meet BIRDY

Rounding out 2020 with my first and only print release of the year!

I’ve made no secret of my love and fascination with Barbie through the years!
As a child, she fed my imagination and creativity, and clearly it seems she’s still doing it now.
The only difference is I’m slightly less concerned with her what her boyfriend is up to, and more intrigued by her sartorial choices.

For my latest illustration, I wanted to pay homage to everybody’s favourite plastic fantastic fashion icon - because say what you want about her, Barbie’s legacy has endured, delighting both young and old alike! To me she was the ultimate dream boat and I always felt a surge of empowerment whenever I changed her outfit or career, believing it was possible to do, or be, anything.

So, here is my version of the quintessential Barbie Girl - readers, meet ‘Birdy.’
Birdy’s favourite colour is pink, and her wardrobe consists of Gucci cardigans, Prada boots, Chanel bags, Balmain denim twin sets and the most spectacular of Giambattista Valli couture creations! (For any and all formal occasions.) It’s to die for.
And, you know that whatever she does once she leaves her cardboard box, she’s doing it on her own terms, and in style.

’Birdy’ is available in a very limited edition of 20 A3 prints only.
She’s the perfect gift for any girl’s room - be that a nursery or a boudoir - and I’m sure would look perfectly lovely nestled under the tree with a pretty pink bow.
Click here to take ‘Birdy’ home: www.birdyandme.com/shop

BUT, BEFORE YOU LEAVE - please feel free to take a sneaky 20% off all prints and originals in my store until Midnight AEST, November 6th, with code word XMAS20.
I’m getting this sale in early this year, to combat the postal delays due to COVID restrictions.
See my Shipping/FAQ page for more information on delivery times and costs.

terrific timelines : FASHION

So thrilled to have worked with my friends at Laurence King Publishing for a fourth time on the brand new volume, ‘Terrific Timelines: Fashion.’

Conceived by Richard Ferguson and researched/written by Isabel Thomas, this interactive volume is one of a series of ‘press out & display’ books chronicling significant moments in history ; focussing this time on Fashion!
We’ve worked our way through the entirety of sartorial history and illustrated key looks from Ancient Egypt all the way to the present-day 2000s, including La Belle Epoque, the ‘New Look,’ and the Swinging Sixties!
Each figure can be pressed out and placed into her corresponding stand, creating a 3D timeline that can be displayed on any bookshelf.

I had so much fun working on this (discovering many an interesting fact as I went.)
Initially I assumed I’d immediately love anything post 1920s but some of my favourites to draw were the Elizabethan and Versailles gowns; such beautiful silhouettes and so detailed!
I mean, I got to draw Marie Antoinette in all of her powder-pink glory. I can die happy now.

These pop-up beauties are the best fash-ucation a kid (big or small) could ever need, and available now at your local bookstore or online at laurenceking.com.

I hope you like some of the sneeky peaks below!

INTIMATE

Introducing a new print into my store - 'Intimate ' aptly titled and inspired by the small luxuries of flowers, lace, and perfume.

Available in a very limited quantity of 25 only.

To go to the shop and give her a place in your home, click here: www.birdyandme.com.au/shop

THE MET GALA 2017

It's that time of the year again! The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Costume Institute Gala, where the best (and worst) of fashion and celebrity circles come together to raise money and unveil the newest exhibition at the Costume Institute - as well as, let's be honest, strutting their stuff on the ONLY red carpet that leaves room for self-expression and a bit of theatricality.
This year's exhibit “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between" set the night's theme of avant-garde, and while some attendees nailed the brief (looking at you Solange Knowles, Rihanna, Stella Tennant, Ruth Negga and Katy Perry) many opted for the traditional, yet slightly edgy, designs that we've come to expect from the Met Gala.
In my opinion, this year's theme was going to be hard for a lot of the celebrity guests to truly nail. Avant-garde calls for risky, daring, experimental looks - it's wearable art. But most celebrities and their stylists will always stick to their own personal style, trying to incorporate the theme where they can.
On that note, I wanted to share some of my favourites from the night.
I, personally, prefer structural, elegant, pretty gowns. So it should be no surprise that some of my faves didn't necessarily nail the brief! But here we go, in no particular order:

Lily Rose Depp in Chanel. For me this look was 100% Met Gala Barbie and I absolutely loved it! So much so that I absolutely HAD to stop what I was doing and draw it.

