Cart Curator #30 - Alice McCall's Fashion Faux Pas
A deep dive into Alice McCall's return in collaboration with ... Shein, we've found the best takeaway sushi in Australia and Margot Robbie's gin brand launches.
Hi CC friends,
We spent a lush weekend together here in Sydney, mostly spent soaking up the sun. Our Sunday was spent having a cliché day in Bondi, starting the morning with every PR’s favourite event location Body by Berner, before an iced Matcha at Harry’s and a shop down Gould Street - of which some of our finds have been included in Add to Cart. We also ate quite possibly the best sushi of our lives, which we will reveal details of in One to Try.
Has anyone else seen Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi galavanting around Sydney? Robbie, the Aussie angel she is, was spotted at Mimi’s shouting everyone in the restaurant a drink. We’re sure she loved every second of these interactions, but was clearly a PR stunt for her Gin brand Papa Salt. But in all seriousness, we are desperate to get our hands on a bottle of the Coastal Gin from Dan Murphys.
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Meanwhile. our latest Elvis (anyone else dying to see Priscilla?) Elordi was spotted picking up a B&E roll at Paddington Markets.
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Lastly, we have another collaborator joining us next week. We’re really excited about this one, as she is a regular jetsetter so she has some unique suggestions for us.
Enjoy,
You Asked For It
Alright we are back this week with another YAFI after introducing The Edit in our last newsletter. We had so much love (and interest!) for the Cotton on Brand Edit last week, so if you have any specific brands you would like to see in this format, let us know.
This weeks request is for fragrances that aren’t going to break the bank (we’re looking at you Tom Ford) and aren’t the classic Le Labo or Maison Francis Kurkdjian we are bombarded with on socials.
First up we have Twenty Two by SSAINT which is a brand that I (Jess) hadn’t previously heard a lot about besides some social posts here and there. I had the chance to smell and test this in store and as a result this is the next fragrance on my hit list. This fragrance is described as “The air before an earth-breaking storm, thunder’s promising rumble, a low fire crackling as shadows flicker. A snifter of brandy and a lingering, shared glance. The relief of the falling rain.” which I love in itself and that description alone has sold me. If that description isn’t giving you much it’s really rich and woody and is actually described as a unisex fragrance.
Sorry to double up with a previous rec as we have mentioned this killer pair of Who is Elijah fragrances, before but when something is this good, they are worth talking about time and time again. Rebel Rose and Wall Street are such an elevated pairing and the combination of these fragrances is so unique. The price of these fragrances are also so reasonable and we love supporting small Australian brands!
Last but not least is a brand you may not immediately think of when you come to fragrance - FRESH. I (Jess) have been a long time lover of the Hesperides Grapefruit Eau De Parfum which is super fresh and zesty and perfect for Summer (the body wash version is also excellent). Nicole has been a lover of the Fresh Life scent which again is super fresh (think clean laundry) also leaning more into the citrus notes, and is my go-to scent to wear around the house (yes, I know) after a fresh shower.
Have a YAFI or brand for The Edit? Leave a comment or reach out directly via email at cartcuratorsubstack@gmail.com.
Popshop
Our favourite pop culture or industry moment of the week.
In the most wild news to come out of the Australian fashion industry for a while, yesterday Alice McCall took to Instagram to announce the return of her namesake brand. That alone wouldn’t be Popshop worthy news, but it was the decision to partner with fast-fashion e-tailer Shein to do so has us intrigued (and wondering where their PR team is).
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In an Instagram post, the brand said they were excited to announce this collaboration, as it would help their designs become more attainable to a wider audience and they are working with rescued textiles recycled polyester.
The comments (of which were rapidly turned off) were quick to fire back at the decision. Although we can’t quote these verbatim as they are now been removed, many OG brand fans were not impressed.
Here are some comments from an earlier post, of which are still live:
Alice McCall officially closed shop in February this year following 19 years as a respected player in the Australian fashion industry, after sending the brand into voluntary administration the prior year. What is worse for McCall and has only been fuelled by the Shein announcement is the number of customers who purchased products before she closed shop and never received the items or a refund.
ICYMI, Shein has been making many attempts to strengthen their brand image, and earlier this year sent a bunch of US influencers to China in an attempt to spread some positive PR across social media. What ensued was PR nightmare fuel.
We would highly recommend this article in Time Magazine, which goes deeper into the chaos, but will give you a snapshot here before you click out. If a TikTok is your preferred way to digest news (no judgement) we’ve also linked a great take from American media company The Skimm below.
These influencers, of which included TikToker Dani Carbonari, were flown to Guangzhou in China for a brand trip. During their time there they were to be given a behind the scenes look at how Shein’s garments are designed, manufactured and dispatched - from the “Innovation Centre” to the Factory floors.
The trip quickly went viral and the internet was swift to criticise the seemingly glossy and scripted videos the influencers were posting, labelling the content propaganda, questioning if the sets were staged for the purpose of the trip and calling out the influencer’s decision to accept the free trip without doing research int othe brand.
To give you an insight into why Shein’s reputation isn’t great, Pedestrian TV’s recount of the trip provides a good list of the allegations against the fast-fashion retailer, which include:
Labour rights violations and the use of child labour, including refusing to share information about labour conditions
Sweatshop conditions
Stealing designs from independent artists and printing them on its own clothes
Polluting the environment and contributing to climate change, the waste crisis and general environmental destruction
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We’ve also noticed local positions with Shein, like this one for a Brand Manager popping up on LinkedIn. Someone check in on your job-hunting friends and ensure their moral compass is intact.
