NOM*d’s 75th Collection, AU COURANT unveiled at New Zealand Fashion Week, 30th August 2023
Last night in Auckland, NOM*d closed out the first day of New Zealand Fashion Week with anexquisite art-filled and immersive night in the heart of the city. The collection features cityscape prints on silk, androgynous shapes with hints of nature-like colours to adorn the core black uniform pieces on its latest season collection Au Courant. Opting for a fashion film presentation over a traditional catwalk to herald the new season collection, this non-conventional fashion event was hosted in one of the city’s brightest new venues, Brad’s Warehouse in Durham Lane. A two-story heritage building, hidden from the chaos of downtown Auckland features exposed rough-hewn stonewalls and aged wooden floorboards that echo Dunedin’s architectural buildings; the birthplace of NOM*d.
Designers, tastemakers and musicians all came together for one night only to celebrate the 75th collection bringing the brand’s Dunedin heritage to Auckland to celebrate the first night of Fashion Week, after a four-year hiatus.“I love seeing how far we have come in 37 years. We started with a cut-and-sew knitwear and now we are creating fully tailored garments and designing our own fabric prints. It’s been such a rewarding evolution of the brand, I feel very proud” said founder Margi Robertson.
As over 500 guests arrived and started flooding through the draped mesh silk cityscape-print draped doors, they were met by a branded Opel Mokka car courtesy of partner Armstrong’s, which happens to be Margi’s favourite acquisition of late.
Guests passed the NOM*d bedecked Mokka and entered into an experimental theatre, projecting three different films on floor-to-ceiling screens with a powerful and curated overlay of soundtracks bringing the elements and duality of city and nature.
Directors Richard Shaw and Iain Frengley brought to life the seasonal vision of Creative Director Margi Robertson and design partner Rosie Trist, for this collection. The deep and moving sounds of the films have cleverly showcased and captured the talent of Clementine George by cinematographers Iain Frengley and Alex Lovell-Smith.
Keeping the spirits high, a vodka cocktail and gin cocktail offering from new arrival Rogue Society, straight from the depths of Central Otago. Complementing the offer, platters stacked high with gourmet South Island cheese rolls, are a nod to the South Island of the brand.
At 9.30pm Die!Die!Die! emerged from the darkness for a roaring 45 minute performance of screaming rock and punk in its purest local form. The long-standing relationship with NOM*d has existed since NOM*d’s C’MON show at the St James Theatre in 2005.
By SUKAINA ARINI
Photos by Kayle Lawson @klawsss