SYDNEY: Rising modelling star Lucinda Taffs likes to keep it in the family.
The niece of Covers Design owners Barry Taffs and Marilyn Said has diversified her fashion career with the launch of womenswear label Luci In The Sky.
Launching with multi-functional swimwear, Luci In The Sky was targeted at "fashion conscious women who also believe in value for money and want garments that reflect that", Taffs said.
Comprising 12 to 15 swim pieces priced between $100 and $250, the brand's debut spring/summer 09/10 collection - dubbed 'Girl with kaleidoscope eyes' - os inspired by Art Deco, 1980's excess, the photography of Helmut Newton and "seductive Sci-Fi".
"Through a sculptural sex appeal with a futuristic edge, Luci In The Sky represents swimwear that is wearable but also exciting and original," she said. The brand's key points of difference were attainability and versatility, she added.
"Luci In The Sky believes there is also a gap in the market for affordable swim, especially in this economic climate consumers need products that are good quality but also multifunctional. One of the great things about my swimwear pieces is that they also double as bodysuits and can be worn with cut off jeans or skirts. They take you from a day by the pool to a night out."
Taffs studied fashion and textiles at the University of Technology Sydney while pursuing a modelling career. Currently represented by Chic Model Management, she has worked with labels such as Seafolly, Bonds and Just Jeans, gracing the pages of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Shop til you Drop and Russh.
Her new brand would launch in Sydney, with plans to penetrate interstate and international markets over coming seasons, she said.
"Luci In The Sky [also] plans to branch out into ready-to-wear. The long term plan is to start with swim and then expand into other areas."