As Wellington gears up to Africa Day this Saturday, with a 12-hour celebration at the Wellington Town Hall beginning at 11.30 a.m., there’s a distinctively non-African name behind the scenes doing the make-up for the fashion show on the day, as well as the smaller Taste of Africa event at Te Papa from 6 p.m. tonight (May 23).
Kareen D. Holland, whose business KD One recently opened at Morrison Kent House on The Terrace, is applying her extensive experience in film make-up to the community event.
KD One’s natural skin care and cosmetics stemmed from Holland’s years in film, working with such luminaries as Weta’s Sir Richard Taylor.
Working at Taste of Africa and Africa Day is Holland’s way of giving back to the community, something she was keen to do ever since KD One opened last month.
Africa Day showcases African culture through dance, music, arts, crafts and cuisine. It is the first major cultural event for African communities in Wellington.
KD One was mentored by Lucire publisher Jack Yan as part of his work with Business Mentors New Zealand.
After the announcement that New Zealand label Starfish was closing down, which Lucire covered first last Friday, customers received a farewell message in their email today.
Starfish will have a closing down sale with up to 35 per cent off, at both its website and its flagship Wellington store on Willis Street.
The email indicates that the company will trade for a few more weeks while liquidators at Price Waterhouse Coopers collect claims from creditors.
‘While it is sad to say good-bye we’re proud of all we’ve achieved,’ reads the email, signed by founder Laurie Foon and her team. ‘Starfish has been an amazing platform to not only put all of our creative passion, but to also be part of our communities in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland. We feel privileged to have been able to make a contribution to the NZ fashion scene as well as being able to voice our thoughts on social issues from motorways to pioneering ethical clothing.’
They thank customers ‘who have loyally followed us, loved our clothes and given us massive encouragement along the way. It’s been more than we could have dreamed of. We’ve loved meeting you and hope that Starfish has been more than just clothing to you.’
Starfish was founded in 1993 by sisters Laurie and Miriam Foon. It was Lucire’s first featured label in 1997, and remained in our pages regularly as one of our favourites. It was highlighted in Summer Rayne Oakes’s international guide to eco-fashion, Style, Naturally.
Above Starfish’s Laurie Foon, photographed in 2011.
Above From Starfish’s heyday: the summer 2010–11 collection, Free Radical.
The companies behind Starfish have appointed liquidators, according to public notices placed in metropolitan newspapers today.
Both Starfish Retail Ltd. and Starfish Wholesale Ltd. went into liquidation as of May 8, with creditors expected to make their claims with Price Waterhouse Coopers in Wellington, New Zealand by June 12.
Starfish has had a long history in Wellington, and is one of the labels most closely identified with the city. Founded by sisters Laurie and Miriam Foon, initially selling out of the boot of their car, the company soon became known for its commitment to corporate social responsibility and the environment. Laurie Foon was Lucire’s first feature interviewee in 1997, at a time when Starfish was behind a movement to stop the city motorway bypass. It was one of many social causes that the company stood behind in its 20-year history.
The companies that are in liquidation now were incorporated the year after, though the label itself started in 1993.
Starfish also launched a more premium label, Laurie Foon, in the 2000s.
Its fashion consistently ranked among this magazine’s picks for each season, and was a highlight of New Zealand Fashion Week for Lucire fashion editor Sopheak Seng.
Alongside Untouched World, Starfish was highlighted in Summer Rayne Oakes’s international guide to eco-fashion, Style, Naturally.
Throughout its history, Starfish remained passionate about the environment and stayed true to its ethos. On principle, it resisted offshore manufacturing when many of its rivals opted for cheap labour.
Starfish’s liquidation follows the closure of long-time label Ashley Fogel and another highly regarded Wellington brand, Alexandra Owen.
Boring Gets You Nowhere is the title of the autumn–winter 2013 collection from World; and no sentiment rings truer for the brand than this. It is by not being boring that this label continues to grow, but by experimentation with outlandish yet still highly commercial and wearable fashion. Others perilously traverse this fine tightrope but World somehow manages to succeed.
