Author: Krissy

In Photos: Horus by Faten At The 2022 Global Elite Fashion Festival

Posted on by Krissy

Faten Lawn was initially born in Egypt. She was born to a very humble father from a small country town who was a Chef and a mother who was a seamstress; she started working from the age of fourteen to help support her mother, father, and six other siblings. She has a brother who is seven years older than her. They moved to Australia to start a new promising life when she was just five, and she feels very blessed to have been brought up and loved by two very humble parents. Her father taught her to embrace her individuality and encouraged her decisions, especially how she dressed and her personal style. She was lucky to have two talented parents to inspire her, which got her to where she is today as the main designer behind The Cleopatra Collection by Horus.

Faten is currently 45 years old and has three amazing sons whom she’s very proud of – she encourages her sons to explore their own individuality and style. Her purpose in being a part of the fashion industry is to inspire others to think outside the box, embrace their individuality and recognise and embrace their own individual style. To explore different patterns, styles, materials, colours, and textures. Her designs are daring, and that really reflects her personality – she aims to give everyone the confidence to be daring and get comfortable with themselves. She also wants to highlight the talent of people with special needs and disabilities by giving them a platform in the fashion world.

Check out her fabulous collection at the 2022 Global Elite Fashion Festival courtesy of Dave Choo:

Meet The Global Man Behind The Cover Of The September 2022 Issue Of Sassy & Co: Jojo Almazora Sebastian

Posted on by Krissy

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Jojo Almazora Sebastian is a Filipino-American from Kapolei, Hawaii, based in Sydney, Australia – he’s a devoted and compassionate frontliner and nurse who works in the Operating Theatre at a busy Metropolitan Hospital in Sydney. However, on weekends, this orthopaedic nursing unit manager transforms into a charming and dashing tuxedo-attired fashionista, singer-entertainer, and master of ceremonies.

Jojo has been an awardee in Sydney’s Best Dressed for the last two years due to his excellent dressing sense and confident personality. For 2021, Sydney Best Dressed Organisation has awarded him the Top Male Fashion Icon of the Year. This landed him an award for the Inaugural Ceremony of World’s Best Dressed. He was nominated for Manila’s Best Dressed for 2020-2021 to represent Australia in the prestigious Annual Event in 2022 and was awarded at the 2021 Australian Modelling and Fashion Awards. He was also named as an ambassador for Sassy and Company Clothing in 2020-2021, which endeavours to teach everyone in the community fashion sustainability and to breathe new life into old clothes through recycling and repurposing.

Jojo been quite busy in the Catwalk for the past 2 years – he participated in the runway at the Sydney’s Best Dress 2020, Australian Multicultural Fashion Festival 2021, Sassy and Co Fashion Runway 2021, Australian Modelling and Fashion Festival and Awards 2021, Australian Fashion Preview 2021 and 2022, This Is Me Fashion Show 2021 and 2022 and Miss Earth Australia Fashion Show 2020 and 2021 amongst other. Jojo recently walked for Trinity Dawson – a Sydney Designer, in the New York Fashion Week last February 2022, LAKME Fashion Show in June 2022, and the Australian MultiCultural Fashion Exhibition in August 2022. He has been invited back to grace NYFC in September 2022. The Australian Multicultural Fashion Exhibition 2022 is a concept that Mr. Rox Molavin – the CEO of RGEM Promotion and Jojo, came up with, which aims to promote social awareness and cohesion in the multicultural community through fashion.

Sassy & Co magazine recently caught up with Jojo to discuss his journey in the fashion industry, and here’s what went down:

Where do you usually shop? Are there any hidden gems when it comes to snapping up some awesome designer clothes?

There are three types of places where I shop.

1. Op shop – This is my favourite place to shop. This is where I can find hidden gems such as shoes, tops, jeans, and jewelry.
2. New and Local Designers Shops – I love supporting new designers and wearing their creations in various events I attend and host. I also love collaborating with them.
3. Shopping Centers – For me, there is still a great deal of experience you can gain by going to a shop at a centre or mall. The workers who have vast experience in fashion could undoubtedly make a massive difference between buying the correct piece that suits you perfectly.

