By TANIA PHILLIPS
IF LIFE gives you lemonades then why not turn them into art, according to two of the Tweed Coast’s most talented artisans.
There are some talented people on the Tweed Coast, as the launch of a new fashion range at the Kingscliff Seaside Guest House proved on Friday.
The new range, for the exclusive Mode Voyage label, has been designed by Kingscliff’s Carla Dorge of On Kliff in collaboration with renowned watercolour artist Ian Tremewen, who has just re-opened a pop-up shop in the town.
Fiery Celebrity Apprentice star and media social commentator Prue MacSween was guest speaker at the launch and lavish high tea which packed the beautiful guesthouse in Chinderah. The outspoken Prue had the guests in stitches with her very down-to-earth style, dishing the dirt on her recent appearance on Celebrity Apprentice.
The exclusive Mode Voyage label, designed by local Carla Dorge (On Kliff), is recognised world-wide and Prue is among a host of high-profile people wearing the label.
The Pink Lemonade collection has combined Carla’s contemporary designs with Ian’s colourful artwork to produce a collection which represents the vibrant coastal Australian lifestyle.
Carla used Ian’s well-known “Pink Lemonade” – which was on display in Ian’s previous pop-up shop with partner Lorraine Abernathy last year – in many of the fabrics for her new collection.
“It has been fantastic to work with Ian on this collection,” Carla explained.
“I’ve been a long-time fan of his watercolour artwork and what we will be unveiling at the launch is sure to grab attention worldwide.”
Ian was born in Montreal, but is now based in Australia. The contemporary watercolourist has also spent plenty of time in the Caribbean and Hawaiian tropics and his work is famous for its use of light, space and shadow.
The event also raised money for Prue’s nominated charity Save Our Sons – a charity she said she learned about through boxer Jeff Fenech during her time on Apprentice.
Save Our Sons is a charity organisation raising funds and awareness to help find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
Their goal is to raise $3.5 million to fund two human clinical trials, which Prue said had a real potential effect on the lives of boys with DMD.