Whatever you’re doing tonight don’t miss the season premiere of Fashion Bloggers! I’m so excited for you to see what we’ve been up to and even more excited to hear your thoughts at the end of the show. Don’t forget to leave a comment about episode 1 here…
Tune in tonight at 9.30pm on E!
If you follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter you’ll know that I’ve been hanging out in Dubai with the rest of the Fashion Bloggers girls filming for the next season of the show. It’s been a crazy few months but I can’t wait for you to check out what we’ve been busy working on. Don’t miss the first episode on June 4 at 9.30pm on E! Not long to go now…
Filming for Fashion Bloggers season 2 is now officially in full swing. We recently shot the opening sequence (the background wallpaper must take forever to pull together!) along with some new cast shots for season 2. We even managed to squeeze in lunch with Nicole Richie! Here are some behind the scenes snaps from shooting so far. We can’t wait for you to see the end result…
I started filming for season 2 of Fashion Bloggers last week and I’m definitely excited to be back on board. So far it’s been go, go, go! Expect to see lots of behind the scenes action at Australian Fashion Week plus I’ve also got some exciting projects in the works, a lot of great Date With Kate interviews with some big celebrities and some amazing trips coming up. We also have a new cast member this season – Nadia Fairfax from Fairfax Journal. I’ve known Nadia for many years and she’s a great friend of mine, I’m really excited to be filming the show with her. The other girls and I have become a little family so it will be good to get back together and get filming again. Stay tuned later in the year to see what we’ve been working on!
Exciting news… Fashion Bloggers has been nominated for a Logie for Most Popular Reality TV series! Having had such a great time working with my fellow fashion bloggers – Mandy, Margaret, Sara and Zanita and also the fabulous crew, I couldn’t be more proud of everyone involved. Don’t forget to vote here. Winners will be announced on May 3. Fingers crossed!
Me with fellow bloggers, Sara Donaldson, Margaret Zhang, Zanita Whittington and Amanda Shadforth.
Doing a reality TV show was an initially daunting prospect. I have to admit that it’s not something that I’ve always been open to but I trusted the amazing crew of Fashion Bloggers to put together a great show and also working alongside the other girls made the experience a really great one.
For the last few months I’ve spent 3 days a week filming all day. You see a half an hour show but really it’s months and months and months of work! It takes a lot of time even though it only takes a few minutes on TV.
And now that filming has wrapped and the season’s come to an end, I thought I’d share some of the highlights from making the show.
Shooting with Vogue
The Vogue shoot was a definite highlight because I got to shoot with my whole family plus it was Sophia’s very first photo shoot. I’ll treasure those images forever. In fact we love one of the images so much my mum has made it her Christmas card!
On the Vogue shoot
Behind the scenes shoots
A lot of filming took place over the spring racing carnival period so I enjoyed filming behind the scenes of what it takes to get race day ready. Also, filming my What I Wore shoots for the blog was great.
Visiting Western Australia
I love travelling and it was great to be able to explore some great spots around Australia, especially my trips to Western Australia for the Perth Fashion Festival and also heading to Broome for our first family holiday.
With Zanita at the Perth Fashion Festival
Chatting with Kim Kardashian
My interview with Kim Kardashian was a big highlight. It’s always interesting to meet the person behind the big public persona.
The girls!
Meeting the other girls and spending time with them has been really fantastic. I think they’re all so talented and it was great to work with all them.
What are some of your favourite moments from this season of Fashion Bloggers?
Beautiful pictures are Amanda Shadforth’s forte. Her blog Oracle Fox is a constant stream of visual inspiration. Amanda admits that she initially started her blog as “a giant mood board”, however fast forward a few years later and Amanda’s “mood board” has now turned into a very successful career. I had the pleasure of working with Mandy on Fashion Bloggers and I can attest she’s a woman with impeccable taste. Here Mandy talks about her shopping weaknesses, dining at Louis Vuitton’s house on her birthday and why she keeps trying to steal my Balmain jacket!
My first blog post…
My first blog post was a picture of the sun setting over some cane fields near my house, I titled the post ‘From little things, big things grow’ and looking back now, it seems very apt. I’m sure I was thinking “no one is going to see this” but that’s the beauty of this industry, you never know what’s just around the corner.
