Peace, Love & Happiness

It's Christmas time. I love this time of year as much as it's been a mad rush to the finish line.

It hasn't always been this way. I've had more than my fair share of forgettable Christmases. Christmases where I've been without a job or in an unhappy job, Christmases where I've fought with my family, or been alone or in an unhappy relationship and even a Christmas where I was homeless (my hubby and I were in between houses and lived with my in-laws for a period of time).

And that's why I value happiness at Christmas even more these days. My wish for everyone this Christmas is for peace, love and happiness no matter what your religion or cultural background. If you live in a peaceful country, enjoy good health, the love of family and friends, have a roof over your head, clothing to wear and food on the table, then life here on earth is the biggest present of all. I wish you all a Merry Christmas.

Wish list

I've worked out what I'm wearing and it's none of the dresses I mentioned the other day. It's a little vintage dress I picked up when I was up north on a holiday earlier this year. I had forgotten all about it. I discounted the red Vixen dress as I need a slip to wear under it and it's more evening than day.

Everyone's putting out their Christmas wish list. Mine's been the same for a while now - a pair of Art Deco bedside tables, an Asian antique cabinet for our lounge room and an Art Deco floor lamp. I am more than a little obsessed with all things Art Deco. In my next life, I would be re-born as Anna May Wong - an Asian film star from the 1930s.

Return to Edun

I've mentioned Edun before - the ethical label created by U2 singer Bono and his wife Ali Hewson in 2005. I'd noticed that they'd both been featured in a recent Louis Vuitton ad supporting the Cotton Conservation Initiative in Uganda but what I didn't realise was that LMVH Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey had actually taken a 49% stake in the brand.

Serious money and recognition that ethics sell as the luxury conglomerate adds Edun to their stable of labels. It gives us hope that there is a future and a market for sustainable fashion.

A Green Christmas - Take 2

I discovered a fab new site today called Eco Christmas Trees. You can hire a live potted tree for Christmas and afterwards, it's re-planted back in the ground. Such a great idea. We've gone with a plastic tree as I've been having dilemnas about cutting down a live tree every year - it seems such a waste as much as I love the look and smell of a real Christmas tree.

I've also got to mention Chadstone Shopping Centre. I'm not generally a big fan of shopping malls but this Christmas, they are supporting the Australian Conservation Foundation via their 100% biodegradable gift cards - a percentage of their sales being donated to the ACF. They've also mentioned this in their 'Green is the New Black' print advertising campaign.

La Dolce Vita

Every year around this time, I start dreaming of living down at the beach. We don't have a beach house but we'd love one. It's been interesting getting to know who's who in the design world. A lot of our contemporaries have made the sea or tree change and I think it's such a brave move. Anne and her family have not ruled out a tree change in the future although I would miss her being so close to me.

It's inspiring to hear about people doing more with less, growing their own vegies, buying at their local markets and shops and giving their kids the opportunity to grow up in a beautiful environment away from the craziness of the city and suburbs. I mentioned Kim Kneipp from The sustainable stylist a little while ago who now lives in Daylesford and in the mean time I have also made another friend. Crystal Leahy is a Singaporean ex-pat married to an Aussie and now living the dream life down on the Mornington Peninsula. She has a fantastic blog called the crystal bawl (so funny!) accompanied by her beautiful photography.

What to wear...

I'm having wardrobe dilemnas trying to work out what to wear on Christmas day. Yes, I know my life must be pretty cruisy at the moment if these are the hardest decisions I have to make. I'm still recovering from three Christmas celebrations in a row over the weekend.

So, it's come down to three outfits - none of which are new. I have a vintage dress I bought on Ebay which I love but have worn a number of times now - it's 50s style and wraps around with a full circle skirt in a pale cream with a watermelon pink bird print. My second choice is also a goodie - a Sportsgirl dress also made of a feather print vintage fabric with spaghetti straps and above the knee - good if it's a really hot day.

My final outfit which is pretty special is a red net Vixen dress with silver print that I bought many years ago - it is a real statement outfit and I'm leaning towards that. Mind you, if the weather is cooler - all these outfits are out and I will go some pants with my Green Eyed Monster kaftan top. There! At least I'm sorted now : )

Treading lightly

We support the Australian Conservation. They've just put out some tips for treading lightly this Christmas in their latest Green Home newsletter. Below is a summary - you can also sign up for the newsletter here.

Give an eco-friendly gift
Donate to a charity
Look for presents that give twice: donate to an environment organisation, charity or overseas aid agency.
Be the festive host(ess) with the most(ess) eco credentials
Buy a living native Christmas Tree
Holiday locally and get out of hot water!
Make creative Christmas presents and decorations at home
Wrap gifts in recycled or re-used paper and make cards

You can read more about their tips here.

Cool Melbourne

I had a magical night last night. Took my hubby out for a belated birthday celebration to see Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings play. She's a soul singer from the US and man, the show was awesome! I think it was the best concert I've ever been to!

And it was a balmy, summer night in Melbourne but I could have been anywhere in the world. We grabbed some Japanese food at the very cool Izakaya Den which is in a basement off Russell Street. It was packed full of Melbourne hipsters.

Then before the show, we managed a sneak peek from the roof top bar at Siglo before grabbing a coffee at The European downstairs. I love this city. And I did check out a lot of fashion on the street. We are still a very 'black' city. I have become accustomed to wearing colour, not only because of Green Eyed Monster, but because I find it more celebratory. And I'm definitely in the mood for celebrating now!

Feeling jolly!

We got mentioned in yesterday's Sunday Age M Magazine courtesy of our lovely stockist Sue at Lily and the Weasel in Richmond. Was a bit of a thrill to see our name in print!

