NJ: Hey Tanja! How are you?

TG: I am feeling amazing! I am lying in my backyard getting a suntan right now. I am so bummed the weather wasn’t great when you came to the house. Bondi is really beautiful when it is sunny. Also my gardeners came to replant this week – I am so sorry you didn’t get a chance to see it looking nice… C’est la vie!

NJ: Where are you from originally?

TG: I was born in Croatia but with a Serbian heritage.

NJ: How long have you been in Australia? You could have fooled me with your Aussie accent!

TG: Well that’s funny because in Sydney everyone always spots the Croatian accent as soon as I open my mouth! My family moved to New Zealand when I was 14 and I was discovered by a modeling agent soon after. I first came to Australia in 1996 but modeling soon took me overseas. I permanently moved back to Sydney in 2003.

NJ: You must really love it here to move this far! What’s the appeal of this upside down continent?

TG: I love the expansiveness, the way light is so bright here it makes the colors more vivid and the sky goes on forever. I love how big Australia is – it is hard to explain to a European that a car trip from Sydney to Melbourne takes 12 hours! In Europe you could go through five countries in the same time!

NJ: And what about Bondi? I hear a lot of people who live in the city never even come out here!

TG: Bondi Beach used to be dirty because of bad runoff and only grandmas and backpackers lived here. They fixed the runoff 15 years ago and now the water is crystal clear and Bondi has some of the most expensive real estate in Sydney, not to mention that with its kilometer stretch of golden sand it is a huge draw card for tourists. It gets hectic during the summer months but it is lovely and quiet out of season. I love living here because of the strong connection to nature – we get dolphins and whales in the bay, we can fish for whiting to eat from the beach or go on a spectacular cliff side jog every morning followed by a swim – all before work! The city is only 15 – 20 minutes away so you can get the best of both worlds. The restaurants in Bondi are arguably the best in Australia – I love going to Icebergs for a great cocktail or leisurely lunch with the best views in Sydney, a great family meal at North Bondi Italian or last but not least, my absolute favorite restaurant in Australia – Sean’s Panaroma where Sean and Manu’s menu is strongly focused on local and organic ingredients sourced straight from their farm.

NJ: Tell me a little bit about your family.

TG: I have a 5-year old daughter, Coco Valentine and my partner is Stephen Pavlovic. He’s also half Croatian.

NJ: I noticed you were showing me a lot of 60s cocktail dresses. You looked like one of Don Draper’s mistresses!

TG: I have an obsession with 50s and 60s dresses! There was something so discreet but extremely sexy about the silhouettes of that time and the cut of the garments really hugs the curves in all the right places. I do like the idea that everyone made an effort and women were elegant and desirable in a different way. When I put on the dresses I wonder who these women were who originally wore them, how they moved, danced, sat… They take me to another time and make me feel grown-up and perfectly polished.

NJ: How would you describe your style then? What is a typical Tanja outfit? Surely you don’t run around Sydney in cocktail dresses every day?

TG: I think I suffer from Multiple Fashion Personality Disorder (also known as MFPD) as there is no typical outfit! I really get off on a lot of different looks. Sometimes I am ‘Jenny from the Block’ in hi-top Isabel Marants and sportswear; sometimes I dress in all black leather, or all sweet pastels, or emulate a polished 5th Avenue princess. It’s like United States Of Tara!!

NJ: Where do you find your vintage pieces? You seem to be especially fond of that pink coat! Why is that?

TG: I tend to buy my vintage from the US Ebay site because they have a lot of really old stuff. I also love Kirribilli markets, the little vintage stores on Crown street and big thrift warehouses in Melbourne called Savers. As far as the pink coat is concerned, I suffered blood, sweat and tears to get it! It was my last day in LA when I saw it. I had spent all my cash and my friend told me I looked like a nanna in it. When I got back to Australia I started having vivid dreams about it and knew I had to have it. I called the store and pleaded, cajoled, tried bribing but they just wouldn’t take my credit card over the phone or take me seriously! I finally had to wait for Stephen to bring it back from one of this trips.

