Claire Barker SS12

Auckland-based fashion designer Claire Barker always brings interesting cute and well-executed tailoring to her range of cute and girly looks. Here’s Thread.co.nz’s top picks from Summer 11/12 inspired by mermaids…

Claire Barker SS12

Auckland-based fashion designer Claire Barker always brings interesting cute and well-executed tailoring to her range of fun and feminine looks. I got a gorgeous camel wool blazer there recently and adore it.

Born and raised in Shanghai China, from a very young age Claire was exposed to the world of fashion. Claire’s mother was also, and still is, a fashion model, and her father established a successful fashion business in China while her sister Mimi is employed as the personal assistant to the owner of one of China’s major fashion chains.

Now a New Zealand citizen and having lived here for the past 15 years, Claire’s retail shop at 3a O’Connell Street in the heart of the fashion district of Auckland City is well worth a look.

Claire’s summer collection, "Part of Your World," is inspired by the folk legend of Ariel the mermaid, with oceanic colours and scalloped edging straight from the deep blue sea.

It’s built around her key “kaleidoscope” print and an idea of a siren coming ashore, a concept emerged where everything can be seen in a new light.

Using bright, key pieces with a palette any oceanic woman can delight in, our once-water-bound muse Ariel negotiates modernity as a human woman. Never far from her origins, a Claire Barker woman will enchant – distracting fallible mere mortals from their work and causing people to walk off ships’ decks.

For younger maidens or anyone savvy, the more affordable range CB has many stunning looks. Symbiotic with Claire Barker but with a more casual flair, CB caters for an everyday siren with her feet firmly ashore.

Here’s Thread.co.nz’s top picks from her Summer collection…

Megan Robinson, 19 October 2011