For its first full catwalk show in Wellington, World’s team brought out its A-game. The performance demonstrated true showmanship at its highest level: glitter, sequins, fur and possibly the kitchen sink were thrown into the mix. The result was a collection worthy of envy: clothing that runs the gamut of fine tailoring, couture dresses and to-die-for craftsmanship.
For women, the oversized tweedy suiting is perfect for either the office or as an alternative take on cocktail dressing: a long black velvet gown will allow you play femme fatale or damsel in distress, however you choose to dress it up. Ball gown-styled lace dresses and two-tone fur-collared coats stood out in the womenswear range. Bright winter florals and warm golden and dusky jacquards, appearing in peplum styled jackets and ’80s pagoda shoulder dresses, gave the collection a point of difference. The brand has a strong Wellington customer base: once you strip away the crazy styling, hair and make-up, most of the garments are workable in everyday life. The brand’s following and versatility were evident by the number of attendees wearing current and archival pieces from the World brand.
For men, designers Benny Castle, Francis Hooper and Denise L’Estrange-Corbet pulled out all the stops to make it a truly bright winter. Scarlet red, deep navy, rich chocolates, vivid violets and turquoise are fashioned into impeccably tailored suits, complemented by whimsical printed shirts and colourful accessories. Winter tweeds and checks are crafted into exquisite hunting coats with contrasting shawl collar lapels and blocked panel coats. A stand-out for me would be the scarlet red cord pants and navy and check suit jacket, or the couture line floral print suit (only a number of these were made).
The brand’s creative hair director, GHD ambassador Michael Beel, and make-up director Olivia Wild saw to it that there was plenty of glitter, gold dust, Swarovski crystals and everything in between, creating fantastical looks that helped to translate the clothing to another level. Clara Bow- and Mary Pickford-styled bobs and finger waves were the call of the day, done the traditional way of course, the bobs clipped and pinned together with a multitude of gold bobby pins. Volume was key with many of the models wearing cloud-like creations adorning their heads, sprinkled in gold-dust and glitter and studded with spikes. Speaking to the duo beforehand, the brief was ‘The Great Gatsby meets Downton Abbey on an acid trip’. Eyes were smoky and sultry, while lips were scarlet red and sprinkled with glitter and crystals. Talon-like nails were prominent thanks to the creative nail technician at Buoy, continuing the nail art trend that has appeared on many international runway shows.
The collection is available for purchase from World stores now.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor
Lucire has had a private preview of Mardle’s spring–summer 2013–14 collection, Bisou, Bisou. And to show that Mardle is the thinking woman’s choice for stylish staples, each of the outfits is named after a Kiss song.
Designer Shiana Weir has put the emphasis more on evolution, rather than revolution, given her feedback from her customers. She recognizes that unlike Europe and the US, New Zealand customers tend not to favour huge changes between seasons.
Characteristic of the collection is the X panel, either through using complementary fabrics on the garment. Similarly, Mardle has used a script X on a print, signalling the custom of signing kisses with an x.
The I Stole Your Love relaxed T blends Modal and polyester, and brings in a light, sheer look for spring–summer. We also liked her Nothing to Lose jacket, with removable shoulder pads that are held in place inside the garment with Velcro. The Shock Me mini-skirt has a distinctive black-and-white pattern, while the Crazy Crazy Nights dress has sequinned sleeves and a nice blush and gold Lurex finish. The Mardle Lizzie leather belt completes the outfits. Weir has also a colour palette that includes black-and-white, gold, and gun-metal grey.