Give Now week has just finished. Anne and I support Give Now and receive their Give Now News official newsletter. I mentioned the other day I was having dilemmas on how to be more green this Christmas - there's some great information on how to enjoy a sustainable Christmas in their latest edition. You can subscribe by visiting www.givenow.com.au/news/signup

A big shout out too today to Anne's big girl Amelia who was in hospital over the weekend. We hope she's feeling better soon.

Xmas Tip: Use ribbon or string instead of stickytape to wrap presents. Stickytape isn’t biodegradable, and also prevents the wrapping paper being reused.

The many faces of Australia

There's a great article called Absent Faces in today's Age on Asian models in the media. My background is Chinese Australian (second generation on my mum's side) and Anne's is Sri Lankan and everywhere you go in Melbourne, you see our fantastic multicultural city - something I'm really proud of.

It's not so the case in the world of advertising and PR and even working behind the scenes in the industry as I did for many years, I'd often only be working with Anglo Saxon Aussies. When I eventually moved into the corporate world I actually found it really refreshing as it more closely represented our diverse society working with Australians of European, Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern heritage.

I said the other day that fashion is for everyone and that also means no matter what sex, race, religion or cultural background as well.

La Belle Garance...

Garance Dore is in town tomorrow. I've told our friend fashion blogger Natarsha Kershaw from Fashion Rebel to try to get to Doncaster Shoppington to meet her. Garance is shooting Westfield's Autumn Winter advertising campaign and searching for 'it' girls.

Who is she? One of the world's most influential fashion bloggers, a photographer and illustrator in her own right who is partner to William Schuman - the equally famous blogger and photographer of The Sartorialist. They make a tres chic couple, don't you think?

A big consideration

At the moment, Anne and I only produce in three sizes of small, medium and large. We have been asked by larger sized women about doing Green Eyed Monster in plus sizes but for the moment, the demand is just not there. It may change in the future and we are definitely open to it but given we're only in our third year of business in sustainable fashion, we have had to put limits around what we do.

I can relate to some of the frustrations bigger women might have; my own frustrations relate to the way mothers are portrayed particularly in TV advertising. I'm pushing 40 next year and while I'm not trying to dress like a 20 year old, I resent mothers being depicted as these matronly (read 'daggy') figures in the media. Fashion is for everyone and I'm glad there are some fashion-forward boutiques out there who cater specifically for plus sized women.

I have actually approached Australian musician Clare Bowditch about our range in the past. While she is a bigger girl, I think she is absolutely beautiful and she's also very much into fashion as well as being a mother of three. There's also been some nasty publicity about Nicole Trunfio replacing Miranda Kerr at David Jones because she is 'taller, thinner and younger' which I find incredibly bitchy and does nothing for the sisterhood. I will say it again, fashion is for everyone no matter what size you are, how old you are or what your position is in life.

A Green Christmas

Anne and I are like ships in the night at the moment. She's still working her day job and we've only been communicating via email. Feels a little strange so hopefully we will catch up face to face before Christmas when things slow down a little.

I've been working my way through my Christmas list and am slowly getting there. I have bought 2 - 3 gift vouchers for things like experiences and charities as well as musical instruments, craft activities and toys for the children in my life. It's not easy being green - I'm conscious of buying things that are not made of plastic or with too much packaging.

As for Christmas Day, which I am hosting for my family this year, well don't even get me started. Real tree or plastic? Bon bons or not? Meat or seafood - which of the two is more sustainable/environmentally friendly? Aaargh! I am sure I'll get there in the end and at the end of the day, Christmas is not about the bright lights and tinsel, it's about the love we share with our friends and family and a time to be grateful for all that we already have in this lucky country of ours.

Geek chic

No. This is not a post about oversized spectacles a la Megan Washington. It's about coming to terms with the fact that Anne and I have had to become tech heads given we have an online business.

Having some Pantene issues getting our e-newsletter out but it will happen sometime soon. I've done some reading about female entrepreneurs and besides being risk-averse, apparently many women do not embrace technology which definitely does not help us sisters!

Anyway, the purpose of this post is simply to promote our special Christmas offer. Our first 20 customers to buy Green Eyed Monster online from today will receive a FREE Christmas card boxed set and gift tag pack from our friends at Earth Greetings. There. I've done it.

The Sustainable Stylist

I've just discovered another gorgeous blog called The Sustainable Stylist. Also known as the Frockerphiliac, Kim Kneipp is a sustainable designer, personal stylist and workshop facilitator formerly from Melbourne but now living in spa country in regional Victoria.

Kim's principles include the desire to grow more, make more, shop less and waste less. She is currently exploring the design challenge of looking stylish in both country and city guises without relying on spending any money to get a retail fix or achieve a new look (which includes not being able to buy any pre-loved clothes!).

I'm not sure that I could ever be that disciplined but I do admire her ideals and I look forward to hearing more about her journey. Less can definitely be more sometimes.

The business of fashion

Make no mistake. Fashion is a business. You only need to look at the major and minor department stores to know that. Years ago, when I worked for Aveda, I was told that our population here was too small to really support fashion and beauty, but that many companies launched in Australia as a platform to get into the Asian market.

I've been reading about the Stella McCartney range at Target already being marked down with no major PR launch to fashion media (bar bloggers). My best friend who is a fashion buyer also fronted up to work this week to find out that four of her fellow buyers were made redundant. It is cut throat out there and like any business, it's sell or die.

