Mormo Fall 2015

We've waited well over six months for the release of Mormo's exciting monster-themed bag collection, with a few last minute technical glitches acting as the final barrier. I stumbled across this brand when flicking through Instagram and was instantly transfixed by the concept as well as realistic features of each bag. The account in itself is as good as any micro-blog and undoubtedly it's one of the driving reasons behind the brands success and hype. Mormo also strive to deliver a niche, luxury piece with a quirky sense of humour. Since I have a penchant for stuff that looks like other stuff, so naturally I wanted to explore the site more. There I found a lookbook which incorporated elements of a kid's restaurant menu, as well as vintage pastel gogo boots. Although it seems the lookbook has been ready for months now, but the production of these limited released backpacks and leather totes was much more complex. Mormo have not compromised on craftsmanship, an inherent element of the design of each bag.

The three mascots somewhat reminiscent of Nickelodeon's "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters" (come on, who else remembers that show raise your hand) include Spike, Snotty and Drool. While you'd hardly call them charming and I expect someone more conservative like my mother to cringe, each certainly has a unique character and unique element incorporated as part of its design. They certainly make a lively addition to any wardrobe, and serve as a delightful alternative for someone like me who is by no means a bag snob and relatively new to that aspect of fashion blogging. I've somehow managed to avoid purchasing a sensible quality handbag and continue to delight in discovering unique, alternative design. Although I was first attracted to the sleek patent leather and shackle-like hands of the Drool backpack I think I'm beginning to like Spike more! While it's not the most imaginative name, he does come with three different collars PLUS his namesake was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer heartthrob. You can totally see the resemblance, right?

If there's one thing I can't stand it's a copycat- whether it be an academic cheat or someone without an ounce of originality still able to achieve commercial success. I admire those brands who are able to ensure their designs remain relatively untouchable by combining their love of fine materials and quality. This is intrinsic to Mormo's business model, but one wonders what will be next once their much anticipated Fall 2015 collection launches. I suspect much of it will depend on the reception of their first drop, and concentrate efforts to meet demand should it exceed any and all expectation. Possible future direction for the brand include the expansion upon some of their motifs from this collection and possibly make leather cuffs or a pair of snotty earrings. This is all just conjecture because I have no idea what Mormo will do next or what they're capable as a brand. They came out of nowhere and I have the fear that they could fall into obscurity just as easily. I'm just hoping that they prove me wrong and create something even more spectacular. 

Images via Mormo

Lady Petrov'as tips for Blogging

You may remember several weeks ago I got to attend Lady Petrova's Social Media Socialite Class- this class in particular was aimed at how companies can better use social media to promote the aesthetic of their store, but a lot of these tips were applicable to fashion bloggers too. Obviously I can't give away all her magical secrets (and highly recommend that if you are in Melbourne you attend her next class!) so instead I wanted to present just some of her blogging tips. Of course, many of you will already be familiar with some of these but if you, like me follow blogging intuitively rather than from a manual than hopefully there will be something useful for you. So, without further ado:

1.) Know your audience: for many bloggers, they are trying to attract the attention of like-minded people or inspire others. I try and present an alternative in how to approach personal style and frequently break so-called fashion rules and twist the narrative. Featuring the work of others who I admire is also important as it forces me to consider what I like and dislike about their brand and how it relates to me on a very personal level. I also frequently check what other blogs my followers are reading as a way of expanding my own social circle and think about what my *competitors* are offering.

2.) Every single post needs to add value to the reader's lives. This means no fodder! Often when I review a brand it is important for me to offer a personal opinion or find some kind of pop culture reference rather than summarize what others have already written. Writing style is therefore important, as well as the editing process in order to avoid grammatical errors and inaccurate information. You want to avoid being contacted by a company correcting you, which is the online equivalent to your pants spontaneously dropping.

3.) Organise your social media. If you're like me and studying full-time then it means scheduling content ahead of time. This gives me more time to edit photos and structure paragraphs around a collection, as well as grouping together certain clusters of posts by aesthetic. In case you haven't noticed I'm a bit of a control freak and this works well for me on many levels but if you enjoy being a bit more spontaneous you can schedule some posts.  Unfortunately this means that I don't really have the chance to discuss things as they happen and post in real-time. That's what apps like Instagram are for, which leads me to:

4.) Posting regularly. While I have managed to master regular content on my blog I often forget to update my instagram and twitter accounts regularly. However, these make a big difference in my weekly and monthly stats and I would consider them necessary as part of the bigger picture. It's also important to establish which social media stream is your "home base" and what other channels are accessory to that. So for example, I use Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram (rarely Facebook) to redirect traffic back to my blog and use that as my home base. 

5.) Think about what things look like on your phone. What's the thing we are constantly criticized for? You're always on your phone/ obsessed with your phone/ attached to the phone. There's a theory that if aliens floated down to observe the human race they would probably think these little rectangles were necessary to our existence. However, many teens and twenty-something year old's use their phones in order to connect with the people they feel most attached to, but also read blogs and shop online. A basic understanding of coding will be really useful in aligning every image and making everything look much neater!

While there were other gems of wisdom I picked up throughout the course of the afternoon I would say these are the most helpful, but there's also this really useful thing called the Internet which you can use to search for something as specific as running an instagram account or translating each step of MyIdol (remember that guys????). It's all part of making these everyday things part of your routine in the revolving door of, "hey I exist! I'm here!" whilst offering something unique and different.

1- Acer X Christian Cowan-Sanluis. 2 & 6- Photos by Petra Collins for Dazed Digital.3, 5 & 7- Arvida Byström. 4- Tavi Gevinson & Iris Apfel.