Deadly Ponies Hurrichain

After a few tidbits, leaks as well as previews from the Alice Euphemia website (a store located in the Cathedral Arcade in inner-city Melbourne today Deadly Ponies released through their Facebook their new A/W 2012 collection named Hurrichain which features muted tones of mushroom, magenta, navy as well as thick woolly fur. I had an inkling of what the collection had to bring and I was most impressed to see a magenta Mr Chain Gang Bag as well as more variations on the Mr Mail Man Bag, something I will not allow to escape my grasp this time. Although I am rather broke at the moment, I do feel confident enough to think I will own a piece from this collection but if I really start to rake it in. then maybe I can increase that to two pieces.

A stitched effect new to Deadly Ponies is quilting tried out in a variety of colours including black and brown and there's also the swirling tones of grey and flecks of the rainbow in this bag, dubbed Mr Futton complete with a neat little strap for the slinged look with the option of detaching it. There's a distinct night life appeal about this bag and while it is on the cheaper end of the Deadly Ponies spectrum, you can still expect to pay a few hundred dollars for some of the finest materials and ingredients money can buy.

Quilted felted rag shoulder bag with black deer skin leather trim, brass hardware and interior pocket. Bag measures 15H x 20W x 4D cms.

Another cute and portably sized bag that's pint-sized but still full of fun is another bag that has been available for pre-order which I had previously clapped eyes on which was the Mr. Billy Box Bag which features this lovely contrast of deep, dark brown leather as well as natural fur in a lighter tone. It seems unfair to compare Mr Futton and Mr Billy Bag but I think I prefer to save myself for a bigger bag when it comes to fur/ goat skin and since Mr Futton is one of two bags of its print and exterior texture it may be one of the first to sell out to party hungry and slightly hung-over girls.

Black cow skin shoulder bag with goat fur trim and brass hardware. Bag measures 24W x 20H x 8D cms. 

Furry and unusual, there's a lack of jewellery from the Deadly Ponies collection except for the curbchain necklace, bracelets and even ring named the Moss Chain collection for their textured appearance. I'm not sure if it's the quality from images shared on Facebook or whether the colour isn't as bold as it appeared once before but I'm still eager to see this jewellery in store and protected behind a glass case. I'm sitting on the fence with the jewellery part of the Hurrichain collection, I'm more accustomed to the fine jewellery in precious metals and using semi-precious stones at very high prices but if this newer range is more accessible for a poor student, well then I'm all for it.

I've been keen to get my hands on a satchel from Deadly Ponies for a while now and it appears that Mr Mailman is my best hope- there's the smaller size shown here and in this camel tone colour that's perfect for the street savvy university student with busy morning classes and eager to have the rest of the day to themselves. I think I was the most hopeful to see variations and new colours of this design of bag the most and since I have made the mistake of missing out in the past I will have to await the launch in March/ April for the bags in online stores across New Zealand in order to get my hands on the best coloured bag for the best price. 

Although Chanel doesn't specifically have an ownership over quilted effects for handbags, it's sort of unspoken that they do and any vintage bag will have the familiar rectangular shape as well as chain strap intertwined with leather. However the Mr Futton Sling Hobo Bag is in an entirely unique shape of it's own, with a thick shoulder strap as well as thick and plump, generous quilted diamonds.

Mr Futon Sling
Hobo Bag
38 W x 24 H x 7.5 D cm
Quilted Deer Skin / Brass Hardware
Pictured in Black
Available in
Black, Hazelnut

Deadly Ponies have been making bags out of fine leathers from exotic animals such as deer for years now but it's in the Hurrichain collection they have finally engaged in the modern and electronic age, producing a laptop case. The structure seems a lot like their wallets- the key defining feature the flatness and lack of depth within the interior pocket. A week ago I would have had enough money to buy my own laptop but I'm relatively back to square one and a bit stuck for cash I'm afraid- the hazards of being a poor student with great taste in fashion. I have about a month to scrap together enough money to get a good laptop otherwise my hand will have to keep up with about ten lectures a week or my shoulder will have to get used to my father's eight year old, stone-age laptop.

 
Mr Folio
Laptop Folder
35 W x 26 H x 3 D cm
Lamb Skin / Brass Hardware

It's interesting to track the amount of attention and positive feedback given about each bag from the Facebook release of the Hurrichainthere will be a few bits and pieces thrown on eBay at a time as well as saving my money for a bag from this new collection. Shown above is the Mr Book Large Satchel- it must be the handle at the top and sweet shade of brown, known as 'Barley' for this collection that attracts me. I could certainly use another satchel for my university endeavours and I have the perfect little Deadly Ponies Mr Lure key chain to attach to it...

