Paris Kyne in 2011
The 2011 exhibition was for the first time a group exhibition, titled “The Complete History of LUST” curated me at the Academy of Design in Port Melbourne as part of the cultural programme for the 2011 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week. In this exhibition, I examined our lust for more. Lust for more shoes, the latest gadget, the newest time saving device, technological advancement and anything shiny in between.
By Easter it was time to move to town. “If a gay skydiver designed a bordello, this is what it would look like. I wanted to include a sea monster theme into this mix, but a gay skydiver, designing a bordello whilst thinking about sea monsters, was just too silly”, I said in a media release at the time. Imagine huge ruched pink parachutes and gilded furniture draped with multi coloured crystals. Racks strung with lavishly plumed headpieces, stands scattered with elaborate millinery concoctions, whilst the huge collection of vintage mannequins are displayed throughout the amazing new space.
On the 29 April, 9 News arrived with their big cameras and shiny lights as it was time for some commentary on Kate and Harry’s Royal Wedding. “We had moved everything into little Collins Street, and had not had time to unpack, so we draped the two huge parachutes over the boxes, and placed selected headwear over any of the stands we could get too. We also decked out another area of the new salon with bubble wrapped furniture; for some reason they did not shoot this area. We had not opened, yet were already shooting; the neighbours were certainly way excited.”
August was the annual run away for a while holiday. Borneo was chosen as I had always wished to view the Silver back monkeys and the pigmy rhinos. Well there is nothing much left of this once bountiful land, as the palm oil plantations have desecrated it. Next time you are thinking of purchasing fried food, think again. The silver backs were stunning and we spent a fair chunk of time with both the older ones and the younglings. When they are under six months old they are orange, then the orange hair falls out and the silver grows, seeing some little ones that are half silver half, fluoro orange is a sight. No pigmy rhinos were spotted, doubt there are more than a hand full left.
“The Birds of Paridise” was the spring launch of 2011, Inspired by the books, “Birds of Paradise” by Clifford B. Frith and Dawn W. Frith and “Feathers for Phoebe” by Rod Clement. Staged at Madame Brussels on Bourke Street. All of our big publicity pieces for the season have the bird of paradise as their central theme. There are 43 species of these birds, so the points of inspirations are enormous. Models included Diane Masters as the Buff-tailed bird of paradise, Elise May as the Blue bird of paradise, Ajah Dau as the Emperor bird of paradise, La-Toyah James Raggiana bird of paradise, Lydia Licorice as Phoebe, Nicole De Silva as Zelda and myself as the Birdcatcher.
It was time to immerse into twenty-first century. At the start of the year I set up a facebook fan page which is now running very well, an online store and then twitter. The era of tweets is upon us.
At the 2011 Royal Melbourne Show every winner in the three millinery sections were, a past or present student of mine (no I did not judge this competition). I also produced a live millinery demonstration on the main stage in the arts and crafts pavilion on the Sunday. During this time I made a covered wirework piece in a three hour period. I talked through the entire piece, explaining each step of the making process. In 2010 I made a satellite dish headpiece on stage. This year I made an abstract wirework piece modelled on the grade marquee a few meters down the road.
I have been entering the Caulfield Classic Style Award since its inception about seven years ago and never taken out either of the top prizes; well all that changed this year. Firstly the people’s choice award was announced, the winner was Nicolas with a headpiece by Paris Kyne Master Milliner, next the main award was announced, the winner Black Rose Couture, with a covered wirework hat also by me. After trying to win these very prestigious awards for years, it was time to party. The prize money is to go to marketing, so it is paying for the 2012 exhibition and spring launch. As usual I jetted off shore at the end of the year, this time for five days in Paris. The main reasons for the trip were to see Dracula l’opera rock and the John-Paul Gould retrospective at les Arts Décoratifs. The rock opera was very odd but the Gould exhibition did not disappoint, in particular the originals of the cut and pasted Grace Jones images which have yellowing sticky tape peeling off them. I also spent a pile of time in the Latin Quarter photographing fromage.
