The Wonderful World @ 4th & Bleeker

From Susie Bubble to Bryan Boy, the dub-dub-dub world has exploded with style queens eager to share their tips, trials and tribulations about fashion with an ever-growing virtual audience. Yet, among the millions on offer, few inject a sense of humor or intimacy alongside the latest snap of their lusted after Louboutins. So let Tavi go back to school. It’s time to update your RSS feeds and prepare to join fashion editors across the globe in their addiction to 4thandbleeker.com—a hilarious rant and photographic diary about the world of high fashion (by someone who actually gets to wear it). Created by ‘accidental’ Aussie model and former designer Alexandra Spencer, the site offers DIY fashion suggestions, countless “crotch shots,” a plethora of Spencer-sourced fashion obsessions and a link to Spencer’s brand-new line of clothing. With a down-to-earth attitude, Spencer is the first to laugh at her newfound status of fashion icon (cemented in 2009 by Vogue.com). SOMA caught up with the gorgeous girl behind the hype for an exclusive chat about blogs, blood and bullshit.

pants Josh Goot, bodysuit Models own, watch TW Steel, rings Lowluv by Erin Wasson and Yves Saint Laurent

You have become an international fashion icon. Can you recall your earliest memory of being inspired by the fashion industry?
Learning how to sew was such a huge inspiration for me to get creative. I remember those teen angst years  – not too long ago — where it’s all about being cool, smoking cigarettes, dating that awful guy, and figuring out who you are and what you like. Fashion-wise, you would see all these great things that you want or think up some ridiculous concept, and you’re so happy you’ve found something that fits your current steez that you forget you either don’t have any money or it’s not out there in the market. So, I used to sit at home all weekend sewing, sewing, sewing. It made for heaps of good memories — apart from the time I sewed through my index finger and bled all over the velvet cape I’d been working on! It was particularly traumatic because the damn thing took forever to finish as I would only sew whilst listening to one song from that ghetto-creepy band Enigma, and I couldn’t figure out how to press repeat so I would have to get up every five minutes to repeat the track. Looking back, it still annoys me!

So when and how did you make the jump from DIY crafter to international model?
In 2009 a girl from Australian Vogue asked a guy I was working with if I’d be in a summer shoot for them. Naturally, I said “Yes!” so they came over and cast me at my house while I was eating a pizza—which I found a little ironic. I spent all day at the ensuing shoot hanging out in Chanel and thought, “I could get super into this!” A week later I found myself in the CHIC Management offices and that was it.

denim jacket Bassike

You have worked with some huge names. Who’s been the best?
Ahhh [there have been] so many great people! I’ve done campaigns for Jag, Wrangler, Just Jeans, Jeans West, Equip, RMK, General Pants, Myer, Sunglasses Hut, Peep Toe, Mi Piachi, Bunda, Cassette Society, and Electric. I’ve done editorials for Vogue Australia, Harper’s Bazaar Australia, Yen, Cleo, Fashion Quarterly, No Mag, Oyster, Black Mag, Pulp Mag, Pilot and German Glamour.
It’s a super fun job, especially when you work with great teams and get to travel. It can also get super tiring and full of bullshit. You have to be a little tough to work in that kind of environment, but fuck, the money’s great and you don’t have to put on your own shoes!

Your blog, 4th and Bleeker, has exploded. What’s it all about?
ME! It’s incredibly self-indulgent to make something, shoot it (usually with a crotch shot), and then write about it. But all the people that read it get me, and [understand] that it’s all coming from a good place.

jacket Ellery, vintage shorts Models own, watch TW Steel

Bloggers always seem to be obsessed with something. What are you eyeing a lot of at the moment?
I’m beyond obsessed with James Patterson’s books. I read one a week, easily — the pages really do turn themselves! TV-wise, there’s a series in Australia called Underbelly about our [criminal] underworld from the 1970s – ’90s. It’s incredible! Very Australian. I’m listening a lot to a band called Hall and Outs and am obsessed with the Style.com blog.

Who or what inspires you?
At the moment Rod Stewart… I love him. And at the risk of sounding very Disney: everything!

What’s the best advice you have been given?
“Don’t do that, be you.” (Not in the back-of-the-yearbook kinda way though!) It was when I first started modeling and I was still learning how to do so, and I would go to shoot and think, “Okay, today I’m going to be this person or that person” because you kind of get done up and thrown in the spotlight (literally). You either have to have a plan or wing it until pushing your tits out and tilting your head at an unnatural angle becomes natural to you. So I was doing all of the above and a photographer named Chris Colls looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Don’t do that, just be you’ to me in front of about 20 people. From then on, I just did me. It was a huge turning point.

dress Josh Goot

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own blog?
To quote Nike, “Just do it.” Make it your own and have fun. Because it’s all about your point of view at the end of the day, and people love seeing new things.

vintage top Models own, jumpsuit Erin Wasson x RVCA, watch TW Steel

Finally, in your opinion what makes someone stylish?
Their personality: nothing more, nothing less.
For more on Alexandra visit www.4thandblog.blogspot.com

– Fiona Killackey

Photography by Darren Mcdonald at www.coldam.com and www.darren-mcdonald.com
Styling by Alexandra Spencer
Make up by Yolanda Lukowski
Hair by Luke Davis