FALL/WINTER - ARTIST IN WAITING

So MICHAEL HOCKEY Fall/Winter collection has been designed and sampled! I cannot wait to show the world...I'm very excited I think its our best collection to date. What I'm even more excited about is photographing the campaign. I've been very lucky to recruit the skills of photographer Alessandro Luppi to capture the collection. Alessandro is an Italian photographer who was a model himself for 15 years. Check out his work atwww.alessandroluppi.com

Today we are casting the model. I can't give too much away about the concept, but I can show you the short list for the models.

Siran is a local model, half Indonesian half American and a relative newcommer with a fantastic fresh faced look.

Keerti has been modelling for 15 years and has been the face of many big brands including Kenzo and Pringle of Scotland.

Richard is a catwalk model from the States with a fantastic look.

Vote for your favourite - who would you like to see in MICHAEL HOCKEY????

HANDMADE

There is something very special about things that are handmade. In this day and age there are very few objects, garments, products that have a personal touch. People are too busy to make handmade cards or bake a birthday cake and when it comes to the clothing industry, fashion moves too quickly in the mainstream high street markets to allow for the time and care of an artists touch. Of course high end clothing labels demand the price tag for their wears as their work is meticulously handmade.

At MICHAEL HOCKEY we pride ourselves on our product being entirely handmade. Our lasts are hand carved, our uppers are hand cut and sewn, our soles are hand stitched and glued, our boxes are hand made and printed, our metal stamps are hand cut, even our shoe horns are hand made! We are passionate about keeping the skills of these artisans alive. We're even stamping it on our shoes so when you get your hands on them you can feel a little tingle that your keeping small business alive and supporting artisans across Indonesia.

MICHAEL HOCKEY LOVES RUBBER

Stewing with ideas for the next summer collection, I am determined to do some moulded rubber shoes. Everyone remembers the old 80's jelly sandals and how they have had a rehash, I think in part due to Melissa Australia's reinterpretation and modernisation of the moulded rubber shoe.

They are all over Asia, with the local men wearing brown funny styled versions.

Westwood has done it,

Margiela has done it,

CROCS almost KILLED IT!!! And shoe brand Native Shoes specialises in it. Luckily enough I am test driving a pair of native shoes in Lilac...

....but stay tuned for the MICHAEL HOCKEY version for next summer - guaranteed to be hot, hot, hot.

NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE

Its funny how sometimes mistakes become winners. Take for instance these boots. An initial sample for the "Nomad" boot from the MICHAEL HOCKEY Spring/Summer range, they were sampled a size too small and in the wrong colour. Living Bali has its positives and negatives - always wearing thongs is a negative. So I cut off the toe and sliced the boots all the way down the back seam, so I could at least get some wear out of them, while still keeping my feet cool. I'm now putting a variation of these boots into my next Spring Summer range - and i've put the colour in my Fall/Winter range... always look at mistakes from a different angle - you'll be amazing at what you might find.

WORKSPACE

Every designer has their own way of working. I always find it interesting to see how other minds tic. How ideas churn over and eventually become something more then a mash up of thoughts. I like to work in organised chaos. I don't mind having piles of crap around me, as long as when the idea has bloomed and i'm settled on it, there is a space where i can make it clear.

Having just moved into a new place, and nearing the end of a new range, I'm fairly tidy....i just didn't take a pic of the stand to the left of the desk, this is piled with shoe samples...but I can't show too much of that just yet....

In the move I even culled the mood board.....but started to introduce ideas for the next range (the top right of the board)...not that you can see too much.....

YSL DRIP

Can I have some please....

PRESS STUD SEX

Too funny...available at www.designboom.com

SOCK GARTERS

I know they are not really relevant today, but sock garters were an essential staple in a men's wardrobe before the invention of the stay up sock.

But i just love them!!

I found an on-line store in the US that still makes them and they have a great selection... www.sockdreams.com...this is from their website...

PHOTO MONTAGE

Fantastic photo montages from Rafa Moreno