What are your top tips when it comes to fashion for the cooler months?

When it comes to fashion during cooler or winter months, here are my tips.

1. Layers are a must, so don’t ditch your trendy jackets for heavy-duty coats until it’s absolutely necessary; just buy them a size up so you can fit a sweater and down vest underneath or just simply accessorize with scarves or hats.
2. Winter Fashion and Style are not complete without great shoes. May it be boots or leather shoes.
3. Experiment with hats and trendy scarves.

However, never lose your individuality and uniqueness.

Where do you look for creative inspiration?

As a young man, I always find ways to become creative. My parents were my first creative inspiration, especially my mother, Josephine Almazora Sebastian – who is a very creative person.

Although, creativity came easy to me because I love to sing, dance, act, paint, host, fashion, and everything in between. At a young age, I always raised my hands whenever there was a chance to do anything that allowed me to flex my creative muscles, especially in fashion. Creative inspiration can come from and be seen everywhere, so my inspiration comes from all different aspects of my life, including fashion.

Is it hard to stay fashionable?

Honestly, NO it is not hard to stay fashionable, although it can be challenging at times. However, staying true to your fashion, passion, and yourself should not pose any problem. Another thing is to keep self-reinvention a part of your routine when keeping in fashion.

How do you walk the line between being unique and having commercial appeal?

There is a very thin line between keeping your uniqueness and still having that commercial appeal. Personally, I always go for what I would like first before thinking about its commercial appeal because, at the end of the day, my luxury, comfort, and style are at stake. For me, commercial appeal and viability become secondary. When I walk out with an out-of-the-box piece of clothing, I just give it my own unique flare of confidence and attitude, thus, providing it public appeal. So far, that has not failed me.

Are there any key trends you’ve seen for this year?

For 2022, I find that bright colours and comfort are going back in trend. So many designers are going back to basics, which are great for commercial and public consumers.

What do you think about the state of fashion today?

In general, I believe fashion is in an excellent state today. But there is definitely a lot of debate regarding the state of fashion. And I believe that actually what makes it great. So many new designers are coming out with new ideas of what fashion should be. Well-known designers are making their creations more affordable for the public to gain access to. I guess we can consider this the new golden state of fashion, as everyone can access fashion in the manner they would love.

What are the clothes we can rid our wardrobes of that are considered very ‘last season’?

As we all know, as we enter the new age of fashion, we are also dealing with fashion waste which is relatively related to one another. Personally, I do not believe getting rid of wardrobes just because it was considered last season. One of my advocacies is to endeavour to teach the community about fashion sustainability and to once more breathe new life into old clothes through recycling and repurposing. Only when I find that I could not do anything else with a piece of clothing, I get rid of it by sending it off to my relatives in the Philippines. NO WASTE HERE.

What fashion advice would you give an emerging fashionista?

I would advise them to keep their uniqueness and passion together whilst exploring and discovering their true selves in terms of their fashion.

Photos By: Jay Gaerlan / HMUA: Marilou Bautista / SkinCare: Chocolate Day Spa / Model: Jojo Almazora Sebastian

Introducing One Of The Designers Showcasing At The 2022 Global Elite Fashion Festival… The Iconic Rene Rivas!

Posted on by Krissy
Rene Rivas is a multi-awarded and well-known iconic fashion designer, artist extraordinaire, and quintessential costume couture designer recognised both Nationally and Internationally.
His works expand across film, theatre, opera, TV, and magazine; the most prominent are the past Mardi Gras productions. Additionally, Rene is a community servant, an LGBTQI+ Icon, an exemplary pageant judge, and an international humanitarian. This Hall of Fame Awardee’s most notable costume creations have expanded over 30 years, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics, local and international Pageantry, and various exhibitions in a number of countries worldwide. Moreover, Rene was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award for all his contributions to Designs, Arts, and Multiculturalism in Australia.
To see Rene’s latest collection, please join us on Saturday, 22nd of October, 2022, at the Stamford Plaza Grand Ballroom for an unforgettable evening of fashion!

