Filtering Instagram.

Instagram is the app we all love that allows you to follow people with similar interests and aesthetics, creating a community of inspiration and beauty (using filters to make the world a better place, or at least look like a better place.)  
In our second instalment of Filtering Instagram we update your feed as we curate some of our favourite Instagram accounts, so have a stalk and do some double tapping. 

-Alessandra

@hamishblakeshotz

One half of the Hamish and Andy duo. 

His captions will make you laugh out loud as he has way too much fun being a dad.

@zotheysay 

The stunning wife of Hamish Blake (see above) and the founder and CEO of Go-To skin care  Zoe Foster Blake is as funny as she is gorgeous. 

Oh and she is having way too much fun being a mum too. 

@emilia_clarke

Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons and new to Instagram. 
(yes there is a picture of her sitting on a toilet... we can't all have the Iron Throne.)

@matthew_noszka

A male model discovered via Instagram ... you know its got to be good. 

@barbiestyle

Barbie has an Instagram, enough said. 

@zanitazanita

A model turned photographer and blogger for her site zanita. 

 Find her somewhere between Australia and Sweden. 

@esther_stewart

The master of geometrics and colour, this Australian artist is simply amazing! 

(oh and did we mention she just recently did a collaboration with Italian fashion house Valentino)

@natkelley

Voted Instagram's  ultimate boho chic girl. 

@isabellamanfredi

The captivating lead singer of The Preatures.

 Her music has us pressing replay and her Instagram has us double tapping. 

@jackharries

 Best known as the guy from the Youtube channel jacksgap . 

Jack takes perfect stills in-between filming. 

@margaret_zhang

It is impressive enough that Margaret is a Commerce and Law student but she also runs a hugely successful fashion blog (shinebythree) which she writes and photographs for somewhere in-between travelling to the most beautiful spots and eating the most amazing food, all of which she documents on Instagram.  

@lisamariecorso

The managing editor at the designfiles.net and her great pictures accompanied by the wittiest captions - my personal favourite: "Business Class is the BUSINESS! Sipping Moet & Chandon like I'm a back up dancer in a 50 cent video, sleeping with leg outstretched like the 'planking' fad never went out of fashion, popping Godiva chocolates like they're Vitamin C, and stealing a few extra toiletry bags for the sample Bvlgari (yes mum, I got you one). My dignity is semi fractured and my first name is lost. I now only respond to Ms. Corso." 
Queen! (insert praise hands emoji)

Fonda Mexican.

Not long ago, I set out to find a quality Mexican restaurant in Melbourne to book for a special occasion. I did a test run with La Tortilleria in Kengsington and was thoroughly disappointed- by the food as well as the service. Urban Spoon wasn't helping matters and food blogs I scoured questioned Melbourne's ability to put on good quality Mexican food. I thought there had to be a light at the end of the tunnel... and then I stumbled upon Fonda. 

To be honest, I didn't exactly 'stumble' upon the place as the CBD restaurant is all the way up Flinders Lane, but it was well worth the walk. After walking up narrow stairs, you are greeted by friendly staff and cutting edge interiors, both projecting some pretty vibrant vibes. Alessandra and I had to wait about 20 minutes as bookings aren't available for under 8 people but in the bustle of the nearby restaurants and galleries that wasn't too bad. They even send you a text when a table is ready in case you want to go for a wander. 

Beth and Alessandra's quick fire Fonda list:

The atmosphere in a sentence:

B: Loud enough to be trendy and full of energy but not so loud you're yelling.

A:Vibrant and colourful- Busy in the good kind of way.

Best food item tasted:

A:THE CORN - I am going to go back and order 5 for myself!

B: I am biased due to my love affair with pulled pork but the Mexican City pork taco was my highlight. I loved the addition pomegranate seeds. It must also be noted that the charred corn was a fantastic start to the meal.

Favourite beverage:

B: I went out of my comfort zone and tried the Cloudy Russian and, provided you like ginger beer, I definitely recommend.

A: Anything with alcohol.

Will you return?

A:YES (but only with people who are prepared to sit across from someone enthusiastically eating a burrito)

B: Yes, give it time and I will have tried out all four locations !

People Profile: James Whiting

In his second year studying photography, this creative is moving from strength to beautiful strength. Capturing crisp and striking scenes, James Whiting's work makes scrolling through my Instagram feed a pure delight. 

In this People Profile, James answers questions about his craft, interests, and motivations, allowing us to better learn about the man behind the camera.

-Beth

What is one thing you are excited about right now? 

Right now I’m really excited to be surrounded by such an amazing community of brilliant
creative people who are pushing themselves and their own ideas and mediums. And I’m even more excited to have some time to try to collaborate and involve myself with these amazing people and just help wherever I can, or at the very least give out some well deserved high fives. 

When did you recognise that photography was something you wanted to pursue? 

