What’s the hottest ensemble for the season? It’s fashionistas Lucy MacGill and Meisha Wright, who are on the eve of launching an online fashion experience for Adelaide and the world!

They have been lauded as Adelaide’s answer to Trinny and Susannah, al-though local fashion stylist Lucy MacGill and eyebrow queen Meisha Wright wince at the comparison. Why?

They aim to provide “hot fashion advice” for their clients rather than “wardrobe do’s and don’ts to enhance and disguise”. Undoubtedly, though, Trinny and Susannah’s fame has legi-timised and popularised their skills.

Before the British duo established them-selves in the media, our makeover divas were guiding women to style enlightenment with clever fashion advice and subtle grooming tips. Many may remember Wright behind the Estee Lauder Brow Bar when it launched in Myer Adelaide City in February 2005. She was invited by the brand to lend her expertise to the counter having already established her reputation as an eyebrow specialist both here and interstate. Today, she works from her own studio and is booked out months in advance.

While MacGill, who said goodbye to a suc-cessful fashion career in Sydney, has been fashion wholesaling and in demand as a ward-robe planner and stylist.

As individuals, they are hot on the fashion scene. Together, however, they are even hot-

ter. In fact, they are ‘the new black’… a phrase the pair has coined for their interactive beauty and fashion online business, itsthenewblack.com.au, which launches next month.

“Women are time poor, so we decided to launch an online shop selling stunning pieces, including labels we have sourced locally and overseas, plus a vintage component and acces-sories,” explains MacGill.

“It costs nothing to access the online site to shop or you can subscribe to access the make-over components, including interactive beauty and fashion advice.”

With impeccable and impressive contacts in the industry, gained from their combined 35 years of experience in fashion and beauty, the pair will give clients online access to labels such as Superfi ne, Citizens of Humanity, Diesel, Issla and Tibi, and there will be information about the hottest European and US makeup products and trends. Plus, the site will give individual style advice.

“They can email a picture of themselves and get one-on-one beauty and styling tips,” says MacGill. “They can even email examples from their wardrobe and get suggestions on how to update their look, as well as items they should source to fi ll gaps.”

THE STYLIST THE EYEBROW QUEEN

words christine esau photography david solm

&Sitting in Wright’s elegant Kent Town stu-

dio, seated on a chocolate-coloured sofa and surrounded by fragrant candles and modern art, MacGill explains the online shop is the next level for their independent businesses. And, after having worked together on photo shoots for the past four years, it cements their working relationship.

“We respected each other’s professional-ism straight away and over time that respect developed into friendship to the extent that we talk to each other several times a day and wouldn’t consider introducing an element into our businesses without seeking each other’s advice fi rst,” says Wright.

Statuesque, at almost 180cm tall, Wright is passionate and poised. On the day of this interview, she is immaculately groomed in black, with several statement silver arm cuffs. At barely 150cm, MacGill is petite and prag-matic and the image of relaxed boho couture, in white Diesel jeans, an embellished t-shirt, fur vest, long scarf and leather string jewel-lery. Together they are a somewhat daunting duo, each oozing uber-cool fashion savvy and self-confi dence. MacGill estimates she is in-vited into seven women’s wardrobes a week to cull and sort the ‘heroes’ from the ‘villains’,

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Makeover divas Lucy MacGill and Meisha Wright.

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wardrobe secrets

and Wright plucks about 40 eyebrows a day, offering advice as she goes on other ways her clients can improve their appearance.

“We can all be beautiful, but sometimes we need guidance,” says Wright. “That’s what gets us going. It is so good to see the differ-ence we can make. I am passionate about my work. Sometimes I even fi nd myself stopping absolute strangers to suggest ways they could improve their appearance.”

Both women are well-respected in an industry known for its fi ckleness and have developed plenty of style savvy from their years of experience both here and interstate. MacGill, whose only school detention was for reading a fashion magazine during chapel, started her fashion career at Sportsgirl in Rundle Mall. Wright, who as a schoolgirl cut out images of hair and makeup styles from hundreds of fashion magazines in order to create her own style folders, enrolled in a makeup course.

By the age of 24, MacGill had worked her way up through the ranks at Sportsgirl to be the regional manager of the chain in Victoria. Meanwhile, Wright’s reputation as a makeup artist was spreading faster than a Chinese whisper. She was appointed Laura Mercier’s state manager and trainer, then became part of the brand’s international makeup team, working in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Frequently frustrated by the number of women she met with poorly shaped eyebrows, Wright found herself reshaping brows during makeup sessions. Word of her artistry spread like wildfi re. A Sydney client organised a day’s worth of appointments with a group of her friends and pleaded with Wright to fl y up and pluck from dawn to dusk. Such days became regular occurrences and Wright now fl ies to Sydney every eight weeks to see regular clients and is booked months ahead.

After her years at Sportsgirl, MacGill joined emerging fashion designer, the late Mark Keighery, who had just opened his fi rst Marcs stores in Sydney’s Paddington and Chatswood, to build his wholesale business. She became his muse and within a short time she had de-veloped a $10m annual turnover for his label. As a result of sharing a taxi with a stranger in Italy, who was carrying a suitcase full of jeans, Keighery imported the designer’s label Diesel into Australia a couple of years later. MacGill’s enthusiasm encouraged Keighery to build up the Diesel business, too.

“It was an exciting time,” MacGill says. “I had this amazing lifestyle, travelled the world and formed a great network of friends and fashion identities, including Antonia Kidman, Jodhi Mears (Tigerlily), the late Mark Keigh-ery, Tiffany Tilley (Sydney-based socialite) and Rebecca Davies (Bare). I still catch up with Tiff and represent Jodhi’s label in SA.”

