E: vanja@vanjastace.com | P: +61 (0) 425 433 335
Digital marketing & design
Last month my husband Danny and I launched United by Bird jewellery. We both have a background in art and we love designing and making jewellery.
We started with earrings and are about to expand into necklaces, bracelets and rings – I’m sure you can appreciate that these things take time when you’re self funded.
Shoes – I love ‘em! The quirkier the better. Since discovering Jeffrey Campbell shoes at Solestruck my shoe-drobe has developed a rather interesting personality.
I own a few pairs of JCs and I ALWAYS get compliments. I mean, I love the shoes but compliments make it so much better. I get them shipped to the office and then my colleagues insist on a mini fashion show. It would be rude of me to say no, wouldn’t it!?
I love being a global citizen and I love living in Sydney. When pink and lilac hair craze caught the states and Europe, we soon followed. It’s taken me this long to have the guts to go for it.
I’ve gone blonde over the last year – first balayage, then the rest – after playing around on DailyMakeover and seeing that blonde actually suits me. I then a grey tint which was fab but it did wash me out a bit. Now I’m thinking lilac or pink because I can.
There’s a fine line between a great pink and a tragic-wish-you-didn’t-go-there pink. Basically stay away from STREAKS and focus on all over colour or just the ends. Think ombre but with pink.
NO NO NO NO
If you get pink streaks we can't be friends...
My fave pics are below; let me know if you would ever go PINK or PURPLE!
Awesome purple hair
Beautiful pink hair colour - love the regrowth
Gorgeous lilac hair
Pink hair balayage
Quite possibly my favourite pink hair colour
This last image is really the best of the pink and lilac hair trend. Subtle variances between the colours, light and shade and plenty of volume. I think I’ll be taking this photo to the salon!!
Vanja xx
I shop in a variety of stores and lately (due to my hectic schedule) I mostly shop online. ASOS is the shop that continually delivers (pardon the pun) and ASOS dresses are a bit of a staple in my wardrobe.
Any shop that DOESN’T ship free to Australia (or within Australia) very quickly gets a miss from most consumers. ASOS also has the easiest returns system I have ever experienced and that’s saying a lot since I work in e-commerce.
Anyway, back to dresses. I’ve recently done a shop at ASOS but here are the pieces I am still coveting. And how about you? Do you shop at ASOS? Do you shop online at all?
Vanja xx
ASOS Dress With Embroidered T-Shirt $144.50
ASOS SALON Floral Midi Prom Dress $204.00
Hybrid Dress with Button and Belt Details $144.50
Mara Hoffman Printed Column Dress with Open Back $518.50
Oasis Cutaway Colour Block Dress $102.00
Whistles ’60s Flower Print Silk Dress $255.00
Images courtesy of ASOS
I haven’t been ignoring you on purpose – I moved to Sydney in December and have started a new job at Napoleon Perdis which has kept me busy. I have less time on my hands because I am trying to settle in (and unpack – yikes) but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about blogging every single day.
2012 will be an exciting year. I promise to deliver every bit of excitement that Sydney has to offer. For my Brisbane fans – do not despair. I will write about things in your neck of the woods too.
Thanks for sticking with me during my major life change. I value your patience and support and I look forward to a great year ahead!
Vanja xx
Oscar Oscar have opened their eleventh salon in Australia, back on their original home turf in Brisbane, twenty-two years after the first Oscar Oscar Salon opened its doors in the Queen St Mall.
Oscar Cullinan Oscar Oscar Salons is now one of a number of high-end brands located in Fortitude Valley with other prestige brands found in the precinct such as, Easton Pearson, Scanlan & Theodore, Akira and Subfusco.
The new Fortitude Valley Oscar Oscar Salon is another Aveda concept salon for the group and will stock the entire range of Aveda hair-care and skin-care, as well as the natural Aveda Full Spectrum Colour Range and luxury Aveda treatments.
The styling of the new Valley salon will have a darker, edgier aesthetic than other Oscar Oscar Salons, such as concrete floors, a graphic feature lightbox and a darker colour scheme.
On Thursday evening Mei + Picchi hosted the Assiere.com launch and lingerie show. Styled by Tanja Mrnjaus and her team at ID Couture, the event featured glorious lingerie and fine jewellery combinations that delighted and inspired.
The guest list included Brisbane fashion industry’s who’s who – MBFF legend Liz Golding, IG’ZIST Fashion Marketing‘s Kavita Singh, Subfusco‘s Josh Scacheri, Elisha Casagrande Stylist as well as many fashion bloggers including:
The Assiere.com range is sensual and beautiful. I’m looking forward to their upcoming pop up store where I get to try these pieces on.
