…so I took myself on a virtual tour of the city’s Paddington Markets, open every Saturday from 10 am. (I would have liked to hit all the Sydney markets, but like the sensible, credit-crunched shopper I am, I limited myself). Full of stuff from local, up-and-coming designers, the Paddington Markets feature nearly 250 stalls and a huge range of Australian-made goods, from clothing and jewelery to fragrances, artwork, pottery, and crafts.
And many of the sellers are online. Which means that though I’m writing from my desk in rainy England, looking out over a dripping garden, wearing my usual jeans-and-a-jumper combination, I can lust after the coolest Sydney creations virtually. So, with a few clicks, I dove into the stalls, and several hungry hours later I had created the outfit I want to wear when I’m striding triumphantly through the real streets of Sydney. The outfit combines pieces from Australian designers who use their location as inspiration, and is a versatile get-up that I could wear from the beach to the bar with ease.
First, a dress from the Canadian-born, Sydney-based designer Emily Mackenzie. Functional, laid-back, smart, and effortlessly chic, this dress is made for exploring the city in. Mackenzie is a bona-fide Sydney artist; all her pieces are 100% Australian designed and made: “Drawing inspiration from the European catwalks and the Australian landscape, Mackenzie considers her clothing not only functional and comfortable but each garment a piece of original art.” What better way to celebrate Sydney’s stylish side than with a unique dress by a designer who literally uses her surroundings as a stimulus?
Next up, something to go under that fabulous dress: a hand-printed T-shirt from Bondi Playground, a pair of friends who believe that “the simplest things often contain the most meaning”. “Inspired by life in Sydney,” the friends say, “our designs are charming, clever and fun.” They are also made from 100% cotton and printed with environmentally friendly inks. I like the simplicity and quirkiness of this T-shirt, and the iconic flip-flops hint at that warm Australian attitude without straying too far into the realm of “cute”.
And to celebrate the vibrancy of Sydney, a splash of colour, from Kukula Designs. Each bangle is handmade in Australia by Limor Aviram and is made from recycled paper. The designs are beautiful and will break up the black-and-white of the outfit nicely.
Who wouldn’t want a delicious eel skin purse from Pratten Accessories? Each Pratten product is 100% Australian-designed by sisters Monique and Justine, who use the finest quality leathers. Their designs have been featured in over 200 fashion editorials and purchased by celebrities like Carrie Anne Moss and Jessica Biel, and no wonder. Chic and simple, this little bag would be the perfect thing to pop my (now weary) wallet and notebook in, and the across-the-body strap makes it perfect for travel.
And finally, a pair of simple, authentic leather sandals–the kind that look better with age, that can take a beating from city streets and make you look like a seasoned stroller. These are from Hawkesbury Leather, a Paddington institution for 30 years. Classic.
I like. Very practical and yet stylish.
[...] Then head for the jewellery room, past the dull lights and bright glitter of a thousand years’ worth of bling, and find this gem, by Australian jeweller Rowena Gough, born in 1958, who “sees her button jewllery in the context of South Pacific culture, where the use of shell often has social and political implications”. Find it in Jewellery, Room 91, Case 39, Shelf B, Box 3 (personally, I think it would look nice with my Sydney-inspired outfit from week 2)… [...]
[...] tour through Sydney’s famous Paddington Markets, out of which I picked the components for an outfit I’d love to get my hands on. The third challenge centered on Sydney icons and landmarks; I chose to actually mould my body [...]