Superette on the runway at NZ Fashion Weekend 2018. Image by James Yang Photography.
New Zealand Fashion Week 2018 raced by and all of a sudden it was time for NZ Fashion Weekend to begin. We kicked things off on Friday morning with FashioNZ’s Future of Fashion panel which featured an exciting lineup of fashion experts. Hosted by Sonia Sly from Radio New Zealand’s My Heels Are Killing Me podcast, the panel was an inspiring and thought provoking way to start Fashion Weekend.
The lineup included footwear designer Kathryn Wilson, Augustine’s designer and co-founder Kelly Coe, veteran designer and head judge of iD Dunedin Fashion Week Tanya Carlson, Maggie Marilyn’s designer and founder Maggie Hewitt, director and founder of Showroom 22 Murray Bevan and Whitecliffe College of Art and Design’s HOD fashion design Belinda Watt.
Each panelist shared their insights into their different ways of doing business, how important it is to have a point of difference and believe in what you’re doing. Topics covered included the use of social media, online shopping, sustainability, pros and cons of production onshore and offshore and how the arrival of more international brands in New Zealand has changed things. The panel was recorded by Radio New Zealand and will be crafted into a podcast which we’ll share with you when it’s released.
Later in the day the fashion week runway moved to the recently renovated DFS Galleria which has been rebranded as T Galleria by DFS. The beautiful historic building on Customs Street has been given quite the facelift and now houses New Zealand exclusive international brands such as Bottega Venetta, Moncler, Burberry, Furla, MCM, Salvatore Ferragamo and SK-II. They feature alongside well-established Gucci, Coach and Bally in-store concessions.
Otis Frizzell had created an amazing Maori-inspired mural that now runs throughout the stairway and was a fantastic backdrop for the runway show which featured Harman Grubiša, Maaike, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Wynn Hamlyn, Zambesi, Salasai, Knuefermann, Kathryn Wilson and the runway debut of Benjamin Alexander.
Friday closed with a fantastic show by Superette on the main Viaduct Events Centre runway. The popular fashion store was called No Vacancy and showcased a great range of looks from the likes of Bec and Bridge, Status Anxiety, P.E. Nation, Ksubi, Bassike, Dylan Kain, Ragdoll LA and Amber Sceats as well as their in-house label. It was a high energy show with lots of fashion forward looks that will take the wearer from the street to a party.
Immediately after the show the brand held a huge pop-up shop where show-goers were able to shop the looks they had just seen on the runway first before they were released in Superette stores. No Vacancy is now available in store and online from today.
Images by James Yang Photography.