BATTALION OF THE BRAVE

Ah life...there's ups and downs and sometimes we don't know the answer..what I do know is there is always a reason. It's a journey, life can be a battle and you gotta fight...through it all you have to be a soldier of honour, take care of yourself, guard your heart and do what is right for you regardless of who is fighting you. That's been my discovery over the last few weeks..oh yeah there's been some shots fired and I've taken a bullet..but through it all I have learnt that I have to honour myself. These lessons have become my ammunition and a big inspiration for creating my 2nd collection 'Battalion of the Brave' - it's about being a strong woman, a fighter, breaking through the battles and just quietly looking super cool and sexy while doing it! Soldier Chic!

Feel Free to join my army..

'Battalion of the Brave' is recruiting now Baby!

Much love xx

f**king fighter

Meet my new style crush...Jennifer Herrema...Front woman for Royal Trux and now RTX, songwriter, producer, artist, renegade and mother F**king bad ass cool fighter chick. She's tough, she's bold, one of a kind and she couldn't give a toss what you think. She's all about being true to herself and wearing what feels good, not what is supposedly cool or on trend. She's found a vibe, a look, a story and a style that works for her and it's speaks volumes...she's rockin out doin her own thing and it's 'Totally dope'. She's been through some tough times - darkness and drugs..but she's fought on and stayed true to what she loves and paved her way back on to her path. She's strong and that makes her so sexy!

Her style influences are clear...

Part skater

Part unashamed rocker(she totally reminds me of my beloved Robert Plant)

She's GLUNGE (glamour fused with grunge)

The other part is American Indian/Daniel Boon with a dash of designer - she loves her LV..but always adds her signature Raccoon tail and distressed denim.

For me she looks F**king cool, free and fun and now she's been commissioned to do a line of one off jeans for Volcom. I WANT!

J'adore Jennifer. Rock on girl xx

THROUGH THE WAR

Man sometimes life throws some bombs at you and part of being a soldier is fighting through the war! The best weapon - love and letting go! I've had a big lesson on this over the last week - on something that really isn't life changing but I felt like I'd been shot and lost a limb in battle! My internet has been down for a week!!!!! And it's amazing how attached we get to things...I felt like I was dying! Silly really! But a valuable lesson..there was nothing I could do I just had to surrender, let it go, wave the white flag! Maybe it was the universe also getting me to slow down. Either way I had no choice but to let go and focus on other things...like being grateful for what I DO have and what I CAN change..so I focused on doing the things I love and giving lots of love to my friends and family...and this morning...it's back..the war is over and I won!

What can you let go off this week?

(By the way the pic is another piece from my new collection - the 'Lieutenant Liberty Ripped Army tee' - will show you full look book soon) x

SOLDIER ON!

I am so excited to say I have finished my second Love Chile collection and she's a beauty!

(That's one of the look book pics above!)

I am really am proud of it and more importantly proud of myself. It took a lot of work to get it done - I had to learn new skills, dig deep into my own pocket, sew and sew until my fingers bled, search for months for hard to find items, including the amazing Vintage army shirts above from the 60's and the 70's, plus I had some personal stuff on my plate that has been challenging to say the least. But despite all of that I didn't give in like I have before, I kept pushing through and 'Soldiering on' -Ironically if you've read my previous blog posts, the collection didn't start out with a strong Military feel, I wanted to focus more on Hindu Goddessess...but perhaps Subliminally as I was fighting through stuff the collection came up to meet me and we changed course together. Either way I didn't question it, I just rolled with it and the result for me is a beautiful outward creative expression of what has been going on for me inwardly and ultimately is the message I want to pass on to other women. Stay true to you, don't give up, believe in yourself and just keep soldiering on..keep on fighting baby! Don't look for anyone to rescue you, be your own soldier. We all have our challenges and I am so in awe of a young fighter friend of mine Jess -

she calls herself the WELLNESS WARRIOR

and boy is she one hell of a fighter!

