Jo Holley in Sweepstake Winners Suit, Belinda Green Millinery and Kathryn Wilson Footwear (left) and Shavaughn Ruakere in Sweepstake Winners Suit, Belinda Green Millinery and Kathryn Wilson Footwear (right). Image supplied.
Auckland Racing Club launched this year’s Auckland Cup Week with an incredible runway show on the SKYWALK outside the Sugar Club today. Eleven brave models showcased colourful racewear fashion from top local labels WORLD, Trelise Cooper and Kathryn Wilson alongside millinery by Belinda Green, Jill Humphries and Claire Hahn.
The event was a first for New Zealand, which saw the models take to the the outside perimeter of the SKYWALK , which is an 192 metres above the ground. Each model was securely harnessed but still oh so stylish, and in keeping with safety requirements, wedged heels were the shoe de jour.
“Today’s racewear fashion show marks a first for New Zealand and for SKYWALK,” says Graham Trubuhovich, Auckland General Manager at AJ Hackett Bungy. “It is great to see an new initiative like this for Auckland Cup Week and we are proud of all the models who are brave enough to participate in the SKYWALK that resonates with our brand of doing new things safely and Living More and Fearing Less. We were delighted that we could play host to the launch of Auckland Cup Week and it’s been fabulous to preview some of the looks that are likely to be on show.”
Auckland Cup Week will take place at Ellerslie Racecourse in early March, with two of the biggest dates in the country’s racing calendar on March 2nd and 9th. The week sees thousands of horse and racing fans attending from around the country and across the Tasman with some stylish racewear fashion on display.
Today’s runway event was a stunning showing of key racewear looks ahead of New Zealand’s most prestigious racewear fashion competition – The Ned Prix de Fashion – which is to be held on Vodafone Derby Day (March 2nd) as part of Auckland Cup Week. The challenge for each designer was to create beautiful looks that worked with the restrictions of a SKYWALK harness, as well as the challenges presented by high winds.
“This counts as one of the most outrageous shows WORLD has ever been involved with,” says Benny Castles, designer and director of WORLD. “To do it credit we looked deep into our 30 year old Haute Couture archive to find three extraordinary silhouettes – the only thing befitting a catwalk in the clouds. It has been an interesting challenge and fantastic to see the vision come to life this morning.”
The models included popular social influencer Simone Anderson, one of Auckland Racing Club’s ambassadors, Carena West, and actress Shavaughn Ruakere. The Auckland Cup was also on display inside as with its historic royal roots, it was deemed ‘too valuable’ to make the outside catwalk. “It was an amazing opportunity to be part of something that takes racewear and Auckland Cup Week to new heights, literally!” said Carena West. “And once I got over my initial nerves, it was such a cool event to be a part of.”
Auckland Racing Club CEO, Paul Wilcox, was delighted to be doing something special to launch Auckland Cup Week. “We have seen a huge resurgence in passion for racing this year so we wanted to do something big and bold to launch our biggest and best week of racing. A huge thanks to all of the designers for taking on the challenge, all of the brave models for being such good sports, and all of our sponsors for their continued support. Auckland Cup Week is set to be a cracker.”
Auckland Cup Week starts with Vodafone Derby Day on Saturday, 2nd March and ends with Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day on Saturday, 9th March at Ellerslie Racecourse.
Holly Lindsey in Trelise Cooper, Claire Hahn Millinery and Kathryn Wilson Footwear.
Model Natasha Unkovich wearing Trelise Cooper.
Model Natasha Unkovich wearing Trelise Cooper (left) and Carena West in WORLD, Jack and Jill Millinery and Kathryn Wilson Footwear (right).
Simone Anderson in Glamour Boutique, Kevin Berkhan Millinery and Kathryn Wilson Footwear.
Images supplied.