Lucire
The global fashion magazine March 28, 2024 
Out now: Lucire issue 48, with free shipping for UK and US



 

New Zealand Fashion Week autumn–winter 2013, day one: colour and effortless style


News

September 4, 2012/14.50




Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography

Top Hailwood was one of the stand-out labels of day one in Auckland. Above Zambesi’s menswear was on the money.

The annual New Zealand Fashion Week kicked off today with the official shows. A sombre opening for the week, it was by no means a jam-packed day of shows.
   Liam (Ruby’s sister label) opened the proceedings with effortless style. The collection, A New Power, was the second showing at Fashion Week of the brand, featuring grown-up glamour for the modern woman. Relaxed tailoring was the call of the day with jackets and pants cut in slouchy wools and jerseys. Jumpsuits added playful fun to all this modern dressing while the full-length gowns that recalled 1940s screen sirens dialled up the glamour of the show. A muted palette of olive, grey, mauves and cream is accented with deep reds, showing off the cuts of the collection. Stand-out pieces from the collection were the sleeveless jackets cut with silk lapels in shawl collars, nipped in at the waist and flaring out over the hips—they recalled the famous Dior Bar Jacket. Paired with a navy and powder blue jacquard print, they were great pieces to add for the coming season, perhaps with a jumper and not sans top as shown on the runway.
   Ruby’s show, entitled Mr Destiny, was fun-loving and free-spirited, with a bit of grungy angst thrown in with a dash of sophisticated polish. Models wore hand-knitted beanies while hair was kept natural and slightly messy, adding an allure of easygoing British glamour. Geometric checks, polka dots and metallic animal prints featured heavily throughout the collection, while silver lamé was crafted into pleated skating skirts and a Marilyn-style floor-length gown. Candyfloss, powder blue, and cherry reds were the colours du jour and came cut in angora jumpers and coats, while faux fur wraps and jackets injected a bit of youthful edge to the evolving label. A stand-out of the show was the almost dressing-gown-style wrap coat in peach with the floor-length leopard-print maxi, easy-wearing grungy glamour perfect for a winter’s day.
   After a hiatus to have her second child, designer Cybèle Wiren’s return to New Zealand Fashion Week was very welcome. Her collection, Nocturne, was inspired by the witching hour. Dark, elegant romance was on offer, and a heavy dose of it at that: black dominated the collection of draped and twisted silk dresses while flashes of cobalt blue and blush pinks injected some light into the darkness of it all. The queen of prints didn’t disappoint either, producing a mirrored rose print which appeared on most of the pieces, but placed artfully on hips and necklines to create optical illusions with the body’s proportions. Cocoon-shaped tweed and wool jackets added some structure to the collection and played off against all of the soft, floaty drapery. Clear, wide, waist-cinching belts were the order of the day, giving shape and added femininity to the collection. Armour-like caging and panelling appeared on body con dresses added to the gothic drama of the collection.
   Coop by Trelise Cooper was an interesting show. Relegated to the back of the venue, it was rather difficult to see the pieces. The show notes read ‘sleek androgyny that flirts with femininity’. The collection has certainly evolved from the party frocks of last year into a more established and commercial label. There are still the party frocks that came in the form of an emerald green sequinned mini with cut-out back and fun flirty gold skirts and dresses. The separates stood out as strong key pieces. The ruffled peplum jackets recalled organic forms found in nature, which were also the basis for one of the prints for the season. Jackets of wool bodies were sliced with leather, while pants were cut sleek and slim. A colour palette of black, purple, and navy was injected with hot pink, neon acid yellow and cobalt blue.
   Company of Strangers added bright colours into an otherwise traditional winter palette. Fuchsia neon pinks, fluoro orange, highlighter yellow and grape purples added life and vibrancy to a collection of flowing silks and well cut separates. The stellar show-stoppers would have to be the precision-cut jackets. The cropped fluoro orange with fuchsia lining was amazing while the wrap collar double-breasted coat is already on many a wish list come next winter. The wrapped pants with zip detailing was a quirky take on the traditional trouser while pouches and bags that were slung around the necks and backs of models were decorated in Keith Haring-inspired prints, adding a whimsical charm to the overall show.
