Australian Women's Weekly photo shoot for my new book, One Enchanted Evening

Only for very special reasons do I allow models to wear gowns in 

The Darnell Collection, but I felt a feature of my new book, 

One Enchanted Evening, 

in Australian Women's Weekly, was a wonderful opportunity 

to bring a selection of dresses to life. 

There are some dresses too valuable or fragile to allow to be worn, 

but there were plenty of others from the book that made choosing difficult. 

I also had to pick garments that suited the three models' individuality, 

who were also 6 foot tall. 

I always enjoying transforming modern women (and men) into another era. 

For this shoot, we were working with garments 

from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 2000s. 

All very different moods, dress silhouettes, hair and beauty styles, accessories. It was an exciting challenge. 

In the end, I went for dresses that either had stories personal to me 

or designer/decade histories I thought would highlight 

the diversity of stories (and fashion) in my book.

Darley's Restaurant at Lilianfels is the backdrop for a Darnell Collection photo shoot of Couture

In the most decadent and majestic interior of the newly renovated Darley's restaurant at the classically elegant Lilianfel's Hotel in Katoomba, a selection of couture gowns from the collection were brought to life.

The misty day created the perfect ambiance in which to showcase couture at it's finest - from Balenciaga and to Dior, from Chanel to Vivienne Westwood, from Valentina to Ninette of Melbourne.  A quick photo session around the pool highlighted the vibrant, psychedelic-patterned kaftan followed by a chilly plunge in the hotel pool wearing the latest look by Ripcurl. Fashion comes full circle!

Thank you to the unbelievably talented Brigitte and Tony at Brigitte Grant Photography; to Chris at Chris Wolf Hair; to Olivia, our beautiful and obliging model, and to Lilianfel's Hotel, Katoomba.

Dior Haute Couture, Printemps/l'Ete, 1960

The perfect LBD,  oh so Audrey!

Chanel tulle skirt

Stunning sequin Vivienne Westwood gown

Valentina wool and sequin mini dress with extraordinary beaded sleeves

Glittery Brian Atwood boots make the outfit!

Balenciaga silk LBD, late 1940s

Ninette of Melbourne kaftan and Mary Quant sunglasses

Neoprene swimsuit by Ripcurl

Dior 1960 Cocktail Dress in The Darnell Collection

Christian Dior: A silk faille cocktail dress from the 1960 Spring/Summer collection

An original photograph by Mark Shaw of a silk faille cocktail dress from the 1960 Dior Spring/Summer collection 

A Dior dress from the same 1960 collection in the Darnell Collection
(Model: Olivia de Govrik; Hair: Chris Wolf Hair; Location: Darley's, Lilianfels Hotel, Katoomba;
Photograph: Brigitte Grant Photography)