NJ: I see you also collect crystal and colorful glass jars, shells, taxidermy insects, hand-painted teacups and lithographs. What’s up with that? Any thing else you obsess about?

TG: I love crystal for its elegance and sparkle and I love depression glass because of all the colors and its democratic past – they were given away free or at low cost during the Great Depression. Basically anything old with a story fascinates me and I often get obsessed about objects for periods of time while I learn about them. I love 18th and 19th century lithographs and etchings not just because of their gorgeous drawings but because they are evidence that 100-200 years ago these animals and plants were just being discovered and were a source of so much wonder for people. When I look at them, I am reminded that planet Earth is home to such an incredible, diverse multitude of species and how lucky we all are to live here. It is paradise!

EVERYONE: Amen.

For more on Tanja’s treasure hunting, come back tomorrow for a Russh magazine shopping special!

Burgundy skirt, printed bomber jacket by Josh Goot. White top by Marni. Fluorescent pink pumps by Casadei. Bra by American Apparel. Sunglasses by Oliver Peoples. Green snake bracelet by Roberto Cavalli. Leather and suede burgundy bag by Benah.

Photos by Sonny Vandevelde on Palm Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

We drive further up the hill until we find an unassuming narrow driveway with shared parking spaces. I’m happy to get out of the car. One hour isn’t  long but I want to be in the sun! Heidi has set the table on the patio with a light lunch: goat cheese, olives, cured trout. Classical music is playing softly over the speakers. “The kids are at the beach,” she explains when I tell her how peaceful it is. “Would you like a glass of wine?” she inquires. I nod, taking in my new surroundings. It’s a hot day and I’m in blissful heavens: This is my dream house. Built in the 1940s and at one point occupied by a flamboyant gay fashion designer and a celebrated Australian painter, the house resembles an Italian terraced villa. The entire front of the house facing the bay is open, basking in sunlight throughout the day and displaying breathtaking sunsets at dusk. The walls are covered in smooth white stucco and the windows kept in their original floor to ceiling frames. “The house has a colorful history,” begins Heidi. “We have slowly been ‘chipping away at the diamond’ with small to medium sized renovations and now have plans at council to make some significant changes like adding another story to the top level. I have designed a large room/walk-in closet as part of the new floor.”

When her husband comes home with the two girls (India Grace is 6 and Elke Bay is 5) , 40-year old designer Heidi Middleton, lights up. They will only staying a minute to change – they’ve gotten clear instructions not to disturb mommy while she’s working. Heidi is Creative Director and Head Designer at Sass & Bide, a position she’s held for the past 13 years. That the brand is doing well is an understatement. You may have heard about the 65% stake purchase by Myer for $42 million in 2011 and the company’s plans to open flagships in Los Angeles, London and New York. Heidi and her partner Sarah-Jane Clarke have appeared on every subsequent Young Rich List but have remained perfectly unaffected and modest – they are lovely, down-to-earth women with fulfilling, healthy lives and wonderful families. Despite a bout with cancer in 2007, Heidi is the picture of happiness and peace. She’s poised, soft-spoken, a little bit shy, curious, sexy, and in the best shape of her life. I may very well check off “dream body” on my list of marvels today too.

