14 & 15 August 2012
Australian Technology Park, Sydney

In what was to be a benchmark in Fashion trade events in this country, Australian Exhibitions & Conferences (AEC) created STREETLAB to embrace and promote youth fashion, style and culture and deliver tangible and beneficial outcomes alike. Designed to meet the demands of the market, STREETLAB offered a comprehensive schedule of seminars and forums targeted at buyers and industry professionals while presenting some of the most sought after labels in Australia and the world.

However, due to lack of industry support, AEC has today announced that STREETLAB is to be cancelled.

Commenting on the tough decision made this morning, Harvey Stockbridge; AEC Managing Director said:

“It’s incredibly disappointing that such a strong show concept has been launched in the market at such a challenging time. The AEC team wanted to be 100% confident that STREETLAB was going to secure return on investment for its exhibitors. Indicators are that there has been further softening in retailer sentiment towards attending the show. With this knowledge we wanted to save our exhibitors risking their investment and, with regret, have decided to cancel the show. After months of planning and dedication to the show, it is a big blow to the team who have worked so hard to develop it, but we feel proud of what we’ve done and the decision to do right by the exhibitors”.

The decision to cancel the show until the climate is right has not been an easy one, but ultimately one that will serve the exhibitors and all involved in the long run.

For further details and media information please contact HotHouse Media & Events:
Michelle Shepherd
HotHouse Media & Events
P- 03 9682 0222 M- 410 552 371
E- michelle@hhme.com.au

When 5 ageing dancers decided to hang up their dancing shoes, they quickly found it frustrating not having an outlet for their talents and creativity. So, with a graphic designer, a talented illustrator, an aspiring entrepreneur, a sneaker head, and an organisation Nazi within their ranks all sharing a common knack for fashion, it was inevitable that GolfOscarDelta would be born.

Without any industry experience, what started out as a hobby, quickly turned into a small business, which to this day is gaining momentum, fast. Read our chat with the team behind up-and-coming street fashion label, GolfOscarDelta on their inspiration, design process and the story behind the name before they make their debut at Streetlab on August 14 & 15 at the Australian Technology Park.

Where do you source your inspiration? And how do they drive you and influence your design?

Our inspiration comes from our faith, as well as everything that we encounter in our daily lives – music, dance, song, fashion, and people. We are driven to be a source of positivity in an all too negative world. Our designs reflect who we are and what we believe in.

How do you transfer these inspirations into design? Talk us through your design process from drawing board to in-store/online?

Even before reaching the drawing board, we as a group come to a collective agreement and understanding of what the vision for a specific collection should be. Because our designs reflect who we are, they are a snapshot of our experiences, feelings, influences at any given point in time. Together with an awareness of what is fashion forward, these drive the decisions behind the colours, text, fabrics and artwork used in our designs. With the benefit of sampling, we make the final decisions on what will be produced based on the sample garment that we see and feel before us.

Striving to be on par with leading labels, we don’t stop short on quality. Once produced the garments become available online at our website www.GolfOscarDelta.com and other online stores such as ASOS marketplace and YoungRepublic, as well as in store at FADEZ men’s barbershop in Newtown and weekend markets such as Bondi Markets and the Young Australian Designers Market, Paddington.

Can you tell us the story behind the name?

Without being too in your face, GolfOscarDelta (phonetics for G.O.D) was our way of telling the world that it’s about being who you are and living who you are. Yes, there’s a meaning behind the name, but only if you seek it.

You are about to showcase the brand at Streetlab in August, why did you choose this event and what do you hope to gain?

Streetlab will be our first ever trade show and we will be proud to be showcasing next to the likes of Bettina Liano, Cheap Monday and Nana Judy. We are excited and grateful for this to be our first opportunity to show what it is that we have to offer.

What’s in store for the future – where do you see the brand heading?

God willing, we plan to take GolfOscarDelta to the top. We’ve only been in the scene but a minute and still have so much to offer. In the meantime, we hope to stay focused and on our grind so we can prove ourselves worthy of being in this game.