The Psychology Behind Virtual Dress-up in Gaming and Web3

Posted on by Krissy

With digital fashion on the rise, consumers are presented with more opportunities to express their sense of style onto virtual avatars. By being able to curate their image and surroundings, a new way to build confidence and express oneself emerges.

With the pandemic resulting in a 30% increase in reported anxiety issues in young adults, many have turned to virtual worlds as a coping mechanism. A study conducted last year at the University of Glasgow discovered that 71% of respondents have increased their gaming time during the lockdown, and 58% of them indicated that gaming has improved their well-being.

Both mobile, digital games and the metaverse provide the ability to be whatever one wants using an avatar, in a location where they have complete control over what they look like, who they interact with, and how safe they feel.

Research has shown identification with the avatar boosts intrinsic motivation, which may impact how players act. One example is that users behave in accordance with the behavior they stereotypically connect with their avatar’s appearance, such as bargaining more vehemently when represented by a taller avatar.

As a result, virtual platforms that allow users to create a technologically enhanced self-image could lead to higher confidence and lessen consumption rates.

Designers and developers hop on the trend

“The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the main driving factors for virtual clothing. In the absence of social interaction, many people turned to video games as a form of distraction and self-development,”  said Viktoria Trofimova, CEO of Nordcurrent, an international developer and publisher of mobile games.

“This came as a newfound opportunity for the fashion industry, as production lines halted and runway shows were canceled over restrictions. Consumers could still interact with their pieces in the confines of a virtual world,” she continued.

For example, Louis Vuitton released a League of Legends capsule collection featuring character skins (outfits worn by playable characters). At the same time, Moschino created a collection for The Sims that could be bought and worn in the game.

However, the trend has not disappeared with the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Character customization has become a crucial aspect of an immersive experience in video games, which has continued this trend. Pocket Styler, for example, allows the player to completely modify their avatar’s appearance with real-world clothing and accessories.

With over 10 million users in just a few months, the app allows users to try on clothes and develop their distinctive styles without straining their wallets. Players participate in limited-time events, where they show off their take on a given theme or style outfits around specific items.  It also provides a slow-paced atmosphere, removing the tension that comes with trying on new clothes.

The psychological impact of experimenting with virtual clothing

Styling a virtual avatar — a stand-in for one’s real self — enables users to discover their sense of style. Digital clothing eliminates the excessive financial means and constraints of physical reality needed to do so.

“By experimenting with their avatar’s look, players can feel a strong sense of empowerment. On the one hand, a person may come to understand themselves, their interests, and personality better by making their character reflect what they feel inside,” noted Trofimova.

“On the other hand, items they have tried on may fuel their wardrobes in real life. As users buy items they fell in love with digitally, they may become more confident in their overall appearance,” she explained.

In addition to a diverse range of digital style choices, virtual clothing also helps to save roughly 3300 liters of water and emit 97 percent fewer carbon emissions for each item.

About Nordcurrent

Nordcurrent is the biggest Lithuanian video game developer and publisher, known for such games as Cooking Fever,  Murder in the Alps, Airplane Chefs, Sniper Arena. Focusing on freemium and casual games, the company created over 50 games since 2002, attracting more than half-billion players  worldwide.

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Lukas Pereckas of blueoceanspr.com

Fashion Designer Of The Week: Introducing The Talented Cecilia Rinaldi

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Cecilia Rinaldi is a brand dedicated to ethical and conscious fashion. Cecilia, with her team, creates clothing and accessories based on environmental and social sustainability using fabrics and organic materials produced in Italy.

Each collection is created with the idea of Slow Fashion, emphasizing sustainability, beauty, longevity and respect for humanity. Italian style is combined with a deconstructed form influenced by different Asian cultures resulting in a refined and minimal urban chic style.

She promotes continual research into new innovative methods while always referencing Italian traditions to maintain high-quality products with a low environmental impact. We believe that providing the option to buy one quality garment over multiple low-quality items contributes to reducing the environmental impact of a wardrobe.

