An Italian Australian :: Maria Gallifuoco

Maria is one of the contest winners at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Maria and I live in Sydney, Australia (a.k.a The Most Beautiful Place in the World). Strangely, despite a degree in Science and a Psychology major, I began a fashion and street style blog- Fashion Fazer in 2010, and the rest as they say, is history. Now as well as being fortunate enough to run the blog, I'm also the founder an online store, Byrd Holland, that specializes in showcasing up and coming designers and vintage clothing.



How did you become interested in fashion?
I'm Italian, so fashion runs in my veins (only 50%... the other 50% is caffeine). Spending my early childhood in Europe definitely set the foundation for my understanding of colours and textures. Fashion is king in Italy, and the style tends to be very trend oriented and fastidiously co-ordinated. My family and culture taught me to pay special attention to detail, whilst Sydney style taught me how to look effortlessly chic. Sydney fashion excites me everyday, I work and live near Bondi and I get a lot of ideas just from watching the amazingly gorgeous women walk by!



What inspired you to start your own blog?
Fashion Fazer was born from a mixture of curiosity, and a desire to share inspiration with likeminded people. It's definitely been a learning curve, but now there isn't a day that goes by that I don't get an email from either photographers asking for collaborations, brands and designers, or PR companies. But I think what I love most is just the feeling of sharing a passion with like-minded people from all over the globe.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
My store, Byrd Holland, is about to be launched and the concept around it is basically to build a site that's heavily collaborative with bloggers from around the world, getting them involved in a lot of the processes. The vintage clothing on the store has the option to be bought as-is or with customizations such as Peter Pan collars and asymmetrical hemming. My dreams and aspirations are to build up the site, as well as develop the blog and be able to travel the world with it. What more could you ask for when your work is doing something you love? I live and breathe FashionFazer, Byrd Holland and photography, and have even driven 3 hours up the coast of Australia to source a specific vintage item for a customer. I love making people happy.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
I've always found this question difficult. So many other bloggers have clearly defined styles and, maybe to my detriment, I seem to be always evolving and experimenting. I know that there's one thing that definitely drives my style and that's my curves. A lot of the fashion in Australia has that whole nonchalant, 'hanging' beautifully off a tiny body feel to it and it's definitely not something I can do without seeming like shapeless (or pregnant). Therefore, I get a lot of my tips from watching women such as Monica Bellucci, Sophia Loren, Beyonce, and Kim Kardashian. A look I seem to be experimenting a bit with lately is short hem lines with a soft, flowy jacket or cape over it. And random colour combinations like coral with electric blue or red with pink.



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
My inspiration is more a result of moods and personal experience than the usual sources like magazines. I know that sounds a little new-age, but in the sense that I get into random moods and will be inexplicably attracted to the colours or fabrics, for example green, not only in fashion but in photography, interior design, and where I choose to spend my time (i.e. nature etc.). Sometimes I feel a little rebellious and I wear clothes that enhance that, sometimes I feel feminine and I do the same, so on and so forth. I've always valued humility so it's taken me a fair amount to accept that loving fashion as an expression of your creativity is not synonymous with vanity. Delicately choosing an outfit and being inspired by fashion does not detract from a person's intelligence, despite the stereotypes, I guess breaking down this preconceived notion has allowed me to be more sensitive to inspiration in life. Bloggers are pretty inspirational as well; at this year’s fashion week in Australia, I had the pleasure of meeting and dining with Mandy Shadforth who owns Oracle Fox. She's incredibly inspirational just because she's SO nice, has killer style and seems to radiate this creative, happy energy. I really look up to her.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?
Where do I shop? Can I be bias and say Byrd Holland...? I am a huge fan of online shops, vintage clothing and DIY's. I'm a researcher by nature so I like shopping online and taking my time to meticulously plan my purchases whilst also avoiding getting harassed by overzealous shop assistants. Some brands that will always be in my wardrobe are Camilla and Marc, UNIF, Alexander Wang, and Alice McCall. I am a huge fan of Lover but haven't managed to add it to my collection yet!



Congratulations again to Maria for winning the Mode Republic Contest! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from Maria!

