As a Fashion Week First Timer, our writer and fashion stylist Reema Alfouir has put together her highlights and views from attending Wellington Fashion Week 2013…
As a Fashion Week First Timer, our writer and fashion stylist Reema Alfouir has put together her highlights and views from attending Wellington Fashion Week 2013…
I had the opportunity to attend Wellington Fashion Week 2013 and I’m excited to see what’s next for its future. Not only is Wellington Fashion Week a great platform for designers to show their collections, it’s consumer-based approach is undoubtedly a great way of supporting the NZ fashion industry. A couple of years ago I decided that I wanted to start my career as a stylist. So I took the first step of paying my dues which is of course, volunteer work. But where? Back then the only thing I could think of was NZFW. Although this was a fun learning experience, the fact that I had to travel to Auckland to work for free heightens the huge void that Wellington Fashion Week has started to fill.
I have a feeling that as this event progresses, so will the opportunities for Wellingtonians who are involved in – or aspiring to work in – fashion. Here’s a summary of my Wellington Fashion Week:
Day 1 Wednesday 3rd April – The opening party
I kicked off Wellington Fashion Week at the official opening party, held at the Carlton Lounge & Bar in Odlins Plaza. I arrived tired from work so the first thing I spotted (of all things) was the Caffe L’affare stand. I’m sure that the coffee was also highly appreciated by media, who were likely to be typing out articles and editing through photos for the rest of their evenings. After all, Fashion Week is not just about free drinks, glamour and goodybags. Photographers, journalists and bloggers really do put in a lot of hard and tedious work; during and after any fashion event it’s all about observing, capturing and editing.
I was so excited to bump into Carolyn Enting, Associate Editor MiNDFOOD magazine at the Media Lounge. It was just over a year ago that I was interning for her when she was the Fashion Editor at the Dominion Post. Carolyn opened the door to the Fashion Industry for me, so I’m happy that she could see me carrying on with the journey that she helped pave for me.
Below: Caffe l’affare
My friend Lexi Damen at the opening party.
Cam Sneddon, Managing Director of Wellington Fashion Week and I.
Day 2 Thursday 4th April
The next day I attended the AW13 Group Show, also held at the Odlins Plaza. I had some time to kill before the show, so I made my way backstage and found myself immersed in this… Backstage chaos is inevitable at any fashion show, it’s all about a team of artists attempting to achieve an immaculate look in such a short amount of time. This madness is my favourite part of the show, because it is the most genuine and raw energy you will feel throughout the whole of the event.
The designers that showed were Two Worlds, Trelise Cooper, Moochi, Storm, Sabatini at Goodness, Taylor and Mondegreen.
As soon as the show was over, it was off to the Wellington BMW showroom for the Kathryn Wilson Show. The show was glamorous, sexy and chic with girls wearing the Kathryn Wilson footwear with Pleasure State lingerie and leather peplum belts. I’ve always loved the Kathryn Wilson label, and it has to be said that Kathryn herself seems like such a down to earth woman. I had already met her briefly two years ago when I was doing some voluntary work at NZFW. When Megan Robinson introduced us, I really didn’t expect her to remember me, much to my surprise she replied with, “Hi I’ve met you before!” It’s always refreshing to meet successful people in this industry who can still remain so grounded, and the fact that Kathryn remembered me from such a brief moment, was incredibly cool and classy.
Below: Storm.
Below: Sabatini.
Below: Taylor.
Group Showcase models backstage.
Model wearing moochi gold dress backstage.
Frenzy of activity backstage.
Below: Makeup Director Olivia Wild.
Below: the Kathryn Wilson show.
Me at the Kathryn Wilson show.
Day 3 Friday 5th April
I attended BrightBlack and Jimmy D’s collaborative showcase for Jimmy D’s AW13 collection ‘Gloom Generation’ held at the Service Depot, a stockist of Jimmy D. Models walked down the runway and then into a tableau vivant style installation. The fact that it was invite-only didn’t stop the show from filling wall to wall with people. Before I knew it, an audience was formed, I was at the back, and the show had started. I ended up having to go outside and watch it from the window. However, this didn’t stop me from feeling the ‘vibe’. It’s easy to leave a fashion show with an idea of the aesthetic, but I find it a rare occurrence to leave with a feeling of the actual ‘mood’.The atmosphere at the show seeped of Wellington style:youthful, grungey but still sophisticated. It has to be said that Wellingtonians are just plain cool. So, although I didn’t leave with great photos (due to my position at the show) I still left with a great impression.
Below: My friend Hannah Masters with the campfire installation at Jimmy D.
Models in Jimmy d and a wolf mask.
Below: James Dobson, the man himself behind Jimmy D.
Corey-Leigh Niwa and I. I thought Corey was the best dressed going against the dresscode norm of black – unlike me.
Day 5 Sunday 7th April
The official After Party for WFW was held at the Odlins Plaza. This was the time for everyone involved to acknowledge all their hard work and finally relax.
I congratulate everyone involved in Wellington Fashion Week, from the organizers, to the creatives as well as the media coverage. I would also like to thank Melissa Pearson, the Media Relations Manager, for making it possible for me to attend Wellington Fashion Week. She works insane hours yet is always so fresh, professional and positive. And of course I wouldn’t be in this position in the first place if it weren’t for Thread’s Editor Megan Robinson, who I can’t thank enough for the opportunities that she provides me with. Due to living in different cities I never get to see her, so it was a highlight for us to hang out during WFW. A tremendous amount of effort was put into this event, and I look forward to the next WFW which I’m sure Cam Sneddon and Craig Mills are already mapping out.
By Reema Alfouir, 14 April 2013
Photos Reema Alfouir and Hannah Masters
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