Cecilia Rinaldi is a fashion designer with a professional course of studies of multifaceted experiences that have allowed her to form 360 degrees in the role of sustainable designer, development textile research, pattern and draping maker, and fashion prototypist.

After high school, in 2010, she graduated from Accademia Italiana Art, Fashion and Design in Florence, where she has been teaching since September 2015 and coordinating the Fashion Design department since 2020. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wales in the same year. After her studies, Cecilia dedicated herself to her professional vocation: she deepened her sartorial techniques, blending design through creative research and the study of materials.

At the Esmod International University of Art for Fashion in Berlin, Cecilia specializes in Fashion Design, completing her training in the creation of stylistic design and sartorial techniques. In 2013 and 2014, she went to the United States. While attending Richland College Multicultural Studies in Dallas, TX, she worked as a fashion designer for private clients and specialized as a buyer working in a Haute Couture Boutique. Traveling assiDuously, Cecilia comes into contact with different contexts and cultures and is always looking for new incentives: she matures and nourishes her style, which draws inspiration from nature and the surrounding environment. which are the inspiration for her research and new ideas. This allows her style to grow continually and mature, keeping her sustainable and artisanal foundation in mind. An essential feature of her modus operandi is the attention to the manual process. Cecilia’s fashion is, first of all, an ethical, sustainable fashion: respect for the environment and for the individual and human rights have always been the reference point in the work process and the creation of her collections.

She has devoted herself to her handmade vocation, deepening her sartorial and design techniques through creative research and the study of materials and fabrics. Cecilia values collaboration and looks for opportunities to volunteer with other sustainable brands around the globe as a way to increase her knowledge and help spread and support the movement of sustainable and ethical fashion locally and around the world.

Sassy & Co magazine recently caught up with Cicilia to discuss her journey in the fashion industry, and here’s what went down:

How did you get into the fashion industry?

After my first academic education, in 2010, I a three-year degree from Cardiff University Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and an academic diploma from Accademia Italiana Art Fashion Design Piazza Pitti in Florence, where I currently work as a professor and fashion department coordinator, in 2010 I started with my first job in a fashion consultant studio in Modena, my hometown, where I worked as an assistant designer, a researcher of trends and fabrics, developing collections for various fashion brands in the office style. After a couple of years in the studio, in 2012, I attended the ESMOD International Fashion University in Berlin, where I deepened and learned the stylistic skills of fashion and tailoring techniques. Later I moved to the United States, living and working for two years between Dallas and New York, where I started several important fashion collaborations with luxury ateliers and with sustainable independent brands. Finally, in 2015 I returned to Italy, where I decided to open my own sustainable fashion brand Cecilia Rinaldi definitively. it is based between Emilia and Tuscany, Italy, in the meantime starting important collaborations with Italian and international realities companies and specializing more and more in the field of sustainable fashion.

What do you like most about being a designer?

What I like most about being a designer is researching new ideas, trends, and concepts, developing shapes, and researching fabrics and new materials. Get to know other new and existing cultural realities. But perhaps the side that interests me most is in researching textile materials and illustrating fashion sketches. Last but not least, I will never stop being enthusiastic to see how from an idea, we can create a real fashion collection, both wearable and exhibited in important cultural exhibition fairs.

The downside to being a fashion designer?

Maybe one downside to being a fashion designer is its loneliest side, especially during the creation and research phases. During the research, I spent a lot of time alone and often worked late into the night, unfortunately neglecting friends and family.

What has been the most memorable experience of being in the fashion industry so far?

Probably the training period I did in the United States: in Dallas and New York City (especially in New York) I had the honor of meeting and collaborating with important designers, influencers, journalists, politicians, personal shoppers, and prominent personalities in the fashion world and society.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

The most interesting people I’ve met so far are Tara St James, an independent sustainable fashion designer, an activist, an expert on supply chain and sustainability, and the personal shoppers of Rihanna and Oprah Winfrey. However, I still know and have the privilege of knowing many realities and famous people. But the discovery of other new cultures will always be the most fascinating part of my job.

