Category: FEATURE STORY

Meet The Woman Behind The Latest Issue Of Sassy & Co Magazine: The Fashionably Beautiful Kaila Methven

Posted on by

 

Photo Credit: Tony Duran

Kaila Methven is the brains behind possibly the world’s most expensive lingerie label, and she’s not only successful she’s also drop-dead gorgeous.

At just 16 years old, Kaila interned at her first Paris Fashion Show and went on to earn a Master’s Degree from the International Fashion Academy – Paris. She completed advanced training at Polymodo in Florence.

Kaila has so far been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Maxim and she has dressed some of today’s sexiest stars including the likes of Demi Lovato, Katherine McPhee, The Kardashians, and more. Kaila has just released her new vivacious, ultra sexy lingerie and intimate apparel line called “Lady Methven” and it was created for the everyday woman. Combining childlike innocence, erotic playfulness, and female power, Kaila dares everyone to fall in love again. Sassy & Co Magazine recently sat down with Kaila to find out more about the luxury lingerie brand the whole world is currently gushing about and here’s what went down.

1. What sparked your interest in fashion?

I’ve always been creative since I was a little girl. After interning at Dior fashion shows, I learned a lot and I knew eventually that I was meant to be Madame Methven – the sexiest lingerie designer of all time.

2. What made you take fashion more seriously and make a career out of it?

Looking at other designers like Donatella Versace and interning for Vogue, Christian Louboutin, John Charles, and John Gilliano…they all inspired me to start my own company but with a Madame Methven twist.

3. How has your work evolved since you began your own label?

My fashion has evolved as I’ve evolved in other projects, such as the EDM world. I was inspired to bring my lingerie side to enhance festival wear, seeing as festival wear doesn’t have much more than nipple pasties. As more projects and collaborations started, I learned more and pushed myself harder.

4. Are there any types of clothing that you avoid wearing?

Anything that isn’t black or gold I won’t wear, I stand by my brand. I feel that as a CEO I need to always represent my brand and look professional. I do love wearing my Disney shirts at home and occasionally for running my errands.

5. How is your work received internationally?

I have a wonderful team that helps me with generating press on various fashion outlets around the world. I feel very blessed to have this but I feel most blessed by God for letting me be known worldwide and enabling me to attend to many people all over the world as possible with my Plur Association and my Madame Methven line.

6. How do influences from outside of LA find their way into your work?

Mostly social media, Instagram, and Facebook. There are so many more opportunities out there and during this pandemic, there seem to be a lot more resources and inspirations out there to find more about.

7. What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?

Sage and incense always stay lit inside my house because it keeps my mind at ease so I can concentrate more. It gives me positive energy so I can continue to be inspired to create more projects.

8. What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?

You must sacrifice some things in life in order to be successful. Strive in what you believe in and believe in what you do.

9. What is your current fashion obsession?

Some lace pajamas, because of the pandemic it’s what I always wear. They are quite comfortable and they can actually make you feel sexy – since bikinis haven’t been really fashionable lately due to COVID-19 anyway. I’ve never worn pajamas more then I have in the past 3 months and I wear them in the morning, afternoon, and night time.

10. How do you think lingerie is dictating fashion trends for 2020?

Lingerie has been a growing trend for the past couple of years. Since brand ambassadors of various lingerie companies have also helped with the recognition of lingerie as part of society, it helps bring more awareness. You can see a change when it comes to empowering women to feel sexy and be women again.

11. Can you give some tips to men who are looking to purchase lingerie?

To the men out there who want to purchase lingerie, try to put yourself in a woman’s Christian Louboutin shoes, then ask yourself; “what would I look sexy in?” And then visit my website: www.madamemethven.com.

Otherwise, all women love black because you can never go wrong or get dontell or lace, women love expensive lingerie like mine with custom made rubies pearls and diamonds.

12. What advice would you give to young designers?

Get ready to enter the battlefield because you’re going to have 100 doors close on you! But you should never stop knocking on doors because one day one of those doors will open and then it will really be the fight of your life. You will eventually create some magic but it’s going to be a very long journey. Sometimes you would want to cry and just stop, but Couture fashion is one of the hardest careers out there to get into. You can always reach me by dialing 1(833)MadameM.

“This is an Advertisement Feature”

Meet The 11 Incredible Designers Who Showcased At The First Ever Sassy & Co Fashion Extravaganza

Posted on by

The first-ever Sassy & Co fashion show showcased and unified the people, style, and talent of emerging fashion designers down under.

