This week Closet Case went adventuring; to meet face-to-face some of the most beautiful, talented women working in the fashion industry; the exceptional products they create and services they provide. From buying and styling to designing, they all have an incredible eye for what is new, inspiring and a little bit out of the ordinary.
By Bianca Healey.
Laura Tramontina is the owner, manager, chief buyer and stylist for both RIADA and the newly-envisioned RIADA CONCEPT store in Woollahra. Her eye for covetable brands and peerless style has afforded her an esteemed reputation within Sydney.
Laura (and her charming accent!) sat down with us to share her buying and styling philosophy;
RESCU: As both a buyer and stylist, how do the two roles inform one another?
Laura Tramontina: When I buy, the first thing is; I have to like the collection. I listen to the vibe of the collection and I put together a story, but also, it has to be something I am more than happy to wear for myself. Then I feel I can style for anybody, and for different sizes.
RESCU: What do you think is unique about the RIADA CONCEPT store?
Laura Tramontina: I think it is unique, because first of all, we already have a few labels that nobody else has. Also, there are some European designers who really want to put their flavour and their work in the stores. There are also many European people who work here who really know and love these products. I try really to work on having labels that nobody else has. This is my goal. Every time I do my buying, I do some study and research in to new labels that I would like to put in the store, and basically every season I have one or two new labels- it is important to me to bring this to the store.
RESCU: What are the benefits of enlisting in the help of a stylist?
Laura Tramontina: The benefit of having a stylist is having someone who you can trust. And once I develop a relationship, she will come to me all the time. I like to work with the individual; I like for people to dress well, and not the same, and I help them according to the vibe that I get from that person. In Italy now, there are a lot of well-established women who don’t necessarily want to wear the big fashion labels; they want to wear sophisticated things that are a little bit bohemian and understated, you know what I mean? That is want I want to do in RIADA; bring beautiful, quality labels that are not everywhere for my customer.
Rescu. Loves:
New season womenswear by Etro in spectacularly ornate prints inspired by India, as well as the Lanvin sleeveless women’s tuxedo jacket with white lapels and obi belt were the highlights of the recent seasonal showing. The burgeoning menswear selection also impressed us with pieces by Italian luxury label Golden Goose and uber-cool French street wear label Zadig and Voltaire.
Visit the website here:
Closet Case adores luxury products that side-step the high prices and impersonal nature of the big-name brands. This is why we were so delighted to meet with the lovely Tracey Cruickshank of Bespecd at her event this week at the gorgeous Hush Communications studio.
The Bespecd brand function under a socially responsible business model in which a portion of each sale is donated to one of four registered international charities. The brand operates enirely online through their website, offering high-quality, affordable prescription men’s and women’s designer eyewear.
Tracey states that by cutting out the middle-man that drives up the prices for the few large companies that dominate the industry, she can provide fashionable eyewear at the fraction of the cost. Closet Case met with Tracey at the event, and she was as poised, polished and approachable as her brand is. Tracey says of glasses; “It’s such an important part of a person’s fashion look and our price point is so good that our customers often buy several pairs in totally different designs and colours to suit their mood or activities.”
Another cool innovation is the ‘Virtual Mirror,’ in which customers can ‘virtually’ try on the frames in the comfort of their own home by uploading a photo or using their webcam. They can then share their photos via email, Facebook or Twitter.
Visit the website here:
Closet Case loves nothing better than receiving a delightful package delivered to our door step! Therefore, we are so thrilled for the launch of Her Fashion Box, a new monthly subscription service.
HerFashionBox.com was created in February this year by founder of online store Le Black Book, Kath Purkis. It is a one-stop online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle trends, how-to content and industry-insider interviews. Now there is yet another wonderful facet to this site- a coveted box tailored to the tastes of the recipient;
The gift includes a statement fashion accessory tailored to your style profile, beauty and lifestyle interests, carefully selected by the Her Fashion Box team from high-end, boutique and cult brands that could include gorgeous stationary, luxury candles, gourmet food and wine tasters and homewares.
To get on the list, it is simply a case of subscribing, choosing a style profile (options include trendy, classy and feminine), and then waiting patiently for a beautiful pink box to arrive on your doorstep.
If you are like Closet Case and love surprise gifts, you can do as we will be doing and ‘forget’ about your subscription until it appears!
Visit the website here: