Hey, MisteR!

A rather unusual thing happened at fashion week, a rare thing indeed. A standing ovation. And that really doesn’t happen very often at all…

A rather unusual thing happened at fashion week, a rare thing indeed. A standing ovation. And that really doesn’t happen very often at all.

Most fashionistas, media and otherwise tend to be objective, that’s just the way it is. We tend not to be prone to the emotional except for the overall theatrics, and styling that can sometimes gloss over a substandard collection.

But when when great styling, and fabulous makeup – in this case teased out crazy wild hair on the girls with bright pink blushed cheeks, it teamed with a fun, energetic show – we can’t help but like it.

The clothes from Christchurch label MisteR were a exuberant array of checks and plaids, in reds, emerald, and navy in smart fitted jackets, full short skirts, plus four pants (for the boys) with dapper cheese-cutter caps.

Knitwear included polkadotted jerseys and cardigans, mixed in with a leaf pattern that was echoed with their shirting fabrics. Mixed in were bowties, braces, waistcoats – and colour blocked tights for the girls all worn with laced up gumboots.

MisteR is a favourite label of Colin Mathura-Jeffries, and it was he who encouraged the designers Ra Thomson and Mickey Lin to show at Fashion Week this year.

He encouraged their dream, and in turn they helped with someone else’s dream. Josh Perry, who has spina bifida, wanted to model in a show. He approached their manager, and they all decided it was a perfect fit. So it was Josh who lead the models out on the runway… What a start!

And then they followed it up with a positively joyous show that was all about a joy de vivre that clothes should really all be about. Making us happy.

And it most certainly did. I think there may have even been some slightly teary media stalwarts as well, and THAT is a very rare thing indeed! A great first collection – we can’t wait to see what they follow it up with.

Words and photography by Anya Brighouse
1 September 2011