Fashion Tear Sheets
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Guest writer Timothy Holmberg rips out and presents his picks and highlights from this year's NZ Fashion Week in his blog Fashion Tear Sheets. Read his daily updates below and on twitter @thebigideanz
Guest writer Timothy Holmberg rips out and presents his picks and highlights from this year's NZ Fashion Week in his blog Fashion Tear Sheets. Read his daily updates below and on twitter @thebigideanz
Catwalk Gallery: Click on pictures for full size and use arrows to scroll through gallery. Photos by New Zealand Fashion Week / Michael Ng
24/09/10 - Day Four - The Final Day
Kicking off the final day of NZFW was the Miromoda group show, a collection of up and coming Maori designers. The show was an exhibition of the Miromoda winners and the ranges were fun, colourful and filled with bright patterns. One of the standout performers was Shona Taiwhiao who presented some wonderfully crafted woven flax garments. Blaire Archibald, the overall competition winner, designed a range of menswear with a strong working class feel. The soft creams and earth tones looked brilliant on the higher waisted pants and linen shirts.
Blak Lux debuted at NZFW with a very well styled collection composed of velvet, leather, lace and silk. Floor length black lace gowns and silken button up slips with large lace cutouts were strong yet feminine. The long velvet tuxedo jacket looked brilliant, as did the dark red leather pants.
This year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of NZFW the organisers held a retrospective showcase featuring as many as possible of the 400 the designers to have shown over the long, colourful history of the event. From household names such as Juliette Hogan and Jimmy D to the more obscure - potentially before my time - IPG and Gaye Bartlett. It was the perfect show to acknowledge all the hard work and effort the thousands of people have put into making this brand as huge as it is today. It was also a fantastic chance to experience the changing styles of some labels over the years.
Huffer closed the weekday formalities, as they usually do, with a bravely outdoor show at the Owen G Glenn building on the University of Auckland campus. The collection was a muted pastel mix with lots of preppy pieces and wollen trimmings, including knitted tights. Perfect for the younger crowd the Huffer collection remained true to their upmarket streetwear vision.
This week has been busy and rewarding to say the least! NZFW has been an amazing experience once again and here's to another 10 years.
23/09/10 - Day Three - Individual and International
Twentysevennames opened today with their usual schoolgirl chic. Tartans and monocomatic pieces were offset by some deep warm hues in patterned cocktail dresses. Chunky cable knit jumpers and rucksacks make for a picture of innocence. Organic and flattering - these pieces could be worn by all.
The group show included TK, Mena and Whiri but the easy standout was Liz Mitchell. Inspired by Peonies and infused with oriental imperialism touches she presented a fantastic array of eveningwear. Numerous fuschia hues in stretch cotton and silk were shown alongside beautiful lace shifts. The runway-ready finale burgundy gown a la McQueen was very memorable.
Proving that fashion and plus sizes can go hand in hand can be difficult but The Carpenter's Daughter pulled it off with aplomb. The women were striking in graphic eyeliner and plum lips as they sashayed down the walk in leather, linen, fur and lace. Cropped jackets and empire lines worked well with fuller skirts.
Matchi Motchi showed for the first time at NZFW today and brought a very futuristic, padded and layered collection to the runway. Shear cottons in moss and earth contrasted with bright silver deconstructed jackets and metallic pants. Highlight would definitely be the totally ruffled cocktail dress with rounded hood in mustard and umber.
For this year's international offering NZFW brought over American designer Nicole Miller, who has a large celebrity following. Her collection was casual, refined and full of body conscious dresses with leather epaulettes. The monocromatic colour palette was given dimension by intricate shoulder and back straps.
Michelle Yvette showed a very 1920s inspired collection with delicate feminine nuances. Frilled leopard dresses, fascinators and elbow length gloves. Structured cream and black jackets combined with pearls and lace undergarments gave the show a burlesque feel.
Crammed into the Mercury Theatre next to Pieter Stewert, owner and founder of NZFW, I actually enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of Stolen Girlfriends Club. Wine jars in hand we sat down to appreciate the red vinyl pants, creams, shear whites and drama Stolen Girlfriends Club is known for. Fantastic new direction for the label they embarked with pleather, fur with shear cutouts, tan and shearling. Always the best party and hosting of the week!
22/09/10 - Day Two - The collections keep getting better and better!