I (Nicole) was also such a fan of Alice McCall back in the days, especially as their product really catered to petite sizing. What are our thoughts? Is Alice McCall just going to be the first of many brands we start to see “collaborate” with Shein?
Comments are open!
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
Jess
Okay, I may be the last person to know about this brand but whilst strolling through Bondi on the weekend we stopped into Porter, and I am seriously impressed by their range of jewellery.
I love the chunkier huggie earrings and bangles, however, it was the Mali Ring Set that immediately caught my eye. I love the organic shape of these separate pieces and how it doesn’t feel too overly polished. All pieces are sterling silver based with 18k gold vermeil making them wearable for your day-to-day life - just keep these away from the ocean if you want to really extend the life!
H&M Draped Halterneck Bodysuit
I’ve really been getting into H&M lately, particularly shopping via their app as they give you extra discounts and also have a heap of online exclusives which IMO are a lot better than their in store styles. I’ve fallen back into a bit of a fashion rut lately opting to wear T-shirts with most outfits which is fine - but not for every day and and every occasion.
This bodysuit is an option I am currently loving as an alternative to a plain bodysuit or basic singlet top and the draped material is a detail we are seeing increasingly from brands like Camilla and Marc e.g. the Majorelle Bodysuit or Winona Top. I would pair this with a tailored trouser, baggier jean or mini skort for a range of different occasions.
Nicole
Tony Bianca Leroux Beech Nappa Heels
You’ve probably noticed a few common threads between us here at CC. We love statement heels, we love rafia and we love a rosette detail.
Now, tell me these aren’t the perfect combination of the above. Style these with a white linen dress like this chic mini from Elka Collective, and you’ve found the ideal outfit to sit a couple of rosés in this summer (add ice cubes and jalapeños á la Tinx).
Kookaï has some excellent summer pieces at the moment. It is not a brand that I regularly peruse, but I had a browse on their website after seeing this vest everywhere over the last week.
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In particular, I’ve got my eyes on a number of their other vests and tops, including the Palm Top in Pink, Bec Button Tank and Link in Sage. Both these colours are fresh options for summer, and I think that baby pink colour is one we are going to see a lot more of over the coming months.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
Jess
I will preface this by saying I have never been a slicked back bun girlie - the gel/hairspray/brush needed for this is just way too hard basket and after years of doing dance as a child my scalp is slightly traumatised.
Now that I have short hair I have started to dabble in a tiny bun that isn’t so tight that it gives a face lift but needs to look a bit more polished none the less and this Pomade has been the low-fuss thing I’ve been looking for to apply as the final step and tame my wispy hairs. You need a tiny amount of this product to warm in between your fingertips before smoothing back your finished hair and this just calms everything down and gets it to behave.
What makes this product even better is that it doesn’t make your hair crusty/crunchy and I find I can brush this out with very little effort meaning you are bound to wash your hair straight after using.
Nicole
I think I have discovered the best smelling deodorant out there. And yes, it is a natural deodorant - I was dubious too. I’ve tried natural deodorants in the past, but have been left extremely disappointed by their paste-like formulas or lack-lustre results that end up just leaving you smelling worse due to the only slight scent masking. That was until I tried Wild, a brand that I didn’t realise was available here in Australia at Priceline. Aside from the chic packaging, sustainability consideration and refill option, this actually just works - which is all you can really ask from in a deo. I am personally loving the Jasmine & Mandarin scent (which doesn’t seem to be available at Priceline) but am eagerly waiting to try the Cotton or Coconut scents they have available. Also - I don’t think $24.99 is that bad for the tube, given the refills are only priced at $9.99 and the tube I’m currently working through has lasted longer than a spray would normally.
One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
Ok, enough gatekeeping. This is by far the best sushi we have ever eaten in our life. Better than Nobu, or any other fancier sushi you’ve most likely eaten at a restaurant.
We only stopped in for a snack, so grabbed a selection of hand rolls, but the offering in this place was insane. From fresh sashimi and raw fish, to traditional sushi rolls and nigiri to poke bowls, no imagery or videos of this place can do justice to just how fresh the produce was.
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Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
Sea Raes, the luxury super yacht from the same owners of Byron Bay’ Raes on Wategos, has returned to Sydney for summer.
The floating residence, of which accommodates up to 8 guests (not counting the crew, including a private chef, that comes with it), is available for day, overnight or charter bookings.
It’s not hard to imagine why this would be a lottery win wishlist item for us.
IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
Okay, this is one that I (Jess) was extremely late to the party on but I managed to power through this book (that I absolutely loved btw) just as the show was released on Apple TV.
If you are one of the ones who have already read the book and are now watching the show, IYKYK. If you haven’t read the book - please do it now, I guarantee you will power through it and I feel the show is doing the book justice (episodes are still being released weekly) including the fantastic casting of Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman.
We will say there are a few (ok, many) differences between the book and the show, but both are equally great regardless.
If you’re new to Cart Curator, take a read of some of our recent editions.
Cart Curator #29 - Let's play catch up on the Kardashians
Cart Curator #27 - In collaboration with Chelsea Williamson
Cart Curator #26 - We’ve Got AI-nxiety