The labels proudly bear the Mardle logo and ‘Made in New Zealand’, which will have plenty of appeal to its Kiwi customers. Mardle can be found online at www.mardle.co.nz, with its stockists (including Dunedin’s Salisbury Boutique and Havelock North’s Salsa) listed here.—Jack Yan, Publisher
Having viewed the Zambesi winter collection late last year in amongst the craziness of New Zealand Fashion Week, I had forgotten what my favourite pieces were (as so happens when you view collections six months before they are due in store and in quick sucession). When the invitation to attend the Wellington store’s winter launch appeared, the chance to stroll down memory lane and rediscover my favourites, and find some new gems, was welcome.
Zambesi is one of those labels that is best appreciated up close. What appears to be plain shirting fabric is, in fact, a very fine mesh; or a print is turns out to be something else upon closer inspection. With the models rocking some looks from the collection, it was a joy to rediscover those well turned-out and brilliantly cut coats and jackets, tailored in fine wools and pieced together with wax-finish leathers. There were the beautiful brocades and jacquard prints featured on pants and dresses, the gorgeous knitwear, and one of my favourite standout prints of the season, the chequerboard print in butter yellow and ink navy.
Stand-outs from the small showing in store were: the lace and knit dress—a beautiful, tight, sleeved dress with almost lace crochet detailing with tiny sequin embellishments, the perfect day-to-night outfit; and the black sheer silk shift dress with bandage-like side detailing and fringe work. The movement when the model walked was exquisite and very on trend with the flapper-esque feel to it all.
From the menswear range, everything, from the military-style coats to the sharply tailored Slimane-like suiting, was very slick and super-stylish. The chequerboard pattern shirt is a must for winter, crafted in beautiful almost lace-like fabric. Also on the must-haves, one of the many coats that are in the collection: my favourite was the double-breasted wool coat with piece leather sleeves—cut with a surgeon’s scalpel this is a classic that will never date.
The hair for the show had a very cool vibe to it—a mix of dishevelled chic, a wet look mixed with dry rough-and-tumble—directed by Buoy creative director Michael Beel. It was the perfect touch to the collection.
Zambesi’s winter collection is in store now.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor
Wellington artists Tai and Kaaterina Kerekere have just opened their latest exhibition, My Culture Is Not a Trend, at Thistle Hall, on the corner of Cuba and Arthur Streets in New Zealand’s capital city.
The couple’s paintings take pride of place, expressing personal aspects of Māoridom, culture, womanhood, family, and identity, relevant not only to a Māori audience but to any in living in New Zealand.
Of greater interest to Lucire readers, however, is the launch of their jewellery line. KE Design, as the Kerekeres’ company is called, has launched what it calls The Heritage Collection 2013, which features unique hand-crafted jewellery featuring simple motifs founded on, as the name suggests, their heritage and whakapapa. The designs are clear, eye-catching and modern, and have an internationalist flavour while proudly steeped in New Zealand’s own culture. Prices range from a very reasonable NZ$100 for earrings to NZ$400 for a pendant set in silver and garnet.
The Kerekeres, no strangers to exhibiting their art internationally, are showing in Hawai‘i in January 2014, and will launch another jewellery collection there. They will also take 33 works of art to the 50th US state. My Culture Is Not a Trend runs from March 27 to 31 at Thistle Hall, open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. KE Design can be found at kedesign.co.nz, with the site developed by Adrian Owen of SweetChilli, and on Facebook at facebook.com/rina.taiart.
Another New Zealand artist showing abroad is Darryn George, of Ngāpuhi descent, who has been invited to the Biennale di Venezia, showing at the Palazzo Bembo. The Christchurch-born artist recently gave a talk at Wellington’s Caffè L’Affarè about his plans to transform room 15 into a Wharenui-like space with highly reflective black surfaces, with the concept based around filing cabinets representing the lives lost in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
The work, consisting of 3,510 mm-high MDF boards painted with high-gloss automotive paints, is being made in New Zealand and will be shipped to Venezia, but George requires help to raise the funds to get to the Biennale. An impression of what the finished work will look like is shown below.
He has already completed a work at the Connells Bay Sculpture Park at a smaller scale, and has exhibited in Paris, as well as throughout New Zealand.