On a more positive note, I've also been reading about the Australians in New York Fashion Foundation for up and coming young Australians. Susan Joy who is a friend from a long time ago is one of the honorary members of the foundation. She went to New York many years ago to launch her career and now has her own styling and creative services business there. Now that is truly inspiring.

In with the in crowd

There's been a number of articles recently on online retailing. I've noticed David Jones has started selling things (mainly giftware) online.

Even Google is trying to muscle in on the action with plans to launch 'boutiques.com' - a website that will offer celebrity influenced trends, designer information, blogs and ‘shop the look for less' tips. You won't be able to purchase but you will be able to click through to specific sites to then buy online. Check the article out for yourself on Patty Huntington's Frockwriter blog.

Made in Australia

I also subscribe to Ragtrader's e-newsletter for fashion industry insiders. There's an interesting blog article written recently by iconic Australian fashion designer Jenny Bannister on 'inside the business model of emerging designers.'

It states that there is only a 5% niche of fashion designed and made on our continent with the remaining 95% of our fashion production being made overseas.

Anne has also commented that a lot of our retailers have a preference for Australian made and designed product over and above us being sustainable. I'm not sure the situation is likely to change in the near future but it sure is hard competing against $30 knock offs made in China from conventional cotton...

The beautiful Miranda

I've been reading about the very pregnant, and very beautiful, Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr. Nude shots of her photographed by Patrick Demarchelier have just appeared in W magazine. And she is going to be the first pregnant model ever featured on the cover of Australian Vogue.

What I love about her is that she also loves eco fashion as well as being into organics, buddhism and yoga. She's appeared in a number of eco specials in Australian magazines including the same OK! Magazine feature we were in earlier this year. I wish her all the best with her new journey into motherhood.

Tweet Tweet!

OK. I have succumbed to Twitter at long last. Anne and I are actually both really enjoying using it. It's put us in touch with a whole new world of those into eco-fashion and beyond.

And by new world, I mean global contacts which really does take us to different people and places all in the comfort of our own homes (with me anyway, Anne is actually out and about a bit more mixing it up with real people). A big hello to all our followers and the people we follow!

That time of year...

I mentioned Christmas the other day...eek! I have actually started Christmas shopping as I hate doing things last-minute and want to avoid the crowds. Needless to say I love online shopping and buying gift vouchers (so that my family can enjoy experiences) at Christmas time. I've also discovered a gorgeous eco toy site - www.ecotoys.com.au

Anne and I support the Australian Conservation Foundation all year around not just at Christmas time. We also support givenow.com.au - a commission-free website listing thousands of good causes and creative ways to give. We want to encourage people to donate their used clothing including our stuff at the end of their life so someone else can benefit.

Give Now week is coming up at the end of this month (29th November - 5th December). There's some great tips for individuals and families including a good gifts guide if you're searching for ideas.

Can you feel it?

I'm being forced to eat my words...I wasn't feeling terribly confident on getting much publicity after sending our Spring Summer media release out but now the tide seems to be turning. Kelley from Peppermint Mag - Australia's own independently published eco-fashion magazine - has been in touch and will be featuring our kaftan top in the next issue.

I like to think that I'm slowly getting our name out there and that our profile is rising. I've also been liaising with a couple of other publications so we'll see if anything else happens.

Connections...

Must admit I am still getting used to networking online. I'd much rather meet people face to face but then again, I am a gen Xer - this stuff is all new to me...Anne and I will also be ramping up our social media activity in the New Year.

Our second lot of production is now ready so Anne will be doing deliveries to our retailers over the next week and we should also have more to sell online. I ended up getting in touch with Heide from Earth Greetings just to let her know I'd mentioned her cards here and now we're doing a Christmas cross promotion with her! Our brand values are pretty similar - designed and made in Australia, sustainable, stylish etc so that's the nicest thing about hooking up with a like-minded person. I'd actually previously bought her cards when Anne and I were sending product to celebrities earlier this year.

Also been working on our next e-newsletter which will hopefully go out in the next week or so.

Christmas is coming

I can't believe I'm already talking about Christmas. It seems to sneak up on me every year these past few years. We will do some kind of Christmas promotion as a lot of people actually buy our clothes as gifts for friends and family. I've already given my mum (who lives in Queensland) a couple of T-shirts - groovy chick that she is.

In case you're thinking about Christmas cards, I did want to let you know about Earth Greetings. Their Peace on Earth Christmas cards are printed carbon neutral in Australia, with vegetable ink on 100% post-consumer waste paper. You can buy them online from two of our fave retailers Ethikl (www.ethikl.com.au) and Blue Caravan (www.bluecaravan.net). Best of all, they will donate to Trees for Life (to enable volunteers to plant trees) for every pack sold.

There's also some great information on responsible gift giving if you check out the Green Home Shop Smart section (under 'Campaigns') of the Australian Conservation Foundation website.

And the winner is...

Jaydee Paino! Yes, the girl who won Fashions on the Field in Cairns won The Oaks Day Fashion on the Fields final today. What a star! And I love that she won it wearing an $18 vintage dress. You don't need a lot of money to have real style.

It's been a good day. Today, we got mentioned in The Balm (www.thebalm.com.au) - a lovely Australian blog which showcases beauty, wellbeing and eco-travel. And, I also found out Green Eyed Monster did get a mention in the Sydney Morning Herald Essential Style section a fortnight ago. We are slowly getting our name out there even if it's baby steps.

Working it

We're in How Big is Your Eco today! What a great idea Matt Paroz has come up with - an all Australian eco-ethical fashion directory. It's inspiring to be in such good company.

