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Profile of the Moment: Assia Benmedjdoub
Assia Benmedjdoub is one busy bee. Editor of Ragtrader magazine and sleepless style-snapper, Assia reached the top of the journo trade early in her career. Assia features as our profile of the month because of her dedication to mentoring emerging talent in the fashion industry. When she’s not having a cheeky chant with Australia’s top fashion designers, she’s interviewing upcoming student talents from around the country. She’s gabbed with fashion superstar Colette Dinnigan, popped backstage at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, and all the while freakishly managing to keep her ringlets bouncy.
Ragtrader is the go-to place for the latest international trends, local industry updates and fashion events. Think of Ragtrader as your amazing vintage cardigan that all your friends secretly covet. Everyone wants a copy!
Take a peek at Ragtrader’s pretty pictures and words at http://www.ragtrader.com.au/
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That’s right gorgeous ladies (and possibly gents)!
The McGrath Foundation is hosting it’s annual High Tea Party at the Westin, Sydney. Be titillated by tea tasting sessions, one-off market stalls, freebees galore and a scrumptious high tea sitting. Tickets aren’t cheap, but if you pop onto the website you’ll see a bazillion brands sponsoring the event, each of whom have promised to give away some free pressies on the day! Worth it, we say.
The High Tea Party will be rollicking all day , on 8-9th October 2010. High tea sittings are taking place at 10.30am, 12:30pm, 2.30pm and 4.30pm.
Well I’ve certainly got my ticket, Darlings. Have you?
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Yo! Take a strut down the coolest street in town- Fashion Avenue. This street is so hip that even your GPS won’t have heard of it yet. It’s a new indoor market with over 26 top Australian fashion designers just waiting to give you a high five. If you saunter along the warehouse’s oh-so-chic red carpet, you’ll see vintage and designer clothing, accessories, furniture, art and even a line of retro motorbikes! You’ll be able to get your paws on some sweet treats from Lulu Loves Paris, Style by Design, danyelle Shoes, Monique Leshman, True Religion and Purdy Klampet. Come and give it a gander before someone else snaps up all the goodies!
Fashion Avenue Warehouse is located at 2 Jaques Street Bondi Beach Sydney. Open Tues-Sun from 10am-6pm.
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Neat-o! The annual Fifties Fair was a swingin’ success! Hundreds of stuck-in-the-past Sydneysiders slicked on some hair grease and tightened their hoop skirts for some knee knocking, at the Rose Seidler House.
Apart from eyeballing the fabulous vintage-clad visitors, we were able to get our hair quiffed by an on-site specialist and take a poke around the collectors’ market.
Sigh! if only Danny Zuko could have chapperoned us…
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Ooh look what we’ve found! Blueberry Garden is a cute little game made by Eric Svedang (we just love saying his name over and over.) You take on the body of a cute creature and nosey around a world of prettiness and peculiarity.
The game won an award at the 2009 Independent Games Festival and a demo for PC has been released, so you know it’s gonna be good. Just log on and have a fiddle. You’ll be googley eyed for hours.
Take a looksee at the trailer.
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Monique Friedlander talks about the highs and lows of being a part time woodland creature
As published in the Spit Press blog.
So I’m sitting in Starbucks. Suddenly, that dishy boy I’ve always had my eye on walks past (thank god I washed my hair last night). He smiles at me and starts to walk over. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I’m attacked by a giggling gaggle of five year olds (noooo!). That’s right. I’m a fairy. A part-time birthday party entertainer for children, that is. And I’ve learnt to stay away from places where I’ll be recognised as my fairy alter ego.
Despite the inevitable ickyness of running into the child who remembers you from their fourth birthday party, this gig has its perks. It’s a fun weekend job and definitely a fast way to make a pretty penny. What’s great is that anyone with the ability to manouver their facial muscles into a smile can do this job. It’s really not hard to become a self-employed fairy. And after all, doesn’t everyone secretly want to wear tulle for cash?
Working as a fairy has taught me many important life lessons. For example, the fact that everyone has skeletons in their closet. Mine happens to be a blue fairy tutu. But as embarrassing as it is to own one of these, in starting your own fairy business your most essential asset is your costume. Think hairclips, wings, and leotards. And dear lord wear a skirt over it. But don’t fret! You don’t necessarily have to scrape the bottom of your piggy bank to pay for an expensive costume. You can easily use your imagination to create your own costume. Rather than smothering yourself in Vaseline-coated glitter and sticking random pieces of shiny material to a dress, be clever about it. Dig up your year 12 formal dress and give it the snip, or visit your local craft store and buy some sequins or adhesive garment decorations. Instead of buying pre-made fairy wings, make some out of bent coat-hangers and cellophane. The more glitz, the more you’re fans will love you. After all, it worked for Cher.