Letitia Power (founder of Assiere.com) and I
Anni and Thiago
Hugo and his daddy Josh Scacheri
Dana K from Blushfully and Alice from Food, Fashion & Beauty Wonderland
Katie from Be Inspired blog and Elisha Casagrande Stylist
Hazel & Hannah Suarez
Tanja Mrnjaus, me and Brent Derepas from ID Couture
Elsa Picone from Brisbane Fashion blog and Lucy Hastings
Jo Silcock, Josh Scacheri, Hugo, Tanja Mrnjaus, Caroline Kelly
Kavita Singh, Emma Gaffy, Candace Kidd, Jared Pottier
Know who you are then adorn yourself accordingly
Lotus Mendes is a seriously sexy jewellery label. Designed to empower and release your inner goddess, Lotus Mendes offers stunning rings, cuffs, necklaces and bracelets in chunky silver and gold finishes.
Designer Victoria Cheatham creates with five notions in mind - RESPECT, TRUST, LOYALTY, LOVE, and HONOR. These are evident in every piece in the collection; symbolic messages are printed on arm bands,and 5 point star rings.
Priced from $59 Lotus Mendes is attainable luxury. Get yours today at the Lotus Mendes online store or call 0414 664 655 for stockists.
Brisbane boho luxe fashion label Surafina celebrated the opening of their Paddington store on Friday 21st October. The launch was a who’s-who of the Brisbane fashion scene, packed with media and the glitterati. Surafina designers Laura Hart and Rechelle Vidakovic looked stunning in their own designs as they welcomed guests.
The entire collection was available for purchase which kept the store girls quite busy. I couldn’t resist the temptation and I bought a gorgeous red one shoulder top. Surafina prices are unbelievable; I fell in love with a tailored linen jacket and it was only $199.
Check out the full Surafina Summer 2012 collection online and if you’re near Paddington go and visit their store. You won’t regret it!
Willow & Lotus Phoenix, Sandra Darling and Vanja Stace
Rechelle Vidakovic (Surafina) and Vanja Stace
Paris was lovely this summer, apart from the fact it was 35 degrees Celsius. We ducked into cafes at every chance we had, to cool off and to replenish energy levels.
Once such accidental find was the delicious Angelina cafe. The menu read like something from a fairytale and prices were ridiculously affordable. We settled on salmon and veal, with four deserts afterwards. Yum! Two we had in the cafe and two we took out for a nice walk by the Seine where we sat and watched the lovers go by.
Angelina cafe was established in 1903 and was a favourite with Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel. Located in the arcades of the Rue de Rivoli in the 1st Arrondissement of Paris, next to the Louvre (and our hotel) it is always full, with queues outside the door. They were more than happy for me to take photos, after all why wouldn’t they be proud of marble and gilded iron work?
If you ever go to Paris make sure you go to Angelina and remember that you don’t have to stop at just one dessert.
I wore a Juli Grbac dress and a YSL belt
The EP Cruise 11 collection by ‘EP by Easton Pearson‘ is so cute! Graphic prints, bold stripes, scalloped details and pretty colours make this an extremely desirable story.
Although I loved every piece in the lookbook, I have picked my favourites and am sharing them with you below.
On the very top of my list is the purple twist front jumpsuit which I can see myself wearing to death this summer. Scalloped trim shorts are a close second, with their floaty fit and gorgeous ‘waterski ladies’ pattern.
EP Cruise 11 by ‘EP by Easton Pearson‘ is available now, check out the Easton Pearson website for a list of stores.
On Thursday night, in the middle of a torrential downpour, Danny and myself went to MODA Creative lingerie edition at Zuri. It was the first event I attended since my braces came off so I was excited to go out for many reasons.
The main reason I wanted to see the show however was to see the new range from online lingerie store Assiere. I have heard many fabulous things about this store and I wasn’t disappointed when I finally saw the range. Beautiful high end pieces sashayed the runway in true Victoria Secret style. Coquettish, sultry and completely wearable, Assiere delivered a range that exceeded expectations.
Assiere‘s labels shown included:
Also shown were lingerie labels Thousand Dancers and Pleasure State.
If you are interested in finding out about the next MODA Creative event make sure you connect with them on Facebook.
You can tell I’m so happy my braces are finally off
I adore the stunning Spring Summer 2011 collection by Bianca Spender. Vulnerable, minimal and totally seductive, Bianca’s vision was assisted by the talented photographer Adrian Mesko.
While the pieces themselves are delicate and dainty, they create a strong, fierce silhouette. Orange, blue and white dominate the collection; faint pattern and a touch of yellow add depth.
If I had to sum it up in one word I would call this collection – irresistible.
Bianca Spender SS2011 – photo by Adrian Mesko
Bianca Spender SS2011 – photo by Adrian Mesko
Bianca Spender SS2011 – photo by Adrian Mesko
Bianca Spender SS2011 – photo by Adrian Mesko
Bianca Spender SS2011 – photo by Adrian Mesko
Bianca Spender at RAFW – image by Stefan Gosatti Getty Images AsiaPac
Sophia Banks-Coloma is a bonafide styling success, dressing celebs and costume designing for movies. The talented stylist and designer of Whitley Kros is the toast of Tinseltown and even though she has multiple projects on the go she had time to grant me an interview.