The Italian and New Yorker Influence :: Claudia Paola

Claudia is the contest winner at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in New York City, and I grew up living between Rome, Italy and NYC. I still live straddling the Atlantic, splitting my time equally between the two cities. I was always more artistically inclined (I loved to draw, act, and I played classical piano for about 10 years), but I was the type that focused most of my attention on the academic responsibilities of school. In college, I studied Middle Eastern Studies and the Arabic Language for 6 years and I got my Masters Degree in Near Eastern Studies. I love languages so much, and Arabic is so beautiful! I really love the culture and the people, and I think growing up bilingual (Italian-English) helped me a lot. For a while there, I thought I would continue in an academic direction, but after I graduated, my parents encouraged me to take some time off to explore other things and return to my artsy hobbies, and it's then that I got into blogging full-time; I'm now looking forward to getting back into my music, too!



How did you become interested in fashion?
Well, being from Rome and New York, two very fashion-oriented cities, I couldn't help but be attracted to it. Fashion was always a fun distraction for me, but I really became "officially" interested when I went to college. I attended NYU, and though my studies were not related to the fashion world, just walking around the campus was like looking at a live fashion show. Greenwich Village is so full of unique street style, and everyone is so expressive and creative with their clothes that I really became obsessed with studying people's individual flair and trying to spot the latest trends. It was then I started to read fashion blogs and magazines like NYLON, and to browse fashion sites, which drove me to try and find an identity for myself through my clothes. It's like an inner urge, and putting the outfits together and wearing them is such a release.



What inspired you to start your own blog?
My mom had been encouraging me for a few years to start my own blog. She had started reading food blogs, and seeing as I loved fashion, she thought it would be a great outlet for me to start my own blog. At the time, I was too entrenched in my studies, but I got my feet wet toward the end of grad school when my really good friend started a nail blog (we'd taken to browsing nail reviews as a way to distract ourselves while writing out thesis- my friend decided we might as well start writing our own nail polish reviews, too). The summer I graduated, with my studies behind me and my future ahead of me, I figured I might as well take my mom up on her suggestion and start "Molto Fashion". Once I started blogging, I loved it so much, I couldn't stop.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
To continue along a path where I feel inspired and can keep doing what makes me happiest, while meeting really great people along the way.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
I always have a hard time labeling, but my favorite inspiration is Victorian/Art Nouveau, the bohemian gypsy 1970s, and the gothic/grunge 1990s. So if I had to describe it, I'd say: if you crossed Daria with Wednesday Adams with Stevie Nicks, I'd pop up.

My favorite look at the moment is "Watch out for the weirdos, girls." I am in love with the tones (cream and black are my favorite combo), and I was so pleased that their intensity came through in the photos. Plus, I was trying to capture some 90's vibes, especially with the crochet-knit top. I thought I'd top it off with a title that could add to the mood of the post, a quote from one of my all-time favorite movies, "The Craft," a time-capsule of all good things '90s, especially the fashion. I'm always looking to revisit those days!



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
I get most of my fashion inspiration from people on the street; it's like a living Tumblr blog in real time. I also am really inspired by my surroundings: flowers, architecture, antique items lying around my house, and just New York and Rome in general. I'm beginning to realize how influential my environment and upbringing have been to me, and how it's helped me to cultivate an eye for certain details and to visualize things a certain way. Hopefully I convey what I see and how I see it on my blog.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?
Most of my clothes are from Urban Outfitters (I love that store; I could buy out the whole thing! And plus, they always have great sales, and I'm a big fan of shopping sales.) I also shop a lot at H&M, Anthropologie, and Free People, as well as online vintage shops (mainly on Etsy). But my number one style trick is to shop in my own closet (as well as my dad's closet, my mom's closet, my grandmother's closet…) After all, what's old is always new again.



Congratulations again to Claudia for winning the Mode Republic Contest! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from Claudia!

Fashionista from Poland :: Mesmerize

Memerize is one of our trendsetters at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Kate. I’m 24 years old blogger from Poland. I have been married for 2 years. I studied pedagogy and actually working in an insurance company.



How did you become interested in fashion?
I think I became interested in fashion because a lot of the people around me are fashion lovers!

About 2 years ago my close friend (also Kate) showed me fashion blogs. Looking at those wonderful girls from around the world I decided to became one of them.



What inspired you to start your own blog?
I want to do something creative, to express my thoughts and opinions about fashion. So I started a blog - simply for fun.




