Paris Kyne in 2008 / 09
February 2008 started with the annual Polly Tasmania appearance where my work appeared on the front cover of both the Hobart Cup and Launceston Cup race books, and ended with the Fashion Hall of Fame. Being inducted into the City of Stonnington – Fashion Hall of Fame is the greatest honour I has ever received, my two favourite Australian designers, Jenny Bannister and Karen Merkel are both past inductees. I was quoted in the Launceston Examiner at the time saying “This is probably the highest honour anybody in fashion in Australia can receive, apart from your face on an Australia Post stamp – I think that one will take a while longer to achieve”. One of the most outstanding outcomes of the Hall of Fame was the press received. Stonnington Leader, Launceston Examiner, Catholic Life and The Gippsland Times (the paper from Sale – where I grew up) all wrote very detailed stories on the life’s work of Paris Kyne. This was particularly pleasing, as fashion press is usually “fluff, colour and movement”, serious articles are always appreciated.
To celebrate my induction, I ordered a sash be made. Jeanette Cleary from Jeanette Maree Jewellery on High Street set 1526 crystals onto mostly vintage silver broaches, then I sewed them onto a piece of vintage ribbon purchased in London for that reason and the sash royal was completed. Roughly 250 hours were spent on this slightly excessive piece, it was inspired by the Ridley Scott film “Legend”, and in the future it will be worn to black tie events.
In May we shot “Attention to Detail”, an exceptionally styled series of fashion plates. On the same day the salon exterior, interior, work room and hat blocks were all photographed to be used for this website. The highlight of the day was the three hour setup for “Here Kitty”, a very expensive and time consuming (but rewarding) photograph. The inspiration was the deco mantle statue of a gowned woman with a panther on a chain. “Attention to Detail” the 08 Spring/Summer range was released to the press and clients in September at an evening cocktail function at Berth, Docklands.
The day after the 2008 Spring Racing Carnival finished, I jumped on an aeroplane bound for London, were I enjoyed a two week holiday. Whilst there I visited all the supply houses to purchase the latest materials, looked at the department stores (Liberty and Peter Jones are the best) to gauge trends and of course attended the theatre most evenings. Theatrical highlights included, Zorro the Musical and finally attending both a ballet and an opera at the Royal Opera House. Other highs were cycling the old Regents Canal route, a tour of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich and walking on the old Brighton Pier.
Two days after arriving back in Melbourne, the go ahead was given for the second international solo exhibition, tilted “The Color of Racing”, it is so wonderful to be able to spell the “C” word the other way. So production started immediately, with all the pieces being inspired by past Kentucky Derby winners. Much research was required; this was only halted for the usual two fabulous weeks at Polly Shoes in Tasmania. In March all the works were shipped to 21c Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, then life returned to normal for a few weeks before I jumped on another aeroplane to be with the exhibition for its final week of instillation. Louisville was in party mode and I set a new personal record for the number of parties I attended in a seven day period, the best was the Honky Tonk Ball ‘09. Wow what a night that was, and then to attend the Derby the following day was certainly a stretch on the stamina.
After the week in Louisville, it was time to take things a little slower for time in New York. Theatre was as usual the highlight, which included, Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit, and the rather silly 9 to 5 the musical. Other highs were the Cyclone rollercoaster at Coney Island, the MoMA and The Natural History Museum. Of course work was not forgotten, with one and a half days of shopping for new and vintage materials, a pile of fashion exhibitions and viewing all on offer in the department stores, Bloomingdales and Macy’s being the favourites.
A week after returning to Australia, go ahead was given by the fabulous folk at MARS Gallery in Port Melbourne to stage “Mould and Shape” during this year's Spring Racing Carnival. Seven pieces were created for the opening and an epic shot was executed by the Herald Sun’s photographer, Fiona Hamilton. The main piece for the exhibition “A Palette of Colour” was made over a ten day period, and photographed once a day during that period.
2009 also saw me returning to school, back to where I started. The old Broadmeadows Collage of TAFE had grown and morphed into Kangan Institute. I studied there from 1989 to 1992 and was now returning as a teacher of millinery at the Richmond campus and also of fashion design out at the Broadmeadows campus. I was also honored with being featured in there new marketing campaign, which featured past students who had archived on posters in trams, a television advertisement and billboards.