The freight will cost some NZ$110,000, and donations of NZ$2,500, NZ$5,000 or any amount are sought. More information can be sought either from John and Jo Gow at Connells Bay Sculpture Park (info@connellsbay.co.nz, or John on 64 21 363-613, or Jo on 64 21 963-613) or Rebecca Hamid, Director, RH Gallery (art@rhgallery.co.nz, 64 21 393-970). Donations to the Connells Bay Sculpture Trust are tax-deductible, with the Trust set up as a registered charity.
We’ve further good news where readers can help the future of one of our subjects directly. With the success of their début at last year’s New Zealand Fashion Week as part of the Miromoda show, the lovely ladies behind Surface Too Deep (see Lucire issue 29) have been asked to showcase their brand at Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week.
As with any small start-up, business finances are tight and the need for sponsorship is crucial. It has long been a dream of the brand to showcase their wares on an international platform to reach international media and buyers. With this opportunity, they are hoping to garner more brand recognition as well as gain more stockists.
Co-designer Sarah-Jane Abraham says that Surface Too Deep has planned a ‘pretty special’ range but needs the help of supporters to make sure that the label can show at Sydney.
This will be an amazing opportunity for both these young women and you can help them fulfil their dreams by pledging at www.pledgeme.co.nz/845.—Jack Yan, Publisher, and Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor
Above Jewellery from KE Design and artwork by Tai and Kaaterina Kerekere, showing currently at Thistle Hall, Wellington. Below An image from Surface Too Deep, as shown in Lucire issue 29. Louise Hatton
For husband-and-wife team Dan and Emma Johnstone, design has always run deep within their blood, Dan with a background in graphics and Emma in fashion. So like all great things it was inevitable they would join forces. Their creation is the newly founded label Falvé (Emma’s maiden name).
Although a young label, having just formed in the latter part of 2012, the idea of doing a menswear brand was always something the pair was dreaming about when they had met years earlier. Their focus was to design a range that men needed, something else in the market that was not only well designed but also affordable.
Their freshmen autumn–winter range of T-shirts, tailored shirts and chinos with a carefully curated accessories’ line of bow ties, matching pocket squares, leather card holders and wallets is not only well edited but also beautifully handcrafted, something that is often lacking in emerging labels. Other pieces will be added along the way as the brand grows.
The attention to detail is evident in the high-quality finishing of the garments, beautiful top-stitching on their shirts, individually hand-sewn buttons, removable collar stays for all their shirting, and bias-bound seaming on all tailored trousers. Old-world tailoring techniques refined for a modern age. From the carefully selected fabric choices to the swing tags, everything about this brand speaks of a casual elegance perfect for any generation to wear, as evident from the wide range of guests that attended the intimate showing at the pair’s workroom.
Favourites from the collection were the Collectors shirt, a classic white shirt in a fine cotton shirting with herringbone pattern, and all French-seamed. The Transmission T-shirt is another favourite, crafted from the finest Tencel; the Missoni-like zig-zag print is not only gorgeous to touch but out-there enough for even those who are not so brave. The Chalmers trousers are also a must-have in your wardrobe, fashioned from a cherry red cotton spandex. These are beautifully cut for the fashion-conscious, not too slim and not too wide—it is the perfect relaxed cut for either dressing up with one of the label’s shirts or dressing down with a casual T. The bias-bound seaming on the cuff of the trouser is a little clever touch: when the cuff is folded up, no horrible over-locking is seen, an interesting take on the roll-up cuff.
The collection is well priced with accessories such as pocket squares and bow ties ranging from NZ$25 to NZ$51. T-shirts start at NZ$76 and shirts from NZ$190.
Falvé also creates beautiful leather cardholders and wallets, all hand-made and hand-stitched by Dan in their small workroom.
The level of design, attention to detailing and fashion-forward pieces should appeal to a wide market. Their passion is evident; if the duo keeps this up, a bright future is most definitely on the horizon for them.
Falvé can be purchased online through www.falve.co.nz.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor
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