What are your dreams and aspirations?
I love paiting so I always wanted to study art. But I also love clothes so in future it will be wonderful to open my own clothes shop.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
My style is very simple. I feel very good in basic and minimalism. I love simple, uncomplicated combinations. So I select clothes in similar colors – black, white, grey, beige, burgundy, navy blue, khaki. Sometimes I use one thing as a strong accent – mostly it’s a bag.



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
I get my inspirations mostly from blogs like: Victoria Törnegren, Moderosa, Afterdrk, This chick got style. I also read fashions magazines : In style, Glamour.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?
My favorite brands are:
Zara – especially shoes, bags and coats,
H&M - everything,
Asos – dresses and cluths



Congratulations again to Mesmerize for becoming the trendsetter! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from Mesmerize!

Fashionistas from Indonesia :: Kekeangela

Kekeangela is one of our trendsetters at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm 18 years old fashion lovers from Indonesia. Currently, stay in Singapore to study fashion marketing & management in Raffles Design Ins. I'm interested in fashion since I was in high school and fashion is my passion since that.



How did you become interested in fashion?
I loved to watch movies that related fashion and read fashion magazines since I was in high school. I became more interested in fashion since I know there's a lot fashion bloggers and suddenly, I always read their blog.



What inspired you to start your own blog?
Mostly from fashion bloggers. I never think I will have my own fashion blog too but, because of them I try to make my own blog, that's why K. Angelique is created. I love to share others about my styles and what I wear most of the days.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
I wanted to open my own boutique since I was in high school and it is still the same until now. My parents very support me but I need to wait until I finish my study.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
My style is about random and actually based on my mood. But, mostly is vintage, edgy, feminine, quirky, and casual. Usually, I love to wear anything as long as it suits me.



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
Fashion magazines, fashion movies, streets and fashion bloggers. But, sometimes it comes from my mind, also I can mix and match my own clothes.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?
Unbranded boutiques. It is because they provide pretty clothes and cheaper. Another brands is Forever21.



Congratulations again to Kekeangela for becoming the trendsetter! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from Kekeangela!

Fashionistas from Belgium :: The Mad Twins

The Mad Twins is one of our contest winners at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m Ruby and I’m a twin. We’re from Belgium, more specific Antwerp. It’s a great city where we love to shop. We are still student and I’m studying art. We have a fashion blog as well, where we post out looks and inspirations.



How did you become interested in fashion?
We always had a great dream. I wanted to become a ballerina and Kim wanted to become a painter. Unfortunately this wasn’t meant for us. So we started to look something to grab on and we found fashion, bloggers. We found it really interesting and now it is our new passion!



What inspired you to start your own blog?
Miss Pandora inspired us a lot! We wanted to become just like her, she has an amazing blog and so we started our own one: The Mad Twins – As The Two Identical living dolls! On the first of October our dream came true; we met Pandora in Paris!

What are your dreams and aspirations?
Our dream is to do something in life that makes us happy. Probably something with fashion. Our true inspiration is Keira Knightley, but also fashion bloggers like Pandora, cherry blossom girl,… But we inspire us on movies and songs as well! Peter Pan and Alice in wonderland are two examples.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
Our style is dreamy. We love fairytales and pixiedust. I have this long soft pink maxi dress. I love it very much. It gives me the feeling that I’m in another world. It is such a nice feeling.



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
We get our inspirations from blogs, magazines, people on the street, movies. We get your inspiration on drawings. We like to experiment al lot. General we search almost everywhere.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?

We shop in vintage shops, second hand, but we also love H&M and forever 21. All Saints is one of our favorite brands as well! Steve Madden has the best shoes ever and we cannot forget River Island.



Congratulations again to The Mad Twins for becoming the contest winner! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from The Mad Twins!

Fashionista from London :: Make Shift Model

Make Shift Model is one of our contest winners at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Zoey, I am a British born girl from London. At the moment I am the CEO and Designer of my clothing line "Disco Pony" which is based in Hong Kong. I studied Fine Art, History of Art and Philosophy at Goldsmiths University in London.



How did you become interested in fashion and what inspired you to start your own blog?
After a few years of working in finance, I moved to the shabby chic end of London town... aka Brick Lane. If you have never been here, please do go! And on a Sunday... your eyes will truly be opened by the incredible creativeness of the London fashion scene!