Heidi excuses herself for not having her entire wardrobe on hand. She packs and sends a new storage box of clothes to the garage every month. “Our entire garage is full of both vintage and archived Sass & Bide. My new bedroom cannot come fast enough!” Her outfits begin and ends with vintage. “It is what first fueled my love of fashion. I am at my happiest when I am clashing favorite vintage pieces with ‘fallen in love with’ new purchases. It is also what inspires me daily in the design room.” In a few words her style is “intuitive, nomadic, contradicted, spirited, modern and free”. She’s laid out what seems like a life time collection of Sass & Bides and vintage accessories on the bed and pulls out whatever vintage pieces she has in her bedroom this month. I am amazed at the ease and confidence with which she dresses. She has the natural ability to make any garment look cool – it’s a gift. We could have done this for a few more hours but the sun is setting and I have to snap back to reality. Maybe when Heidi itches to move abroad again – she lived in Europe for a few years – we can swap homes… Now wouldn’t that be a dream…

I got off the plane at 6.30 AM on Monday and spent the next five days hopping from show to show, flanked by familiar faces like Susie Bubble, BryanBoy, Phil Oh, Candice Lake and Tommy Ton. Everyone was on their best behavior; the sun was shining and the views were breathtaking. There was a lot of good summer stuff on the MBFWA Sydney runways but Ellery topped the charts for me. I gasped a few times when those looks were coming out. Constructed shorts, cute mouse ear head bands, black on white botanical prints, color block pant suits, it was all very Joosy!

And hence, the focus of this Week’s Look: a printed, draped dress with silver wrap skirt and silver mouse ears by Ellery, paired with a matching silver bag and gunmetal bracelets by Benah, Ksubi sunglasses, my favorite Pierre Hardy shoes, and an Australian hat I got on Bondai Beach.

Photos at the Sydney Opera House by Tommy Ton!!

Byrdie loves vintage. I wish I could rummage through her boxes, but I’d risk sending the poor girl straight to the doctor for Xanax. So instead we go shopping – it’s a nice little distraction. We meet at One Model Management on Bond Street and make our way down Lafayette Street to Amarcord, one of my favorite vintage stores. Byrdie goes straight for the rock ’n roll/hippie pieces: a white fringed leather jacket, a black motorcycle vest, white bell bottoms and a leopard print bustier. I don’t mean to point out the obvious, but isn’t that the kind of stuff girls in LA wear? Is LA style seeping into Byrdie’s pores already? “Funny you ask that,” she laughs, “because I can already feel it happening and its terrifying me! I trust my friends will keep me straight.” I do my share of rescue therapy by putting her in a bright yellow Chanel jump suit, a pink Leonard gown and a YSL polka dot two-piece! Crisis averted, temporarily.

Not surprisingly Byrdie names Michael Jackson and Patti Smith as her style icons, and describes her daily outfits with just two words: “clean” and “character”. “I never want things to look perfect,” she elaborates. “I’m not afraid of holes and stains but everything must be of good quality, look clean and fresh. I’m also not a fan of fussiness and too much accessorizing.” At Ellen on Ludlow Street she grabs a denim smock and tiny linen cargo shorts. And then she says something alarming: “Oh and I really love Britney Spears! In a real way, not a kitsch way.” And while I’m having a hard time putting a positive spin on this curious statement, I can’t help but think that we lost our Byrdie. She’s gone to the other side. The West Coast.

Dress by Peter Som; vintage wool sweater by DKNY; shoes by Jimmy Choo; silver bracelet by Eddie Borgo; vintage beaded collar.

Photos by Aram Bedrossian.

Berrin Noorata moved to Bushwick because she needed “to get out of the Lower East Side. It started to feel like the Meat Packing District and that’s just not the vibe I want to live in. I wanted a quiet place with big windows where I could have lots of plants and trees.” Her place is sunny, to say the least. There are no curtains to speak of, even though she’s been living here since August. “I love waking up to the sunlight pouring in,” she says calmly. And she got her plants. The previous tenant even had a tree in the living room but “he took it with him…” Her roommate Evan, a Cooper Union student and occasional, excellent, vegan baker, is a discreet yet consistent part of the Noorata household.

