Australia - Part 1 of 3

I recently got back from a fabulous trip to Australia. We definitely saw all that there was to see, and I single-handedly propped up the Australian retail market through the vast amount of clothing and accessories that I "acquired".

In this three part series on my thoughts and observations on Australia and my 2 part series on Dubai, I will let you know what I saw, how I saw it, what was great, what was bad, and Ill throw in a little bit of local slang to keep it interesting!

So let's get on with it:

General Information on Australia:

• Language: English


• Visas required for South Africans? Check.


• Currency: Aussy Dollar


• Exchange rate: R6.67 = $1 AUD


• Shopping: Superb


• Time difference: Perth is 6 hours ahead of SA, Sydney = 8 hours ahead of SA


• West Coast to East Coast = 5 hours plane ride


• Common Aussy Slang:
  > "Chooks" = chickens
  > "Thongs" = sandals and NOT the underwear variety
  > "Bathers" = swimming costume
  > "Ute" = bakkie

Part 2: Shopping and Sight-Seeing in Perth

Part 3: Shopping and Sight-Seeing in Sydney

Australia and Dubai

Pippa Lynch will be jetting off to Australia and Dubai to bring you the latest trends and shopping experiences from these 2 fabulous countries (well, country and city).

Stay tuned for more.

Penchant Jewellery Launch

I was recently invited to the Penchant Jewellery Launch in Kloof. It is a brand that has been around for a while, but hasnt had much focus in KZN. The items are DIVINE - they have used only the best metals, with an interesting focus on coloured stones. The other thing that I love about them: the items can be worn in many different ways - you can shorten them, wear them longer, change their shape and how they fall. So versatile.

I also love their attention to detail: the boxes that the items come in, the tags and how they are displayed.

For more information - give me a call!

ETV - The Style Report

I approached Etv's THE STYLE REPORT to get involved with them - a cold call that has really worked out very very nicely!

I have produced a test segment for their show - a segment that usually doesnt end up on TV unless it's very good. And mine will be in the last show of this season! Im so excited! Keep your eye on the blog for an update on when it will be flighting.

Here is a snap of me and Terence Stone, the Durban ETV Bureau Chief - editing my material for the show.

Awesome fun! And so great to see the behind the scenes work.

Vintage Swap

Heard of Vintage Swap? Well if you havent - it's a concept you need to read up on! It's based on the clothes swapping trend that we're seeing especially in the Northern Hemisphere: women coming together to swap their once prized fashion items. You come and sell your clothes - and while doing so, you get to network, sip champagne, munch on tasty treats, and you also get to BUY clothes! How awesome.

My friend got the idea more mainstream in SA by launching VINTAGE SWAP: an event that she has taken nationally. She runs them monthly and they have had such a great response.

So great in fact that I decided to call THE STYLE REPORT and tell them about it - they loved the idea and I got to produce my own segment for the show. Here are some snaps from the VINTAGE SWAP event on the 30th May.

Brooches

One of the big things Im seeing at the moment is brooches - in whatever material you choose - from wooden, to clay to material and more. Bright colours are the order of the day - so show your adventurous side a little and accessorise with playful brooches. Wear more than 1 even, it's completely up to you.

They're also a great way of bringing in a fun colour to the dreary winter.

Where Pippa Lynch Began...

This is the mannequin that PIPPA LYNCH the brand was launched off of. Her name is Lindsay (she got her name from one of her manufacturers printed on her bodice).

These days, she is sporting a fabulous array of jewellery and necklaces. She is part of the family.

Miss Hibiscus

PIPPA LYNCH is one of the co-sponsors of the Miss Hibiscus Beauty Pageant. We recently spent a great weekend at the Miss Hibiscus event - and had the opportunity to do some great marketing and PR for the brand.

The Stock Exchange

While visiting Cape Town on my most recent trip - I decided to take a drive up Kloof Street and found this fabulous store - called The Stock Exchange. It has all the great classics: Prada, D&G, DVF and Chanel at Vintage prices. They've got everything neatly arranged: here you will find shoes, handbags, sunglasses, jackets, blouses and trousers. One stop vintage-fabulous shop.

#116 Kloof Street, CT.

The Loading Bay - CT City Bowl

Do yourself a favour and visit THE LOADING BAY in Cape Town's City Bowl - it is a restaurant / book shop / men's apparel store. It has a fantastic modern rustic feel (if you can image that!). The food is great, the books are interesting and alternative, and the packaging....The packaging is sublime and innovative, and so are their merchandise displays. Boxer shorts come in zip-locked bags - for added freshness...

Miss Moneypenny Factory

I recently went to the MISS MONEYPENNY factory in Pinetown Durban and had a fabulous time talking to the designer, her mother and the fashion coordinator. They took me through the factory floor explaining their processes and quality control measures. The pictures above are all of the clothes that they currently have on hand. What I love about this label is their use of vintage fabrics (and thus one of a kind items), interesting shapes and the general bohemian style.

I am now a Miss Moneypenny loyalist! Check them out nationally, or at the new Mooi store in Glenwood.

Carol Clark Boutique

This week's field trip took me to CAROL CLARK BOUTIQUE in Makeurtan Avenue in Durban - she has given her boutique a vintage / bohemian kind of feel which I adore, and sells everything from shoes, to bags, to trousers and brooches.

It's a store I could have stayed in forever!

For more info: contact me!