Before I moved to Barcelona with my fiance, I was doing my degree in Fine Art and Philosophy at Goldsmiths in London. That was my introduction to hard-core-hipster-cool in terms of fashion! I've never felt so completely unfashionable than when I started university here! It took me a while experimenting with all the new things I was seeing to find my style, and it wasn't until I got out to Barcelona that I really found it and thought to put it all into a blog.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
As any mother would her baby, I want to see Disco Pony grow up to be strong and successful. I feel like I have finally found my place in the world, after a lot of searching over the years, so to see Disco Pony flourish would be an incredible achievement. Aside from that, I will always be singing. I was training to sing Opera with an incredible woman before I left Barcelona… So now I am on the hunt for her Hong Kong equal! Disco Pony is still a baby however, so I'm quite exhausted from all his newborn demands!



How would you describe your style?
I have a very nonchalant attitude toward style these days... I went through a phase of militancy about getting dressed... but I travel too much and am too tired from running all over the world trying to find myself in it to be dedicated to stylish perfection! So long as things are kept creative, style will always be important to me... but there are other things out there that make me happier! Like my fiance, my dog, and singing!



What’s your favorite look at this moment?
Hmmm, interesting question... I do totally love the mixed metals and shiny embossed curtain-esque fabrics about at the moment. I have designed a few special pieces for Disco Pony as a nod to this wonderfully fun, but sleek trend! I’m working on perfecting the shorts for the jacket... as this is a stunning look, for autumn especially paired with black tights and some killer heels!



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
Bill Cunningham! Talk about inspiring! His work is completely fabulous! Also the ladies from Advanced style... they blow my mind with their creativity!



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?
I thrift most of the time... But I do love mooching about in H&M, Zara for nifty pieces. My favorite brands are undoubtedly Sonia Rykiel and, errmmm, Disco Pony!!!!



Congratulations again to Make Shift Model for becoming the contest winner and Mode Republic trendsetter! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from Make Shift Model!

Fashionista from Indonesia :: Julian Tanoto

Julian is the contest winner and one of our trendsetters at Mode Republic! Let’s learn more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm 19 years old university student from Indonesia, majoring marketing. For my daily days, I manage an online boutique in my daily life, designing clothes and selling it in my online boutique.
I just also started my fashion blog, Journal J and currently into my new hobby, photography.



How did you become interested in fashion?
I am an art lover, I love everything that looks aesthetically, and so do I become someone interested in fashion, as fashion is also an art. Besides, I think to have interest in fashion and have myself dressing up is a way to appreciate myself, to keep myself looks great. And I think fashion is women's best friends, it helps us to keep up girls' look. (Anyway I do believe inner beauty is the most important, but it doesn't mean you have to forget to second one which is your looks too:) )



What inspired you to start your own blog?
I always like to mix & match things in my closets. I used to spend my spare times taking out some clothes from my closet and just mix & matched them and changed into another pieces, even though I'm not going anywhere that day. Then one day my friend show me a fashion blog, then that day it comes to my mind to make mine too, I love fashion and I always like to style myself, but I never really think about showing it somewhere. So after I know that things such as fashion blog exist, I decided to start mine.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
I wanted to become a designer since I was in high school. Although I didn't get my parent's permission to attend art school, but it doesn't change my mind. Being a fashion designer is my dream.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
Well, here comes the hard question. If you ask this, I can't really answer what's my style. May I say I'm a style adventurer? I don't have any specific style for myself currently, I like to try wearing any style, one day I may look girly, but then the next day you may find me look boyish or anything. For me trying every style and change everyday is fun! But maybe I might find my one specific style one day, but for now, I don't really have one, I wear everything I like to wear that day.



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
From my head!:) It just comes out through my mind when I look into the pieces in my closets or in the shops that I'd like to wear them with what pieces. But I also get it from streets, blogs and magazines.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?
Currently don't have one, I like to shop anywhere I can find great clothes. But I mostly wear clothes from my own online boutique, and from my self design clothes:)



Congratulations again to Julian for becoming the contest winner and Mode Republic trendsetter! Stay tuned for more fashion inspirations from Julian Tanoto!