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in the fashion industry? This can be about the industry or about yourself.

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned while working in the fashion industry is to know the real differences between the world of Fast Fashion and Slow Fashion or Sustainable Fashion. Hundreds and thousands of people are working behind a product in the fashion industry, and most of these are exploited. Unfortunately, behind the fashion system is heavy human and environmental resources exploitation. This was perhaps the most impactful lesson I learned. After several travels and encounters with different cultures and realities, I definitively decided to open my own sustainable fashion brand, trying to contribute to a more right world by activating myself with my work in researching new materials, researching new business fashion models through the creation of my collections and through the education I try to transmit more sustainable values both ethical and environmental, finding new ways to change fashion towards greater transparency and traceability for a sustainable new value chain in the fashion industry.

Is your family supportive of you being a fashion designer?

Absolutely yes. They support me and have always supported me. Without my family and friends, I would never have overcome certain difficulties, stressful moments, and even failures that I have found along the way. I believe having family, supportive friends, and colleagues is essential to undertake this path.

If you could go back in a time machine to when you were just starting, what would you do differently?

Right now, I would say that I would do everything again as I did. I have no regrets and believe there is the right time for everything. Well, maybe I would have moved to Florence first, but who would have known that a global pandemic would come?

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I’ve ever been given was probably not to give up in the face of difficulties, to always get involved, not to lose the curiosity that characterizes me, always be critical and aware of what surrounds me, to continue to ask questions but above all never stop smiling.

What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.

My future plans are to live and work in Florence, working and helping my Italian community without forgetting the world. Continue to develop my brand and make it grow, create my annual fashion collections and wedding dresses. Working in education as a professor and researcher consultant in the sustainability area. Therefore, I’d want to create a more stable future: by 2022, I will also open my studio/atelier inside the Il Conventino Caffè Letterario in Florence, a historical building in Florence with a deep sustainable, cultural, and artisanal attitudine surrounded by greenery among artists and craftsmen.

Is It Possible For Virtual Fashion To Break The Harmful Cycle Of Impulse Buying?

Posted on by Krissy

During the pandemic, the fast rise of e-commerce platforms increased unplanned spending and impulse purchases. As virtual clothing gains popularity through apps and video games, people may now gratify the urge to buy new items without straining their finances and with minimal environmental harm.

Internet spending continued to set new highs despite increased unemployment and economic difficulties during the pandemic. For example, the share of retail transactions conducted online in the United Kingdom increased by 16% in February 2021 in a single month.

This contradictory behavior may be attributed to people seeking relief through retail therapy, as the pandemic has reportedly increased feelings of anxiety and sadness in young adults by 30%.

With a recent study reporting that 50% of respondents are interested in purchasing a digital asset in the coming year, online spending habits may change again due to reduced financial and environmental costs.

Digital wardrobes substitute traditional shopping

However, alongside an increase in online shopping, lockdowns also accelerated the rise of digital fashion as people turned to online worlds for interaction with other humans. Mainstream clothing trends are becoming increasingly prevalent in video games and apps —  including big-name designers like Louis Vuitton or Moschino experimenting with digital collections.

Virtual clothing pieces come at a fraction of the financial and environmental cost of physical items, meaning people may still experience the gratification of shopping with minimized harm.

“The biggest difference between video game styling and real-life clothes shopping is longevity. The fashion industry and brick and mortar fashion stores need to constantly push the cycle of styles, whether it is seasonal or fad-related; it is in their best interest to retire an old collection and push new inventory to the shelves,” said Povilas Katkevičius, game designer at Nordcurrent, an international developer and publisher of mobile games.

“Video game styling does not require this. Of course, we need to create new items because novelty is always exciting and interesting, but we do not need to retire our collections. We have endless shelf space in the virtual world in which old and new styles can mix into our players’ creations,” he continued.

Replicating real-life purchases virtually

Apps and video games that present a high level of character customization and can replicate real-life shopping experiences present new opportunities to satisfy the impulsive want to shop in a consequence-free environment.