I say Thank you to all the kick arse chicks out there who keep on fighting and I say Thank you for all the lessons that have made me stronger.

I salute you !

xx

*New Collection out soon*

SOLDIERS OF STYLE

I am obsessed with American Indians and this picture was a big inspiration for my first collection. I just love how they express their loves, life and beliefs and take it to the nth degree - they wear it all and are true to what they love - so cool! And I totally dig the colours, textures, attention to detail and artistry in which it is created and expressed - a true style statement! And a visual display of bravery, being true to oneself and being a fighter! Rock on!

This is what has totally got me hooked right now...army/military/anything with a uniform/badge/medal!! Yes the colours ROCK and I love the embellishment but again I think it's the fighter/bravery vibe..it's very Love Chile. I want women to feel strong and brave. Wear their badges of honour with pride! I discovered the most insane vintage army shirts from the 60's/70's yesterday which I will be embellishing and adding to my new collection. They are killer! Some even have the name tags still on - I love that you can sense their story and their journey. Plus they will look super cool with all my shoulder pads, feather and chain pieces.

Can't wait to show you!

Achtung Baby! xx

INSPIRE ME

I have been working hard on my new collection over the last few weeks, sewing, gluing, playing with chains, rhinestones, tassles and velvet and I'm almost done. It got me thinking alot about inspiration and why we love what we love. It's such a personal thing and from my point of view it's really cool to see what's in my head and my heart, the things that are resonating with me right now come to life in my new collection. I am still deciding on a name for the collection

(I'm thinking 'Shamansim' - a shaman is someone who follows their own path and listens to their heart and intuition, ultimately healing others)..do you like it?

That's ultimately what inspires me, people who are unique, that rock out to their own beat and are not dictated to by trends/fads..don't get me wrong I LOVE fashion, but I like it my way and like to make it work for me. I'm big on mood boards, they are a great way to express what's intrinsic to you. The process of making them is SO therapeutic to me - it really stirs me up and inspires me. I always do them for my designing but I've started making them as gifts or canvas's for the home&for friends...the picture above is one I made for my dear friend Arrnott - I picked all the things he loved and put it on canvas. I loved it so much I wanted to keep it! Being a fellow visual creature - Arrnott kept the bow - that really inspired him! The bright yellow contrast against the black and white really spoke to him

What speaks to you? Follow it and have fun with it!

Be inspired

xx

xx

FLY HIGH BUTTERFLY

(Abstract Butterfly artwork by my favourite artist Alan Aldridge)

I was honoured and thrilled to attend the Butterfly Foundation Chrysalis Ball last night.

A room filled with love, life stories and hope. My label Love Chile has been connected with The Butterfly Foundation for a couple of years now and we created a fabulous fashion fundraiser together last year. I am super excited about creating more fundraising and awareness opportunities for them in the months and years to come. They are such an amazing organisation who are dedicated to supporting people who are suffering with eating disorders and negative self image www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au

Having been there myself I know first hand how devastating these issues can be and indeed how misunderstood they still are.

The other element of the evening that really inspired me was the energy of not only the people in the room but in particular the wonderful women behind Butterfly. Created by one amazing lady, Claire Vickery, who had dealt with ED's first hand and decided to do something about it..to create a support base, a foundation that could make a difference...in spite of one particular naysayer who told her she would 'never get that up'..well she certainly showed him and indeed all of us what can be created when you have passion..that any dream you have really is possible!

The CEO of Butterfly, Christine Morgan, also made a beautiful speech and quoted one of my favourite pieces of writing by Nelson Mandela - I have it on my bedroom wall actually! So many of us are scared to fly, to show our true selves. Lack of self worth is a common factor with Eating Disorders, it certainly was for me..but Butterfly, like Love Chile is all about showing people how to find and spread their wings. Fly high Butterfly! I'll leave you will Mr Mandela...

'Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you.

We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us

It is not just some of us, it is in everyone.

And, as we let our won light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear

Our presence automatically liberates others'

xx