Day 1 at NZ Fashion Week 2014 started off with a bang with the NOMd show and 7 live drummers on the runway, went feminine through Shen and the New Generation show, then dark and edgy for Lela Jacobs and UNDERGROUND installation in Silo 6 tower. Then we were back onsite for Salasai and Trelise Cooper – and backstage to interview the key makeup artists for each – and then offsite for a very cool Stolen Girlfriends Club show at Western Springs Speedway.
The power of social media was prevalent at NZ Fashion Week this year more than ever, when the controversy of the use of Native American feather head-dresses at Trelise Cooper took over Twitter and Facebook with criticisms about cultural appropriation and was picked up by the Herald.
What they said: The use of First Nations war bonnets was inappropriate and in poor taste
What Trelise said: it was celebrating them and no offense was intended. UPDATE: Trelise has issued an apology.
What we say: In light of well-publicised worldwide cases around cultural appropriation (Pharrell, Kardashians, and Rhythm and Vines pulling their ad campaign with girls in headdresses this year) not keeping a finger on the cultural zeitgeist can be dangerous.
Other downs: $22 for a glass of bubbles – wow.
Literal downs: the glamorous stylist who bravely wore 15cm stilettoes and fell off some stairs. Flat shoes for the win.
Ups: the BBQ tent with $6 chicken and bacon burgers
The free Twinings Infusions tea bar
Flowers on Franklin floral bouquets everywhere including the ladies loos; prettiest bathrooms ever.
The bloggers power point under the stairs; noisy but quite interesting, if one doesn’t get distracted.
MAC Lockers to store our things in.
NOMd kicked off the day with the coolest show; they had the guests stand on one side of the runway and a row of 7 drumkits and drummers in balaclavas with NOMd teeshirts on down the opposite wall. Models walked with my favourite hair of the day: ironed flat flax-leaf like hair twisted and pinned up in a sculptural do to great effect. Models had painted white or black ears which added an other-wordly effect to the show, entitled NOISE. We were given earplugs at the door but it wasn’t that noisy – and especially not if you’ve had small children. That was nothing. I liked the cutaway-back teeshirts that were over-sized; at the same time concealing and revealing the body. Models wore the woollen gloves we were given in goodybags which was a nice connection to the runway for guests. I have model sized hands, at least.
Image credit Kevin Robinson
Lurex, leather and chiffon outfits walked a shiny black Perspex catwalk at SHEN. I loved the beauty with slick centre parted hair and a blended out bronze eye, strong brown brows, and a nude lip.
Image credit James Yang www.jamesyangphotography.co.nz
After a chicken BBQ burger at the aforementioned BBQ, I headed into the New Generation show. I was already familiar with young designer Amber Whitecliffe from her graduate show, and this was her first time at fashion week. Her show, Mrs Pinto, reflected her new marriage with a Portugese influence. It had pretty white and red separates, gorgeous dresses, and red roses appearing in prints on tops and trousers. This was a really pretty collection from the Parnell-based designer.
Image credit Kate Ryan of Ryan’s Daughter Photography
Below: My Instagram of Amber Whitecliffe with a model on the catwalk in the finale of her New Generation show.
Next up in New Gen was a rather unusual show of a label FJ beginning with a video of her skyjumping and encouraging us to be brave in our fashion choices. Brightly coloured floral dresses followed.
Desiree showed last in the New Gen show with some original cuts and designs that combined geometric silhouettes with feminine styles such as pencil skirts and blouses. My personal pick was the cool print on the blue and black dress, below.
Image credit Kate Ryan of Ryan’s Daughter Photography
Backstage at Lela Jacobs Image credit James Yang www.jamesyangphotography.co.nz
Below: Lela Jacobs AW15 Image credit Kate Ryan of Ryan’s Daughter Photography
Below: Jojo Ross. Photo below off my Twitter.
It is such a highlight to be able to go backstage and see up close and personal the makeup looks, and chat with the key makeup artists from MAC. I had the opportunity twice today; with Salasai and Trelise Cooper.
Image credit Anupam Singh www.annupam.com
Below: A Trelise Cooper model backstage. Image credit James Yang www.jamesyangphotography.co.nz
I heard from the amazing Nicole Thompson, key makeup artist over from Australia in Auckland for NZFW, about her look. She said it was all about young, fresh faced girls going to a party as though they’ve patted on glitter themselves. Start first with the glitter so it doesn’t go everywhere! They wanted it to be fun and cheeky from a distance so they used holographic crystals chopped up as well as Swarvoski crystals and stuck them on with Shine Mixing Medium (a gel-based cream) instead of using glue to adhere them. She used Blooz Eye Kohl Liner so it picks up the crystals. Nicole Thompson used Face & Body sheer, light foundation so it doesn’t go into “Pageant Town”. It leaves skin with a creamy finish. For the lip, Nicole used Saint Germain and Bamboo Lipsticks and a 217 brush on lids, cheeks and lips with the same peachy colour – so versatile!
Last show of Day 1 of NZFW 2014 was Stolen Girlfriends Club, who true to form put on a spectacle of a show out at Western Springs, followed by an afterparty at White House nightclub. This was such a cool setting, and models walked out on the actual racetrack lit with night lights and the headlamps of Minis.
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Megan Robinson
26th August 2014
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