I’m so thrilled to finally post these photos! Jay asked me to be a part of his series The Muse in 2019, where he photographed 6 different muses each with their own theme. Mine was ‘CYBERPUNK’, so as you can imagine I was obviously thrilled to participate.
I got to use my own wardrobe for this shoot, which is always something I find super gratifying (I do tend to purchase items I think will photograph well).
Metting Lawrence and shooting with him was the start of something beautiful! I instantly loved his pragmatic and confident approach to shooting, and his clear creative vision and ability to articulate it through direction is a skill any photographer should aspire to develop. I was so excited to then bring Lawrence on board to shoot ꫀꪻꫝꫀ᥅ꫀꪖꪶ by ⟢ ∵ 𝒷𝒶𝒷𝒾𝑒 𝔠𝔩𝔲𝔟 ∴ ⟣ ⁎ ∗.
This shoot day was actually organised by dear friend and LONER Kenta204 for his new press shots, and he graciously had a crew of the LONERS attend to take some of our own photos as well as some merch pics.
It was great to model the LONER apparel drop alongside Forrest, and I was able to grab some flashy LinkedIn photos for my business digibabe.studio as well. Such a productive day of content creation!
A big thank you to photographer Lawrence Bernt for the great day of shooting!
There are a huge number of benefits in buying from these vendors, not least of which is reducing your impact on the environment by opting for reusable rather than disposable masks. You can also avoid contributing to what is likely poor working conditions in unsafe factory settings, big corporates who are already capitalising off of the pandemic, and support local and ethically made small business at the same time.
So without further ado, here are some choice creatives right here in Victoria who deserve your coin;
Self described as ‘PG rated fetishism, pink until you pop’, Penny Drop items are unique and standout artworks in and of themselves. I’ve been a long-time fan of Penny Drop and the talented designer behind it, and actually have my own mask from here. 3x, 2x and 1x layered options available in a combination of fabrics including wool and denim, and best of all - fun prints like eggs and sad cats to capture your iso essence.
Stylist, artist, designer behind Filfy Rish and all-round creative firework Hayley aka Moosedoll has made some of the coolest upcycled masks on the market. She’s not taking new orders for now, but I had to include her on the off chance she opens up for orders again - they’re all one-offs, zero waste and upcycled. And just look at the Pocari sweat one. Just look at it.
What happens when high-quality, handmade labels start making masks? Cute and genuinely comfy stuff, that’s what. Buttonfox face masks are made completely adjustable and are sized to accomodate any different face shape, with 3 layers and the outermost made of a deliciously soft and fluffy-looking polyester minky. Get to know the team of two better by tuning into their Twitch channel and watching them work their handcrafted magic on these made-to-order masks.
Not for the faint of heart, these masks exist to bring a little extra sparkle into the day-to-day mundane routine of quarantine. Ariane Bingham’s zero waste studio uses fabric offcuts from previous collections to create these unique sequinned masks, as well as some more intricate Steampunk-inspired designs. Snag yourself a matching set while you’re at it, so your wardrobe is ready for festival season once it makes its (eventual) return.
Design by Jude focuses on ethically made unisex garments, featuring organic textures and beautifully draping layers and silhouettes. Similarly, their face masks are premium minimalist designs made in all-natural fibres, with options to customise to your unique face shape for the perfect fit. If you’re looking to go the #MonochromeMelbourne route, modern artisan fashion by Jude is the way to go.
With design concepts focusing on the intersection of nature and futurism, R E M U S E garments are natural, flowy and ethereal in their fit - so it’s no wonder their face masks are similarly stunning. Made with 100% natural fibres and GOTS Certified Organic Cotton thread, a standout feature of the brand is their commitment to using plant-based textiles and being ethically hand-dyed right out of their Collingwood studio.
Melbourne Art Director Suraiya Lorenz is creating face masks with an oxymoronic twist - they have a zip running through them. With all proceeds going towards the COVID-19 Victorian First Nations Mutual Aid Fund, Sue’s Zip It Face Masks were conceptualised around the idea of listening and learning from First Nations people who have been affected for generations by the systemic effects of colonisation. They also come with a luxe velvet drawstring pouch - adorable.