Berrin is Turkish for “pinnacle of heaven”. She is the youngest of three siblings born and raised by Brighton Beach with pure Uzbek roots. And though most of her family has now relocated to places like Pakistan and Turkey, she hangs on to her heritage with great pride and treasures the matrimonial influences. “I grew up in a conservative environment. The women on my mom’s side of the family only had custom clothes made for them and so when I visit I do too. My mother also made a lot of the clothes my sister and I wore growing up. She did not like the clothes we had available to us in the malls so we spent a lot of time in fabric stores. I remember for my 6th grade graduation I desperately wanted a poofy metallic dress from the mall and she refused, actually laughing and decided to make me a mod, red and white polka dot mini dress instead. I hated it at first but I think it changed my entire direction in style.”

These days Berrin is a chameleon and her style “very moody”. As the Brand Developer at Searchers Group, a small PR and marketing company, she has access to some of her favorite brands. She loves Rick Owens because she was “a goth growing up, so working with his collections is a dream come true”, Repetto because “they are the original heritage brand” and Surface to Air because she can always “find something casual and cool to wear.” And as far as vintage is concerned, she collects pieces as she finds them. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Her most memorable pieces are a leather daddy hat she got in Berlin and a vintage bike from the flea market. Just the things one needs for a painless Bushwick invasion.

Scroll down to watch Berrin’s video story.

Top and skirt by Marni; Shoes by Suno + Loeffler Randall; vintage pink cashmere V-neck sweater; Pink “Harvest” sunglasses by Karen Walker; vintage plastic wire handbag (from Ellen on Ludlow Street). Manicure by Wah Nails who were in town from London handing out free manis to celebrate the launch of their book. More about them on IntoTheGloss this week!

Photos By Aram Bedrossian.

Mary Charteris has the house to herself. Her mum is in India for a month and her brother just moved out. And soon Mary will be Mrs. Robbie Furze - he popped the question last September – and if all goes according to the 5-year Master Plan she’ll be “married and living in LA in the hills or on a ranch in Austin with chickens and pigs.” Because that’s just the kind of girl she is: a ball of energy, talking and laughing a hundred miles an hour, enjoying her blessed young life and plucking the fruits of a pleasantly insane family tree, with Aunt Daphne Guinness as the catalyst of her daily inspirations. “When we hang out we basically just talk for hours about everything, give each other advice, share ideas,” she says with a sense of pride. “Of course I raid her wardrobe whenever I go over to her house. Or just stare at it in amazement.” And like the rest of her family – there also Tom Guinness, former Burberry model and editor of L’Officiel Hommes and his wife Rachel Chandler, a Vogue photographer and Rebecca Guinness, a fashion editor and writer – Mary’s no sitting duck. She’s modeling for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Terry Richardson, designing bikinis for Pistol Panties, and contributing to Lula Magazine. She’s even got plans to sing on her fiance’s records.

Mary and I buzz through the town house like frantic chickens. We have to make up for – my pitiful – lost time and rush through outfits. Luckily there is no shortage of fun stuff in Mary’s closet. She’s somewhat of a vintage fanatic, collects head dresses and never throws anything she loves away, “even if I’m too old to wear it. I’m saving it all for my kids!” (Part II of the Master Plan!) If her wardrobe is any indication of her current state of mind and life style, I’d call it eclectic with an edge. She mixes whimsical with studded, delicate with dangerous and tries to get away “with wearing anything and everything” as long as it doesn’t look like it came from a giant clothing chain. “I go on tour with my fiancé’s band around America mainly so I can go vintage shopping in all the random spots they play.” Just this past weekend The Big Pink played at Coachella, where thrifting is a religion. Mary reports that “Coachella was great. It rained the first day which was a bit sad. The band played really well on the Saturday which put everyone in good spirits. We ended up at Jeremy Scott’s house party dancing with Snoop Dogg. It doesn’t get much better than that!”

So if you feel like you’ve got the stomach for it and want to splurge on some of the most incredible vintage in the world under one roof, next friday and Saturday is your time to go mental. I am giving away 3 free tickets to my readers. Please comment on this page with your e-mail address and we will pick 3 random names on Thursday!

But don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Photos by Thierry Van Biesen.