ANOIR is inspired by noir, surrealism, myth and deep artistic conceptualization. Avant-garde with modern and Scandinavian taste mixed with deep emotion, the handmade collection is mostly unisex bag and artisanal clothing and made of industry surplus leather, natural cotton, hemp, silk and various natural fibre.

Offering over 1,300 of the latest collections across the entire industry, including other brands such as; Biggie Best, Bitte Kai Rand, ACCESS, Vilagallo, Yerse, Cream, Blank, Jeff, ICHI, Nice Things, Culture, Indi & Cold, Soaked in Luxury, B.young, Thought, Fransa, Louche London, Onjenu, Religion, Pepaloves, 8 Paris Rocks, Compania Fantastica, Soaked in Luxury, Smith & Canova, Elemente Clemente, Seeberger, Hippie Yeah, Hera Concept, Ombre London, Belle & Flo, Oliver and Suze, Ochre Cashmere, Nissa, My Doris, Love Rocks, Humility, Mat de Misaine, Paolo Petrone, Tania Claire Australia, Swaver, Sophia Alexia, Ipanema, Sixton London, and Angeleye, visitors to Festival of Fashion Pure London and Pure Origin can also explore the full fashion supply chain under one roof – creating the only fashion trade show in the UK that offers this unique experience.

As a global show that celebrates newness, Pure London, annually attracts over 300,000 industry professionals from the UK and around the world via its shows, and digital platforms offering 365 unique content.

PURE LONDON ANNOUNCES WOMENSWEAR EDIT AND DEBUT BARBARA HULANICKI COLLECTION FROM FLARE STREET published first on https://workbootsandshoes.tumblr.com/

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jeremystrele · 5 years

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The Social Studio Celebrates 10 Years With An Epic Collection Art Scarf Fundraiser!

Fashion

by Miriam McGarry

Renaissance Garden by Romance Was Born x Kate Rohde. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Sketchbook Collage by Beci Orpin. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Fruit Of The Earth by Atong Atem. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Life Of A Bull Under The Moonlight by Evi O. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Michael Mitsas’ design for The Social Studio Art Scarf Fundraiser. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Under The Sea by Ken Done. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Coming From The Block by Olana Janfa. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

The Awakening by Nathalia Suizu. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Internal Audit/What’s Your Name, It’s a Symbol, Don’t Talk by Gian Manik. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

Calais ‘Jungle’ Terrazzo VII by Miso. Image courtesy of The Social Studio.

The Social Studio are celebrating 10 years of their grassroots social enterprise in the most fitting fashion (pardon the pun) – a bright and brilliant Art Scarf collection!

TSS have worked with 10 established and emerging artists to create a limited run of silk scarves (25 per artist, so act smart!), printed by Sydney based digital printers Think Positive Prints. Take your pick between the stunning designs of Ken Done, Romance Was Born X Kate Rohde, Beci Orpin, Miso/Stanislava Pinchuk, Atong Atem, Gian Manik, Michael Mitsas, Nathalia Suizi, Olana Janfa and Evi O.

In addition to this line of silk scarves, TSS are also hosting their annual fundraising gala at the Arts Centre Melbourne on December 5. Prepare for a night of delicious food, drinks from Innocent Bystander, entertainment by local musician Tiana Khasi and slam poet Abe Nouk, and a TSS student runway in partnership with Faint Agency. Journalist and SBS presenter Jan Fran will MC the evening and facilitate the auction of the signed and framed first editions from the Art Scarf collection.

Over the past decade, TSS have supported over 700 people from refugee communities with their training and work programs. In 2020, the beloved organisation will move into the newly developed Collingwood Arts Precinct. This fundraiser will help to support 20 student scholarships in this new space.

TSS founder Dr Grace McQuilten reflects on the success of The Social Studio, saying ‘fashion is a great way to connect with culture and tradition and bring it into contemporary culture. It’s also a vehicle for young people to assert their identity and pride in their cultural background.’ For Aussie art icon Ken Done, The Social Studio captures and celebrates ‘the best of Australia – commitment to creativity and an opportunity for all.’

Show your own commitment to the spirit of entrepreneurship, inclusion and creativity by wrapping a scarf around your neck, tying it in your hair, or hanging it on the wall!

Scarves are available for pre-order from 9am Thursday November 14th here. The Social Studio Fundraising Gala is on Thursday December 5th and are tickets available here.

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hashtagsmitty · 6 years

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Smitty's Thailand Adventure - Day 7

Goddamn happened again - I spent two hours on this post and my phone deleted it.

In which snakes get tortured, an expatriot hero is honored, a suit is fitted, and axes don't get thrown.

I slept weird again last night - I'm not used to box spring mattresses. I have a Koala foam mattress and April has a futon, so springs poking me in the ass all night is a new experience for me. Plus the air con, it's hot then it's cold, etcetera.

Usual morning routine - the Hitler Youth and White Family Mart for breakfast. I planned my day while I ate - I wanted to visit the snake farm. Technically, the late queen's memorial snake farm. I thought that sounded awesome.

Skytrain to Siam, swapped to the other line. Not much new to say about the skytrain except there's this jingle that one of the ads plays that I will never get out of my head. Also, there's barriers around some but not all of the platforms, and the train stops perfectly such that the doors are between the openings in the barriers. It's pretty special.

Crazy Thai traffic aside, I made it to the snake farm. It looked like something out of the Walking Dead:

It was mostly the rust on the spikes. And the overgrowth. And the barriers in front of the entrance. And the red cross trucks unloading pallets of gear. I did not think I was supposed to be in there, but the sign said this way to snake farm, so in I went.

I found the place fine. Once I got past the zombie movie shit anyway. The farm looked awesome!

It was a big pagoda with open air snake enclosures all over the place. Very tropical, very novel. There was a big old rat in one of the enclosures. I watched him for ages to see if a snake was going to get him, but he was as still as a statue, with only his tiny rat ears twitching.

After the pagoda was an indoor museum - much the same, but with single cages for each snake. With glass. It wasn't quite what I expected from a Thai snake farm - far more like a zoo than a snake farm. Not enough zero-fucks-given Thai dudes with snakes wrapped around them. I looked at the snakes for a while. This guy was my favourite:

He's a Malayan Mangroce Cat-Eye Snake. I think he's gorgeous. I also thing I have a thing for snakes. They're like nature's ropes.

There was maintenance work going on inside - some drilling or digging or something. Lots of noise. I found it unpleasant, and I'm not a creature whose entire experience of the world is through vibrations. I didn't stay long inside, and left straight after.

I'm not 100% certain that I would never get a snake as a pet. I was before the snake farm, but now I'm not sure.

On the way back to Siam, I saw the Jim Thompson store! I had to go inside and pay my respects to a true expatriot hero.

Thompson's business was selling Thai silk, so the entire store was silk scarves and shirts and other stuff. Expensive silk stuff - one shirt was $200. The cheapest thing I saw was a scrunchie for $40. I looked around for a while then left, richer for having experienced the life of a great man. Also richer for not having bought any of that tourist bait.

I went back to Siam and went book shopping. I had almost finished Growth Mindset and needed something else for the plane. I found this awesome bookshop:

It took up the whole floor, it was so big. It had the largest non-fiction section I'd ever seen. I spent an hour walking around looking at stuff. It was great. I love bookshops.

I bought Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius, a stoic philosophy book I've been meaning to read for ages. I also got The King in Yellow, by Robert W. Chambers. Lovecraft listed it as one of his influences, and I love spooky.

The coolest bit was that the clerk wrapped the two books in plastic to keep them safe. I thought that was a really cool idea, and I was impressed by how quickly she wrapped them - like 5 seconds each. I only noticed later that the plastic had the store's logo on it - even better, now I won't forget its name.

I went home via Thai KFC. I wanted to try it before I left. I knew it was a mistake going in. I always know that KFC is a mistake going in, but this was bad. Weak McDonald's style chips, boring chicken "pops". A waste of time, what with bonchon around the corner. I regret it immensely.

I went home and chilled out for a while - it's been a big week. I've walked a good 75km, according to my phone. I finished Growth Mindset and wrote some notes, listened to music, charged my phone, lazy stuff. Josh texted me and I met him at my station. We went back past Siam to a station near the tailor.

We got bonchon chicken for a late lunch/early dinner. It was great - best I've had in Thailand, and way better than the culinary abortion I had for lunch before. I distracted Josh with a game I've been playing :

It's a programming game, which is 100% Josh's thing. He hated it, but couldn't keep his hands off it. It's based on Assembly, a really old programming language. The first one, pretty much. It frustrated him because it wasn't like normal programming, but I thought it was a good challenge in thinking iteratively.

We walked to the tailor from bonchon. I cursed that I was going to be fat for the fitting. Josh could barely move - we got 18 pieces of chicken and he had 12 of them. I was still full from my mistake earlier.

On the way, I told Josh how frustrated I was with Bangkok's footpaths. There are lips and cracks and broken bits of concrete everywhere. Manhole covers that could drop you into a sewer if you're not careful. Just look at this:

That's a tame one. I've lost count of how many of these things I've tripped over. Or on trick edges to the footpath - step down onto the road, expect it to be level, nope there's another step down, don't you look smart. Or, walking down the steps from the skytrain, again, expect it to be level. Nope! It's on a raised platform, enjoy your trip, see you next fall.

Josh told me to not stand on the manholes.

We walked past some massage girls. I finally saw first hand what Josh has been talking about all week - they pretty much screamed at him. "hey handsome man," they'd say, and he'd say "no thank you," and they'd say "come over here sexy," and he'd say "no thanks". It looked uncomfortable for everyone involved.

I don't know if I Iook less approachable, less wealthy, less naive or less desperate, but none of them have reacted to me like that. Maybe it's because he's 6'3".

We got to the tailor. The suit was almost ready :

Looks awesome - the vest turned out exactly how I wanted it to. The tailor is going to courier it to the hotel tomorrow after some last minute changes. I hope.

We walked back to the skytrain, but the foot traffic was terrible. Peak hour in Bangkok is insane compared to Melbourne. We couldn't even get onto the platform last time we tried. So, we sat down at Starbucks and shot the shit for a while. I showed him my notes on Growth Mindset, and we argued about that a while. He talked about how he was going to do some of Bill's contract, then renegotiate. Seemed reasonable.

We headed home around 8 - our earliest night this week, but it's been a big one for both of us. Josh is moving to a new condo tomorrow. The train ride back was bittersweet - it's been a fun holiday. We both said while walking around that there's very few people either of us could hang out with for a full week without going crazy. He's probably coming back to Melbourne next month though, so it's not too bad.

I'm going to miss him when I head back. But I'm not going to miss much else. Bangkok is -

I guess I'll save my thoughts on the city for when I'm safely no longer in it.

I found this set of signs on the street today and it made me laugh:

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