“Pocket Styler, which allows players to dress their avatar using items from an extensive catalog of designs, can provide players with the satisfaction of purchasing a new item without needing excessive financial means to do so,” P. Katkevičius explained.

“When designing the app, we studied real e-shops to mimic a smooth and recognizable user interface. As such, it contains a wide range of styles, clothing categories, and accessories that can be purchased through the in-game currency. Despite not receiving a physical item from purchases, a lot of the instant gratification for our community comes from the styling itself,” he explained.

About Nordcurrent

Nordcurrent is the biggest Lithuanian video game developer and publisher, known for such games as Cooking Fever,  Murder in the Alps, Airplane Chefs, Sniper Arena. Focusing on freemium and casual games, the company created over 50 games since 2002, attracting more than half-billion players worldwide.

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Lukas Pereckas of blueoceanspr.com

Fashion Designer Of The Week: Introducing The Talented Bree Billiter

Posted on by Krissy


Bree Billiter is a Brooklyn-based evening wear designer. Bree was raised on the beaches of Cape Cod, where she began designing at the age of three. A Massart 2014 graduate, she moved to NYC in 2015 to follow her dreams. She designs to allow the wearer to show the world their daydreams outwardly.

Her use of unique materials, striking colors, and intricate detail work transports the wearer right into a world of their daydreams. Each design is one of a kind and stands out in any crowd.

Sassy & Co magazine recently caught up with Bree to discuss her journey in the fashion industry, and here’s what went down:

How did you get into the fashion industry?

All I have ever wanted to do was make pretty dresses; I have video of myself designing at three years old.

What do you like most about being a designer?

I just love to create and make things never seen before. I like when my pieces light up the whole room because that’s just magic and I love to create pieces that stop traffic and can transport you to another world.

Downside to being a fashion designer?

I am madly in love with fashion, but sadly the community is just as toxic and cutthroat as it is portrayed in films and TV.

What has been the most memorable experience of being in the fashion industry so far?

Seeing my dress in a Disney music video forever will haunt me since designing for Disney has always been my dream.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

My favorite memory is meeting Colleen Atwood right after moving to NYC. She is my idol and the designer I admire most, so that was absolutely surreal.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the fashion industry. This can be about the industry or about yourself.

Do what you can with what you have, and trust your gut… if it’s too good to be true most of the time, it is. No one will ever fight for your dream as you will.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I would go to school and get a degree in something that pays a lot. I have learned everything about valuing myself and not from school. The biggest struggle is always money, and money opens up so many doors that a degree can’t.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

When I met Bob Mackie he said “work so hard that one day you can pay people to work hard for you.”

What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.

I just want to create because I love it. I want to create wild pieces, which is what my true love is. Celebrities aren’t wearing many emerging designers right now, so I might as well just create because I love it instead of considering an event or the ability for the celebrity to walk in it.

Are Digital Wardrobes Replacing Traditional Shopping?

Posted on by Krissy

During the pandemic, the fast rise of e-commerce platforms increased unplanned spending and impulse purchases. As virtual clothing gains popularity through apps and video games, people may now gratify the urge to buy new items without straining their finances and with minimal environmental harm.

Despite increased unemployment and economic difficulties during the pandemic, internet spending continued to set new highs. For example, the share of retail transactions conducted online in the United Kingdom increased by 16% in February 2021 in a single month.

This contradictory behavior may be attributed to people seeking relief through retail therapy, as the pandemic has reportedly increased feelings of anxiety and sadness in young adults by 30%.

With a recent study reporting that 50% of respondents are interested in purchasing a digital asset in the coming year, online spending habits may change again due to reduced financial and environmental costs.

Digital wardrobes substitute traditional shopping

However, alongside an increase in online shopping, lockdowns also accelerated the rise of digital fashion as people turned to online worlds for interaction with other humans. Mainstream clothing trends are becoming increasingly prevalent in video games and apps —  including big-name designers like Louis Vuitton or Moschino experimenting with digital collections.