   Adrian Hailwood proves that he is a strong commercial designer. Stripping back the theatrical styling of last year’s show, Hailwood proved that he knows what he is doing when it comes to designing: creating garments that suit women and that women want to own. A Trojan horse’s head was the motif for the coming winter and featured on dresses and skirts, while it was also spliced on T-shirts or embroidered on to a cream dress. Channelling ’80s-inspired goddesses, this was a collection that spoke of elegance and glamour. A draped knit dress in cobalt blue had an easy elegance to it, while full skirts of purple and gold lamé were cinched in with chain and stud belts, paired with fitted or oversized jumpers. Jackets were key this winter in the Hailwood story, and there was a plethora from which to choose. Country-hunt-style quilted bombers and full-length coats were stand-outs, as well as the sleeveless trench-style coats paired with pants and skirts. A tight colour story of gold, purple, cobalt, camel and blush pink added to the cohesive commercial potential. It is also noteworthy that all the shoes worn by the models were creations that Hailwood had designed in collaboration with Mi Piaci, which are on sale now.
   Juliette Hogan is also a highly anticipated show and this year’s outing didn’t disappoint, with a queue a mile long waiting to get into the show. It was a surprise anyone could get in at all. Entitled Don’t Look Back, the collection focused on the new while keeping true to the Juliette Hogan brand. The palette of black, beige, navy and cream was injected with burnt orange and teal, to create an autumnal outdoors’ feel to the collection. Hogan, who is known for her floral prints, turned it up this season with autumn florals featuring heavily on button-down blouses, dresses and scavres, while a tapestry silk floral featured vibrant coloured cross-stitch embroidery on black. Stand-out pieces from the collection would have to be the burnt orange lace dress, the quilted jackets and amazing trenches—girly fashion and unashamedly feminine. The styling of the show was pitch perfect as well with the Grace Kelly–Queen Elizabeth II-style head scarf and slight bouffant hairdos. Travelling glamour at its best.
   Zambesi didn’t disappoint with its 12th consecutive showing at NZFW. The collection was all things Zambesi. Buttery mustard yellows, deep navies, peachy pinks mixed with black, white, beige and cream created the colour story for the Zambesi autumn–winter 2013 collection. For womenswear, the key story here was texture and how to mix and match. Fringing, tassels, studs, mesh, checks and sequins came togther to create a fusion of wearable pieces. This season the women’s collection seemed a little bit disjointed and lacked cohesion. There was 1920s-style chevron panelling mixed with fringe detailing to sequinned knickerbockers with leather leggings underneath, to chequerboard black and butter yellow dresses, top and shirts. Plastic mini-capes distracted from the clever tailoring of the coats and jackets, while Astrakhan was a bit out of place. The menswear, on the other hand, had a definitive view and stayed true to the utilitarian nature of the Zambesi past. Peacoats, single-breasted jackets, double-reated military jackets and trenches were cut to precision with focus on the shoulders. Epaulettes were a key feature as were the giant studs and domes which came on detachable collars. Tailored shorts were also a welcome addition to the winter repertoire. Suits were cut slim and fitted. Wool coats and jackets featured leather sleeves had an aged look about them. Overall, this was Zambesi doing what Zambesi does best.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor

Liam

Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography

Ruby


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

Cybèle



Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

Coop by Trelise Cooper


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography

Company of Strangers


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

Hailwood


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography




Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

Juliette Hogan

Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography



Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

Zambesi



Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography



Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography


Matthew Beveridge/Matthew Beveridge Photography


You may also like
Categories
design / fashion / Lucire / modelling / New Zealand / tendances / trend
Filed by Sopheak Seng

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *