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Archive for February, 2012

Feb 27

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So… You Want To Be A Model

I spent a good portion of today doing a casting for models in preparation for our Spring/Summer 12-13 campaign shoot. It’s been a really interesting day; I haven’t done a casting before and I’ve learnt it’s very good to meet people and see how they look in your clothes BEFORE you agree to work with them.

Anyway, everyone I saw today was from Chadwick. They’re a very reputable agency and so it’s no surprise that the girls I saw were all of an exceptionally high standard – both aesthetically and professionally.

That said, it got me thinking – given there are squillions of beautiful girls out there who are extremely photogenic, what does it take to be a model that designers, magazines, advertisers, stylists and photographers want to book again and again and again?

For me, here are the things that make or break it:

  1. Show up on time. Sounds simple, but it’s surprising how many people get it wrong. If you’re running late, it’s not a big deal but do remember your client is paying everyone else to be there and they’re waiting for THE MODEL. Just call and say you’re running late!
  2. Treat the items you’re modelling with care and respect. If they’re clothes, put them back the way you found them; on hangers or at the very least folded neatly. Don’t just dump them in a pile somewhere.
  3. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. Honestly, it horrifies me when a model shows up and just complains endlessly about another designer, stylist, photographer, model, or whoever. I mean, if they say that about them, what are they going to say about me at the next job?!
  4. Find something nice to say about who you’re working for. The company, the person, the product… something. Who do you think you’d be more likely to want to work with – the person who said your product was lovely or the one who didn’t say anything, or worse – looked unimpressed?
  5. Be good at what you do. Show up with the right equipment, whether that’s a change of underwear or an extra pair of shoes. Don’t show up covered in bruises and all your makeup still on from last night.

I think that’s about it. Surely that doesn’t make me hard to please?!

For those who work in the industry and have dealt with many a model… what are the little things that impress (or displease) you?

Feb 20

Bento at LMFF

We’re pretty excited to announce that Bento is participating in not one, not two, but THREE events during the upcoming L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. This is a pretty big step from last year when you may remember we attended, but didn’t show.

Anyway… the first one to tell you about is the Midmouse catwalk show on Friday the 9th of March. There are two shows and a huge after party. The first show kicks off at 7.30pm. Tickets are just $15 a pop and you’ll get to see lots of other emerging labels as well as Bento.

The Bento team will be there in full and it’d be fantastic to have your support and perhaps get to meet some of you on the night.

You can find out more and purchase tickets here: penthousemouse.com/events/aw12/midmouse-runway.

Stay tuned, because there are more events to tell you about very soon (and the others are free!).

Feb 6

cable knit web

The Third Regiment

The Third Regiment was heavily inspired by the opera Madame Butterfly which tells the story of a young Japanese girl who marries an American soldier. It is exquisite and heartbreaking.

The collection combines the colours and tailoring of traditional Japanese attire – kimonos and so forth, with historical Westernised military uniforms.

I’m pretty excited to show you this collection… I feel like Bento is getting closer to the vision I had for it.

To see the whole collection, visit our collection page.

Everything will be available for pre-order from today, with delivery later this month.

Feb 5

Clew2

Surprise Press

In our humble opinion, the best kind of press is the surprise kind, like this gorgeous shoot featuring some of our pieces we stumbled across today via Clew Magazine.

We’ll be the first to admit however, we feel pretty guilty when we don’t know about these things in advance!

Bento Jacket, Clew Magazine

In case you missed it the first time around too, Bento was recently featured in MX, too…

And interviewed for The Circle… but you’ll have to visit the Channel Ten website for that! Here’s a direct link to the video: http://ten.com.au/the-circle-video.htm?movideo_p=40519&movideo_m=157774

Thanks for all the support!

 

Feb 2

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Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

These are a few of our favourite things right now…

Read & Write

The Design Files – So. Much. Gorgeous.
Business Chic – Wearing our Ruby dress every week for a whole year… more inspiration than you ever thought possible!
Love Local Fashion - Fashion reporter Aleisha McCormack is wearing Australian fashion on air for a whole year (including Bento, of course!).

See & Do

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (aka “The Blue House”) – Georgetown, Penang (below).

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Take photos of yourself looking like a ghost at aforementioned mansion…

Celebrate Chinese New Year - in a country for which it represents a major event on the calendar.

Chinese New Year in Georgetown, Penang

Kedai Kasut (shoe shop) – Visit the store where Jimmy Choo himself started his apprenticeship (incidentally, diagonally across the road from the blue house above).

Where it all began for Jimmy Choo

(Pictures courtesy of Derek Chang.)

Wear & Carry

Paris House – Somewhat ironically, a NZ label… but so much fun! And ohhhhh, that leather.

Easy Come, Easy Go

 

Eat & Drink

Capi – The ULTIMATE mixers (or even for naked consumption), these tasty morsels are even made in Australia. We LOVE their ginger beer.

Ginger beer, complete with chunks of ginger. So good.

Twenty and Six Espresso – just too good to keep a secret any longer. The new kid on the brunch block.