bittersweet nightshade

Zimmermann's latest ss 2010 collection, titled 'Bittersweet Nightshade' is so on the money. I want every piece! Designer Nikki Zimmermann says she of her inspiration behind the range: "Our starting point was to create a range of prints that reflected contrasting moods. As we worked on the collection, we came up with a name 'Bittersweet Nightshade'. It's a plant that flowers at night. The plant is really beautiful but all parts of it are toxic"

www.zimmermannwear.com.au

still-life

Adelaide born, but Melbourne based Sam Leach's still-life paintings are stunning. He says "I paint still-life mostly of animals, using 17th century Dutch art as a point of reference." The result is an interesting CV of work that mixes contemporary art with the 17th Century techniques

www.samleach.net

blue blood

I love the new SS 2010 collection by luxury dutch brand Blue Blood. The collection is inspired by three of director Wes Anderson's classics: The Royal Tennenbaums, A Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited - and uses graphical images of thunder and lightning and the universe

www.bluebloodbrand.com

'hyper' - work by denis darzacq

A photography exhibition that caught my eye a couple of

months ago up the road from me in Paddington at the

Australian Centre for Photography was that by French photographer

Denis Darzacq. 'Hyper' is a series of photographs of young

dancers and sportspeople as they jump for the camerain bright

supermarket and shop aisles. No digital manipulation has been used,

& the result is a series of beautiful, almost spiritual & surreal images

http://denis.darzacq.revue.com/

http://www.acp.org.au

white obsession

Im going through a white obsession of late - my flat is now a mix of all things blanc. Ok, so can be mistaken for antarctica, but i see it as a clean base to work from and add hints of colour through photography, artworks etc. A work in progress yes, and every week i am painting and sanding furniture to add to it and scouring little antique shops and flea markets for quirky pieces. Take the 60yr old 'shell dog' sculpture for example. Picked up for $10 from Rozelle markets. One thing however, being all white - drink red wine at your own risk ...

images from my flat (woollahra, sydney)

acne ss 2010

One of my all-time favourite brands, swedish label Acne's Spring Summer 2010 range is futuristic sci-fi meets Woodstock. Pants with metal knee pads...wow

www.acnestudios.com

fixed in time

Breathing new life into an old artform - artist Polly morgan (uk), is pushing the boundaries of taxidermy and creating her own sculptural pieces that challenge perceptions of nature and death. She says "I wouldn't call myself a taxidermist, I'm not trying to make the animals look alive. I'm more interested in the moment after death but before composition"

http://www.pollymorgan.co.uk/

one to watch

Dutch fashion designer Iris Van Herpen's last collection at London Fashion Week titled 'Mummified' was full of texture and embellishment. Using a palette of neutrals with brass and gold touches, and interesting detailing including lace leggings, eyelets, metal chains, bandaging and ruffles - Van Herpen is definitely one to watch

www.irisvanherpen.com/

Images of nature

Exhibited recently at Melbourne's Helen Gory gallery, young Adelaide based artist Morgan Allender's oil paintings have caught my eye. Allender has drawn from Dutch and Flemish painting traditions but put her own dark and melancholy spin on images of nature

www.helengory.com