The mission of the Sassy & Co brand has always been to make its mark on the Australian fashion scene, and beyond.

Sassy & Co is a fashion platform launched to give a face and a voice to the culture, designers, and budding entrepreneurs down under. It acts as the fashion-forward leader in the latest emerging styles and fashion designers and it also promotes the importance of community, ambition, and growth. Meet the 11 talented fashion designers who showcased at the 2019 Sassy & Co fashion show:

Armando Clothing

Photo Credit: Raymond Bartholomeusz

Armando’s mission is to build a strong sense of purpose, empowering men’s freedom to choose what they wear without being scared and judge.

GTAB

S8 OUTA BANX is a hip hop, RnB, streetwear collection based on the rapper movement of the 1970s. A time where a music revolution was occurring underground in the Bronx of New York. A time where the youth were craving a way to voice their stories and let the world know their struggles.

The collection has an influence in voicing the stories of youth from 2200, a western suburb of Sydney. Its underlying messages speaks out about domestic violence, drug abuse, homelessness, racial profiling, and racism. It hits close to home with each passing design.

The fabrics are heavy on denim and print. The prints have lyrics of the designer’s rap album which will debut on the runway during fashion week.

In regards to the pattern making, it is created in a way these clothes could almost substitute as a sleeping bag for the homeless youth.

Lakshmi Bee

Photo Credit: Dave Choo

Fast fashion is still one of the world’s largest polluters shortly after the oil industry, with disastrous effects on the planet and people involved. It’s a global-scale problem from the production of fabric to the finished garment.

Yes, it is a massive issue to fix, but as always, great change begins with simple steps.

Lakshmi Bee wants to share simple ideas that you and I can take to help combat this issue, beginning with your own wardrobes.

Lakshmi Bee is made up of a mother and daughter team (Lakshmi and Susan Gowda) and they’re on a mission to help heal the world and people through fashion recreation.

Trendy B

Trendy B’s goal is to put the “fun” in functional fashion. They know that looking stylish can make your whole day better; that’s why they’re committed to being your source for the newest trends. They design clothing you love so you can focus on looking great!

Lisa Swinbanks

“Made in Australia with love; Inspired by English Classical Literature and Japanese Art.”

Growing up in Tokyo with a Japanese mother and an English father, Lisa Swinbanks’ designs stems from both her roots.

After graduating in Applied Fashion Design and Technology at Ultimo TAFE in November 2015, Lisa Swinbanks began selling her designs at Manly, Kirribilli and Mosman markets.

Her designs are classic, simple and sweet. Using monochrome tones, she combines feminine elegance with a flirtatious twist.

Fabrics are sourced locally and in her home country, Japan.

Lanikai the Label

Founded by Claire Vella, Lanikai the label is an Eco-sustainable swimwear brand based in Sydney and Bali.

The label was born with a mission; To create responsible swimwear without compromising quality, style, and functionality.

With ethical and sustainable values as the core of their brand, their philosophy intends to lessen our environmental footprint by creating responsible fashion that makes a positive impact on the planet.

Leatheron

Photo Credit: Raymond Bartholomeusz

In the year of 1997 Tommy Ge, the founder of Leatheron started with a creation at the very tender age of 12 years old, where he had designed his first-ever cream leather jacket. Realizing at a young age what his calling was, Tommy Ge started his career in Retail world, throughout many years in Retail from managing several big brand names, Tommy Ge realized that he wanted to develop a garment which was ‘Timeless, Genuine, and Unique.’

Inspired by a Hong Kong trip, Leatheron was soon to no longer be a dream but a reality. Throughout the journey, it became a sudden realization that fashion was a destination, a lifestyle that’s always on the go.

Leatheron is for the career-driven woman who works hard, but plays harder in style with poise, working the look from enjoying a latte by day and sipping a cocktail by night. The fashionista who knows how to live life to the fullest.

Leatheron is for the man, who works hard to get the job done, he’s career-focused yet enjoys the essence of fashion. The Leatheron man appreciates quality over quantity, ready to wine and dine his lady in style, he’ll dress to impress.

Leatheron trades at Paddington Markets and The Rocks Markets on Saturdays, Bondi Markets and The Rocks Markets on Sundays.