It first caught my attention when my little brother was getting more attention for some pictures he was taking than I was for mine, so naturally I just wanted to shoot more and come out on top.. But it was really a few years later of being just interested, and after I had started carrying a camera everywhere I went, that I started to find myself up at three in the morning dating and annotating all of my negatives that I thought I might have stumbled onto something a little important. 

In what do you find inspiration? 

Inspiration is weird in a lot of ways because it’s pretty difficult to pinpoint or even recognise. And it never seems to exist in just one way. I tend to find as much inspiration in great artists work and a great patch of light as I do in what I see or hear when I'm out running or wandering around. But each just result in a different type of inspiration. Also I’ve developed a habit of just listening to people talk whilst I’m shooting studio work. Stephen Fry and David Chang’s Google Talk’s have been on repeat recently. 

Your work often depicts the common, simple and otherwise ordinary, why do you choose to capture these scenes? 

I think it’s more of a way to just be honest and purely communicate how I view the world, and where I assign importance or value. It’s a good way to challenge myself too. I read something a while ago and what I gathered or produced from it was that it’s easy to take pretty photographs of pretty things. But if you can make an interesting image from something not inherently attractive either, then that’s something pretty special. 

What do you find rewarding about your work? 

The most rewarding parts of my work are the parts I can look back on when I’m old and just tell a good story. Talk about who someone was a certain time. Or where they were, or how they felt, myself included. To just communicate the feeling of a moment or idea that I was subject to, that will never happen ever, ever again is what I really value above all else. 

What are you most proud of, in regards to photography or otherwise? 

Ah I’m not too sure. Personal progress would probably be at the top of the list I guess. Both in terms of art, and not. But I suppose more specifically I’m extremely proud of any work I’ve had published or sold and to just know the people all over the globe that have helped with that. 

What do you like most about living in Melbourne? 

Some days I really like it because of the resources and energy it has and how everevolving it is. And it’s recent essence of a DIY mentality is really great. But it does get pretty overwhelming sometimes. There’s so much going on all the time and it feels really difficult to break into any industry cliques or even be on their radar at all. Half of the time I wish I was just in the middle of nowhere working on a house or a farm. 

What is something you want to do more of?

I really want to make more decisions that the person I want to be would make. That’s been a crucial goal recently. And everyday I’ve been trying to read a book, play an instrument and break a sweat, so I’d like to keep that up. The short answer though is travel. All I really want to is travel. And eat. 

What is your most prized possession? 

I’ve never actually thought about a prized possession. I know what the most expensive things I own are, but that’s not right. (I’m going to actually find it right now, just to grow a little thanks to this interview.) I feel like it would have to be my pin-board which has little pieces of my last few years stuck to it. Things like tickets, badges, a lot of prints with personal notes I’ve been sent from strangers around the world and a lot of personal notes too. My notebooks and a specific negative of my friend Josh that concreted my love of photography are also extraordinarily important to me. 

When do you feel most creative? 

Mentally I’m definitely most creative when I’m on the road or running. Just out in the world I suppose. But not entirely focused on what’s in front of me. But physically, I’m definitely a morning person in terms of actually creating. I’ll take 6am over 6pm any day.

How can we find out more about you? 

You can check out things like my site which is cargocollective.com/jameswhiting , my instagram instagram.com/jameswhiting , jameswhiting.tumblr.com or just drop an email at jamesrwhiting@outlook.com. Wow, I think that’s the most I’ve ever written my name at once. Absolute overload. 

'What's In My Bag?' Series: Miriam

The Bag: A simple navy back pack from Vanishing Elephant.
It's sturdy, comfortable to wear and fits everything I need in it.

Planner: Ah, my beautiful planner - I hold it entirely responsible for my sanity. I use both the monthly and weekly views to keep track of work shifts, assignments and social activities, and have tabs for my part time tutoring job, travel, and Mosaik ideas. And of course, a section purely for 'To Do Lists', a task just doesn't feel finished until it has been checked off. My planner really just helps me keep everything I'm thinking in the one place.
Pencil case: In my pencil case you will find every highlighter under the sun and about 12 blue pens crammed in. I'm still traumatised from an incident during my Year 9 English exam and refuse to carry anything less.
Wallet: Myki, Student ID, a little cash, 'Top Juice' loyalty card ... 
I-Pod: Essential for the commute. Listening to music keeps me calm when I'm crammed between thirty strangers; I just zone out and wait until my station is called. I'll usually have a little mix ready, something upbeat for the ride in, and relaxing for the trip back home.
I-Phone: Unlimited WiFi is my one saving grace at university. In my naive first semester days when I thought I would need / enjoy a two hour break, I watched a lot of YouTube, A LOT.

Charger:  ^
Reading material: Textbooks, provided notes, the novel I'm reading at the time or even a trashy magazine. Along with YouTube, using my extremely long breaks to get ahead with the required reading or unwind with a good read always helped to pass the time.
5 Subject display book: My degree involves some 5 subjects semesters (sigh) and a very confusing timetable, so having everything in one place saves space, weight and helps to keep me on track and organised during the busiest times of the semester. 

