Art and Film

To celebrate the opening of the Best of the Best Exhibition we were also thrilled to attend the Gala Dinner on Thursday night.
It was was an amazing night surrounded by beautiful creations and extravagant decorations. Together celebrating art, fashion & all things creative.

Suzette from Town & Country Style (pictured right) did an fantastic job with our table, and we have received some wonderful feedback from customers and the many people that enjoyed the exhibition on Friday.

Donna Guest

Spirited, daring and thoroughly charming, Mirka Mora is a true bohemian and one of Australia’s best known and loved artists. She is also one of Blue Illusion’s muses – we have even produced a limited edition silk scarf featuring Mirka’s Rebirth painting.

So, when we were asked by The National Gallery of Victoria Women’s Association to create a table setting for their Best of the Best exhibition we looked no further than Mirka for inspiration.

In collaboration with Town & Country Style, we created a design that brings Mirka’s Rebirth painting to life. The central sculpture is the tree of life that rises from a grass tablecloth and embraces floating birdcages with real rebirth birds. Surrounding the table are 10 provincial dining chairs that are upholstered in our Mirka silk scarves.

To see what went into creating our tabletop, take a look at this behind-the-scenes video below.

You can also get up close and personal with our design, and check out 39 other tables from some of Australia’s most exciting creative talent at the Best of the Best exhibition.

It’s on Friday 19 April from 10 am to 3pm at St Kilda Town Hall (99a Carlisle Street, St Kilda). Tickets are $25 and available at the door, with all funds raised supporting NGV Acquisitions.

I hope to see you there!

Donna Guest

The weather is warming up and my wardrobe has received a healthy injection of new Spring/Summer dresses! This can only mean one thing - the Spring Racing Carnival Season is here!

We've been planning for this exciting time of year for some time now at Blue Illusion, and I'm excited to announce our exclusive collaboration with French Milliner, Laurence Bossion for the Spring Racing Carnival Season!

I met Laurence recently at her boutique in Paris and was warmly welcomed into her beautiful store and workshop where she creates one-of-a-kind hats and accessories - each by hand.

I was amazed at the amount of detail that goes in to every piece, and how she creates a personality for each style of hat. They truly are works of art.

Words can't explain how amazing her designs are, so here is a little video that showcases Laurence Bossion's work:

After a great meeting with Laurence, we came up with 4 designs that fit perfectly with our Summer collections.
Flown directly from Paris, each of these hand-made creations will be available from 16 October in selected Blue Illusion boutiques & online.

For more information about these fabulous fascinators and hats, please contact our Style Lab service on 1800 208 205.

A little bit more about Laurence Bossion

• After studying style/design to the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and specialization Saga International Design Center in Copenhagen (fur), French milliner Laurence Bossion started her career working in Fashion Houses such as Dior, Torrente and Guy Laroche.
• She developed the "Manon Martin" brand, which is now available in 75 boutiques throughout France, Europe, the USA and Japan.
• In 2007 she opened her 1st boutique in Paris.
• In 2011 the "Prix de Diane Longines" gave her the 1st Price of Elegance for her beautiful work.
• She loves the 50's for its supreme elegance.

Donna Guest

Our latest summer collection, Broadway is inspired by the roaring 20s and Baz Lurhmann's 'The Great Gatsby' movie (see trailer at the end of this post).

With a focus on 20's styling, the latest arrivals feature classic designs in rich colours and textures that will add effortless glamour to your wardrobe this season!

The video below shows the collection in more detail and our Design Team also provide great styling tips:

My moodboard for the Broadway collection - the sophisticated and clean lines of 20s styling is timeless!

Here are some of my favourite outfit options (shop the collection here): 

The film that inspired a collection of classic 20s styling here at Blue Illusion - we can't wait for it to hit the screens next year!

I have the Travel Bug.

Yep, I can't shake it!  I love discovering new destinations and revisiting old favourites - especially France! Each time I go, I discover a new place that blows me away. From Paris, to the Champagne District of Reimes, St Tropez and all the wonderful places inbetween - it's a country full of culture, great food, amazing landscapes and of course exquisite FASHION.

This week we launched our Summer Catalogue, titled 'Souvenirs de Paris'. Inspired by one of my favourite cities, we have created a season full of feminine pieces using the latest colour palettes for Summer. 

And in conjunction with the arrival of our Summer Collection, we have launched our largest ever competition - WIN A TRIP TO FRANCE! This amazing prize is worth $10,000! One lucky winner will receive a travel voucher courtesy of Odyssey Travel, which can be used on any of their tours - so the winner can choose their destination! All you need to do is tell us your preferred travel destination in France, and why. You can enter on our website or on Facebook (full details included in both locations). 

I'm already dreaming up my next trip...here are some of my favourites!

I also love to bring a little momento home after each trip to France - my coffee table book collection is growing rapidly and is a constant source of inspiration!

Here are some of my favourites:

I hope you enjoy our lastest catalogue and collection, and if you have entered our competition - GOOD LUCK!

Donna Guest