The Beautiful Kaos winter collection is a representation of the Sydney streets and the lifestyle surrounding street life worldwide. The new collection is inspired by the lifestyle which designer, Paulo Brito has lived over the past year. A combination of yardage designs and screen prints are available in a range of styles including straight jacket zip-up hoods, casual dress pants, “max-relax” shorts and printed shirt designs.

The newspaper and pavement yardage prints are the key features of the new line that give the wearer an insider’s view and an understanding of the homeless life, without actually being homeless. Such as the pavement print, which aims to give the effect of street living and the newspaper print which gives the effect of being wrapped up in or sheltered by newspaper as homeless folks so often do.

“Fenton Street is one of the streets I grew up in as a young street rat,” says Paulo. “I am extremely excited about my re-invention of the straight jacket which comes complete with reverse zipper pockets and back loops giving the impression of a real life insane asylum straight jacket zip-up hood.”

Paul has also designed a jewellery line which consists of ‘BK world’ pendant medallions (925 sterling silver), ‘BK world’ classic sterling silver rings, ‘BK logo’ sterling silver rings and limited edition ‘Stone Pimp Ring’ collection available in a range of stones including amethyst, moon stone, ruby, amber and more.

“I will also be launching my first range of `BK Puppy Club’ gear for all the animal lovers out there,” says Paulo. “My dog Blanka has inspired me to create a whole range of dog-wear including my one invention which is yet to be released. I think it will revolutionize the style in which you walk your dog.”

View the Beautiful Kaos range at Streetlab on 14 & 15 August at the Australian Technology Park. For more information or to register, visit streetlab.com.au

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that inspire us to take a step back and recognise the beauty all around us. When these beautiful campaign shots from the latest Rhythm Girls collection landed in the Streetlab inbox, we were immediately transported to our youth where seaside summer holidays were filled with sun drenched carefree days making friendship bracelets with your girlfriends while wearing handmade daisy chain headbands.

We know you will love this shoot as much as we do. See the inspiring collection at Streetlab trade event on 14 & 15 August in the Australian Technology Building.

Become a fan of the Rhythm Girls Facebook page.

18 months later, Pete is launching his first line of TEE INK clobber – wearable art on premium cuts that will continue to be a platform for artists to design for in the future. With the first line of signature ranges ready to hit the shelves, we had a chat with Pete about the journey so far and what’s on the horizon…

Tell us a bit about the concept.

TEE INK is kind of a minimalist architect of the fashion world. We create wearable, unique, fashionable platforms for original artwork and design, but we’re very specific about the size and placement of the artwork.

I was sick of walking into the large urban chains and only being offered a blank tee, or something at the completely other end of the spectrum. What we’ve tried to achieve in our artist signature range is something in between – high quality blanks where the art is prominent, but not overwhelming. Much like the space in an art gallery, three-quarters of our t-shirts are blank for a reason!

So tell us about this artwork then Mr “Tadao Ando”?

All of our artwork is 100% original and commissioned solely for our products. What you see is exactly what the artist created for you to see – the artwork hand drawn on paper, and straight from the artist’s pen to our print press and silversmith.

Silversmith?

Yep, we took Froggy’s artwork and created a line of high-end accessories, partnering with fine silversmiths and 3D designers to develop a range of bespoke jewellery that includes 925 Sterling Silver pendants, rings, and bracelets.

Very nice. So where to from now?

Our online store is up and running but we’d really like to partner with some quality retail. Our online presence has been an important part of our launch but there is no substitute for the traditional retail experience.

We’ve also launched a TEE INK ORIGINALES range, which has given the label an outlet for us to play around with some off the cuff ideas.

And is Froggy your only artist?

Nope, we currently have our second artist locked in a secret room producing some killer stuff for our second range! 18 years of age and from Western Australia, he is very much a freak of nature in tattooing years!

Then we will probably go overseas again as it’s very much our aim to be a collective community of artists, searching all of planet earth, far and wide, for some new creatives to partner with. And not just tattoo artists either – our only criteria is finding masters of artistic craft, whatever style that may be.