An anthology of hits, misses and minor meltdowns
A very cool, very prompt seven days later, the FashioNZ team’s individual NZFW verdicts are in. What did we love? What did we hate? No holding back here. Read on to discover everything that made us laugh, cry and uh, smash a glass with our forehead?
Phoebe Watt, editor-in-chief
A moment that made me instantly whip out my notes app
When I got out of the shower on Tuesday morning and I couldn’t remember what I’d planned to wear for Kiri Nathan’s opening show. Freshly reminded I put it on, hated it, and scrapped it for a dress from Glassons.
A time I stopped to ask someone what they were wearing
Murray Bevan in his bottle green Cos coat. And then he said it was his ‘compliment coat’, i.e. he wears it to rake in the compliments. I couldn’t rescind mine because it is a very good coat, but I wasn’t pleased that I took the bait.
A look that made me do a double-take (good)
For quite a conservative dresser (“a human latte bowl”, you might say), I’m a magpie on the inside, so I was definitely hypnotised by Juliette Hogan’s silver bralette and skirt situation. Sadly it was made just for the runway, but perhaps if enough of us hit J Ho up…
A look that made me do a double-take (not so good)
I feel personally victimised by anything that resembles a wedding dress.
An emerging designer that I’ll claim early adopter-status over when they hit the big time
James Bush who, I learned after publicly declaring my love for him, is the cousin of a friend I went to high school with. This friend is now a lawyer in the Cayman Islands and James and I agreed that she is the real winner here.
A trend that I’ll be unashamedly embracing
A lanyard.
A trend that I’m secretly hoping doesn’t take off
The jersey tucked into high-waist knickers seen on the runway at Kate Sylvester, and earlier this week on Emma Louise Corrin in Miu Miu form. I’ve loved this look ever since Kendall Jenner did it with Bottega and a huge bunch of sunflowers last year, and I want it to be MY thing.
The model that made the most lasting impression
Isabella Moore, BDE.
The accessory that had the biggest chokehold on me
A $4 bag of Amano sugar cookies. Best value snack on site.
The most random photo on my phone all week
Probably didn’t make it through the hourly purge to free up storage (unlike the 72 snaps of my cat I took every morning). Of the surviving miscellany, probably a photo of a broken glass that I smashed with my forehead after Mr Cos coat up there told me something so shocking, I actually lost control of my skeleton.
A technical faux-pas that triggered my anxiety
When the Allpress coffee machine broke on Thursday morning. There was an Allpress coffee cart outside, so nuclear-level crisis averted, but it was a stressful time.
The beauty look soon to be my signature
James Bush’s ‘Godfather II meets Auckland humidity’ hair. Glamorous and a bit roughed up, like all good things are.
Bella Wright, social media manager
A moment that made me instantly whip out my notes app
When we were told the wifi password.
A time I stopped to ask someone what they were wearing
When my friend Reid Emmett turned up in his very topical Maison Margiela Tabi Boots.
A look that made me do a double-take (good)
All the looks from the Campbell Luke show had me obsessing over white lace, oversized collars and sheer layers of fabric.
A look that made me do a double-take (not so good)
Any look that wasn’t steamed before making it onto the runway. In the words of Phoebe Watt, “was it fresh from the Shein bag?”
An emerging designer that I’ll claim early adopter-status over when they hit the big time
Ella Hodson’s Mae Label, my favourite from the Graduate Show.
A trend that I’ll be unashamedly embracing
I’ve been prowling FB marketplace for a digital camera after seeing numerous people whipping them out for Insta pics. Shoving a camera at someone and asking for pictures of myself is my whole energy for next year.
A trend that I’m secretly hoping doesn’t take off
Geometric patterns adorned with neon sequins. Hard pass.
The model that made the most lasting impression
Zjana Daisy from N Model Management. I might be biased because we went to school together, but her walk was objectively impeccable and when we were chatting about NZFW her gratitude and passion for the experience was infectious.
The accessory that had the biggest chokehold on me
Mine and everyone else’s vape (sorry Mum).
The most random photo on my phone all week
A screenshot from a text convo between me and my dad. He texted me on day three asking whether a photo of Adriana Lima wearing the infamous Schiaparelli lionhead dress was “real or photoshopped?” I texted back “real” and then didn’t hear from him for another two days.
A technical faux-pas that triggered my anxiety
Watching models ‘walk’ in heels when they don’t know how to walk in heels. Is that a technical faux-pas? Either way it was technically painful to watch.
The beauty look soon to be my signature
The makeup from the grad show: fresh faces, shimmery eyes and a bold red lip. It had me googling ‘red lipstick near me’ in between shows.
Ava Wardecki, senior writer
A moment that made me instantly whip out my notes app
Seeing a model staggering about in clear PVC heels about three sizes too big. Please let’s retire these. This isn’t a body-building competition.
A time I stopped to ask someone what they were wearing
She slipped out of the show before I could actually ask her where it was from, but I’m still obsessing over Monique Oyagawa‘s mismatched crystal bead necklace.
A look that made me do a double-take (good)
The sculptural, chair-inspired dress by Mae Label’s Ella Hodson. Was it a bra, was it a bodice? Either way, I want more architectural undergarments.
A look that made me do a double-take (not so good)
A dress that came straight off Aliexpress. Not on a show-goer, on the catwalk. Not cool.
An emerging designer that I’ll claim early adopter-status over when they hit the big time
Ayano Hara-Alderson. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
A trend that I’ll be unashamedly embracing
Meticulous, petite, cotton-covered, bridalesque buttons on chemises. Victorian girl summer, here we come.
A trend that I’m secretly hoping doesn’t take off
Designers feeling like they need to start a show with a short film. The novelty wore off fast. On the flipside, I’m glad that placards have left the runway.
The model that made the most lasting impression
Karlow Aramoana. Specifically, his cheekbones.
The accessory that had the biggest chokehold on me
Patty Huntington’s vintage silver cuff. As for items that were on the runway, the bulbous glass pearls that cascaded down the back of the Oosterom and Su’mar models at the Viva Next Gen show.
The most random photo on my phone all week
I have amassed many shots of strangers’ feet. A ridiculous amount. Not one, but a slightly creepy series of (admittedly well-appointed) below-the-ankle moments. I blame my love for undone detail shots.
A technical faux-pas that triggered my anxiety
Having my view of the runway blocked by a woman aggressively filming right in my eye line. Madame, we’re in the second row. At least I got to see the look through a grease-stained phone screen?
The beauty look soon to be my signature
James Bush’s disheveled ‘dos (will my hair play ball and stay voluminous?) and the gentle sweep of colour on the eye crease and waterline at the Next Gen show.