Ten years is a massive milestone in the fashion industry which can be fickle at the best of times, the fact that Stolen Girlfriends Club are celebrating their tenth anniversary this year is a testament to their dedication, hard work and the huge support they’ve received from their loyal fan base. Marc Moore, Dan Gosling and Luke Harwood should certainly be proud of their achievements and it was great to see another packed house turn out at the St James theatre to watch their winter collection take to the runway.
With media assembled in rows on the stage, almost like a school assembly, and a huge crowd overflowing into the pit below, the atmosphere was electric as the first models took to the stage in looks from Stolen’s new ‘Township Rebellion’ collection.
As expected the women’s outfits were mostly short and had a cool girl appeal aided by black mini-skirts, leather jackets and skimpy bra tops. A pretty pastel Hydrangea print was used on several pieces including a sweet playsuit, several skirts and eye-catching party dresses. Snuggly knits, printed tees, sleek flares and striped fur coats also featured amongst the women’s offerings. One of the models enjoyed a brief crowd surfing moment which certainly added to party atmosphere and is something that the St James has certainly seen a lot of in its time.
Amongst the guys looks there were shearling jackets and ‘Huntly’ slogan tops which referenced the provincial New Zealand of the collection’s title. Not to mention printed bomber jackets, casual hoodies, shorts and warm knits. Skinny jeans were a staple again as were Stolen’s popular printed shirts and tshirts. Never ones to shy away from guys in florals, the hydrangea print also featured on the menswear and to be fair the girls got their own shearling pieces as well.
It was certainly a stellar collection from the Stolen team, and as purple confetti fell from the rafters the models took their finale walk and the jubilant designers thanked the assembled crowd, who enthusiastically cheered their congratulations in response. As some of this collection is available to buy immediately, which is a smart move on the label’s part, we will likely see a lot of this range on the streets very soon.
By Evelyn Ebrey www.justsopretty.net
Images: Yvonne Shearer Photography Yvonneshearer.com