First off the bat for today was Ruby. Never before seen at NZFW they made one amazing debut: even in the blustery hail there was a large international media contingent present. Their sheep skin rugs and seat covers made the venue feel like home, not to mention the designers welcoming us in and showing us our seats. Collection-wise it was very Jetsons meets Yogi Bear. Amazing use of felt in coats, capes and skirts with bright forest greens mixed with metallic coppers. Shear cotton was used throughout to give a feminine edge to the campsite nature of the garments.
Brady and Sable & Minx formed a combined show with some contrasting inspiration. Brady’s Grecian draped dresses in moss and pale grey-blue were given some dimension and edge with constricting leather belts and harnesses. Sable & Minx brought out their typical bold prints, this season a combination of peacock and leopard. Cowl necklines played off brilliantly with headbands and metallic leaf headdresses.
Next was Sabatini, who opened with a film noir video depicting the muse, the maker and their tumultuous relationship. The range was heavy with crocheted dresses and a large amount of fringing – which seems to be a global trend with numerous following suit in London and New York. The fur cuffs, shear slips and bomber jackets alluded to our own Jean Batten – at a cocktail party.
Ever the unusual and ethereal, Jimmy D showed a collection that was based on Swedish metal with up-cycled band sweatshirts transformed into layered skirts with shear drapery. Tights were ripped and torn with amazing black wedges by Chaos & Harmony and the burgundy eye makeup contrasted well with the black and white palette.
World made a high-class comeback this season after missing last NZFW by showing in the Langham Hotel ballroom. The high tea setting matched the Ivy League inspired collection seamlessly. Red and tan collegiate uniforms mixed well with bright phthalo blue and orange gowns. Menswear showed a strong move towards tartan suiting and bright outerwear. There were some very covetable multi-colour umbrellas and this show definitely managed to bring glitter back into fashion.
With her usual flair Trelise Cooper easily showed 60 outfits on her runway. Split into two phases the first was very 19th Century military inspired with mustard yellow and moss green popular once again. For the second phase a massive stained glass backdrop was revealed with matching patterned gowns. Beautiful tasseled shoes, necklaces and belts were used and the construction details of the garments were impeccable as ever.
What seemed to be an absolute first in terms of production in New Zealand was Nom*D’s stage play meets fashion installation. Walking into a barren shed - once again - there was an entire play set inside, including bed, demolished car and dining setting. The models drank, jumped up and down, made out and read all in the environment – a fantastic way to see the clothes in ‘real life’. Dark and moody the theme was definitely derived from a Western funeral. Strapped waists and cropped woolen jackets were very wearable for winter.
Looking forward to the line-up tomorrow which includes our international offering for the year, Nicole Miller, who is a red carpet guru in America, dressing the likes of Beyonce, Eva Longoria and my personal favourite, Emily Blunt.
21/09/10 Day One - Ethical Clothing, Día de los Muertos and Tears of Joy
Today has been a hectic, run-around type of day - quite typical for the first day of New Zealand Fashion Week - and not helped at all by the sporadic weather. But come rain or shine, the clothes, shoes and shows must go on.
Opening NZFW this year was Starfish who hosted the first ethical show in the Week’s history. A local pioneer of stylish yet sustainable clothing, the collection was rife with eco-conscious fabrics and New Zealand sourcing and production. Perfect winter layering Starfish heavily featured their take on ‘pastel military’. Pleated kilts in long, demure lengths were matched with feminine, muted jackets and collared ruching. There was also a brilliant green and white pattern quite reminiscent of Oscar de la Renta.
Juliette Hogan continued her creamy, floral, floor-length signature look with this collection but also alluded to the 1950s resurgence with Audrey Hepburn figure cuts and necklines. Muted earth and blue tones worked brilliantly with high wasted ruffled skirts and the combination of leather and chiffon made sure the range wasn’t too ethereal but had some edge.
Bright, bold and ladylike were the key features of Andrea Moore’s Winter 2011 collection. Bold, jewel toned tights to make Malvolio jealous were combined with matching retro Casio watches. Tartan also played heavily in structured capes and jackets and bold abstract florals worked well in asymmetrical, Grecian draped dresses.
Crowd favourite, Sera Lilly, showed her typical, perfectly boned and structured gowns along with some more daywear appropriate dresses and coats. The entire show seemed to be divided in two: lower class 19th Century Spanish colonial Mexico versus the upper class nobles. Fantastic winter ponchos and faux llama jackets with distressed cotton tartan skirts for the daywear and then heavily layered floor length flamenco gowns complete with rosettes and ruffles. The show closed with a brilliant Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) inspired finale gown.
