Diamonds in the Sky...

Style Palace recently attended the "Diamonds in the Sky" event hosted by Diploma, at their riverside Penthouse in Perth.

Guests enjoyed champagne on arrival and were encouraged to sample wines from the Berry Farm and enjoy the stunning views of the Perth skyline...

The Style Palace Princesses spent their afternoon styling our expressionless mannequins (Claudia was left in the Palace)... Here are a few pictures of how the Princesses made the mannequins sparkle and come to life...

We Heart the Chanel Clog...

You have probably seen them in every fashion mag you have opened recently - we have and are addicted to them just like we are to chocolate and caffeine! There's really nothing more to say except that the Princesses (well, one in particular) heart clogs and can't wait to style them into our summer wardrobe this year.

The only problem is that the Chanel clogs are on top of the wish list but if the budget can't stretch for these beauties then there are other great options from Zara and Topshop at a more reasonable price. Beautiful eye candy for all the shoe-obsessed fashionistas out there! Enjoy!

Little Black Dress withstands the test of time

Fashion trends don’t just change every year, they change every season, but in an industry that is all about ‘what’s new’ it is great to know there are some wardrobes classics that withstand the test of time.

UK company Lovefilm recently conducted a survey to find the greatest female screen outfit of all time and Audrey Hepburn’s simple black dress worn in the opening scenes of the popular 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, came in at number one. The dress was worn with pearls and long black gloves and although it was designed by Givenchy almost fifty years ago, it is still recognised throughout the world as a timeless classic and epitomises elegance for style conscious women everywhere.

It beat Jacqueline Durran’s green dress worn by Kiera Knightley in Atonement which came in at number two, as well as many other iconic screen outfits including Marilyn Monroe’s famous white dress in ‘The Seven Year Itch’, the yellow dress worn by Kate Hudson in ‘How to lose a guy in 10 days’ and the stunning wedding dress designed by Vivienne Westwood and worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in her role as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City (The Movie).

Lovefilm editor, Helen Cowley, said ‘Audrey Hepburn has truly made that little back dress a fashion staple which has stood the test of time, despite competition from the most stylish females around.’

Darlene Gianoli, founder and director of Style Palace, acknowledges the little black dress will always be a wardrobe favourite, regardless of a woman’s age or style preferences.

‘There are so many variations of the little black dress but it will never go out of fashion because it can be worn by women of all ages and sizes and there is always the perfect little black dress to be found for any event,’ said Darlene.

‘Style Palace has stocked so many fabulous little black dresses over the past couple of years. The Bon Bon Dress by bec & bridge was playful and fun, the Prom Night Dress by Tali Roth is sexy, and the Ruffle Long Sleeve dress by Sumakhi is versatile and great for winter – there are just too many to mention,’ Darlene continued.

‘Women are always on the eternal quest for the perfect little black dress but I think it is exciting that there are so many variations of the traditional little black dress to suit any event. You can never have too many little black dresses!’ Darlene laughed.

To shop the little black dresses available online at Style Palace, visit dresses at sylepalace.com.au

Style Palace welcomes Carly Paiker...

If you have picked up a copy of Grazia or any of our other favourite fashion mags in recent months, it is highly likely you might have spotted some of Carly Paiker’s highly sought after jewellery and accessories gracing the fashion pages.

Carly Paiker has rapidly been making a name for herself and received a great deal of press after accessorising the highly publicised Flannel collection at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in 2009 and again making a splash at this year’s Fashion Week with close to forty back-to-back appointments throughout the week.

Many of the larger PR agencies have been stunned to hear that Carly looks after all her own press, especially considering the amazing amount of exposure she has received in recent times which just goes to show her designs are speaking for themselves.

‘It is always exciting to open a magazine and see pieces that you have designed featured in the pages of the magazines you have always read,’ said Carly.

Some of Carly’s most popular pieces are the triple leather wrap bracelets which Carly hand delivered to Style Palace recently whilst on a trip home to Perth from Sydney, and it is Perth’s beaches and laid back lifestyle that have inspired many of her designs.

‘I think it is the relaxed nature of Perth that comes across in my designs,’ said Carly.

‘Even though I use top quality products and they are shiny and polished they all have an effortless appeal about them which I think is reflective of the Perth lifestyle. You don’t really have to think, what am I going to wear them with? They are pieces that can be worn with anything and don’t need to be saved for a special occasion.’

Carly’s designs have captured the attention of both local and international buyers who are dazzled by the quality and attention to detail of her designs.

‘I like to take a little bit of the latest trends and give them my own little flair,’ said Carly.

‘They are luxury pieces and I want to make sure they are perfect. It took me more than twelve months to get the design for the triple leather wrap bracelets just right and I was just so happy when they arrived.’