And I followed up Heide Museum of Modern Art today and had a chat to Claire, the store manager and buyer. They are going to re-schedule the Heide Design Square event for early next year so we will definitely put ourselves forward again. They have also traditionally had a preference for Australian designed and made product which a lot of our retailers share.

There's been a lot of publicity on the Australian dollar nearly at parity with the US and it's not necessarily good news for Australian retailers with potential customers choosing to buy online from US sites. Strangely, I don't think about it a lot - maybe because we're in the eco fashion realm and maybe because we're Australian designed and made...I think our customers are pretty loyal to us for both reasons.

From Hippie to Hip

There's an interesting article in today's Age on the Australian organic industry in the grocery sector. Not sure if you've seen the latest Woolworths' TV ads but they last year bought the Macro Wholefoods Market chain and have now adopted it as their own in-store organic brand.

Apparently Australia is already home to the most certified organic farming lands in the world and organic farming is tipped by analysts to be one of the fastest growing industries this year. For more info - check it out for yourself at http://www.theage.com.au/national/sector-is-ripe-for-the-picking-20101031-178w9.html

Hot to trot

Things are slowly happening. Matt Paroz from How Big is your Eco is going to feature us at some stage soon! That's really exciting. Heide Museum of Modern Art has also got back to us - the organisers have decided to postpone the Design Square due to technical problems but I'm going to follow them up anyway next week just to have a chat with the Heide Store manager.

Been reading all the Spring Racing Carnival publicity leading up the Melbourne Cup. I have to say I'm not really into the races (maybe because I don't drink or gamble) but I do love looking at the fashion.

I love the fact that Jaydee Paino who won Fashions on the Field in Cairns last weekend wore an $18 vintage dress bought online from Nashville. Have also been looking at some of the luxury brands' latest print advertising. Interestingly Edun - the eco fashion brand created by U2 singer Bono and his partner Ali Hewson - has actually teamed up with Louis Vuitton in its newest campaign supporting the Cotton Conservation Initiative in Uganda.

From little things, big things grow

I ended up emailing my responses to Maggie and Betsy in the US for their book 'Defying Gravity'. I'm not sure where it will lead but I've been happy to share the story about Anne and me and our partnership.

I've also been reading about other female entrepreneurs. Marie Hatzis from Hussy and Yeojin Bae are both in partnerships with their sisters who look after the financial/operations side of the business. Anne and I also subscribe to Clare Lancaster's Women in Business newsletter and one of her articles today is on women who've been so successful with their blogs that their partners have been able to give up their day jobs http://www.womeninbusiness.com.au/_blog/Style_and_Substance/post/Full_Time_Female_Bloggers/

It is inspiring. When I first met Anne I gave her a number of articles to look at, one was on our design hero Lisa Gorman. We both love her stuff even though not all of it is organic. She has also had to go off shore to stay in business. Doing sustainable fashion isn't easy. Anne and I would like to keep GEM organic and continue to make it here but time will tell.

Living an eco-fashionable life

It's one thing to work in sustainable fashion, it's another thing to actually live it. I've long had a green sensibility and that's a values thing. Living it can actually be more tricky and I'm aware of the contradiction of working in an industry that can be seen as more about consumerism than anything else.

I don't buy a lot of clothes. Aside from Green Eyed Monster, I don't have the time, budget or desire to buy lots of new clothes. I have a wish list of things I'd like and wherever possible I stick to it. This tends to be high quality, classic, timeless pieces if I buy new but I also love buying pre-loved clothes at op shops, markets and on ebay. I also try to buy eco household and organic products wherever possible and when my budget (we are on a single income) permits.

Similarly, I've furnished my home with Art Deco items I've found at antiques centres and vintage shops. Perhaps I'm just lucky that my taste happens to be about 'sustainable' items but I also think it's a better way to live. I also think things were often better made in previous times and I love the idea of handing items down from one generation to the next. If you're wanting to live a greener life, there are lots of good books around. One is 'Greeniology' by Australian author Tanya Ha which is more about green households, and the other is 'The eco chick guide to life' by American author Starre Vartan which is more about eco fashion, beauty and style. See if you can get a copy from your local library or bookstore.

Money, money, money...

Anne is taking a day job for a little while. I don't blame her. It's hard working on something for so long that isn't providing an immediate financial return for our efforts. Green Eyed Monster really has been a labour of love for both of us. It's something we both believe in and believe has a future in this country. Earlier this year the Mobium Group estimated the sustainability market here being worth $19m with textiles being one component of that.

While GEM is making money, everything we've earned thus far has been channelled back into the business. One day we hope it will be profitable enough to support a regular wage for both of us but for now, it's just a matter of staying the course, trying to raise awareness of who we are and getting more people (potential retailers and customers) to buy our product.

We've had to postpone our phone interview with Maggie and Betsy in the US today as my nanny's daughter is sick. They've sent us some interesting questions on being in a partnership and I'll be interested in reading the book ('Defying Gravity') when it comes out.

Who loves ya baby?

There is some love coming back to us at the moment. Not from the media but some of our friends in the organic, eco fashion and beauty world. Grace from Pure and Green Organics got in touch with me yesterday. They are launching their first retail store this weekend so we'll do a Green Eyed Monster cross promotion with them.

And Anne and I went to Alex Hume's Ecofashionista Preview Night last night. Alex is a former lawyer, started her online store Ecofashionista after having her son Max and is now getting married! Her Spring range is suitably gorgeous - I bought some Good Society jeans from her a little while ago which go wonderfully with Green Eyed Monster T-shirts.

We also got to meet Joyce from Cycle Style who is pregnant but still riding her bike everywhere with all her cute cycling accessories. I've mentioned it before - it's nice to feel part of a little community in the world of online retailing and eco fashion. We are feeling the love!