Virtual clothing pieces come at a fraction of the financial and environmental cost of physical items, meaning people may still experience the gratification of shopping with minimized harm.

“The biggest difference between video game styling and real-life clothes shopping is longevity. The fashion industry and brick and mortar fashion stores need to constantly push the cycle of styles, whether it is seasonal, or fad-related, it is in their best interest to retire an old collection and push new inventory to the shelves,” said Povilas Katkevičius, game designer at Nordcurrent, an international developer and publisher of mobile games.

“Video game styling does not require this. Of course, we need to create new items, because novelty is always exciting and interesting, but we do not need to retire our collections. We have endless shelf space in the virtual world in which old and new styles can mix into our players’ creations,” he continued.

Replicating real-life purchases virtually

Apps and video games that present a high level of character customization and can replicate real-life shopping experiences present new opportunities to satisfy the impulsive want to shop in a consequence-free environment.

“Pocket Styler, which allows players to dress their avatar using items from an extensive catalog of designs, can provide players with the satisfaction of purchasing a new item without needing excessive financial means to do so,” P. Katkevičius explained.

“When designing the app, we studied real e-shops to mimic a smooth and recognizable user interface. As such, it contains a wide range of styles, clothing categories, and accessories that can be purchased through the in-game currency. Despite not receiving a physical item from purchases, a lot of the instant gratification for our community comes from the styling itself,” he explained.

About Nordcurrent

Nordcurrent is the biggest Lithuanian video game developer and publisher, known for such games as Cooking Fever,  Murder in the Alps, Airplane Chefs, Sniper Arena. Focusing on freemium and casual games, the company created over 50 games since 2002, attracting more than half-billion players worldwide.

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Lukas Pereckas of blueoceanspr.com

Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA 

Introducing The 2022 Afterpay Australian Fashion Week On The Cover Of The June 2022 Issue Of Sassy & Co

Posted on by Krissy

To celebrate the 2022 Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, Sassy & Co went on the ground at Sydney Fashion Week to capture some of the most fabulous collections and notable street style photos outside the shows. We captured some of the best and most promising designers at Carriageworks – Check out our exclusive fashion show coverage featuring Torannce, Gyre the label, and Iordanes Spyridon Gogos’.

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Iordanes Spyridon Gogos & Powerhouse Museum Unveil Iconic Collaboration For Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2022

Posted on by Krissy
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 12: Jenny Kee walks the runway during the Iordanes Spyridon Gogos show during Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2022 Resort ’23 Collections at the Powerhouse Museum on May 12, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

On Thursday, 12 May 2022, the Powerhouse staged Iordanes Spyridon Gogos’ (ISG) highly anticipated runway show for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) 2022. The unique collaboration transformed the Powerhouse’s iconic Boiler Hall for the first AAFW runway show in the museum’s 142-year history.

The Powerhouse workshop team collaborated with ISG to realise the vibrant ‘deconstructed castle’ runway. Artistic direction was led by Benn Hamilton, set design by Max Rixon, and spatial design by Tayarch Design Studio, all mainstay ISG collaborators who worked with the Powerhouse team to create more than 15 sculptural works along with painted banners, set pieces, and wearable art objects.

Jenny Kee and Jordan Gogos, Iordanes Spyridon Gogos Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2022 at Powerhouse. Image: Getty.

More than 1,000 hours of labour over five weeks and 123 litres of fluorescent paint, including much reused from previous exhibition projects, went into the collaboration. The full breadth of the workshop team’s skills and experience was showcased, from entry-level to experienced artisans and tradespeople with 30 years of experience across metal, timber, and scenic work, plus drawing and 3D modelling.

The Powerhouse workshop was amongst 60 Australian and international collaborators from the creative industries engaged to realise 33 singular looks for the runway show. One stand-out was a steel ‘tubular vest’ designed by Benn Hamilton and crafted by the Powerhouse workshop, which housed a floral arrangement by the Colour Blind Florist Benjamin Avery. The workshop also collaborated on NYC-based artist Patrick Church’s sculptural look.

