Photography: Thom Kerr @ Vendrame
Styling: Style Voyeur
Beauty: Rebekah Clark
Model: Sarah Pauley @ Viviens

You may have wondered where SV has been lately?
Well I have been up north, shooting a high end W.A. fashion story, of course!

Amazingly I managed to convince world renowned photographer Thomas Kerr www.thomkerr.com and fashion make-up darling Rebekah Clark to shoot with me in The Pinnacles, W.A. 

I sent Thom, who currently resides in New Zealand, my proposal to do a high-end W.A fashion shoot for editorial - to make some beautiful art and highlight some of the amazing talent we have here in W.A. To use items from Ruby Mariani's 'Seduisant et Repousant' collection and show the rest of the world my vision of Western Australia being a respected fashion capital. And to my utter surprise, Thom agreed!!!!

After that W.A. make-up artist Rebekah Clark came on board. Rebekah's work is also renowned internationally and Australia wide, having worked on campaigns for Wheels and Dollbaby, Illonaire and been responsible for making-up none other than 'The Body'. We then found our model in Sarah Pauley from Viviens - she was fantastic and perfect due to her otherworldy look and statuesque figure.

Thanks to Ruby Mariani's awe inspiring collection and her constant inspiration, I styled each look and borrowed pieces from Dilettante, Jewellery designer Max Ball at Purist Gallery, Joynt Venture and Risque Adult Shop (stipper heels that is) and before I knew it Thom had flown over from N.Z.and we were all on a road trip up north.

I will be sure to let you know when the editorial is printed. It is tipped to be exposed in a very high-end, brand-new, Australia-wide magazine later this year - but you will no doubt see them before then also - will keep you posted (literally ;-)

Take a sneak peak here at the behind-the-scenes action.

'Presenting Ruby Mariani' Fashion Story
Photography: Thomas Kerr @ Vendrame
Art Direction/ Production/ Styling: Me
Make-up & Hair: Rebekah Clark
Model: Sarah Pauley @ Viviens

Thom and Sarah Inside Regans Ford Windmill Roadhouse.
It was so cool there. If you ever manage to get up this way you should definitely make a stop. It is just before a town called Cataby and is off Brand Hwy.
It has some hilarious 1950's country petrol station memorabilia. The lady who owns it is hilarious also, lovin' it taking the piss out of city people - but in an affectionate way.
 

Gambling, teal bandandas and white shades. Thom and Rebekah working country chic!

Drying nails in the car

The never ending story! Travelling 550Kms in one day is a task in itself!

There was such suspense driving to The Pinnacles. You wait and wait to arrive and then all of a sudden you drive straight into the yellow sand and the rock formations are all around you - AMAZING! Upon entry we were greeted by a wild family of Emus.

Sarah waiting in the shade before make-up.

Sitting in the air-conditioning was much more appropriate.

I love Rebekah's raw use of make-up. She enhances the natural elements of the model's features allowing them to shine through whilst giving it a tough, yet natural appearance. It was exactly what we were going for with this shoot as we were all exploring the juxtaposition of dark and light, tough and soft, Seduisant et Repousnat (allure and respulsion).
Epic yet beautiful!

Ruby Mariani hair cape, A.F. Vandervorst boots and Vivienne Westwood hooded shirt from Dilettante www.dilettante.com.au and Twinkle Twinkle jewellery by Max Ball @ Purist Gallery.
www.puristgallery.com

The wind was ridiculous and as the day went on we ended up in a sand storm.
Ahh what we do for high fashion!

Love the thongs.
This shot was taken before I put the shoes on. Standing in 5 inch heels on sand is not easy.

Sarah wears Bristling ear rings and bracelets and Cage rings by Max Ball @ Purist Gallery, Christopher Kane for Swarovski Crystal broach worn as headband, Kane for Swarovski necklace and Preen Dress all from Dilettante, Human Hair Bag by Ruby Mariani.

 Sea Urchin Warrior.

Kurb Gallery - Saturday 10/01/09

The upcoming magazine "Preoccupied" in collaboration with RVCA presented 'Group Show'.

I like the idea of rolled-up men's slacks worn as shorts for summer. In theory I wouldn't think this look would be achievable without creasing or the awkward appearance I have experienced when doing my own 'roll-up job' on oversized pieces in the past - however the thin material of these trousers makes it possible.

Saturday - 22/11/08

Seduisant et Repousant by Ruby Mariani

The Curtin University Fashion and Textile Design students chose to showcase their graduating collections at the decommissioned Fremantle Prison on Saturday night. The historic venue set the tone for the evening and was the perfect backdrop for the astounding body of work on display. Almost all of the designer pieces fit the gaol setting - the structural garments by May Choon Cheah, the 'out-of-place' works by Yasmin Kopij, the razor sharp studded accessories by Phemie Cacavas and the macabre, gothic inspired designs by Ruby Mariani were all fitting with the sombre vibe of the prison premises. It was a match made quaintly in hell and the Perth fashion scene heavyweights were clearly blown away.

If you didn't know this was a student designer showcase it would've been easy to believe that all of the designers were established artists making yet another mark on the designer wold stage.

The star of the show was Ruby Mariani who was recently featured on Style Voyeur (see three posts previous) for her collection Seduisant et Repousant. The amount of work that has gone into each and every one of her pieces is beyond measure and not surprisingly Mariani won the Attitude Emerging Talent Award of the night. This award provides Mariani with a $1,000 advertisement in Attitude Magazine, 'aextensive' coverage in Attitude and a Brother Industrial sewing machine worth $2,000.

If Ruby Mariani and all of the other Curtin University graduating Fashion & Textile Design students are not major players in the fashion world within the next few years, it will truely then be an injustice!

All above work by Ruby Mariani

Transition, Displacement, Adaption by Jessica Amato


Maché by May Choon Cheah


Palpate by Phemie Cacavas

Ruby Mariani is one of those designers whose work you take one look at and think immediately - this girl is destined for big things!

19 year old Ruby Mariani's individual aesthetic and diverse creative background sets her apart from the usual student/designer cliche', she is soon to graduate from a degree in Fashion and Textile Design at Curtin University. A recent trip to Europe has cemented her 'next big thing' status with Rhys Webb 'Spider Webb' organist of famed British band The Horrors asking Mariani to custom design a small collection of garments personally for himself.

Ruby explains her graduating collection 'Seduisant et Repousant'. "Our aesthetic perception informs our response as either allured or repulsed, and this response occupies the space of abjection. Questioning the validity of the covered body and the foundations of the garment. Seduisant et Repousant (Allure and Repulsion) is a body of work inspired by body on body." It is a collection directly inspired by the body and its implications, skin, hair, flesh, fat, bulge, pulpitate, tuft, breathe, shiver. Other inspirations for this collection include the macabre, vicious and body conscious "to create a collection which questions the role of the clothed body."

For Seduisant et Repousant Ruby has used materials such as leather, latex and human hair and has applied a couture finishing technique to all of her garments in the desire to recreate the language between body and adornment.   

When: Saturday 22nd November @ 6:45pm.

Where: Fremantle Prison, The Terrace, Fremantle.

Tickets: Limited tickets available - *Pre-purchase only, no tickets available on the door. Purchase from:

Zekka
74 King Street, Perth.
(08) 9481 1772.

Test Tube
Shop 6/595 Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley.
(08) 9228 1118

Love in Tokyo
61-63 High Street, Fremantle.
(08) 9433 2110


NB: People interested in attending Jaime Lee Major's (previous SV featured designer) first collection - please see my comment in that post :-)

Peace and much rock treasures!