As a devout chronicler of style, Kelly Smith is Australian illustrator whose work brings a new perspective to fashion illustration by focusing on the personal style of its subject. Kelly's work has been featured in Vogue Australia and countless commercial works, and uses contemporary supermodels as paper dolls of her own design and redresses them in a remix of designer collections. Her curated blog Birdy & Me, is a 'one stop shop’ for her inspirations and often showcases her model muses and sneak peeks of her work. Definitely an artist, but perhaps, a stylist at heart, Kelly is one to watch both for her cues and her amazing freshness she brings to the art of fashion illustration

The principal aspect of my style

I like to take simple pieces and dress them up or down. I think my style is quite minimal, classic. I'm not much of a risk taker, but I admire those who are!

The quality that I desire in a shoe.

I'm quite tall so I live in flats, and to be honest there aren't alot of lust worthy flats around. I'd love to swan about in 4-inch heels, but the truth is I probably wouldn't last more than an hour. But, i'd say the best quality of a truly good shoe, is a simplistic design with a characteristic detail. Something that will go with any outfit yet make a statement. I was, and still am, totally in love with a pair of Lanvin tan leather heels. They had a white cone shaped heel. So stunning to look at, yet very simple in design.

The quality that I desire in a  bag.

I carry so much stuff around with me, that my number one bag criteria is size. I don't like huge totes but I need a little leg room.

What inspires me most

Creativity. Originality. I think the most inspiring things are those that really strive to create a point of difference.

What I appreciate most about my closet.

It's organised.

What is your dream purchase?

A holiday home.

What is your dream fashion purchase?

The only thing that I TRULY covet is a black quilted Chanel 2.55 bag. Hopefully one day all my pay cheques come at once.

Whose style do you admire?

Girls that make ballsy fashion choices are the ones I admire most; Erin Wasson, Marion Cotillard and Diane Kruger. I love the kooky risks that Erin Wasson takes with her outfits, she has that sort of rock chick vibe to pull it off. I adore Marion Cotillard. She's such a beautiful woman, but she's not afraid to experiment. The Jean Paul Gaultier dress she wore to the 2008 Cesars has to be one of my all-time favourites. Diane Kruger is just amazing to me. Anything and everything she wears just looks stunning on her. Even if she makes a gargantuan mistake, she has fun with fashion which I think is what it's all about.

The city where you live.

I recently moved to the East Coast of Tasmania. It's a tiny community by the ocean. It's peaceful and green which I love. It certainly allows me to get on with my work during the day without any outside distractions.

Your favorite color.

This changes so often. At the moment i'm really drawn to vibrant oranges and pinks. I also love plain old black & white. I'm a big fan of white space.

The scent or perfume that I like

I wear Stella by Stella McCartney every day. I also absolutely love Stella in Two. The peony/rose/amber infusion is so beautiful.

 My favorite authors.

I've never really been one to base book or film decisions on authors or directors. I'm more into individual stories. I read alot of books based on reccomendations or just by browsing the jackets.

My top 3 books would probably be The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Night by Elie Viesel and The Bronze Horseman by Paulina Simons.

My favorite stores.

An Australian store called Country Road. The clothes are just so well cut, comfortable and generally do a great job of staying on trend without changing their aesthetic.

My heroes in fashion.

Everything that Karl Lagerfield does is genius in my opinion!

I think every designer has their moments, Jean Paul Gaultier does AMAZING things. But Lagerfield's last collection for Chanel blew me away. The Katsuyo Kamo headpieces transformed the show into some sort of Alice in Wonderland flowerbed fantasy. I think designers who aren't afraid of collaboration and get a bit theatrical put on the best shows. To me that's the true essence of fashion. It's about that element of fantasy, dress ups.

My favorite music.

I have pretty eclectic taste in music. I can listen to anything from blues to pop. Lately, i've been listening to alot of Otis Redding, Vampire Weekend and Lykke Li.

My heroes in real life.

Hmmm this is hard. I guess professionally, there are alot of artists that I would probably consider my heroes. I'm very much inspired by the work of Stina Persson, Julie Verhoeven and Kat Macleod.

 My style heroines in history.

My love for these women's style never wavers: Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel.

My favorite designer

Again, this changes so much. Collection by collection. At the moment i'm loving Balmain, Marc Jacobs' latest collection for Louis Vuitton, Karl Lagerfield for Chanel, and Stella McCartney.

What I hate most of all in style.

I'm VERY against this big 80's resurgence. The 80's was such an ugly decade, without a doubt the worst of all of them, which I always thought was universally agreed upon. Yet everyone seems to have come down with a sudden bout of amnesia.

What is the city where you feel most at home

Hobart. Probably one of the tiniest cities in one of the tiniest parts of Australia. But it's home.

My present state of mind.

I'm feeling a little bit dazed at the moment. Semi-stressed. But one thing at a time and i'm sure i'll snap out of it.

My style mantra

Less is More.