My blogging highlights
Being able to connect with my readers that are all over the world has been so fun and a completely unexpected part of the job. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with some of the most interesting and influential people in the industry which can be very surreal but so inspiring. Oh and let’s not forget having the opportunity to meet and work with your lovely self too!!
Filming Fashion Bloggers…
I spend a lot of time in front of the camera for Oracle Fox, however filming is a very new experience for me. I would be lying if I didn’t say I was a little apprehensive and nervous leading up to the show. The crew and producers are very professional though, and we had a really great time in the process. It was great spending time with the other girls and having the cameras there to film some of the big projects that are in the works for Oracle Fox. At the end of the day though, being a photographer I much prefer life behind the lens.
My go-to outfit
It’s no secret that I love black, I’m a serial offender! My go-to outfit this year has been a pair of Isabel Marant leather pants with motorcycle zippers, a good quality basic shirt and a Balmain jacket. I’m obsessed with Balmain jackets. As you already know I keep trying to steal yours when you’re not looking! (laughs).
My “what was I thinking?!” outfit…
Oh my god every girl’s nightmare is post-outfit regret. When I was pregnant I actually made some very obscure fashion decisions. Let’s just say that this is part of the reason why I stay safe with so much monochrome these days!
My fave style icon…
In my opinion, Jane Birkin is the ultimate iconic. Natural skin, doe eyes and simplicity never go out of style.
The effortless Jane Birkin
My most memorable travel experience…
Every time I travel to Paris for Fashion Week something spectacular happens. It’s honestly one of the most magical cities in the world. This last Spring/Summer Paris Fashion Week I was actually invited to the home of Louis Vuitton in the outskirts of Paris. It was such a privilege and honour to dine with the team at this very special residence and to top it all off it was also my birthday the same day.
If I could only be dressed by one designer for the rest of my life…
It would be an equal tie between Givenchy, Cèline and Ellery. Each of these designers are some of my favourites and all bring something unique to the party. I’m a tomboy at heart and I love the hard edge cool factor of Givenchy, I also find that Cèline do such beautiful subtle pieces each season and the silhouettes are just divine. I wear a lot of Australian designer pieces and Kym [Ellery]’s work is just a little bit feminine with an element of structure.
The one store I’d max out my credit card…
Hands down Colette in Paris. I know that it might sound predictable but seriously it’s not just about the beautifully curated selection of designer pieces from all around the world but I always stock up on beautiful photography books, magazines and those cool little tech gadgets that they sell at the counter.
The most prized item in my wardrobe…
My Céline heels that I just couldn’t leave Paris without purchasing during last season’s Fashion Week. Definitely an extravagance but also an investment.
The next thing on my shopping list…
You know I was only getting ready to go somewhere this week and I thought I really need a handbag that’s not black! I’ve been thinking for a while that I wouldn’t mind a new bag in a dove grey or perhaps a khaki or navy.
One image I wished I’d taken…
Hands down Camilla Akrans is one of my favourite photographers. There is an editorial that she shot for Vogue Japan in March 2010 featuring Anja Rubik wearing all of these beautiful white semi transparent pieces. It’s just so divine, so simple and beautiful and oh, Anja is holding a baby lamb, say no more!
The image of Anja Rubik Amanda wishes she’d taken
The key to a good Instagram post…
Styling photos for my Instagram is one of my favourite parts of the work day. Great lighting is always key and I couldn’t do without a perfect white backdrop. Lastly I always use the Afterlight app, it’s excellent for sharpening images and adding a subtle filter.
What’s left on my blogger bucket list…
Mmmm this is such a good question! I always feel as though I don’t know how to answer this question because I feel as though this is only the beginning and we just don’t know what the future will hold and where we will be this time next year, I feel as though we always supersede our expectations. Oracle Fox has doubled in the last year with the amount of projects that we’ve taken on, with the amount of staff that I have working for me and also in the quality of the content that we’ve been able to take. My biggest goals for 2015 are to really focus on those relationships that we’ve built over the last year and work on creating some magical projects for the next year. Lots of travel, creating editorials with more high profile faces and brands and some exciting collaborations on the radar! Stay tuned…
When you ask Zanita Whittington what made her first start her eponymous blog, she laughs and says, “I think it was probably just a little too much free time to be honest.” From her early days blogging where she says her first post “was dreadful. I actually took it with a point and shoot camera but it looks like a blurry iPhone shot” to shooting fashion campaigns and starring on the reality TV show Fashion Bloggers, Zanita’s blog has well and truly morphed from a hobby into a highly successful career. Here Zanita reveals her biggest fashion fail, how she reacted to seeing herself on TV for the first time and the one thing she’d never ever wear…
What she planned to do before blogging…
“I kinda didn’t have a plan and the blog helped me decide. I really thought I could just carry on my life freestyling a little bit. I used to be a model and you kind of have a grey cloud on your horizon as a model because it can’t last forever. My blog was something that really taught me to be myself and to grow into a woman that’s considered a businesswoman and has a brighter future than just flailing.”
