I'm choosing a Nestlé free Easter

May I encourage you to have a Nestlé free Easter?
And take the time to share treats with loved ones that are fairtrade?
Choose chocolate that doesn't destroy our earth and exploit humans in developing nations.

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Cybèle's ethereal beauty

Oh can I please have every lilly like garment from Cybèle's AW 2010 collection?



The early highlight of ANZFW 09, Cybèle's AW 2010 collection "virtue" brought to life "The juxtapostition of the regiment and formality of the Victorian era with the pure sculptural qualities of flowers and insects."



To quote myself (!!!) "I fell in love with the Lily icon that was present through the collection – from shaped bell sleeves to panelled chiffon capes. Icing on the Lilly cake was one off cast-glass lilly necklaces by artist Layla Walter."

Almost 7months on I am still lusting after the Lilyfied collection. I WANNNNNNT!!!

I'm so excited that mini silver pendants based on the glass lily necklaces are available with the collection - eeek perhaps my birthday was just a little too early this year?

(I'm developing an obsession with pendant jewels - Yes Kdub, you started it all)

More pics after the jump...*:-)





[The light snugness of this scarf makes me want to buy a million of them and sleep in a bath tub full of elven softness... Could one of you lovely knitewear-esq readers explain this stitch to me?]

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New Zealand - leading the world in international reporting?

The front page of the New Zealand Hearld today is wrapped in a story about a dog rescued at sea from an abandoned boat. On closer reading the story reveals that the dog and the rescue of the boat provide a clue in a missing persons investigation and may bring detectives one step closer to finding the owner of the boat. Teribly sad.. tragic and my thoughts are with the the family.

BUT 38 people were killed last night by two suicide bomb attacks on the Russian Metro system. Perspective? The features in the "world section" of the paper (as it should) BUT the story detailing the Moscow bomb blast is almost halfway down the NZherald main web page. HELOOOOOOO????

The New Zealand Herald - there's alot more to it. Obviously just not today.

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Sunshine and fairy bows

Madeline's cardie

I got to visit my fave little girl Madeline tonight and look at her gorgeous cardie! Oh these little bows made my entire week. So so so precious.

I'm a massive fan of tiny bows as adornments on everything from lingerie to hair pieces. One of my flatmates continually falls for girls who wear black bows in their hair... there has to be something in this attraction!

x

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Dear pretty lady....

I love you Lady Gaga!!!

Happy Happy Happy 24th Birthday!!!

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The ever delicious Mia Sudakov...

It has been almost a year since I met superwoman Mia Sudakov founder of Private Access. Thanks to the wonders of the interweb I got to have a good ol yarn with this inspirational woman... ((heaps more after the jump so click click click!!!)) x

One thing you can't live without...

My vision board and dream book!

About 5 years I bought a scrap book and through visuals and pictures out of Vogue, InStyle and my fave glossy magazines and put together a whole book of what I wanted my life to look like, feel like and be like in all areas of my life. This “dream book” has traveled with me to New York and Miami where I lived for a year and was the basis for my baby Private Access.

Now I can’t live without my vision board and my dream book. If I am feeling stuck in an area of my life I create it visually on a board and then my creativity just starts to flow…its such a beautiful process, I love it!

I believe that if you have a dream and you train your mind to see it everyday through such a powerful medium as a “dream book” you will ultimately draw that very life to you!

Before I came up with the concept for Private Access I simply knew that I wanted to bring together all of my passions and all of the things I love to do. I knew I wanted an online business but I didn’t exactly know HOW it was going to look or even what I was going to do but visually it was in my “dream book” the whole time. Wow, I am still amazed at how it all works!!!

Mia, in a nutshell tell us about your baby private access?

I moved to New York in August 2007 and then Miami Beach in 2008 where I worked in Fashion PR, attended the Chanel Cruise Show and yes Karl Lagerfeld was there and Dianne Kruger, Anna Kournikova and perhaps just been around that I realized that this is the world I wanted to be a part of and to share with others.

When I returned to Australia I bought another scrap book – see the theme :-)

And started to create mind maps of all the things I loved to do and all the experiences that I had and felt passionate about – personal development, spa life, exotic travels, wealth creation, philanthropy, fashion and glamour and a spiritual life. I looked at the work I did in the past and what I was really great at and what I enjoyed doing the most and created Private Access.

I was in Mandurah in Perth when I came up with the name. Walking along the river, reflecting on life and working through the ideas which were coming through me. I saw a Jetty with a gate and a sign that said “PRIVATE JETTY” and I started going through names in my head…and came up with PRIVATE ACCESS and it encompassed everything that Private Access is.