Sophia Banks-Coloma fashion stylist
I am an Aussie fashion designer and stylist, currently based in L.A. I work with a number of celebrities including Kirstie Alley and Kristin Chenoweth and I am a designer for contemporary label Whitley Kros.
I’ve just finished working as a costume designer for a new film in NYC called Syrup styling Amber Heard, Brittany Snow and Kellan Lutz. The film is produced by Academy Award winning Director Barrie M Osbourne.
Sophia Banks-Coloma styling Kirstie Alley
I got my first job as an assistant designer at Marcs in Sydney. I worked there for a year before heading to L.A on holiday and knocking on doors until I got a great job as a designer at fashion label McGinn. As soon as I moved to L.A I started designing and styling and so it really all started to come together.
My love of fashion started when I was about five years old. I would make costumes for my dance performances that I would perform in front of anyone I could roundup at the time – parents, neighbours etc! Fashion is something I’m passionate about and so pursuing a career in the industry was an obvious choice for me.
I’ve always been very passionate about fashion and I love the job just as much today as I did when I first started in the industry over ten years ago.
Amber Heard on Just Jared
In any one day I can be sourcing dresses for clients, liaising with designers to arrange loans, researching new designers and trends, attending various fittings with celebrities and attending events.
I work around 70 – 80 hours a week during awards season or if I’m working on a film, and I usually sleep around 5- 6 hours a night. However, after busy spells I’ll take two weeks off to be with my baby.
Sophia’s label Whitley Kros ABC tee worn by Rumer Willis, Kate Hudson and Taylor Momsen
I love being creative, dressing celebrities and having the chance to design and trend for companies. All my roles complement each other; my trend research helps me see what is making the trends and so I can then dress celebs in the latest looks and my design experience allows me create some great pieces for my clients. It’s a win-win situation!
A challenge in the work of a stylist is making solid connections with designers and PR firms. You need to prove to designers that your client will enhance and bring out the beauty in the dress, matching the designers vision.
Any free moment I get I spend it with my daughter Coco. Playing with her instantly relaxes me after a stressful, busy day.
I loved working with Amber Heard, Brittany Snow, Kellan Lutz and Shiloh Fernandez on the set of the movie Syrup, which I costume designed, that was a lot of fun.
Most recently, styling Kristin Chenoweth for her new album launch appearances and dressing clients for the Emmys has been great!
Sophia’s client Kristin Chenoweth
Persistence. If you just keep going you will eventually make it!
Also you have got to have taste and a point of view. If you’re not willing to put a stake in the ground with what you like then you will never have a voice.
“In the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”. Coco Chanel said this and I could not have said it any better than her.
Haider Ackermann is a Belgium based designer who moved the fashion world to tears last season. The new Spring 2012 ready to wear collection didn’t receive the same response at Paris Fashion week yesterday but the collection was a standout nonetheless.
He is often compared to Rick Owens due to his masterful use of draping which adds a touch of avant garde to every collection. This season he applies that to sturdy leather and delicate chiffon resulting in a story that celebrates strength through masculine tailoring, and builds depth via the occasional flash of femininity.
Flat colours are juxtaposed with high shine metallics and the occasional pattern. Blue, bronze, silver, copper, pink, nude and black all make an appearance.
Proportions are extended for the sake of the piece, not to flatter a woman’s shape. An androgynous form is required as many garments disregard the curves of an adult female. Some critics question the wearability of this collection although I believe the hardcore fashion-as-art followers (like his loyal fan Tilda Swinton) will embrace this controversy.
Images by Style.com
Daniel Alexander Couture recently moved to a bigger space in Fortitude Valley and Daniel invited me to visit the new showroom.
His new space at 39 Berwick Street in Fortitude Valley is actually a funky warehouse which now houses his workroom and showroom. There are no hangers in the showroom – instead, fully dressed mannequins decorate the space. Daniel says that now that his clients see dresses in a three dimensional form, they rarely try them on.
The showroom feels more like an exhibition space than a store. The emphasis is on displaying pieces with as much drama as possible. He achieves this with subtle lighting and negative space – the more dramatic a piece, the more space it receives.
If you visited Daniel Alexander Couture in his former Ann Street store you would have met his gorgeous pooch Vivian (she was named after Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman – how cute!). Vivian was more than happy to pose for my photos and at the end I was tempted to sneak her into my bag and take her home.
Daniel has ambitions plans for the showroom and an opening party the town will never forget. I will do my best to keep you posted but for now here are some photos I took of his new space.
Daniel Alexander in his Fortitude Valley showroom
Vivian
Daniel Alexander
Images © Vanja Stace 2011
As I was getting ready for the Networx Inbound Marketing event last week (I was a panelist), I realised that I have exhausted the wow factor of my necklaces. I desired something that would transform a simple outfit in one quick step. Basically, I needed spectacular bold statement necklaces.
Details I’m currently lusting over include brass, gold and silver, faceted gemstones and cabochon shapes, crystals, enamels & flat colours juxtaposed with high shine and textured metals. After a quick look on Net a Porter I have found my new all time favourites from Aurelie Bidermann, Erickson Beamon, Lanvin, Lulu Frost, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Missoni, Oscar De La Renta, Roberto Cavalli, Tom Binns and YSL.
Which one’s your favourite?
Vanja x
Marc by Marc Jacobs - Claude resin and glass collar necklace
Missoni - Geometric acetate bib necklace
Lulu Frost – 100 year necklace
Tom Binns - Fauve Swarovski crystal necklace
Roberto Cavalli - Gold-plated bib necklace
Erickson Beamon - Cowboy 22-karat gold-plated necklace
Lanvin – Brass and Swarovski crystal necklace
Lulu Frost - Embellished turquoise multi-strand necklace
Oscar De La Renta - 24-karat gold-plated cabochon necklace
YSL - Mamba enameled snake-effect bib necklace
Aurelie Bidermann - Athens 18-karat gold-plated collar
YSL - Gold-plated jade serpent necklace
Tom Binns - Slap Dash Swarovski crystal bib necklace
Roberto Cavalli - Swarovski crystal and quartz necklace
Images courtesy of Net a Porter
A couple of weeks ago Daniel Alexander Couture approached me to shoot two of his garments for press. He’s taking part in a Panache Inner Circle event at the Sofitel (Brisbane) on September 16th 2011 and therefore needed shots to release to press. We shot these on a Sunday afternoon in the foyer of the Sofitel hotel.
I included my favourites below. I haven’t done any retouching on these, just colour and exposure correction. The model Adele was great to work with and I just wish we had more garments, I could have stayed there all day!
You can visit Daniel Alexander Couture in Fortitude Valley (Brisbane) or on the Daniel Alexander Couture Facebook page.
Model Adele with Daniel Alexander
The new Chanel Nail 531 Peridot is a green-gold high shine colour, very dramatic and rich. When I first got it I thought it’d be perfect to pair up with a funky print for contrast. I used the Sally Hansen Salon Effects – Real Nail Polish Strips in Wild Child (SKU #4408-33) which is a fun zebra print. Sally Hansen Salon Effects – Real Nail Polish Strips are easy to use – I go into detail below.
Apply a double coat of Chanel Nail Vernis in 531 Peridot.
Have all your tools ready. Sally Hansen Salon Effects – Real Nail Polish Strips in Wild Child (SKU #4408-33), wooden cuticle tool, Manicare French manicure tip tapes and nail scissors.
Remove 2 Manicare French manicure tip tapes – make sure they don’t split apart, you want double the size of 1 tape. This isn’t a dainty French tip look, you want them to be a noticeable feature on the nail.
Stick the 2 tapes on the back of a Sally Hansen Salon Effects – Real Nail Polish Strip – this is your guide for the size of the zebra strip. Use your nail scissors to cut the strip.
Remove the sticker backing from your piece of Sally Hansen Salon Effects – Real Nail Polish Strip and stick it on your nail. Make sure you match the centre of the strip to the centre of your nail. Using the wooden cuticle tool push down the strip, smoothing all edges.
Cut off the excess of the Sally Hansen Salon Effects – Real Nail Polish Strip from the top and sides.
Repeat all above steps until you finish all nails, then apply top coat.
If you prefer a video, here’s one I made today.
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane 2011 wrap party started immediately after the highlights parade. We were ushered into the QPAC pavillion where staff greeted us with champagne and a suite of Sanpellegrino beverages.
The vast blue stage was soon filled with energetic and nimble dancers who performed tirelessly the entire evening. Canapes resembled art with their shapes and colours and I’m told they were all very delicious.
Funky mobiles decorated the space above the guests, and on closer inspection I realised they were constructed of wooden hangers and swing tags from designers who took part in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane this year.
Stylish Brisbanites gathered for a night of all nights to celebrate an end to yet another successful run of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival in Brisbane.
Even festival staff dressed well
On arrival at QPAC we’re greeted with champagne and Sanpellegrino
Models enjoying a well deserved champagne
Tags and hangers were used to create these brilliant mobiles
More models – kidding! Me and Kati
Lady Danger appreciation society – Kati and Anni
Stacey and Mason
Daniel Alexander and I
I love the pant legs tucked into these wedges. Tres chic!
Luckiest kids in Brisbane – up late and beautifully dressed
Anni, Kati and I
This could be your project :)
