Salasai AW15 ‘Self Portrait’ show at NZFW

Salasai AW15 ‘Self Portrait’ show at NZFW

It’s always a real highlight to hear that Salasai is on the schedule at fashion week. The New Zealand brand by Kirsha Whitcher and Kelly Watson- now based in Australia – showed its AW15 collection entitled Self-Portrait at NZFW 2014 this week.

The self-portrait refers to the painterly component to the show, and I’m sure, the way that clothes we wear are an extension of self and an embodiment of one’s identity.

What I liked: I really loved the college sweater dress, the burgundy jacket with shiny gold buttons, worn with matching clutches. The signature print in the range is a hand-drawn graf-art style print on black and on burgundy with skulls and cross bones (see also BONES on a top) which incorporated the mustard hues we saw coming through in the MAC face, and an illustrated face with WORLD FAMOUS on the tee. I really loved the tutu and striped teeshirt combo too.

Special note for spot-on styling in this show, and fabulous shoes and socks on models.

I went backstage before the show to hear firsthand from MAC key makeup artist Kiekie Stanners about her face. Kiekie told us she was using peachy and yellow tones, referencing the prints in the collection. It is a woman who dresses really well but is slightly mad – all polished yet crazy splash of colour on the lid (MAC Chromacake in Yellow on lids.) Kiekie used Museum Bronze to create gold flecks over the top of the eye, to give it an antique-y finish. On the lips, Kiekie finished with a dirty nude lipstick called Siss, yet to be released. Nails are an off-ochre colour or a dark khaki.

The inspiration is “The bourgeoisie woman with an eccentric streak; clean, polished makeup with a painterly streak.”

For this look, Kiekie used Groundwork Pro Longwear Paint Pot with mid-tone Sepia and Tint Cream Colour Base and Pearl Cream Colour Base on the face. There were two looks for eyes. In the first, Yellow and Mid-Tone Nude Lipmix with Primary Yellow Chromacake and – my favourite – Museum Bronze Pigment. In the second eyes look, Basic red and white Chromacake was used.

Here’s the MAC face look by Kiekie Stanners.

CREDITS:
Styling: Dan Ahwa
Hair Director: Matt Benns @ STEPHEN MARR using Original & Mineral
Makeup Director: Kiekie Stanners using M.A.C
Sound: Matt McKenzie @ Forty Love
Jewellery: Meadowlark
Sunglasses: Isson
Footwear: Hannahs Shoes
Styling Assistant: Danielle Clausen
Photos: Ravi Chand
Salasai would like to thank Stephen Marr, M.A.C, Isson, Codorniu, Meadowlark, Hannahs
Shoes, Matt McKenzie @ Forty Love and Public Library Showroom.

Photography below by Kevin Robinson

Photography below by Kate Ryan

 

Megan Robinson
26th August 2014