Rihanna in Comme des Garçons. One of the few who wore the label of the honour! RiRi could wear a bed sheet and somehow pull it off. I love that she is never afraid to experiment on the red carpet, and BIG looks are something we've come to expect from her.

Zoë Kravitz in Oscar de la Renta. This was gothic meets sophisticated princess. My fave combination.

Kylie Jenner in Versace. Say what you want about the Kardashians/Jenners, but I loved Kylie's look. So much texture, and that fringe!

Fei Fei Sun in Alberta Ferretti. One of my FAVOURITE models, and a look that really paid elegant homage to the theme of the night! Love.

Liu Wen in Off-White. I shouldn't love a denim gown, but I do.

Let me know your faves in the comments!

Images via Vogue.Com

DIOR COUTURE BEAUTY

Christian Dior Couture SS'17 / via fasionista.com

Christian Dior Couture SS'17 / via vogue.co.uk

Some quick beauty sketches from last week's Christian Dior Haute Couture show for Spring/Summer 2017. I had intended to get these up last week, but I was away and forgot to take the connection for my laptop so I was unable to finish them off until now! Whoops.
While Maria Grazia Chiuri's first Couture show for Dior was a little reminiscent of her ethereal work for Valentino, it was undoubtedly beautiful, feminine, and fantastically whimsical!
The stars! The florals! The incredible head pieces!
As soon as I saw it I was transported to the pages of a fairytale; a Midsummer Night's Dream or a Secret Garden.
Given my latest project, it was a given that I would have to capture some of it, albeit it quickly.

Stay tuned for another illustration based around one of Paris's biggest shows.
This one, however, is going into the storybook series and gracing a fictional femme...
 

HYFASHION AT GRAND HYATT MELBOURNE

HyFashion Stationery Suite, photographed by Gemma Watts

Brooke Meredith in Con Ilio for the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, photographed by Neiyo Sun

Brooke Meredith in Con Ilio for the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, photographed by Neiyo Sun

Designer, Con Ilio, and Brooke Meredith in Con Ilio for the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, photographed by Neiyo Sun

I recently had the honour of working with the incredibly luxurious Grand Hyatt Melbourne on their Spring fashion campaign, HYFASHION, in collaboration with Australian designer, Con Ilio;
celebrating the iconic beauty of the 'Paris' end of Collins St, Melbourne's premiere shopping precinct, and home of the hotel.
Incorporating the stunning pink 'Charlotte' gown with its hand embroidery and signature camouflage print designed by Con himself, we wanted to create the image of a bold and confident woman; the personification of Melbourne's celebrated fashion and design scene.
As a huge fan and admirer of Haute Couture, working with a designer championing the very specific and intricate methods of creating such gowns was a dream.

During the course of the promotion, guests can book a very special 'HY FASHION' package which includes, with a luxury stay at this beautiful hotel, an exclusive stationery suite (designed by me), High Tea for two in Collins Kitchen, and a one-on-one consultation with Con Ilio.

To book a stay at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne visit the website HERE.

THUMBELINA

I can't describe how inspired I was by last week's visit to the Viktor & Rolf exhibit at the NGV in Melbourne.
One gown in particular struck a huge cord with me, along with this quote the boys had left on the wall at the exit;
"We design clothes that look like they were made by the birds in Cinderella."
UM, YES!
I feel like this idea encapsulates everything that is so whimsical and beautiful about fashion - and, in particular, Haute Couture.
These gowns are less about wearability and so much more about the fantasy of a character or mood, lending themselves so beautifully to that sort of suspension of disbelief we adopt when we read our favourite fairy tales. Which is exactly what I'm trying to achieve with this series of work.