KARIMADON

KARIMADON is an exciting and dynamic fashion brand of ready-to-wear women’s apparel that range from classic and fashionable gowns and dresses to trendy casual and workwear pieces at affordable price points. The brand is well known for its couture quality special occasion dresses and gowns.

It was established in 1980 and is owned and managed by a family Corporation. To date, KARIMADON has 17 stand-alone stores and 4 outlets found inside major malls of the country.

KARIMADON provides a woman her clothing needs for her various stages and requirements in life. From her Debut to her Prom needs, her Work Wear to her Party clothes and eventually for her Wedding gowns and dresses.

The brand makes sure that all women can depend on KARIMADON to make them feel special, stylish and beautiful wherever they go.

Dolly

Dolly offers stunning dresses for women of all ages. Their dresses are in line with the latest fashion trends in Pakistan & India.

OOGII

OOGII is an International journalist, News Anchor, and designer whose Sydney brand creates glamorous and comfortable shoes, exquisite handbags and custom designs worn worldwide!

La Koi Swimwear

Influenced by the European luxury lifestyle. Sleek sensuality and soft sophistication are showcased in the stunning swim designs from Australia.

This exclusive swimwear combines function, style, and comfort in a luxurious fashion.

La Koi swimwear made for a sophisticated and confident woman, who cares about quality and style. LaKoi Swimwear is defined by exquisite details and collection is tailored in Australia using fine quality Italian fabrics.

The idea for the brand name came from Chinese culture. A legend of the Dragon Gate in which a Koi fish swam upstream, through waterfalls and other obstacles to reach the top of the mountain. The legend says that when the koi finally reached the top, it became a dragon, one of the most auspicious creatures in Chinese culture.

Like The Koi Fish, a daunting journey but rewarding none the less.

Rising Star Fashion Designer Spotlight: Meet The Fabulous OOGII Flower

Posted on by

It never ceases to amaze us how much precious time most people waste trying to find that imaginary shortcut that’ll lead to massive wealth and entrepreneurial success when the only real way is staring them right in the face: genuine entrepreneurs who want to be successful in business needs to put in a lot of careful planning, research, and hard work – and that’s what Oyuntsetseg Olonbayar aka OOGII Flower has done over the years.

OOGII started her career at the age of 20, by getting a degree in Journalism. She then entered a competition that was searching for someone who would be a newsreader on Mongolian National TV. After a lot of effort and perseverance, she eventually won the contest, which is held every 14 years. Eventually, though, she realized that her passion was not really in being a newscaster but in fashion. So, she left journalism to focus more on creating her own fashion label. This risky move has eventually paid off, as she has built one of the fastest rising fashion empires. She went from creating glamorous and comfortable shoes to making exquisite handbags and now accessories. She has also expanded from an online business to a retail store in Japan and just recently in Mongolia.

Like many successful high-profile fashion designers, OOGII’s career has had a lot of highlights. For example, she got the chance to collaborate with Germani Jewelry to create a range of products for weddings. In addition, her high-quality designs have received positive comments from several customers. One of the most memorable feedback she has ever received was from footballer named Robbie Farah and Japanese Sumo Wrestler, Harumafuji Kohei. They gave her a really good review because they were impressed by the comfort of the shoes she makes. Fashion has also paved the way for her to meet a range of interesting people. For example, at a function celebrating International Women’s Day, she got to meet influential designer Carla Zampatti which is still one of the highlights of her career in fashion.

OOGII believes that the fashion industry can be difficult for people to get into. There are several things that designers need to learn before they can actually start making money from their designs such as learning to limit their production costs. You also need to have a realistic idea of how many products you’ll be able to sell while using the best materials. For example, OOGII uses sustainably farmed snake skins to create her shoes. By mastering this aspect in her business, OOGII has made it easier for her to produce more high-quality shoes at a comfortable pace. Despite her rapid rise to success, she hasn’t lost sight of the most important things in life. OOGII admits that she has been fortunate enough to get plenty of support from her friends and family. Her family and fiancé help keep her grounded and ensure that she continues to stay true to her values and beliefs.

Crossing from journalism to fashion has enabled OOGII to travel to many new places and meet inspiring people. Now that she’s on a roll – she has no intention of slowing down. She wants to start designing her own clothing label soon, as well as creating multiple new products. Brace yourself Australia, because OOGII is soon to take the Australian fashion scene by storm!