One of the handbags I'm aching to get my hands on and itching to have in my possession is the Mr Chain Gang in Magenta with black and belted little strap if you so desire to sling it over your shoulder; and God knows that I will. I loved the imagination behind the design of this handbag in their last collection, but from the colours available: red, blue and black only the black had appeal about it to me and naturally sold out first of the colours. I had seen a second hand red Mr Chain Gang bag in red (lava) on eBay but at the time had no money and I'm sort of glad I did. I would much rather get my filthy mitts on a brand new Deadly Ponies bag in a great and gorgeous colour than something second hand and a bit more difficult to style.

I'm not sure what the fans of Deadly Ponies are more concerned about in terms of the pictures released for the collection, design or colour but I know I was most excited to see magenta coloured bags a part of this new collection and I'll definitely being trying to get my hands on as many feminine bags as I can. I already have a satchel of that colour but Deadly Ponies is too good to refuse and I've been trying to get my hands on one of their bags for years now. Above is the Mr Mini Fill N Zip with cute shoulder strap and matching chain in magenta to colour your dull and grey world- I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the real deal in store.

For those of us that enjoy a good rollicking trip to a music festival, a sweaty music gig and need to travel light and stealthy, look no further than the Mr Hutch Duffel shown here in 'Ghana' (dark brown) made of deer skin/ cow skin and complete with brass hardware. I can think of many a teenage girl who would be all over the style of this bag and the lightweight feel of it in her back, but may not be necessarily appreciative of the design and materials used in this bag. Still- it's utterly fabulous and chic and is pint-sized as well and while I have always wanted a great leather backpack I would say vintage Chanel on a good day will cost the same as Mr Hutch Duffel over here.

Mr Dipalopagus
Two Tone Shoulder Tote Bag
34 W x 42 H cm
Deer Skin / Brass Hardware
Pictured in Magenta / Black

I love the imagination about the design of this bag, but I am a little dubious about it's practical nature and how to sling it over one's shoulder- I'm not a large fan of having my bag tucked underneath my armpit and having a strap dig into my arm but I suppose versatility in size, shape and colour is an important thing to consider in the fashion world in order to accommodate everyone's needs and personal preferences.As much as I love the colour combination of black and magenta as well as all the glorious pockets protected by brass hardware, I'm going to give this bag a miss; it's not to my own personal style really.

Because I'm a bit of a magenta enthusiast and I love low slinged bags with soft cushy structure and flowing lines I'm sure I will go into a type of insanity when I see the Deadly Ponies Mr Sling Hobo bag in the feminine shade of my choice combined with the black adjustable straps as well as familiar brass hardware. One of my great adorations about the Deadly Ponies line of bags is the generous amount of colours for each design in a collection as well as the variations in size- they're all perfect and unique spanning across handsome skins of animals and look classy and chic.

Mr Fill N Zip Fur comes with an alluring white stripe from the handle attachments, incorporating the handles and fur design as a continuation of one another. This cleverly creates flow and movement within the design of the bag, but I wonder just how big a discrepancy between the designs of the fur for this bag will be. After all, since each animal is unique and real animal skin and fur is used there will be variations from the picture shown here of the Mr Fill N Zip but I remain faithful and confident in Deadly Ponies keen eagerness for perfection when it comes to design as well as patterns for bag. Not yet have they steered me wrong.

The Moss Chain Bracelet which appear to come in Black, Silt and Magenta are unusual in their design for the obvious reason they are shaped like traditional curb link bracelets but appear to be covered in velour/ velvet earning them the nickname of 'moss'. In an earlier press release and magazine exert featured on the Deadly Ponies Facebook page the magenta Moss Chain bracelet had appear to have a much deeper, dark wine coloured luster to it so I will be eager to see if there are different photographs used for the Deadly Ponies online store as well as many other online New Zealand stores in order to find the true colour. I don't really like this washed out, dusty pink colour and if indeed there is a stronger purple shade about the magenta you can be assured I will wear that bracelet with pride.

The Mr Billy Messenger bag made me whip my forehead in relief that the lovely people behind each collection at Deadly Ponies had decided to bless the peasants with such a fabulous messenger style bag complete with the middle buckle strap across that thick and wonderful fur. I know for someone who aspired towards becoming a veterinarian that to see fur and animal skin used in such a way is extravagant and has affectation about it but I can't help but adore the natural materials, the shiny brass fixtures and the quality of the bags. It's not often the brand becomes available on eBay so your best to buy something new when it's hot off the press and enjoy it as much as you can and watch a little 'Sold Out' note be attached to that item.