But the bubble burst when Lucy’s marriage ended. She returned to Adelaide with her two-year-old twin sons Ben and Jack to pick up the

pieces, then opened Platinum boutique in Rundle Street. Along with her fashion pieces, MacGill offered style advice to customers and explained how to avoid fashion mistakes.

After selling Platinum in 2005 to concen-trate on wholesaling ranges for some of her mates, MacGill launched Wardrobe Therapy to help clients cull the clutter and source hero items and established herself as a consultant fashion stylist. “I think I’ve worked in most of Adelaide’s best-dressed women’s wardrobes,” she says. MacGill and Wright found their paths crossed regularly when they were booked for styling and makeup, respectively, for fashion and advertising photographic shoots. As their friendship grew, they began referring clients to each other. They enjoyed taking on projects where they could work together on a complete makeover and were thrilled when asked to jointly run a style workshop last year, which sold out within days.

“We sort of push each other to the limit, but we have a lot of fun,” adds Wright. “Because we can have a good laugh together it keeps it all upbeat. Otherwise, we couldn’t keep doing it. Often we have different ideas to start with, but by the time we talk, we usually come up with the right result, like what labels to buy for the online store.”

The idea to go online with itsthenewblack.com.au was the result of a conversation the pair had with David Mau, who is an Adelaide web designer at Neoterik, a Queensland-based advertising company, who saw the potential for Wright and MacGill to reach clients. He is the fi nancial partner in the online store and is responsible for building the website.

Brows Go for slightly fuller but shaped brows that balance your face. They should only ever be tweezed and trimmed, never waxed.Bronzer Use a bronzer to impart a natural glow. I love Guerlain Sheer Bronzing Powder in Blondes 01 or Brunettes 02, $79.Face highlighter I can’t live without this. Look out for the limited-edition mineralised fi nishes, such as Champagne, $48, from MAC.Blusher Keep cheeks fresh in soft pink or apricot. A hot blush is Laura Mercier Nectar, $40, or try Guerlain Rose 255, $63. It’s a great colour for almost everyone, or MAC Pinch o’ Peach, $40, for a softer colour.Lipstick Hot lip colours for summer are corals, all the way from soft apricot to intense melon. Try Guerlain Kiss Kiss lipstick in Peach Shine, $48, and MAC Lipglass in Pink Lemonade, $34.Foundation This should be sheer and natural. I love Laura Mercier Moisturising Foundation, $78, or Guerlain Divinora Silky-Smooth Fluid Foundation, $78.Eyes Lashes: heavy lashes are sexy and striking, but avoid lumpy mascara. Lids: keep all dark colours blended for a clean, sexy look. Anything bronze or metallic is hot. Try MAC Shimmer Pigments, $39, on top of your eyeshadow. Under the eye: instead of eyeliner, use eyeshadow. Laura Mercier Coffee Ground gives a deep, ash brown or Deep Night gives a midnight blue to keep the white of the eye brighter, each $40. Primer For a long-lasting glow, use a primer. My absolute favourite is Guerlain Midnight Star, $98, it’s a fantastic gift for any woman. Or for an everyday option, try Chanel Blanc Universal Sheer Illuminator, $62.

Meisha Wright reveals her summer secrets…

beauty tips

WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO FIND A WAY TO HELP MORE WOMEN... I BELIEVE THERE IS A GODDESS IN EVERY WOMAN

“The personal work is so rewarding, but we knew we needed to fi nd a way to help more women than we could fi t between nine and fi ve,” says MacGill. “I believe there is a god-dess in every woman, but we both have a life,” she laughs. In fact, both juggle their careers with family life: MacGill’s boys are now nine years old and she has been with partner Jim Rawson, who is behind JR’s Surf & Ski, for six years; while Wright and her partner Simeon Caric have a seven-year-old son Cimor.

Their new venture is the culmination of what these style mavens have learned and brought to the industry over many years. They say that while most women are brand aware and love fashion, they lack confi dence in put-ting it together, so their website aims to break through that. “We like to think we can help make women who feel beautiful on the inside, feel they look just as beautiful on the outside.” We’ll click to that!

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Best season update An oversized clutch; stacked peep-toe heels; a pair of Tom Ford sunnies; a tie-dyed skinny scarf; an oversized ring. Put a gladiator-style sandal with your maxi dress rather than a heel. The whole ‘couture meets bohemia’, all layered together. Think expensive hippie.Best summer accessory I am showing a lot of fringing in my Angel Wings accessories collection, as well as some tie-dye fi ltering into scarves and clutches. An oversized tie-dyed clutch would be my pick for best ’08/’09 accessory worn back with anything from skinny jeans to a party dress and caftan. So easy and effortless! Best dress If budget isn’t an issue… Issa, a label out of London, cuts the best dresses in the world. They are available at Belinda in Sydney (www.belinda.com.au) and are so hot. Also, Michelle Jank’s beautiful dresses (stocked at Belinda). Other great buys? Kate Moss for Topshop (www.topshop.com), Lee Mathews (www.leemathews.com.au), Kirrily Johnston (www.kirrilyjohnston.com.au), and Ginger & Smart (www.gingerandsmart.com).Best shoes Cherri Bellini, 282 Rundle Street, city, 8232 2829; Mary Kyri heels, www.mary-kyri.com (also stocked at Cherri Bellini).Best trends The ‘tregging’ – think trouser/legging – in everything from metallic to high-shine black; feathers are hot, from bags and capes to dressing-up dresses; lavish lace and feminine frills of the Victorian period are back (to make it more modern, add jewel clutches or go for bold leather belts and boots to toughen the look).

Lucy MacGill reveals her shopping secrets…

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