Shooting for Nixi Killick was a pleasure as expected - I was given the creative reigns again for hair and makeup, and arrived to a bubbly Nixi and Denver hoarding treasure chests full of incredible accessories and garments. Augmented reality activated as is Nixi’s growing trademark, this capsule collection Lightning Sunrise features neon-electric mismatched animal prints with cutout panels in always-comfy silhouettes. I swear, something magical happens when you put on a NXK outfit - you can feel your inner spirit come alive. Thank you to the awesome Tai and Fil for being so fun to work with as well! I loved living out my technicolour cyberpunk goddess dreams.
The interactivity is taken a step further in her most recent collection Cryptic Frequency, with the implementation of augmented reality tech. In collaboration with AR app EyeJack, garments feature imagery that trigger in-app animations and sound design - easter eggs adding a whole new dimension to style.
Fashion just became more immersive than ever.
Shooting with Jesper was so fun, natural and easy - he asked me to style myself for this shoot, and of course, those are always my favourite shoots to begin with. Maybe the timing was serendipitous, but having felt somewhat uninspired by fashion lately, this turned out to be a style story I was super proud of.
Eclectic 90s, Tokyo-inspired rave wear was the narrative, with a nod to Delia’s catalogues and unintentionally a homage to thrift shopping as well (three quarters of the garments worn in this shoot were thrifted).
Homegrown style was the focus here, with the emphasis placed on what it means to interpret and create your own unique identity through fashion rather than consuming a store-prepared look.
I love that this was an important element to Jesper, and that it was why he said he reached out to me!
It is such a huge honour to work with this incredibly talented photographer and be able to showcase to you these works.
So overjoyed to work with another all-female team of talented, inspiring creative women! Photographer Ellisha Kriesl’s vision for this shoot was to embody the depth of feeling in a broken heart - that vague pain in the back of your chest, a despair so unique to the feeling of heartbreak. At least, that was my interpretation of it! Thank you to this incredible team for having me on board.
PHOTOGRAPHER: ELLISHA KRIESL
DESIGNER/STYLIST: SIDNEY NEVILLE
HMUA: PEGGY STASINOS
GLOOM
A 60 day process, 30 hours of hair craft, countless products used, and 1 shoot.
Director, Hair Colourist, Stylist, Extension Technician - Krysten Monaghan, Emilly Hadrill Hair Extensions
Photographer - Dennis Murphy, Dennis Murphy Visuals
Caitlin's workwear-inspired denim looks mix durability with decorative femininity, drawing on hazard-safe attributes like reflective tape and d-rings as protective elements. Her work comes at a time where women's safety in Melbourne is a major topic of discussion, but retains playfulness with metallic, ravewear-inspired styling.
(Full disclosure, I don't make any money off this code!)
Maxine Zanoni’s work to date shows promising potential for her future as a photographer, and with a portfolio that really speak for itself, I was so excited to shoot with her.
And you know that when I get told to dress in a way that expresses my “true identity”, you’re gonna end up with a monstrosity like this - enjoy!
In the realm of local small businesses and young upcoming labels, Tetrik stands out - boxy, structured silhouettes straight out of some darkwave nether-dimension, it's only a matter of time until the Melbourne label overruns the streets of Tokyo, Berlin and beyond.
I was thrilled to be asked back for my third time (!!!) to shoot with Tetrik, and if you ever have the good fortune to cross paths with one of their amazing core team Aidan, Kim or Bri, I promise you'll leave with a smile on your face.
With a background in creating fabric structures you may recognise from your last doof (check out Tetrik Structures), designer Aidan's winter offerings for Tetrik include warm, fleece lined fabrics, new patterns and prints with their signature purple accent, and a perfect, versatile array of layer-ready garments for our unpredictable midyear weather.
Combined with an emphasis on wearable, unisex designs, Tetrik's future-focused vibe is all the more appealing when you realise just how well each item has been crafted with top-quality fabrics and utterly precise construction.
PHOTOGRAPHER: WYNONA STOCK
DESIGNER: ASHLEY MARTINIELLO
MAKEUP: LILIANA OPPEDISANO, ZOE CRAWFORD
MODELS: VICTORIA, PHEROZA, ANNA
