INDUSTRY NEWS: May 2015

Here’s our latest INDUSTRY NEWS column with what’s new in fashion and beauty for May 2015.

Kelly Thompson and Andrew Archer launch UNA

UNA is a visual creative studio founded by New Zealand-born, now Melbourne-based illustrator Kelly Thompson and Andrew Archer. “After over 20 years cumulative experience working as freelance artists and art directors UNA grew from the desire to expand and challenge ourselves creatively, but also to be able to deliver a more extensive range of services.” These include illustration, creative direction, consultancy, brand management, advertising collateral, or a full brand redesign. “We take concepts, develop them, find the perfect medium to realise them, and translate them ready for your desired output, be it packaging, a campaign, textiles, point of sale, posters, fashion, merchandise, film, or editorial.” Contact Kelly and Andrew at www.weareuna.com

SHOWcase hair and fashion runway in Wellington 

SHOWcase 2015 was an event that shows off what all members of the local creative community have to offer and allows consumers to see the latest trends in style and lifestyle elements. The runway event on May 2 was in two parts – a group installation show and a solo show. With a meeting point at TSB Arena, guests had no idea where they were headed before they boarded Tranzit buses and embarked on their SHOWcase journey. Their arrival being met by delicious treats from Louis Sergeant served by even more delicious french waiters set the scene for a decadent affair, and the Deutz champagne from Pernod-Ricard and tantalising flavours from San Pellegrino added just the right touch to the occasion. The group show took guests through a series of themed spaces in the maze of rooms in the old Airforce base in Shelly Bay that now houses prop and event company Propeller Studios. Trelise Cooper, ES Design, Empire of Genius, HMS Studio, Ziggurat, Skandi, highnoontea, Willis York, Mandatory, BoConcept and Resene all put their spin on their current seasons and current lifestyle trends. With hair by Willis York and L’Oreal Professionnel and makeup by Natalee Fisher and team, the models became part of the installation, interacting with the furniture and other design elements. SHOW is made up of Bex Brent, Kirsty Bunny, Ashley Church, Trina Edwards, Becca O’Shea, Joanna Shackel, and Mark Westerby. Photo image credit SHOW. More info at http://www.show.capital/

Brad Lepper on international Sebastian hair team 

French Revolver Studio is actually where my son gets his hair cut – so I was delighted to read that Brad Lepper, Salon Director of French Revolver Studio – and a very cool guy and a Dad himself –  has been appointed onto the Sebastian Professional International Artist Team. “I was selected to join the team after I went to Madrid in March for a four day assessment, training and interview process and was chosen as one of 12 stylists from around the world to be part of this team. It’s the first time that anyone from NZ has been invited to join any global artistic team in hairdressing” says Brad.

NZFW partnership with Singapore publisher SPH 

NZFW is helping take NZ fashion design to the world! Kiwi designers are forging a place of their own in the competitive South East Asian market, made possible by a key strategic partnership between leading Singapore-based publisher SPH Magazines (SPH), fashion ecommerce store Inverted Edge, and New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW). An exclusive New Zealand shopping event in Singapore, half a million dollars worth of editorial coverage in Singapore’s top selling fashion and lifestyle magazines and huge exposure on leading e-­commerce site SheShops.com, an SPH initiative run by Inverted Edge, are key elements of The New Zealand Fashion Project pushing 10 NZFW designers into the spotlight in South East Asia. Photo above of Kate Sylvester at NZFW 2014 by James Yang for Thread.co.nz

Your Body, Your Style

‘Your Body, Your Style; A guide to dressing for your proportions and budget’ has been written by Jo Blankfield for the everyday woman. Focusing on body proportions rather than body shape and giving the reader the information to understand what works and why and what doesn’t work and why so they are able to make informed and less emotional choices when selecting their clothing and dressing their own body. Through the book I have also addressed how we view ourselves, what we see in the mirror and given information and ideas on how to treat ourselves more generously in our perception of our bodies. With this in mind, I used my 13 years styling experience and feedback from clients to develop this book as an answer to these issues. To learn more about the book please watch the video HERE. To purchase, go to www.fashionsaboutyou.com.au or click here.

Melanie Child at FASHFEST 

Melanie Child, a New Zealand fashion designer, has been unaminously selected by an independent judging panel to participate in FASHFEST, the four-day fashion event to be held in Canberra, the capital of Australia, 13 to 16 May. This is the event’s third year and organisers are super excited that she’s coming all this way to showcase a new collection on the catwalk. You can read more about Melanie and see some of her work on: http://fashfest.com.au/designer/melanie-child/