How she reacted seeing Fashion Bloggers for the first time…
“When I started watching it I started crying. Obviously it’s pretty exciting seeing myself but it’s like I’m watching some other kind of character… but I’m so proud of the other girls.”
Her favourite go-to outfit…
“I’ve been wearing these Friend of Mine leather overalls for three days. I don’t know if I should be admitting that! They’re so comfortable. I really just like wearing clothes I’m comfortable in. I love onesies and overalls and boiler suits and big long skirts and things. I don’t like showing a lot of skin; that’s my main rule for myself.”
Her biggest fashion fail…
“Oh my gosh there’s so many. When I look back it’s actually not really the individual pieces, it’s just styling that I’ve really stuffed up. Years ago I really liked to be creative with the styling of what I wore, but I didn’t really have many pieces and not everything goes together so you compromise a lot. I look back over my archives sometimes and I’m like ‘what?’”
Her best style advice…
“I don’t really like to give people styling advice because I think you should just trust your instincts. Maybe that’s good advice in itself, to just go with your gut.”
If she could only be dressed by one designer for the rest of her life…
“I’d go with not a brand but a store, it’s called & Other Stories. It’s mostly because they have big collections and it’s so diverse and I could have a lot of options. And their stuff has quite simple pieces but there’s also a lot of quirky stuff there that I’m a fan of.”
The most prized item in her wardrobe…
“I’ve got this vintage denim jacket which I just absolutely love. Vintage pieces are always really special because they’re always one of a kind. I also have a brand new Chloe handbag which is probably the most extravagant piece I own, so it would be that as well.”
One thing she’d never wear…
“Oh body con. Never say never cause ill probably end up wearing it to some fancy event but I hate wearing tight dresses. You can’t eat a lot of food!”
Favourite style icons…
“Diane Kruger is always really polished but she always has an element that’s thinking outside the box. Also Chloe Sevigny, I think she’s quite brave in her personal style.”
The Peter Lindbergh pic Zanita wishes she’d taken.
One image she wishes she’d taken…
“It’s probably that Peter Lindbergh photograph with all the naked models in the alley. I wish I took that picture. The supermodels of the 90s are the reason I love fashion.”
Favourite person she’s met…
“I really loved meeting Diane von Furstenberg. I met her briefly but I would love to hang out with her as I’m sure she’s got the best stories.”
Her favourite travel spot…
“I haven’t been there in a long time but when I was 22 I went to Japan and it’s been on my list to go back there. It’s just the most magical beautiful place. It feels like going to an alternative reality.”
What left on her blogger bucket list…
“I really want to go to Iceland and do a bunch of editorials and things. It’s so perfect. It’s like a photographer’s dream.”
Photography: Zanita.com.au, labonbonvie.com
High tea with Kim Kardashian West.
Kim Kardashian West caused headlines when she touched down in Sydney recently to promote her Kardashian Kollection clothing line. Her trip was a family affair as she was joined by her husband Kayne – in Sydney for his Yeezus tour – and their 14-month-old daughter, North. I chatted with the 33-year-old about her collection, when she’d like more privacy, and what being a mum means to her. Also see the behind the scenes of the interview on my new show Fashion Bloggers, premiering on October 15 on The Style Network.
Me with fellow bloggers, Sara Donaldson, Margaret Zhang, Zanita Whittington and Amanda Shadforth.
Hi guys, I’m super excited to announce that I am a part of the TV series Fashion Bloggers, premiering on October 15 on The Style Network. The Foxtel series will follow me and fellow fashion bloggers – Zanita Whittington, Margaret Zhang, Sara Donaldson and Amanda Shadforth – during our day-to-day lives and travels. I’m extremely nervous but so excited to give an insight into the crazy lives we live… Stay tuned! Kate xx