T H I R D S ?

I've been a little detached from the blogosphere recently because I've finally decided to get motivated about my prospective career as a journalist/creative professional. I guess not having a job since Christmas has given me a lot of time to write and get projects started etc, so, this post will serve as a little harmless self promotion.

At the moment I'm a perpetual contributor for the RaraCurio 'Latest Cry' on www.raracurio.com.au, mostly covering fashion in a retrospective context, and I've also started my own project on the side called www.thirdsmagazine.com with my amazing friend Carly from fivehundred blog.

So blah blah blah self promotion, check it out...

www.thirdsmagazine.com 

C H A R I T Y I S T H E N E W B L A C K

For years, the fashion industry has placed itself at the forefront of ‘events for a good cause,’ from Sass & Bide’s charity launch at last week’s Rosemount Australian Fashion Week to the Fashion & Arts United charity event held at Brisbane’s City Hall last month. It is no wonder though, that ‘outsiders’ might be inclined to believe that said charity events are just another excuse for a party and a good networking opportunity. Yes, that woman donated $200 to charity just by being present at the event, but how much did she spend on her shoes? Is it time for a less elitist approach to fashion meets charity?

While you might still cringe at the thought of wearing a rubber wristband or a bandana, those simple body adornments in fact, set a new precedent in fashion for charity. All of a sudden, charitable fashion became less satirically vulnerable and ridden with superficiality. It is no longer regarded as being solely for the social elite and their invite-only charity parties and benefits. In fact, those minor gestures of financial aid from the public meant charitable fashion became accessible to everyone.

A few years down the track and big names like Target and the Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival have taken the notion of dressing the body for a charitable cause to a very welcome extreme. Their response to fashion for charity was more than just a reformed approach to elitism, and a lot less disposable than a wristband. Instead, they made high fashion available to the wider public through inexpensive garments and inspirational runway shows, while proceeds are forwarded to their elected charities.

It was the inaugural Fashion Palette held at the Sydney Convention Centre last weekend however, that shared the invariable message between its guest speakers, of using fashion for a good cause. Fashion Palette was a two-day long conference with the intention of making fashion more accessible to the public. The seminar showcased a handful of prominent fashion insiders, from Katherine Green, the fashion director of InStyle magazine, to Spanish illustrator Arturo Elena and iconic Australian fashion designer Peter Morrissey.

Morrissey stole the show, closing the weekend with a motivational presentation that drew tears to the eyes of those in the audience who could appreciate how much hard work it takes to build a successful career in fashion. “I want to fashion people’s lives, not just their wardrobes,” Morrissey said about extracting the best from the industry.

In fact, it appears there are more than a few designers who no longer appreciate the connotations of exclusivity that are often associated with the fashion industry. The young and enthusiastic Paul Fields of men’s street label Stand, rejected the idea of designing fashion for money and fame, but instead encouraged the audience to do it for the love of creating, inspiring and to help others.

When asked what he had planned for the future of Stand, he responded by relaying his intentions to use fashion to help those in need. The charity work he has done over recent years has inspired him to continue giving, and he plans to send box loads of Stand garments to third world communities around the globe.


Published on News Unlimited  May 12, 2009

I M M E R S E Y O U R S E L F

"Fuck the Taser," I said. "It's no good beyond 15 feet. We'll need the M-79, with CS grenades, then drag him down with a jeep."

(The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S. Thompson)

Currently reading Gonzo, the Hunter S. Thompson biog

Recently acquired: The Great Shark Hunt, Hells Angels and Kingdom of Fear. Which one to read next?

D A I S Y

Daisy

Brand New

3.5/5

I had almost been counting down the days that Daisy would be released since it was announced that Brand New would be delivering a new album towards the end of September. Needless to say, a few days ago, I searched for Daisy on Mininova.com, based on my impatience and slight hope that on the odd chance, it might have been leaked a couple of weeks early. 

To my surprise, there was Daisy staring right back at me. After much apprehension and a quick evaluation of my personal ethics regarding free torrent downloads, I did it. I knew someone was bound to spoil it for me by giving gentle hints of its quality before I'd have managed to buy it anyway. There, justification for downloading it sorted, not to mention I'll be buying a tangible copy the moment it comes out. 

Obsessive fan intro aside, Daisy challenges its predecessors with a notably eclectic sound. Brand New have expanded their genre beyond alternative punk and yield signs of blues, post-punk, and metal influences. Daisy's sporadic Southern inclination is notable in 'In a Jar' and progresses into a sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the Delta blues in 'Be Gone', while 'Daisy' samples a Texan hymn from the 60s.

The echoing guitars in 'Bed' and 'You Stole' indicate Brand New might have succumbed to the post-punk revival that has made its mark on commercial radio over the past few years. However, combined with Jesse Lacey's heavier-than-usual vocals, most notably in 'Vice' and 'Sink', the indie facade vanishes, culminating in an experimental rock  album that blurs the boundaries of musical genre. On that note, Daisy opens and closes with a sample of 'On Life’s Highway' written by Bertrand Brow, again adding to the confusion of the band's new direction.

Overall, Daisy appears to be the unification of a handful of the band's influences, much like The Alchemy Index was to Thrice. Although, where Thrice separated each genre into a different volume, Brand New have intertwined them in no apparent order. Whether this works for them or not, I'm still indifferent.