Darlene Gianoli, founder and director of Style Palace noted it was Carly’s designs and attitude that catapulted her straight onto Style Palace’s list of favourite Australian designers.

‘I spotted her designs at Fashion Week earlier this year and I knew we had to get a selection of her pieces for our eBoutique. Carly embodies everything we love about Australian fashion and she is a Perth girl so it is great to be able to support a designer from our home town,’ said Darlene.

Carly is also a proud supporter of Australian style. ‘I think we have our own take on trends and everything gets translated into our own unique sense of style,’ said Carly who was happy to share a style tip of her own with Style Palace customers.

‘Never be afraid of accessorising and don’t be afraid if your accessories don’t match your outfit. There is always a way to make things work and if you love a piece, you should wear it and wear it proudly. It’s all in the attitude!’

To shop Carly Paiker online at Style Palace, visit stylepalace.com.au or click here.

Style Palace talks to bec & bridge - Interview with Bridget Yorston

It has been a whirlwind few years for bec & bridge since Bec Cooper and Bridget Yorston graduated from Fashion and Textiles at Sydney University in 2003 with first class honours and were propelled into the spotlight in 2006 when David Jones offered them a space alongside other reputable young designers on the shop floors.

The dynamic duo now have another feather in their caps after winning the 2010 DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship which will provide them with freight to the value of AU$10,000 and coaching in freight and logistics from DHL Express.

Style Palace has been a proud stockist of bec & bridge since 2008 and took the time this week to congratulate the girls on their win and have a quick chat to Bridget Yorston, Creative Director, who was very pleased to have won the scholarship.

‘We’ve been exporting to Asia, USA and New Zealand for two years now and in terms of business growth this is a focus of ours. Our latest collection shown at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week captured the attention of international buyers, including those from the UK and Dubai. Winning the scholarship has come at the perfect time as it will help us to meet this increasing demand.’

‘We are very excited about the $10,000 prize package particularly the coaching and support from DHL which will help us take full advantage of this opportunity.’

Although bec & bridge’s market is currently more than 90% from within Australia, the opportunity to increase their profile within countries such as the US is an exciting prospect.

‘I think the US will be a strong focus for us. We have some good stockists and our designs translate well into their market but we want to take baby steps and ensure we don’t grow too fast.’

When asked if international trends and preferences influence their designs, Bridge noted it has always been about Australian style for the label.

‘The Australian market has always been our focus and we feel like that is what makes us unique to the international market and gives us a distinct point of difference.’

Style Palace is a staunch supporter of Australian style and asked Bridge what she thought made Australian fashion so special.

‘I think it has a real ease about it, it is wearable, fresh, and has a lot of variety. The Australian fashion industry has a great stable of designers who are able to cater to a wide range of markets and I think Australian designers just have a great approach to things.’

The bec & bridge label has certainly been a consistently popular choice with Style Palace customers and many items from the winter collection have been flying out the door, in particular the Lattice Fence Blazer, the Game Day Dress and the Bon Bon Dress.

‘My favourite piece was the Lattice Fence Blazer – I had so much wear out of it. This winter was really a sports inspired collection and we were looking to make sportswear cool and wearable.’

Bridge also noted there was plenty to look forward to from their upcoming summer 10/11 collection which will be available online from August this year.

‘The colour palette will be a feature this summer with beautiful pastels and gorgeous summer prints. The collection is quite feminine.’

But Bridge encourages Style Palace customers not to be afraid to mix it up.

‘Mix your feminine style with something a little more edgy and don’t take your summer wardrobe too seriously. Pair a military style jacket with a feminine dress and don’t be afraid to mix your silhouettes.’

To shop bec & bridge online at Style Palace, visit http://www.stylepalace.com.au/products/designer/bec-and-bridge

Award Finalists with Judge
Kirsty Lawrence, Glenn Coleman, Bec Cooper, Nicola Finetti, Bridget Yorston

Princess Lisa on a Glamorous Holiday

Princess Lisa from Style Palace is on a well deserved break on a yacht cruising the gorgeous bays of Turkey. We were extremely envious when she sent through these pics but she does look gorgeous and relaxed and ready to come back to the Palace next week - we know she can't wait and that she misses us all so much. We can't wait to have you back Princess. We miss you too!

A Sneak Peek at Louis Vuitton's Fall 2010 Campaign

The Style Palace team adore this vintage-style pic of the Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Campaign. We also love the fact that they mixed their choice of supermodels featuring Christy Turlington, Karen Elson and Natalia Vodianova in the campaign. They all look beautiful, radiant and prove that the more mature woman (in model terms) can still look amazing. We heart the bags too!

Photographer - Steven Meisel