ISG’s collaboration with Australian fashion veteran Jenny Kee AO opened and closed the show. ISG utilised recycled materials from ‘Step Into Paradise’ (Kee and Linda Jackson’s seminal Powerhouse retrospective) for the lining of garments, shoes, set design, and other elements. Kee’s archive of iconic prints and motifs, including her signature ‘Earth First’ scarf, were translated into textile designs by Brittney Wyper and incorporated into new garments. The designer herself made a runway cameo alongside her granddaughter.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 12: Designer Jordan Gogos thanks the audience with Jenny Kee following the the Iordanes Spyridon Gogos show during Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2022 Resort ’23 Collections at the Powerhouse Museum on May 12, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

In his unique graphic style, Apollo Michaelides illustrated textile designs with cartoons featuring references to the Powerhouse’s expansive collection. Victoria Todorov’s textile designs also referenced a variety of collection objects for a garment designed by Shanghai-based Jake Siu. Photo media artist and sculptor Anna Pogossova’s oversized coins, seen on shoes, garments and jewellery, referenced real and counterfeit ancient Greek coins from the Powerhouse collection.

In collaboration with Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, ISG presented a silhouette which captures the fashion label’s relationship with Sally and the Gallery. Clad in jacket and skirt, the model represented Sally as the gallery director, while a ‘shell’ reflected the distinct, considered textures of the gallery architecture, with a headdress symbolising the gallery’s iconic ‘halo’ light entrance.

Winner of the National Indigenous Fashion Awards 2021 Simone Arnol, working in collaboration with masters of Ghostnet woven totemic artworks Pormpuraaw Art Centre and Yarrabah Arts and Culture, presented a series of designs combining recycled fishing nets, textiles, and printed fabrics.


Jordan Gogos and Jenny Kee, backstage at Iordanes Spyridon Gogos AAFW 2022 Runway Show, Powerhouse. Collaborators: Patrick Church, Brittany Wyper, Max Rixon, Julia Baldini. Model: Kyva/Kyle. Image by Jamie Heath.

The show was presented alongside a curated Powerhouse Late program, which included a live stream of the runway show into the Powerhouse Theatre alongside artwork projections, documentary screenings and music curated by FBi Radio.  The runway show will remain available to view on the Powerhouse’s YouTube channel.

“The Powerhouse is thrilled to present our collaboration with ISG for AAFW 2022. Since our collaboration was first announced, Jordan’s epic vision has expanded in new and exciting ways. Galvanising the resources of the Powerhouse workshop team and production teams, this marked a momentous moment for the museum, transforming the iconic Boiler Hall into the world of Jordan Gogos” said Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah.

Jordan Gogos and Jenny Kee, backstage at Iordanes Spyridon Gogos AAFW 2022 Runway Show, Powerhouse. Collaborators: Yarrabah Arts and Culture, Pormpuraaw Art, Julia Baldini. Model: Abbey. Image by Jamie Heath.

“Our collaboration with the Powerhouse has enabled us to realise the full scale and magnitude of our creative vision for this year’s Afterpay Australian Fashion Week runway show. Being embedded in the Powerhouse Ultimo Creative Industries Precinct as a Resident has generated thrilling new collaborations. Access to the incredible workshop facilities and production team at Powerhouse Ultimo has elevated the show to new heights in the iconic Boiler Hall,” said ISG founder Jordan Gogos.

Afterpay Australian Fashion Week is an IMG event proudly supported by the New South Wales Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.


Jordan Gogos and Jenny Kee, backstage at Iordanes Spyridon Gogos AAFW 2022 Runway Show, Powerhouse. Collaborators: Jenny Kee, Ruby Peddler, Brittany Wyper, Max Rixon, Sacred Honeys, Julia Baldini. Model: Stefania Gertis. Image by Jamie Heath.

Jordan Gogos and Jenny Kee, backstage at Iordanes Spyridon Gogos AAFW 2022 Runway Show, Powerhouse. Collaborators: Max Rixon, Jo Morton, Jenny Kee, Sacred Honeys, Julia Baldini. Model: Elliot. Image by Jamie Heath.