Upcycling...

Last Thursday, I got a phone call from a very dear friend of mine asking if I would take part in a shoot for LookSmart Alterations. Initially, I thought she wanted my help with art direction and/or styling. That, I would have been totally comfortable with - I have afterall styled and directed every single gran's loose change lookbook and product photography since inception in early 2010.

But no.

This dear friend of mine actually wanted my body.

She wanted me to model. *Cue hot sweats and panic attacks.

I have always been far more confident behind the camera - bossing people around, zhushing, styling and telling everyone what to do. But I have to say, once I got over myself, it was a super fun day and I got to work with some amazing people (a photographer that gives direction, doesn't make you feel like a complete fraud AND can curl hair? That's you Caroline!!).

The purpose was to showcase the incredible talents of LookSmart and their ability to alter or redesign garments. The term is 'upcycling' - when you take an old favourite and make it into something new, or when you buy something daggy for it's 'potential' and turn it from drab to fab, or even when you buy something amazing albeit a little too big because it's on sale and making it fit like a glove.

Thanks to the styling genius of [the incredibly funny and sassy] Sophie Hart and assistant Ro, four outfits were completely transformed by Rami Mikhael and his team, ALL within just one day. LookSmart are not just your standard 'jean hemming' tailors. They are actually skilled in fit, alterations and clothing maintenance to make every item suit your individual shape and style. Put simply, they know their shit!

Here are a few before and after behind the scenes pics (or as we affectionately called it on the day 'from drab to fab')...

Huge thanks to Beyond the Square, LookSmart Alterations, Caroline McCredie, Rory Anderson and Sophie Hart.

And that dear friend of mine? Mel, you're a superstar. LookSmart are lucky to have you and I'm blessed to have you in my life.