It's nice to be wanted

I mentioned the other day that I wasn't expecting a lot of love back from our traditional Spring Summer PR effort. Sometimes I do feel like I'm pushing water uphill so it's been nice to have some interest from other people!

Firstly, there are a couple of women Betsy and Maggie from Mulberry Tree Consulting in the US who are writing a book called 'Defying Gravity' on female partnerships. They were interested in our story - the fact that we are from Australia and that we work with organic fabrics. They'd contacted us a little while ago wanting to interview us but we'd knocked them back as we felt it was early days in our partnership and because our partnership arrangement is an informal one at the moment.

Secondly, we'd also been approached by Jacinta Burchall, who runs the Black Cat boutique in Healesville, regarding her sustainable fashion competition - the 9lives project. Again, we had pulled out of the race but she's also been in touch again encouraging us to participate.

So we've said (or I've said) yes to both requests. I'm more than happy to share our journey with people who are interested in our story and the best thing about the 9lives project for us is the opportunity to be mentored by someone like Tiffany Treloar - a leading Australian sustainable fashion designer - should we be successful.

Tip of the Day: Balance a critical eye with an open mind when it comes to requests - a little kindness can sometimes go a long way and many opportunities can come from unexpected places.

Blogs away!

There are a number of newsletters, blogs and websites I subscribe to - mainly sustainable fashion, art & design related. Overseas newsletters include Ecouterre in New York and the Ethical Fashion Forum in the UK. Here, I love Michi Girl (check out Kat Mcleod's beautiful illustrations), How Big is Your Eco, Give Now, The Design Files, Lady Melbourne and our friend Natasha Kershaw's Fashion Rebel. There's also a lovely blog called The Balm (more beauty related) who have been kind enough to feature us in the past.

Alex Hume from online store Ecofashionista has invited Anne and I to attend her Spring Preview Night tomorrow night to view her gorgeous new range. Her friend Joyce should also be there. Joyce is a lawyer, produces Mel:Hot or Not (a daily review of all things Melbourne) as well as has her own bicycle accessories range called Cycle Style. There are a lot of clever men and women out there blogging away and I do wonder what this means for traditional print media like newspapers and magazines.

Tip of the Day: There's a great free online PR service called Source Bottle. If you're wanting to promote yourself, your product or service - check it out.

PR Darling

OK, I've mentioned before I didn't get into fashion PR for the so-called glamour and I don't think I fit the usual Ab Fab stereotype. Nevertheless, getting our name out there is something we must do.

I've just finished emailing newspapers and some magazines about our range. I'm not 100% hopeful that anything will actually come of it. It can be pretty soul destroying working in PR, journalists and fashion editors are busy people who get inundated with media releases every day so it's difficult to have any cut-through unless you have a unique angle or hook.

Which brings me to the topic of social media. Again, it's not something you can control but I've actually come around to the idea of using Twitter, Facebook and blogging. I used to think it was a bit narcissistic but I can now see the benefits of being able to interact with people, often in real time. It's much more focused on people as individuals which I also really like.

Tip of the Day: Even if you don't think you'll use it, register your brand name on Twitter and Facebook.

What's in a name?

A lot actually. Anne has never trademarked the name 'Green Eyed Monster'. There is actually a company with the same name in the UK (but with dashes between the words) who do organic kids clothes.

We'd discussed trademarking when I came on board. I think it's something you should get onto early if you can afford it. We've now spent the past two years being known in Australia as Green Eyed Monster with me doing a concerted PR effort these last 6 months...there's also the cost of having to change artwork, labels and tags to take into account if we change names.

I've just spent the past few days getting media releases out on our Spring Summer range and Anne's also sent our e-newsletter out to all our customers. I'll talk about traditional PR vs social media in my next instalment.

Tip of the Day: Protect your property! Trademark as soon as you can and make sure you can also get the website address (domain name) of your choice.

Keepin' it local

Yesterday I submitted our application to the Heide Design Square being held at Heide Museum of Modern Art next month in Bulleen where I grew up (which is around the corner from where Anne and I live now). We would so love to be considered for it or the Heide store. Heide is one of the best things about living around here.

One of the things I've discovered with running a business from home is that it's best to start off with those people closest to you. For me, it means telling my friends and family what I'm doing. Anne feels it's a bit Amway and isn't comfortable with the idea of 'selling' to her friends and family but for me, a lot of my nearest and dearest are into fashion and independent design and want to support what we do (you know who you are). I don't believe in shoving things down people's throats either - people will either like our stuff or not but with my PR hat on - at least give people the information so they're aware of what we do and can make their own decision.

The other thing we've recently realised is that it's simply too hard for us to get out and about and as working mothers, it's easier to concentrate on our online business and stay in the local area which is the City of Banyule. One of the things we've done more recently is join our local business association and this has given us access to a free business advisory service.

Tip of the Day: Check out your local city council website and find out what services are available to you

Let's start at the very beginning...

Green Eyed Monster's vision is to be a leading socially and environmentally responsible fashion label designed and manufactured in Australia.

This blog is all about the journey behind the scenes of our start up label and while we're not claiming to be the experts on sustainable fashion, we are one of the few brands giving it a go. From here on in, I am going to share our tips with you as a fledgling label and let you know from our experience what works and what doesn't.

I also want to share with you some of my past career experience. I have a B.A. in Public Relations from RMIT and have spent over 15 years working in marketing communications both as a consultant and in-house in industries including fashion, beauty, retail, food & wine, utilities and media communications. My desire to work for a values-based company also began a long time ago in my second job as PR for global environmental beauty company Aveda.