It’s about exclusivity and PRIVATE ACCESS to the very best life possible. We go behind the scenes into the “private” lives of some of Australia’s leading and inspirational women. Through the behind the scenes peek into some of the worlds leading women I provide aspiration, motivation and self realization to get the PRIVATE ACCESS woman to where she wants to be.

So far I have interviewed DJ Havana Brown and Samantha Wills….and I have Mahalia Barnes, Poppy King, Erika Heynatz and Kirrily Johnston to come….to stayed tuned and you can read them on our blog.

Your favourite part of the fashion industry? And most disliked part of the fashion industry?

My favourite part of the fashion industry is the never ending creative force of the designers . I am amazed and inspired by the way it works and how they can manifest such beauty through the work they do.

Most disliked part of the fashion industry is that some of the designers are not accessible to many women. Fashion in Australia especially tends to be less accessible due to the cost some of the designers attach to purchase their brand.

I did a marketing survey of 500 women and found out that many of them do not feel valued by their favourite brands. Many of them do not offer a loyalty program of any kind for the ongoing loyalty and support Australian women give to these brands.

Private Access aims to bring the world of fashion to women in a very unique and different way – we aim to empower women from the inside out and bring them an online experience together with an online portal where they can gain PRIVATE ACCESS to the promotions and privileges to their favourite Australian brands. In turn they are valued by our brand partners and we create a relationship between the brand and our members so everyone wins.

For more info on Private Access contact via mia@privateaccessau.com

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I think Tom Ford is amazing

Tom Ford's "A Single Man" hit cinema screens in Auckland tonight as one of the players in this years World Cinema Showcase.

The story follows George (Colin Firth) as he comes to terms with the death of his long-term partner. Set the early 1960s in LA George, a college professor, while leading a lecture, poignantly questions the impact fear of the minority has on the mass. He discusses the fears some have of the black civil rights movement, the fear of not being heard but skirts around the topic of sexuality and minorities.

And so continues George's journey of discovery, enlightenment and reflection. A Single Man is beautifully shot and embodies a narrative sparse in words - a must see! xxx

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Stella-licious

So, believe it or not I'm getting my sport on to increase my chances of winning this year's RUNNING IN HEELS award. What better motivation me thinks than some new gear - have you SEEN the screen shots for the latest adidas by Stella McCartney collection? Delicious. I love the cap/hood look (ONLY FOR EXERCISE) creates a paparazzilicious mood *:-) ... wish me luck! ...

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Words and letters and rules and code

I LOVE Sarah Mower's effortless reviews for Style.com! This exceprt is from her review of Dries Van Norten's Fall 2010 RTW collection:

"Freud's great unanswered question, "What does a woman want?" seems to be hanging over this round of collections, and it's already turned up some funny, off-beam stabbings around in the dark. Funny, that is, because isn't it obvious? What we want is a casual way of dressing that's also formal enough, new yet not ridiculously gimmicky, confident yet not egregiously aggressive, traditional in a comfortable way, yet also fresh in such a manner that we feel compelled to buy it. Well, let's hand it to Dries Van Noten for coming up with a personal squaring of all those apparently oh-so-difficult contradictions."

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Am jist a wee fairy

I'm in love with all things fairy!
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I like your green...

Happy St Patrick's Day!
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When its cold I like to dance

Ooo there is a little nip in the air and my feet are freezing!
I need some little pumps like these Juicy Couture Slippers *:-)
x

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New Zealand Fashion Festival - Should I stay or should I go NOW?

The inaugural New Zealand Fashion Festival kicks off in Auckland this evening with a catwalk show featuring 17 New Zealand brands on a 50m long catwalk to a sold out audience of 1000. All 700 public tickets are sold out!

Myken Stewart (co-owner) says on the NZFF blog: "“Next year we plan to have a long list of attractions; shows, parties, exhibitions and even an international business seminar – the sky is the limit".

Designed to invite the public into a world that can often be terrifyingly exclusive, fashion festivals are popular world over with Melbourne Fashion Festival in full swing this week (14th March - 21st March). NZFF is just a spark of a flame comparative to its global equivalents but I'm looking forward to seeing this baby grow!

NZFF also plays home to the New Zealand Herald Designer Garage Sale on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st of March at 135 Halsey Street, Auckland. Tickets are still available at iTICKET.

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Some tuille to go with those feathers?

GAGAesq aych outfit RAH RAH ra ra ra, ROMA roma MA!

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GAGA OOOolala!