Currently working my way through my favourite childhood stories, that quote paired with the stunning ribbon gown from
Viktor & Rolf's 2005 'Flowerbomb' collection really resonated when it came to my next effort - 'Thumbelina.'
It's probably quite clear to everyone how much the story and concept of 'Thumbelina' influences my work - just in my approach to scale, alone!
So, when tackling my illustrated version of this little lady I wanted to bring her into the world of fashion and have her 'mother' be a Parisien dressmaker; one who would create a gown for her from scraps of fabric and off-cuts from the floor.
Of course this particular gown was unbelievably fitting to my idea and as soon as I saw it in the exhibition I knew it was The One.
The mouse is also a nod to one of my childhood heroes, Beatrix Potter. After all, the mice in the building would no doubt help Thumbelina's mother stitch this beautiful gown!

I think this has to be my new favourite of the series <3

See more 'Thumbelina' inspiration below:

Lily Cole by Tim Walker for VOGUE Italia, 2005

Andressa Fontana by Amanda Pratt for Karen, Issue 12

The Tailor Mouse by Beatrix Potter

Viktor & Rolf, Spring/Summer 2005

FLOATING IN DIOR HEAVEN

Illustration based on the Lady Dior Pre-Fall 2014 Campaign, Photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

Illustration based on the Lady Dior Pre-Fall 2014 Campaign, Photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

I had originally intended this post to be something of a re-cap of my visit to the Christian Dior museum in Granville. The museum displays pieces from its archives, along with rotating exhibits - the current being 'Femmes en Dior' which includes 49 gowns and photographs of loyal, royal and celebrity clients and spokes models of the fashion house.
I was due to take an early train this morning, however the current transport strikes in Paris meant that it was cancelled, which was more than a disappointment.

So imagine my surprise, upon visiting instead the original Dior flagship store on Avenue Montaigne, to find a very special 'open house' at the Maison next door as part of the LVMH Journées Particulières event. Opening their doors to small groups for one weekend only, the beautiful spiral staircase led to rooms and rooms set up with displays from each area of the design house; couture, jewellery, accessories and parfums.

I can't even describe how incredible it was to see - and hear - each worker explain his or her process. I don't even speak French, but it was clear for everyone to see how each individual piece is created. I'm still pinching myself that I was able to have such an up-close experience with such a special design house and to see so many iconic pieces IRL.
It definitely more than made up for that missed train to Granville...

The illustration above is based on Christian Dior's Lady Dior Pre-Fall campaign from 2014, photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. One of my all-time favourites.

BELLA HADID X MISHA COLLECTION

New work for luxe Australian label, Misha Collection, and their collaboration with the stunning Bella Hadid.
Attending this year's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia to open and close the Resort '17 show, Bella is also the face of their new 'Misha Gold' line.

I loved working on this image - after all, what can be better than monochrome brush strokes and a Hadid in a little black dress?

View more at www.mishacollection.com.au

Original photograph by Nino Munoz for Misha Collection.

LA PETITE FLEUR

I haven't had a lot of time to work on new prints lately due to my workload (so many exciting things to come!)
but I've been plugging away slowly on this piece for about a month or so now, in between client projects/approvals.
It's so nice to finally be able to share the finished illustration with you!

A product of my love for all things décor, floral and Thumbelina-inspired, this brand new print is available for pre-order in my store now!
She may just be my new favourite lady; giving some serious Vogue vibes in her Dior/Valli-inspired gown.

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, Spring should just have sprung, so this one's for you, you lucky rascals.
If the Australian weather is anything to go by, my next girl might be wearing thermals and a LOT of angora....

Limited to an edition of 50 A3 prints only, you can order her here:
www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com