Fashion \ JANE ROCCA TALKS TO ROSEMARY MASIC ABOUT REACHING FOR THE STARS. I t was the Depeche Mode song The Darkest Star that got the creative ball rolling for Melbourne designer Rosemary Masic. The dark beats and gentle hypnosis of that track inspired her autumn/winter 2012 collection to embrace all that is cosmic and otherworldly. Masic loves to create slightly left-field pieces. She has been running her label, Nevenka, since 2006 and it is one of the lucky few Australian brands to be sold on the prestigious Net-A-Porter couture website. This time her wintry focus is all about sheer blouses with stars, lace skirts, shirts with lace trim and a bohemian beauty coat, which re-emerges this season in black as well as a pink/charcoal number in a mixture of mohair and wool. We love her use of Chantilly lace and how she can trick up an otherwise simple shift dress into something quirky by blending contrast lace on sleeves and hemlines. “My love for lace started early. It is a strong part of my eastern European family history,” says Masic, who has always created feminine pieces. “My earliest childhood memories are of lace curtains in our home facing the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, lace doilies covering wooden bedside tables and bedspreads, as well as handmade cotton crotchet tablecloths at the dinner table. Lace is delicate, beautiful, European and an alluring texture on the skin. I can’t imagine it not playing a role in any collection.” The Darkest Star is supposed to capture the essence Freedom of Expression Dress \ $599 Bohemian Beauty Coat in black \ $599 Party Like A Rock star blouse \ $299 Dancers at Pirouettes Skirt \ $349 Strength v vulnerability jacket \ $599 The look Dancing At A Wedding Dress \ $799 Nevenka’s Rosemary Masic gravitates to the dark side with her latest autumn/winter 2012 collection. It’s all about sheer chiffon blouses with stars, Chantilly lace trim for ’80s new-wave romance and bohemian coats for laidback chic. of love and how it makes you feel. Masic takes a philosophical approach and plays on various notions of darkness. She can see the bright side of a dark situation and lets that energy enlighten her latest collection. “I began to explore the emotions that love brings into your life when you really open your heart,” says Masic. “The energy that the universe sends us can be deep, heavy and powerful. The Darkest Star represents the darkness and the light that you experience at exactly the same time.” Masic, who regularly practises yoga, has rejigged her work schedule to include earlier nights to bed and is focused on the “healthy mind, healthy body” mantra. That calmness and self-confidence is felt through her collection. Before embarking on a new collection, Masic says she has to have a clear mind. “For my mind I practise power-flow and Anusara yoga. This has truly opened up my creative and business minds. It has given me the opportunity to get centred and feel calm. I must be in this place before I design a collection. I don’t work late any more. I go for long runs instead. It’s a form of meditation for me. I have more energy for life and work.” The use of birds represents being free in mind and spirit while the dark textures that make Nevenka this season hint at how love can leave you feeling raw and exposed. Masic creates luxe bohemian chic to a tee, only this time she brings with it a hint of rock prowess. We love the flirty sheer chiffon shirts and use of crystal buttons that highlight her beloved attention to detail. “I research and keep ahead by being knowledgeable about the world and what’s going on in my industry,” says Masic. “I create all my own prints, colour palettes and silhouettes. I don’t buy fabric from fabric ranges. I don’t follow fabric supplier trends and their overseas forecasting. I just do what feels right and it’s working. I guess I just need to stick with that.” \ jrocca@theweeklyreview.com.au » www.nevenka.com.au » 12 Howey Place, Melbourne. Phone 9663 5873 style file kerryn russell & julie wyss Designers Trend Friends for more than 20 years, the duo behind Melbourne jewellery brand Charli Bird – Julie Wyss and Kerryn Russell – make timeless pieces that include wide enamelled bangles and necklaces with doves and message pendants. Handmade with love. www.charlibird.com.au Joe’s Wardrobe is a service launched by the folk at Joe Black – it’s where men can customise an off-the-rack suit to complement their shape and taste; with personal fittings part of their bigger picture. Think quality yarns, European-made shirts, ties and outerwear. Joe Black, 149 Little Collins Street, city. 9663 1713 www.joeblackthetailor.com.au Must-have ke it h t- sh ir t \ $5 9. 95 Few rock legends live to tell, but the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards is one of its seediest survivors. This T-shirt hails all that is rock worthy in this ageing star, who once said: “I never thought I was wasted, but I probably was.” www.blackbooktees.com.au