I JUST SAW LADY GAGA PERFORM LIVE AT THE MONSTER BALL.
**CONVERT TO THE HAUS OF GAGA**
MY LOVE FOR HRH LG HAS INCREASED 100%.
HER PASSION, COMMITMENT, VISION AND GUTSO INSPIRE MY LIFE.
X
(*I'll post more pics of my outfit tomorow when the light is better!)

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Happy Birthday to me!

Monster Cake made by Josh Schoombie

Today is my birthday!

I heard Stefani Germanotta is in the neighbourhood (!) so hopefully she will drop by and join in the festivities. *sighs* how I love her! x

x

REMEMBER: Send Gaga tips to hannah@aychblog.com xxx

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Gaga, TELEPHONE ME!

HRH Lady Gaga has landed in New Zealand!
BEYOND excited. First Tyra... then GaGa.. What next?
Have you SEEN the much anticipated Telephone clip?
PRODUCT PLACEMENT MUCH?
I LOVE that HRH gets picked up by Beyonce in the "Booty Wagon" ahhh..then they drive away in the...
Images below x





More after the jump...x

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She sprinkled some glitter in her facinator...

Photo: Winchey Zheng

Last Saturday I had the wonderful experience of attending the Telecom Derby Day at Ellerslie Racecourse.

I got to check out the trends on the catwalk at the Mercedes prix de fashion competition and enjoy the festivities with one of my fave Auckland photographers Winchey Zheng.

Massive thank you to the lovely team of CCC PR for hosting us and making sure we got to see everything.

OH FEATHERS, OH GLITTER!

You can read my article for Designer Direction here.

x

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Little messages

Photo: Hannah McArdle
Grafton Bridge

I love messages! This message n'est pas inspirational but in some ways quite ironic that its scrawled across the barrier on Grafton Bridge...

I'd love to do a series on little messages/notes my lovely readers find.

Email your little discoveries to hannah@aychblog.com *:-)

AND how awesome is the camera on my phone?!

C'est magnificent!

x

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Kell on Earth et Sonny

OHMY! The verrrrrry fab Cameron Matamua recently introduced me to my new fave tv series - Kell On Earth. [Click here to watch} Oh goodness me! This series follows Kelly Cutrone the head of Peoples Revolution as she navagates the fashion world and all the delicious drama it entails *:-) LOOK WHO I SPOTTED HALFWAY THROUGH EPISODE ONE? SONNY VANDEVELDE!

x

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Lillytastic

I love waking to the smell of delicious fresh flowers!



One of my room mates was working at the races yesterday and brought home a lovely bunch of flowers for me *:-)

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Smile

There is nothing quite as delicious as a well dressed visitor for a weekend brunch :)

Cameron was in Auckland last weekend and proved to be an AHmazing help as we zipped around Auckland collecting fabric and trims. You know the song from Annie that goes "Your never fully dressed without a SMIIIIIIIIIIILE"? Cam is the epitomy of this song! *:-)

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Alice and Wonderland magic

Alice and Wonderland = SOOoo beautiful!

I have just returned from an advanced screening of Alice and Wonderland and I am utterly convinced that life down the rabbit hole is far superior way to live.

We meet a young Alice Liddell and her Father as the night approaches bedtime. Alice shares with her father dreams of another world where cats smile. Worried about an impending madness her father reasures her that some of the greatest people are bonkers... Fabulous!

Fastforward thirteen years: Alice is drawn into life in wonderland on a detour while considering a marriage proposal. And so begins her adventure through a world of magic, beauty and deep distress.

I was slightly fustrated with the 3D effects. The IMAX screen was a neat experience and really enhanced forest scenes but I felt it flattened some indoor backgrounds and distracted from dialouge. Overall though, super enjoyable!

Tim Burton's adaptation of Louis Carrolls classic "Alice and Wonderland"is released in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday 4th of March.

x

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Canadian hockey madness!

OH CANADA!



FINALLY Canada beat America taking home Gold in the mens Hockey in Vancouver. Phil, our visiting Canadian explained to me that it's the first time Canada have won in Gold in mens ice hockey on their own turf! And in his words :

"..its just amazing - I've got the bigest smile on my face right now. Man, watching the images from dundas in Toronto... it's just amazing! I I was just chatting with a buddie on facebook from Lauier University is just a riot right now. Man its just so amazing to be a Canadian right now!

We have one very excited fan running around our garden!

Downtown Toronto is a sea of fans braving the cold - Younge and Dundas has been closed due to the mob! Check out this twit video uploaded by a fan:

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