Oyster Magazine have already jumper on the bandwagon and have commented on the collection in the same day of the Facebook release and teaser sneak preview. Don't believe my praise for the brand? Here's what Oyster had to say:

New Zealand accessories label Deadly Ponies have just launched their AW12 collection, ‘Hurrichain’. Proving that they’re no one trick pony, their latest venture delivers on the opulent fabrics that have been the cornerstone of previous collections. ‘Hurrichain’ largely depends upon deer, cow and lamb skin, as well as goat and calf fur for its bags, wallets and jewellery. If this all sounds a little extravagant, never fear – the collection comprises natural, earthy hues and bags are finished with brass hardware, to chill things out a little. If, however, you like everything in excess, you might find yourself gravitating towards the pieces that have stark injections of magenta or metallic accents.

Karen Walker Pointer Loafers

Vintage inspiration has been heavily influencing some great runway shoes in terms of smock dresses and Peter Pan collars becoming a bit hit and now there's also elements of design for loafers and slippers being popularised once more. These Karen Walker pointer loafers complete with fringe tassels are a bit more imaginative than a vintage shoe in terms of style and colour and the good news is that the leather is new and not dried out. I love the designs of vintage shoes but it's really difficult to find them in my right size so with the vintage movements and 60s era being used for design again, someone of my height and size can enjoy the best of the world of vintage. These chic little boater/ loafer shoes also have a thickly generous wedge heel to them as well and could be worn on a picnic and even around the office, depending on your area of expertise.

As much as I love the little green leather tassels of the first pair of pointer loafers from Karen Walker, I think the blue/ orange loafers are more to my style and liking. As tacky as it is, I can't help but think wearing some mid-calf socks as well as a cute dress would be a good way to dress down these shoes but if you were daring enough black tights and a vintage dress would look great too. It's a shame I'm not in a massive demand for shoes at the moment and the only pair I am eager to buy are the collaboration between Jeffrey Campbell and Wildfox.

I'm glad modern shoes now have rubber soles to them as well and their suede and leather isn't hardened and crusty with years of disuse. Karen Walker has been one of my favourite labels for jewellery as well as sunglasses for quite some time now, but with the expansion of her endeavours into shoes I can't wait to see what else the future holds for this New Zealand label.

Karen Walker Autumn/ Winter 2012

Come February and the launch of so many Autumn/ Winter collections in the Southern hemisphere, I am bound to be very poor. Not only am I awaiting the released of new Jeffrey Campbell shoes but there's also Karen Walker on the horizon which again incorporates loosely based psychedelic and floral prints as well as 1960s smock structures in their new collection. I don't wear blue in my day-to-day routine a lot of the time; when I was in primary school my uniform was blue shirt and blue shorts so I suppose it was a conscious decision to avoid the colours when at home and going out. However, it seems that wearing a blue dress, woolen jumper and bomber jacket in secondary school as well has been enough to deter me from that colour for a lifetime.

 

While Karen Walker's range is expensive and the dresses retail for some hundred dollars each, I will be eagerly awaiting the release of this shirt named 'Join Us' and adorned in a line of animal faced people. I suppose those figures loosely remind me of Olympia Le-Tan's studio and her own little animal/ human figures. The structure of the shirt is loose and the sleeves are low hanging as well- I like having that comfort in a shirt since I usually opt for buying a shirt a few sizes up anyway. I love the shoe and sock combination of bright navy blue, as well as the tan coloured laces. It goes well with the shirt, one of the few pieces featured here in this photo set to include a colour other than blue.

 

As well as clothing and apparel, I'm also hoping for more jewellery released, although my taste for gold means I would be shucking out an extra hundred dollars for something as glamorous but edgy as this razor blade necklace. 

 

A popular motif from the past few seasons of Karen Walker in jewellery and apparel alike is the cicada/ fly motif as seen on this sky blue Peter Pan collared dress. While the shirt dubbed 'Join Us' is the most likely piece of clothing I'll pick up from the collection, I would love to get my hands on a dress like this and, well, the entire outfit really! It would be great for a fashion blogger to wear to a fancy label event, maybe a tea party of luncheon interview about style and other fashion things.

 

Something a little more street-smart and savvy is this jumper covered in dot print and the slogan 'The American Girl'. I think the selling point for this outfit is the tiled head of the model as well as the large and sassy sunglasses. While the ruffled skirt in navy blue ties the shoes and sock together, the sweatshirt is very open to choice. I can think of another two, from Yookoo Gibraan and her Etsy store that could be worn in a similar manner but I do like the thick block writing of the font shown here. 

 

Although the collection seems to revolve around one colour pallet, certainly from this little bite-sized preview there's a range of styles in there dresses leaving your choices open when considering sleeves and the comfort of your clothes. Whether you wear sloppy Joe sweatshirts and jumpers or preppy blazers, those killer leather desert boots in navy blue and the polka dot socks are a winning combination- makes me want to find something of my own in maybe a more versatile colour combination.

