New Zealand fashion and lifestyle blog

Celine Rita's dreamy winter

With a design aesthetic verging somewhere between the edgy and the ethereal, Céline Rita seems to have found her niche catering for fashion addicts aiming to stay on-trend, whilst also boasting overt femininity as an integral design aspect…

Céline Rita ‘So Dream’ AW10

With a little inspiration from famed ballet The Nutcracker comes upcoming New Zealand designer Céline Rita’s winter 2010 collection ‘So Dream’. Each piece is so thoroughly wearable in its own right that any attempt of mine to choose between them left my head spinning somewhat. With a design aesthetic verging somewhere between the edgy and the ethereal, Céline Rita seems to have found her niche catering for fashion addicts aiming to stay on-trend, whilst also boasting overt femininity as an integral design aspect.

‘So Dream’ easily proves that a seasonal change doesn’t have to equal the end of creativity in the wardrobe department – the whimsical prints and textures are sure to inject vibrancy into the clothing repertoires of even the most avid black-wearers this winter. Unexpected quirks including rope detail, velvet, 1950’s style belts, antique-looking buttons and an abundance of lace stamped each piece with a unique twist.

I particularly loved the Hoodie Jacket – a happy interpretation of the trans-seasonal parka in pale blue, featuring lace detail on the lapel and giant gold buttons.

The Sweetheart Dress was another hit, boasting a highly flattering cut which could easily be teamed with opaques and merino woollies when the inevitable cold snaps hit.

All of the fabrics used in the range were sourced from New Zealand wholesalers, and each one is off-beat, novel and pretty… somehow simultaneously. Céline Rita’s stance by the designer’s own admission is to create a label that is ‘unafraid to let girls dress like girls’ – and this definitely shines through in each garment.

When asked to choose her favourite from the collection, designer Céline Chapman said “So hard to just choose one! But The Love Heart Blazer is definitely one of my favourites. I hadn’t done any tailored jackets before and I am just so happy with it, and will look to continue to push the tailoring elements in my ranges in the future.

Also, the Dancing Flowers Dress which I wore to the launch night – the fabric is beautiful and unexpected, and I loved wearing full length sleeves for a change!”

With many of the pieces sitting competitively under the $200 mark, online shoppers are sure to score value for money when buying from this collection.

Chapman is also on the lookout for a viable location to open her own boutique sometime over the next two years, as her stock is currently sold primarily through her online store and various stockists.

Visit www.célinerita.com for your own personal fix this winter… that is, if I haven’t already rendered it stock-less!

By Jaimee Abict, March 2010


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