I arrived at the moochi show tickets for the week in-hand fresh from the box office. The 17 piece, Winter 2014 Collection, drawing inspiration from nature and the Orient – with paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling at Shed 6 – was a strong collection for moochi and a very successful opener to Wellington Fashion Week.
As people gathered in the entrance lounge before the show, the Thread team made their way backstage and it was all business. I say business because I imagined something much closer to chaos, but I got the dinstinct impression that there was a plan in place and it was all coming together by well oiled design. Designer Kellie Taylor was moving with total focus through the room, an eye on everything and everyone, making sure perfection was going to be walking down the centre of Shed 6, all combinations tweaked to their absolute strength. As I watched her eyes moving over her models, barely adjusting a piece on a model but lifting the look to her satisfaction, I caught a glimpse of how much of a designer goes into their collection and I wondered how she felt as the collection went out to all of us at the show.
Two distinct looks for hair and face came together courtesy of Redken and MAC. The two hair looks were created in collaboration with moochi’s 2014 hair partner, Redken, by talented Auckland Dry & Tea senior stylist, Zoe Clark. A 1960’s-inspired sleek, side parted pony with a metal ring clasp provided the supporting act to the stunning, near black oriental lip, and then big, 1990’s-inspired loose hair with messy topknots took the lead with again, a strong yet subtle, Orient-inspired eye in an otherwise seemingly bare face.
This is where I got to really appreciate the front row seat I had, and how much detail I was able to see in the moochi Collection. Of course, the overall look would have been plain to anyone anywhere in the room, but I wonder if that red-mixed-with-black lip that we were treated to by MAC was able to be distinguished so easily from black and whether textures such as the bovine hair leopard print espadrilles were as visible (I left the show just a little bit obsessed with those espadrilles). I felt ever so slightly like I was privvy to an extra dimension in the show. And, to be honest, just a wee big smug, in my own world of wonder.
Black dominated the show, allowing colour to make maximum impact and making way for texture to show itself a true star of the collection. Textures were impressive on their own, or used to lift a piece to another level – leather, velvet, wools ranging from fine to chunkier knits, blacks, whites and neutrals punctuated by stripes, or that green that I’ve fallen instantly in love with (and bonus, I’m a Winter redhead so – PERFECT!), down to the leopard prints from the shoes I’ve already mentioned, through to knitwear.
The collection was everything I appreciate about moochi, having also been a long-time customer. To me, moochi is about wearability while maintaining excellent design – strong structure and architectural lines in some pieces, subtle drapery in other garments, allowing the natural beauty of the body to lead the garment as it falls softly from the guiding design.
Below: Thread’s Megan Robinson’s top pick – the moss green halter dress $359.99 and you can shop them now at moochi online at www.moochionline.co.nz
…and this amazing black leather-sleeve jacket over the moss green maxi.
As for the rest of the night, on picking up my tickets I found I’d been given seats to shows I hadn’t requested (but, as the week got closer really regretted not requesting, so YAY) and my flu was getting the better of me so I opted to skip the opening party so I could rest up and increase the number of show I make it to for the rest of, if last night was anything to go by, what’s going to be a fantastic week.
There’s a good chance I’ll be heading into tonight’s shows a little bit early though, so I can maybe drop past moochi lane on the way …
Simonne Walmsley
Photography Izzie Austin
9th April 2014
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