Twenty-Seven Names

Twenty-Seven names has been one of the more elusive brands to find cheaply on eBay but I'm always impressed when I see their campaigns for collections and can't wait until I can own a little slice of their brand. There's something so alluring about the New Zealand brands I find, they seem aimed at the younger set and I know of many impressive brands from across the Tasman Sea compared to my own country. Maybe I should relocate for a year and come back with an entirely New Zealand wardrobe- I do think that if I went on student exchange for university though it would be a disappointment to travel such a small distance to study. I'm thinking of going to Paris or maybe even New York...

Speaking of Paris how about a matching blazer with shallow collar and a shirt underneath? I do hope the shirt collar and bow tie are included with the shirt worn underneath- it seems very chic and Parisian and I know the perfect camera to wear with the ensemble. That camera is named the Parisian and is a Diana F+ clone that was limited edition and sold on Urban Outfitters but there don't seem to be any left. A real shame.

Although the pattern of dark green and navy tartan is itself nothing that special, the chameleon charms of the photo shoot is really growing on me as well as the structure and presentation of matching clothing in such a way. I'd love to get my hands on that trucker cap, it's rare that I see one in an attractive print and pattern but with the slight tilting of the models head, she may as well be wearing a crown with such ferocity in her eyes. The row of cute, neat and black little buttons down the middle seam of the coat as well as the Peter Pan collar is something I would love to get better acquainted with in person.

I love the pallet of colours used for this Twenty-Seven Names collection- all the photographs have been sourced from the Blogspot of the Paul Maloney Fashion Agency but I wanted to write in my own little foot notes as well. Mustard yellow isn't a colour that immediately grabs me but at the moment it is growing on me. The simple colour blocking effect of this outfit as well as the high neck, thin material and rectangular blocks down the middle makes for an interesting combination.

The strong 1960s influence is one if my favourite eras of notoriety at the moment- the crochet and structure of shift dresses and Peter Pan collars is enough to send me in a frenzy. In my searching for authentic pieces on eBay though there doesn't seem to be quite the same impact as the new generation of inspired clothing. That's fine- I know where to find this lovely Twenty-Seven names dress in horizontal stripes of all colours and that makes me plenty happy. I love the gather at the waist to create pleats at the skirt as well as long sleeves. It's not often you see a long-sleeved dress with crochet Peter Pan collar, although you could most certainly add in your own separate collar to a vintage looking dress.

Apart from the trucker caps I make a guess that the garment within my price region would be this diamondpatterned top with curiously sheer sleeves. The use of a different material for such a small detail of the blouse and in the same pattern is a bit of a puzzle but perhaps there's a matching slip in dark blue under the main body of the blouse. I can see this chic little top making it's way into my wardrobe very easily and worn with my Forever 21 skirt in a frenzy of patterns to clash and make a bold statement.

Resin Rose Jewellery by This is Make Believe

The label This is Make Believe specialise in making resin roses for necklaces as well as large eye-catching brooches; I have an inkling that they are a New Zealand brand. During the repair efforts of many after the Auckland Earthquakes in 2010, I spotted some aid in the form of a charity auction of New Zealand jewellery as well as festival and ticket concerts and even dates with celebrities. One such brand was little known Make Believe which donated more than one necklace to the cause including the now Sold Out pink rose necklace that I was itching to get my hands on. It's difficult to be able to trace their origins for sure- while they do have a website so to speak there's not a lot going on that's helpful in tracking down some of their pieces.

 

I love the arrangement of three large roses coated in black resin as well as the small dangling gold chain underneath- it's the perfect statement piece to dress up a plain sweatshirt such as the one shown above and with the light complexion and mousey brown hair of the model this brooch stands out even more. It's the only brooch within their current selection and while I do hope to see more pieces made by Make Believe, without a website or more pieces coming the odds don't look so good. Even then, I may not be so keen as to buy their pieces, theirs quite a weighty price tag attached for the cost of this brooch being $205 AUD and the necklaces ranging from $312-$342 AUD.

 

The smaller, more petite rose arrangement necklace dipped in feminine candy pink strung on a double sterling silver chain for added security as well as glamor. I love the folded effect of the petals as well as the resin coating giving them a dripped in wet-paint look. It would look amazing underneath a plain blouse and add feminine flair to any outfit as well as whimsy and playfulness.

Make Believe mixes a touch of sweet romance with the hard core rock of Guns and Roses!! This large necklace is a phenomenal piece made of resin dipped fabric flowers in beautiful high gloss colours. All on blingin' gold plated chain!

Chain Length 23.5cm.