My first tip of the day: A good media release will include the 5 W's and one H - who, what, where, when, how & why. Start with answering these questions when writing your release.

C'mon!

It's been a while since I last wrote. I got really sick over the school holidays and Anne now has a sore knee that requires surgery. If it's not one thing, it's another. We ended up postponing our meeting with Bhakti from So Ethic and our business mentor.

We have made some decisions regarding our ongoing partnership and business direction. Thinking of concentrating more on the online business until our kids are a bit older. This means overhauling the website and spending more time on the social media side of things - Twitter anyone? Stuff we can do in our own time from home rather than trying hitting the streets of Melbourne...

We've had some good stuff happen too - Julia Zemiro's got back in touch with us so we've supplied some T-shirts for a doco she's filming and we're applying to exhibit at the Heide Design Square at Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen where I grew up. Just got to keep trying to move forward.

Slowly, slowly...

It's school holiday time and I'm not getting much done. Entertaining my two boys and organising play dates. Anne's in the same boat with her two girls. We're still in production mode getting orders out and updating our site with the new Spring Summer range.

It's hard to be patient. We're meeting Bhakti Talreja from So Ethic - a new eco-fashion retailer in Melbourne after the holiday break as well as our new business mentor. I'm looking forward to both meetings. Have also had some dealings with Peppermint Mag - the only green fashion magazine in Australia. Got the latest issue last week and find it very inspiring to up and comers like us.

Keep going...

This is my mantra at the moment. Met with Anne on Wednesday to discuss our partnership which we are still working out. We also updated our business plan and put together a 12 month calendar.

When you have your own business, it's about taking a long-term view. It's definitely not for the faint-hearted knowing many businesses fail in the first three years and that it may take up to 6 years to even make a profit. Green Eyed Monster has just clocked up two years. Both Anne and I are pretty tenacious (we are Cancerians after all) and one of my other favourite sayings is 'persistance beats resistance' - we are in this together for the long haul.

The Power of Two

Well I'm back from up north and back to business (almost). Anne and I met on Wednesday to talk about us and has given me some things to think about in terms of our partnership moving forward.

I've mentioned it's been a journey being partners - it's not dissimilar from having a life partner because of how closely you work and the need for constant communication. In fact, I often speak to or email Anne more than I do my own hubby.

It's been great to work as a team with complementary skills and roles and bounce ideas off each other. That's not to say we always agree and that there haven't been lows to match the highs - it is a rollercoaster ride. What I will say though is that I love working with Anne and in our case, two heads (and hearts) are definitely better than one.

How much stock?

While Christina is enjoying a well earned break on the Sunshine Coast, I have been busy placing orders for fabrics and trims and commencing production to fulfill orders for summer stock. My dilemma has been how much extra stock to carry as I know that leading up to Christmas sales will really increase and I will need to carry more stock or else I will be kicking myself. The trickiest thing about this kind of business is the need to speculate which designs or prints may sell best and what quantities to carry in each size. I still don't have enough history or experience to predict this accurately and have been surprised by how often I have got this wrong! Excess stock is something most businesses deal with but I work on the principle that carrying less makes each piece more exclusive so I tend not to carry much stock on speculation. The down side of this is that if stockists want more stock mid season I can't always oblige and our online shop may get sold out before the season is out.

Where to from here?

Sometimes I wish I had a crystal ball and could peek into the future. We had a successful trade fair in terms of new stockists coming on board but Anne and I have realised we can't put all our eggs in one basket. As a new brand, sales is an ongoing business challenge.

We're going to have a planning day when I return from my holiday up north to discuss our partnership and review the next 12 months' calendar. Plus Anne's going to do some research while I'm away and meet some of our new contacts for their advice. We actually knocked back a small 'grow your own business' grant yesterday because we felt it wasn't fashion industry specific enough for us. It's nice to know people believe in us.

So onwards and hopefully upwards we go - I will hand over to the lovely Anne while I'm away and think of you all while I bask in the sunshine!

And so it goes...

Day three of Life Instyle and it's been a bit quieter than the first two days. I'm happy to say we've made some good sales with new stockists coming on board from interstate and other parts of Victoria. There may be more to come before the week is out so watch this space!

We've also met some great people - Lucinda from Sleep Sanctuary, jeweller Debora De Stefanis and textile designer Thea Samios from Thea & Sami (hi guys!) and made some great contacts. Thanks also to Melbourne Editor Lou from Peppermint Magazine and our existing stockists - Sylvia from Shop Sui, Gale from The Local Shop and Rosemary from Origen - for coming to visit us at the show. It's been fun, if not a little cold.

Showtime!

It's time. The day has finally arrived (well the week anyway). The Life Instyle trade fair hits Melbourne this week at Flemington Racecourse. Anne has been there all day setting up our stand (it's number 228 if you're coming along!) with help from her hubby and mum.

I feel strangely calm about it all. We've been planning for this ever since we went into partnership and while we don't want to place too much emphasis on what happens from here on in - the fair will largely determine who and where our market is and whether we have a long term future. Scary but exciting at the same time.

I'll try to blog (and maybe even tweet!) over the course of the next few days. Will also take some pics of our stand tomorrow and post them on Facebook. We also draw the winner of our 'Win a T-shirt' competition tonight so more on that as well. Wish us luck!

Fashion for fashion's sake

I've previously mentioned I subscribe to the Ecouterre newsletter. Ecouterre is a New York-based website devoted to the future of sustainable fashion design. One of the top stories this week is on eco-fashion designer Gretchen Jones from sustainable label Mothlove winning Project Runway's season 8 challenge.

