Kagi Birds of Paradise

With half-naked dancers clad only in feathers and jewels, Kat Gee held New Zealand Fashion Week’s first solo jewellery show with her label Kagi’s ‘Birds of Paradise’ collection…

With half-naked dancers clad only in feathers and jewels, Kat Gee held New Zealand Fashion Week’s first solo jewellery show with her label Kagi’s ‘Birds of Paradise’ collection.

Kat Gee certainly answered the question on everybody’s lips: what do the models wear at a jewellery show, with "Feathers."

It was the surprise show of the week, with a David Attenborough-esque safari suit-wearing MC telling us about the rare birds he encountered in New Zealand bush, as we witnessed their mating dances – includng a striptease by a Burlesque dancer.

The bemused expressions on all the fashion editors’ faces were as entertaining as the show itself, as they fluffed and fluttered past our noses. My favourite was the black tui duo on stilts.

The silver plated surgical steel, freshwater pearl and gem stone jewellery complemented each bird’s identity, with pearls on white herons, cherry red stones on the amorous red birds, and clusters of pearls at the tuis’ throats. For info on where to buy Kagi, see www.kagijewellery.com. Prices range from $79 for a mini turquoise pendant to $109 for cherry drop earrings and $249 for a Paradise Luxe standard necklace.

Below: Designer Kat Gee takes to the runway in the finale.

Megan Robinson 8 October 2012
Photography Kevin Robinson