Next, it’s time to decorate the location of your first fairy party. Think pink and sparkly. It’s cringe-worthy, but you have to do it. Regardless of how tacky you may think Sleeping Beauty napkins are, buy them. Buy a lot of them. It’s also smart to child-proof every surface and corner possible. You don’t want to be harassed by angry parents at the end. It’s really hard to argue with them when you’re wearing a leotard.
Party games are a must. So delve into the depths of your childhood memories and begin writing down all those party games you once loved. Now it’s time to turn them into fairy games- it’s a synch! For example, ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’ can become anything as simple as ‘Fairy, Fairy, Giant’. Sound’s simple, but the kiddies will love you. Unless you know the names of every child in the group, stay away from pass the parcel. You will just end up embarrassed whenever the music stops, and you have to announce a winner. You’ll also need some sweet tunes to use in your party games. It sucks, but you’re going to have to listen to Miley. A lot. It’s just an unfortunate fact that most kids like horrible music.
The aim of the fairy party is to illicit least amount of baby vomit as possible. This means you’ll need a good mix of healthy food that they’ll probably hate and sugary sweets which will send them through the roof. Think fairy bread, cupcakes, carrot sticks and frankfurts. Regardless of what you feed them, if you attach some kind of magical story to any piece of food, they’ll eat it in a second. And no matter how much free cake you’re offered at the end of the party, resist temptation! It’s super annoying having to keep buying a bigger sized leotard when all the cake finally catches up with you.
The final stage of building your fairy business is developing a clientele base. It’s nice to also think of a pretty fairy name. Try not to sound select any stripper-like name. I know it’s hard, but just try. At first I wasn’t so keen to market my new profession to the public. I tried to keep it all a secret until my uni friends became suspicious of the fact that I turned up to most lectures covered in glitter. It was then that I suddenly realised that I was surrounded by the big brothers and sisters of potential clients, just waiting for a fairy to entertain them. Seriously, exercise all options. There’s never a shortage of little girls and boys (yes, boys too) wanting a party fairy. You can also advertise your services on websites like www.sydney.gumtree.com.au. So hop to it and let your child-poaching commence.
Being a fairy isn’t easy. But once you look past the screaming babies and spilt cordial, you’ll realise that you’d rather be a fairy than behind a computer. Things will always stuff up in your parties. But if you keep on doing your fairy thing with a smile, no one will even bat an eyelash. Or a fairy wing.
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As published in The Spit Press issue 2
Have you ever crept down those tiny Paddington side streets? If you do, you’ll probably come across a gem of cultural delight called Blender Gallery and the Just Shoot Shop. Blender Gallery is an exhibition space with two levels of pure photographic bliss. What a treat! The gallery is dedicated to international and Australian photographers, and they’ve got a sweet tooth for images of iconic musicians and music venues. This year, they’re promising to show us works by some big names in the biz, including Patti Boyd (photographer of The Beatles), and Philip Townsend (photographer of the Rolling Stones). And art collectors can also rejoice! You can actually get your mitts on these photos because they’re all for sale!
While you’re at Blender Gallery, why not take a poke around the Just Shoot Lomography Shop? But what the darn is this silly word? Well, Lomography is a photographic movement which has disarmed all traditional art photographers of all their years of knowledge. It’s about spontaneity, playfulness and a little analogue camera with a lot of potential. In the 90s, a strange little Russian camera was dug up in Vienna by some students. The world was soon to have its first taste of Lomography. And soon, this taste became a full-blown flavour experience. The underground art movement of Lomography has jumped from continent to continent, putting a rose on the cheek of hundreds of keen photographers. And you don’t have to be a pro! The global Lomographic Society has published 10 golden rules of Lomography for anyone and everyone who wants to give it a whirl. They include- ‘don’t think’, ‘be fast’ and ‘don’t worry about any rules’. And unlike digital cameras, these babies produce snapshots with unique vignettes and rainbow prettiness that is nothing less than delicious.
The Just Shoot Shop has heaps of super- cute Lomo goodies, including the illustrious Holga and Diana cameras. Blender Gallery also offers Lomography workshops to help you make the most out of your Lomographic treasures. How neat is that?
Whether you’re into psychedelic music photography, or just taking a few cheeky snaps for yourself, Blender Gallery is your beacon!
For all information on exhibitions, the Just Shoot Lomography Shop, and Lomography workshops visit: www.blender.com.au, or visit Blender Gallery & The Just Shoot Shop- 16 Elizabeth St Paddington, Sydney.
For more information on Lomography, visit: www.lomography.com
By Monique Friedlander
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