An apple, a smoothie receipt, and something crammed with sugar: When you're going on 5 hours of straight lectures and all you can think about is the perfection of a 'Schnitz' wrap and chips, it helps to bring a snack along. An apple usually does the trick for me and tides me over until I'm back home. On longer days though, I usually pick up a smoothie or juice too. On days when I know I'll need a pick-me-up or an immediate energy boost I'll also bring along a sugary treat.

Lipstick / Travel Perfume: I don't wear much make-up on an everyday basis so the only thing I bring with me to uni is my lipstick for the day. A bright lip and fresh perfume always brightens my mood, even on days that involve 6 hours of lectures. I love Sephora cream lip stains because they last pretty much all day, and Crabtree and Evelyn's Evelyn Rose perfume has such a sturdy bottle it works perfectly as my daily travel perfume.
Hair ties / Bobby Pins: I can guarantee you will find a layer of loose hair ties and bobby pins at the bottom of my bag. I fiddle and play with my hair all the time, so they accumulate very quickly. 

House Keys: I keep my keys on a pink, cat keyring. Pink + Cats = I must have it.

-Miriam

People Profile: Erik Yvon

When Erik Yvon moved to Melbourne about 9 years ago, fashion wasn’t always on the cards when  he first arrived. After starting with culinary arts and having a crack at being a chef, Erik decided to do a complete 360 and try something that has been in the back of his mind, but never had the guts to go for. He applied for a course in Fashion at RMIT and has never looked back.

Now, Erik has started his own label and will be debuting his first collection, XX-XY this Thursday night. So head down to Belleville in Globe Alley tomorrow night, because it will definitely be night not to miss.

- Sarah

What has inspired your first debut collection?

Throughout all of my collections, there is a glimpse of my Mauritian background, depicted through the use of colours. But I also include a combination of elements; prints, shapes and textures which define the core of each collection. Colourful and bold themes are inspired from artists, diverse cultures and everyday surroundings. Through XX-XY, I endeavoured to create a unisex line which can be worn by both genders, and encompass an androgynous look. The prints in XX-XY are fluid, colourful and bold which has become the signature of the label.

Was starting your own business what you thought it would be?

When I started my own business I didn’t know what to expect to be honest. I did a short business course prior to launching it, to have a better grasp of what was required. Have I learned from the short course? Only the future can tell. I knew for sure it was going to be a challenge, and very demanding.  Another reason why I started the label is due to the fashion industry being saturated at the moment. There are not enough jobs for all the graduates; Melbourne has about 4 fashion schools producing highly skilled candidates. So I thought to myself why try to get a job when I could work for myself. Working for yourself, you have the chance to set your own times and make up your own rules, however there is more pressure when it is your own label because you want to make it work. When working for someone else you would do a 9 to 5 day and once you are done you just go home and chill. Having my own business, I find it hard to walk away after 8 hours and very often end up working more than a regular job.

Who would be your ultimate dinner date?

My ultimate dinner date would be my boyfriend Peter Midsummer. Which reminds me we haven’t gone on a dinner date for a while. I need to make up for that.

What makes you most happiest?

Chocolate and 90’s hip-hop makes me most happiest. I am addicted to sugar, hoop earrings and Janet Jackson

What would you like to change about the fashion industry?

I would like to change the mentality behind cheap deals and bargains in the fashion industry. Customers now expect everything at a cheap price and do not know what is involved in making garments. There are so many elements from pattern making, toiling, fitting, grading outsourcing fabric, production, printing, graphics which I had no idea were involved into a single garment before I started the course. The fast pace of the fashion industry is out of control; there are too many clothes on the market, which just end as landfill. It all comes down to education and people understanding that their time is just as important as a dress maker’s or a tailor‘s. The reason why some clothes are so cheap is because they has been mass produced under dubious circumstances.

Do you have any advice for up  and coming designers?

My advice would be to stick to your guns. It is a very competitive industry and there are so many talented designers. We represent the future of the fashion industry and we have the opportunity to make a change in the industry.  We have the skills and knowledge, so we should share it with others. I am not saying we should all be purist and be 100% eco friendly or sustainable but to be more aware of our choices and to take responsibilities for them. I try to promote sustainability by keeping my production on a very low scale. I am also ethically responsible by knowing who has been involved in the printing and manufacturing process by keeping it local. This is how I’ve approached the ethics of my label. Being an independent label there will be other areas where I will be lacking and you can’t please everyone e.g. I love using leather, does this make me a horrible designer?

Favourite cliché and why?

“Who are you wearing?” who cares…

What is one piece of advice that you will never forget being given?

Slow and steady wins the race. I was given this advice by my mum, turns out I have inherited my dad’s impatience.  

*Mosaik does not take credit for these photos