When Anne and I met with Alex Hume from online store Ecofashionista last week, we talked about how we'd like eco-fashion to eventually be seen as part of the mainstream fashion world. While it's great to be part of the eco-fashion community, at the end of the day, we want to know that people like our brand because of the design and quality of our garments as much as what we stand for.

Countdown

We have a week to go before Anne and I work the Life Instyle trade fair. We're meeting tomorrow to check that we're ready to go. Spring Summer range to show? Check. Marketing collateral and order forms? Check. Goodie bags with samples? Check. Oh and of course, the most important thing -our stand itself.

Given our 'hero' shot is a clothesline, we've gone with a whole outdoors theme not dissimilar from what the organisers of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week did for their media launch yesterday (great minds think alike!). Although they had a professional model with a famous music DJ boyfriend and also TV presenter Ruby Rose...

I'll post some pics of our stand on this blog or our Facebook page when I get a chance. Anne's still been madly meeting most of our current stockists this week, both of us have realised the most important thing we need to do to grow our brand is to increase our sales. Life Instyle, we're counting on you as we countdown to next week - we're both nervous and excited at the same time.

A sense of community

Anne and I are meeting with Alex Hume from online store Ecofashionista today. We're very much looking forward to it. We've already met with Emily from Cylk and Yoganic and hope to meet another eco-designer Tiffany Treloar after the trade fair.

These coffee meetings are more of a networking thing - Anne and I don't know that many people in the world of green fashion - these people have been kind enough to spare some time to talk to us about their experience. It's given us greater knowledge as we take the plunge with our business and also a real sense of community.

I really do feel like we're part of a bigger group and it's been a great adventure finding out about like-minded people and organisations. Working out where you fit in the world is something most people want in life and the world of eco-fashion is where it is for us.

The beauty of dreams

I watched the final of Masterchef last night and cried when Adam Liaw was announced the winner - what a beautiful, humble and talented man. What a gamble he took leaving his job as a lawyer in Japan to compete in the show and what a bright future he now has ahead of him in the culinary world. Who would have thought?

It has been an inspirational and joyous journey watching the show over these cold winter months - something warm and human that has touched my heart and made me feel like a part of something much bigger. This is the stuff that dreams are made of!

Anne is meeting with our wonderful stockists this week and I have started approaching new stockists inviting them to visit us at Life Instyle. The trade show is the culmination of the past few months of our journey together as business partners. Someone famous once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." This is our dream and I definitely believe we have a future in the world of fashion.

Paris, je t'aime

It's freezing here in Melbourne at the moment. I'm not a big fan of winter at all - I hate the cold. I'm also tired and grumpy - I realise I've been barking at my poor hubby and yelling at the kids. Not good.

Anne and I are meeting with our prospective new face and body today - the lovely Claire - as well as starting to seriously work out the details for our stand. The countdown is starting.

I've been reading a book Anne has lent me on the life of Christian Dior and it's dawned on me that most of my art and design influences are all French - Art Deco and Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy who dressed my style icon Audrey Hepburn. Paris is the home of fashion and looking at some of Dior's beautiful creations and reading about his life has provided some inspiration in the cold depths of winter.

To market, to market

Just realised there's only three weeks to go before the Melbourne Life in Style Trade Fair. It's the first time Anne and I have ever exhibited at one of these so we're hoping to do well. We'd love at least 30 stockists of Green Eyed Monster to get us to a more comfortable place.

My past week has been out of control with family commitments - my hubby's school reunion, the kinder Trivia Night and interviewing potential nannies to replace the one we've just lost. I feel like I've only just managed to keep all the balls in the air. To top it off I was rostered on kinder duty today where I realised that my gorgeous 4 year old Thomas is probably going to benefit from another year of kinder rather than starting school next year.

As I've said before, it's not easy being a working mother. Anne's past few weeks have been just as crazy with a family visit to Perth, flying home the morning of her 40th birthday party to host the event that night plus spending time with her sister Shankari who's been in town from the US. Are we mad? Most definitely. Would we have it any other way? Not on your life.

The kindness of strangers

Anne and I are gearing up for the Life in Style trade fair - the fun part now is working out visual merchandising for our stand and what it will look like. The past few months have been a real journey for Anne and I getting to know each other and pulling in favours from friends and family along the way (you know who you are).

In addition to the people we know are the many that we didn't. Like us, small business people also trying to find their way in the world. Total strangers or acquaintances who heard our story and wanted to help - our fabulous graphic designer Mary and photographer Siobhan (both mumpreneurs)and our cross promotional partners Grace from Pure & Green Organics and Katie from Tease Tea. Thank you.

A big shout out too today for Natarsha Kershaw from Fashion Rebel (www.fashionrebel.com.au) for featuring us in her blog, shop and feature pages. She is a definite talent and we wish her every success in the world of fashion.

Walking the talk

Ok. While we are first and foremost a fashion brand, we also believe in sustainability. Sustainability is now considered the fourth pillar of design when it comes to creating new products.

Since I've come on board, I've drafted up an environmental/ethical policy for Green Eyed Monster including the concept of product stewardship ie looking after the products you make from start to finish. We encourage all our fans out there to recycle used GEM clothing via the Give Now community program and we've noticed another major retailer has just launched a similar program.

I subscribe online to both Ecouterre and Inhabitat newsletters in the US where eco-fashion and green design are big business. The feature story in this week's Ecouterre in an inspiring one. "This September, New York City will unveil one of the largest textile-recycling initiatives in the country. Its purpose: To make recycling unwanted threads as pain-free as pitching them in the garbage." Now that's what I call leading by example.

