THAT special dress...

If you're in the market for THAT very special dress...a couture number that makes you feel like royalty, or a rocked-up frock that makes you feel like a million bucks, there is just one lady you need to call - Vicky Kidd-Gallichan, creative genius behind local label Rockstars and Royalty.

Rockstars and Royalty has become synonymous with big and bold since its introduction to our capital city in 2007. Most people would find it hard to forget the gorgeous gold and teal gown that hit the runway at FASHFEST in 2013, and made front page of the Canberra Times to promote the inaugural Hustle&Scout in September. That is the effect Vicky's designs have on people - they are front-page material. Each carefully hand-crafted piece makes you stop, gulp, and leaves you tingling from the after-effects of its visual extravagance.

Vicky does not just limit her designs to gowns, she also creates jewellery and accessories such as birdcage veils, sashes and fascinators. She will be bringing all of this, and some, to the upcoming Hustle&Scout (just 2 weeks away!), and will also be hitting the runway at Fashfest 2014 on Wednesday 30 April at the Canberra Airport.



Photographer - Loriana Fotographia

Gown and accessories - Rockstars and Royalty

Hair - Guerilla Hair

Makeup - Lauren Cataldo

Assistant - Sarah Herne

Model - Andjela Timani

What is it about Hustle&Scout that made you want to re-apply to be a stallholder?

I love the atmosphere, the venue and being surrounded by other amazing creative people. I love that it’s not just about the stall holders but about bringing lots of creativity together to turn a market into an event with a great vibe where you want to hang out.

What do you love about working with fashion? What keeps you creatively motivated?

I love that I get to do something different every day. No client is the same and I don’t make any of my designs more than once. I get bored very easily so this definitely keeps me interested and motivated. Then I also have my jewellery and accessory range that I can work on in between sewing so that helps keep me interested too.

 Tell us a bit about your new Fashfest collection, 'La Mothe-Chandeniers'.

My collection is inspired by my favourite French chateau – La Mothe-Chandeniers. It’s near where my Mum lives in France and when I’m visiting her I always go and gaze longingly at it. It’s private so unfortunately you can only look from the road but I’ve found some amazing photos of it online, including some from the late 1860s. There was a big fire there in 1932 that led to it being abandoned and since then nature has reclaimed it. My Fashfest collection is partly about nature taking over and I’ve also taken inspiration from the 1930s as that’s when the fire was. I also like to daydream and imagine that there’s abandoned treasure hidden inside this beautiful ruin, so there’s inspiration from that idea too. Each dress will have a name and a little story or poem to go with it. Some I’m writing and some are lyrics from songs that I’ve been listening to while I’m sewing. Part of my collection will be the big gowns that I’m known for and parts will be something a little different from what I usually do. I’ll be using a lot of corsetry still and I’ll also be creating some of the most elaborate head pieces I’ve ever done! I’ve definitely got my work cut out for me to get it all done in time. You’ll have to come along to Fashfest to see how it all comes together!

 

 

What other exciting design projects do you have planned for 2014?

I already have wedding dresses booked in for the rest of the year and for early 2015, so after Fashfest it will be time to start working on those.

 

What can punters expect to find at the upcoming autumn market?

I’ll have my usual range of jewellery and hair pieces with me at Hustle&Scout and I’ll also bring some dresses to display and maybe a little taster of what you can expect to see from me at Fashfest.

Photographer - Vitaly Sidorenko

Gown and accessories - Rockstars and Royalty

Hair and makeup - Cassandra Lee

Model - Andjela Timani