Cybele’s collection was wild yet feminine at heart. Leather corsets layered over shear silk dresses and coarse, woolen, asymmetrical cardigans. Fiery orange tones with plenty of fringing and draped hoods gave the show a slightly The Village air. Known for her use of pattern, this year Cybele utilised dissected flower imagery repeated over silk tops like ink blots.
Kathryn Wilson wowed the audience with the first ever shoe focused show in NZFW history. The audio-visual, high-tech nature of this presentation made it the most memorable of the day. From the brilliantly edited opening video to the live ‘shoe-cams’ the production values were impeccable. So were the shoes of course, with brilliant, leopard patterns combined with leather embellishments and pops of candy colour being the highlights. The standing ovation was definitely well deserved. Show producer, Murray Bevan, was even seen to shed a few tears of joy at the close.
Adrian Hailwood was a very military, 1970s inspired collection with a heavy showing of metallic moss greens and coppers. Collegiate jumpers matched with velvet tulip skirts and London Underground fur jackets combined with silken slips made for an abundance of contradictions. Large structured lapels and shoulder flourishes on heavy wool coats looked perfect for next winter.
The last show for the day was Zambesi. Held off-site in the wonderfully cavernous and barren Deus Ex Machina sheds the collection was witnessed by easily 400 spectators. Menswear consisted of incredible combinations of sailor and football vibes with black, white and navy featuring throughout. Womenswear was beautifully tailored with charcoal knits, floral lace and lovely shaggy shearling coats. The layering and structure that Zambesi is known and loved for was consistently present in this collection.
Phew! Today has been incredibly busy and the pace is set to remain consistent for the rest of the week. However, it wouldn’t be Fashion Week if it weren’t completely frantic.
September 20: The Glorious Double Digits
With the coming of spring comes the inevitable sound of thousands of well-heeled men and women making their way down to New Zealand Fashion Week in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. However, this year is not just another week of fashion, frivolity and runway falls. This year marks the enterprise’s tenth year on the global fashion week circuit.
Founded by Pieter Stewart and now co-helmed by her daughter Myken this trade event has come from small beginnings to become a celebrated showcase of local designers and one of the nation’s highest profile events.
It took Pieter three years of planning before she was ready to launch the inaugural NZFW back in 2000 and since then her cunning business acumen and industry connections have ensured that it has remained very successful.
Stewart says that the publicity surrounding the event is a true indication of this growth: from $1.9 million in coverage in its first year to an astounding $64 million last year.
With this much growth it’s important, as for any business, that fashion week has developed and adapted new ideas to keep the entire enterprise fresh and vibrant.
This year the NZFW team initiated the New Talent competition, giving new models and stylists a leg up in the industry and the chance to create this year’s billboard. Also unique to this year will be a retrospective show to commemorate a decade of New Zealand fashion, particularly to celebrate the three designers to have consistently shown – Zambesi, Trelise Cooper and Nom*D.
The venue has also had a few tweaks and alterations to remain up with the latest interior trends while simultaneously confusing the crew. The new Matisse VIP lounge has a very pacific chic styling, with pale greens and blue hues on the walls and branches hanging from the ceiling. Also surprising and new this year is that the entire Westpac Tent – where the majority of shows take place – has had a full 180-degree spin.
Tonight is the official launch party for NZFW 2010. Although this marks the first of many media launches, fashion shows, exhibitions, breakfasts, lunches and dinners – so there is no doubt that it should be a very quiet, early night had by all…
See you all tomorrow with updates on the first day of shows and excitement!
tH
September 16: Is it that time of year already?
September brings with it a sense of urgency in the fashion design industry. New Zealand’s top designers hurriedly finish collections while journalists quickly brush up on their garment construction terminology and finally, months of design preparation come to fruition.
September heralds the arrival of New Zealand Fashion Week – and in this Fashion Tear Sheets blog I will be bringing you all the fashion, hair and makeup trends along with the music, design and excitement that come with it.
This year’s NZFW lineup is the longest in their ten-year history with more than 35 shows featuring 44 designers, including about six designers brand new to the Fashion Week walk.
Quite noticeable is the addition of the first ever footwear oriented show and the NZFW Retrospective Show, a celebration of a decade in the trade.
With so much happening and all in such a short space of time I look forward to the moments of respite as I tear out all the highlights of the day and put them back together again on the Fashion Tear Sheets.