Mummy Dearest

It's not easy being a mother. This blog is supposed to be about fashion however there's no getting away from the fact that it's two working mothers with young kids who run Green Eyed Monster. Anne created the label after she had children because a) she loves fashion b) she wanted the flexibility to work around her lifestyle and c) like me, she's not cut out to be a full-time stay-at-home mum.

And for me tearing my hair out from boredom and frustration - staring out my kitchen window and seeking inspiration - our business has been my creative outlet and more. Something for me, something to put my heart and soul into and something that gives me a sense of identity outside of motherhood. I was joking to Anne the other day that I now feel like I have two partners (my hubby and her) and three children (Thomas, Will and Green Eyed Monster).

It has been a hard few weeks with two sick children however I think if I didn't have the business to think about as well, I would have gone insane. Instead of feeling constantly exhausted, I actually feel energised from having another sense of purpose and passion in my life. Don't get me wrong, being a mum is the single most important job I will ever do but it sure does help having another job I feel equally as passionate about.

Cancerians Rock!

It's my birthday tomorrow - I'm turning 39. It's also Anne's birthday next weekend and she's turning the big Four Oh! (Hope she doesn't mind me sharing this with the world). Weird but true - we are born exactly a year and a week apart which we discovered after going into business together.

I had a mini crisis the year I turned 29 - it was a very dark year with a lot of emotional turmoil on every front - personally, professionally and within my own family. But what I realised when I emerged from that year was a very clear idea of who I was, what was important to me and what I wanted out of life. I suddenly had a sense of urgency and the realisation that I had a finite amount of time in which to go after the things that mattered the most to me.

Cut to 39 and again, it's the year before a milestone year (ie 40) and while I have a similar sense of urgency and consciousness of time passing, it's not with the same angst. What I have realised this time around is that life is too short to not go after your dreams and that it is never too late. I don't want to look back on my life and have any regrets and even if I fail, I will know that I at least had a go and gave it my best shot. To my fellow Cancerians out there - Happy Birthday!

Fashion is for Every Body

I've been reading about the voluntary industry code of conduct on body image (what a mouthful!) in the media. Anne and I will definitely adopt the code whether it remains voluntary or not - it's something I feel really strongly about.

I once pulled a model from a showing when I was PR for David Jones. I had briefly seen her at the casting fully clothed but got a real shock when I saw her modelling - she was just skin and bones. I've also had people close to me suffer from eating disorders and witnessed first hand the struggle they've had to regain both their mental and physical health. Anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates of them all.

I'm proud to say our future 'face'(and body) of Green Eyed Monster is a healthy size 12 and in her late twenties. I've also been asked by bigger girls about extra large sizes so if the demand is there, Anne and I will also look into this moving forward.

Someone give this girl a job!

I met Natarsha Kershaw today - the 22 year old creator of the Fashion Rebel website (www.fashionrebel.com.au) - who is featuring Green Eyed Monster in coming weeks.

She finished her communications degree last year, landed a three month internship at a New York fashion PR agency and returned to Melbourne to start her own business promoting Australian designers, boutiques and cafes via her website.

Of course, it's not paying the bills just yet and she would still love to land a job in fashion or beauty PR. I had forgotten how difficult it is to gain that first entry level role but surely someone with this much talent and ambition deserves a break. Remember the name people - one to watch out for.

A question of style AND substance

Anne and I met Julia Zemiro from Rockwiz this morning and I found her absolutely delightful – she is as smart, funny and gorgeous in person as she appears on TV (not that I actually thought she would be any different).

I have a confession to make you see and it revolves around my mixed feelings about the world of fashion and celebrity. I left the world of fashion and beauty PR nearly 10 years ago now and I was pretty disillusioned (and burnt out) about it all when I did. I didn’t like the ugly side of the business – the egos, the bitchiness and the pretentiousness of some people (not all and not the majority) I had come across during that time. I never got into fashion for the so called glamour (working behind the scenes I can tell you there is nothing glamorous about it) or to meet famous people. I’ve always loved clothes and been a girly girl since I was a young child (the eldest of three girls no less who refused to wear nothing but dresses!). And I love art and design and meeting creative people who think a bit differently about life.

In my 30s, I moved into the corporate world and more serious work in corporate communications and thought perhaps that this is where I would stay. But the urge to do something more creative was always there nagging at me. I had discounted fashion as perhaps not being a noble enough or intellectual enough pursuit even though it has always been one of my great passions. Fashion is a thing of beauty, a thing of art and self-expression and returning to fashion on my own terms has been somewhat of a revelation – it has felt like returning home. Can you be a person of both style and substance? I think you can be and with Green Eyed Monster, this dream is being realised

What price do you put on privacy?

Was contacted by Julia Zemiro one of my fave TV celebs today who has kindly taken Anne and I up on our offer of one or two complimentary T-shirts – meeting her on Monday and I can’t wait! We’ve already sent some off to a small number of Australian women like Cate Blanchett, Miranda Kerr and Isabel Lucas because of their interest in the environment and eco-fashion.

As I read the Age today and saw the write ups on our new female PM Julia Gillard and also that poor unfortunate Master Chef contestant Jo who has been absolutely vilified on Facebook – it made me think about the price you pay for celebrity, fame or whatever you want to call it. While it’s nice to be recognised for your talent or skills – is being judged by people who’ve never met you or having assumptions made based on how you appear to them (and not necessarily who you really are) worth it? The price of fame vs the price of privacy – I’m not sure you can actually put a figure on that one…