If you follow me on FB, Twitter and Instagram you will have already seen a few sneak peeks from behind the scenes of Day 1 at NZFW 2013.
As I am covering NZFW for both runway and beauty, and reporting for ezines -Fashionz.co.nz & BeautyBible.co.nz, this has meant that time is limited. From 9am to 9pm, I am based onsite at the Viaduct Event Centre – the home of NZFW, or dashing off to one of the offsite runway shows, and have around 10 minutes between runway, backstage, interviews and more). With this in mind, and rather than inundating you multiple blog posts for each show, I thought it would be best to capture the key outtakes from the runway shows, up close and personal beauty features from the fabulous MAC team backstage (where they create ALL the magic), along with all my favourite shots captured throughout the day. So, without further ado – let’s get on to the magic of Day One at New Zealand Fashion Week 2013…
Twenty-seven names – Runway
Rene Magritte – infamous Belgian surrealist artist was the inspiration for twenty-seven names’ winter collection entitled ‘I’m Lost’, which refers to the artists first painting ‘the lost jockey’ showcasing Magritte’s love of classic preppy pieces and light-hearted graphic prints. Ankle socks paired with high-shine loafers, oxford cable knit sweaters teamed with floaty fabrics, and hearts, polka dots and pleats featured throughout runway show.
The designers looked to Magritte’s signature style, featuring her famed symbols – the bowler hat, green apple and beating heart. Using a vividly tonal colour palette, twenty-seven-names Winter 2014 collection echoes the artist’s use of darkness and daylight through nudes, creams, navy and red
Standout pieces from the collection – the ‘I’m lost’ applique sweater, marais pleated culottes, for caroline dress, fireside jacket and cherry bomb pleat dress. Each piece speaks to an overly sentimental and hopelessly romantic sensibility, whilst at the same time, completely wearable.
twenty-seven names – Beauty
Looking like they’ve just stepped off the set of 90210, girls are looking fresh-faced and beautiful. Playing to their naturally beautiful features, their look is enhanced using MAC Strobe liquid, Prep & Prime Moisture Infusion, Clear Brow Set, Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Luxe Naturale. The look is inspired by twenty-seven names’ winter collection entitled ‘I’m Lost’, which refers to classic preppy pieces. Key Makeup Artist – Amber D
COOP – Runway
There was a celebration on the runway at Trelise Cooper’s COOP show – a collection of fun, colour and individualism through faux fur, holographic sheen, fabulous prints and shimmery metallics. Butterfly motif teamed with alphabet print & stripes, twinkling sequin shorts and accented jumpers completed this fabulous new collection from COOP. NB: The silver sequin shorts in this collection are simply divine!
COOP – Backstage Beauty With M.A.C Cosmetics
I got to hang out backstage with Director of Makeup Artistry Asia-Pacific – James Molloy and interview James regarding the story behind the look that he and the MAC Cosmetics team created for COOP… The key inspiration for COOP by Trelise Cooper is ‘An eclectic girl’, with a strong focus on texture. talked to the texture featured throughout COOP’s latest collection, which showcased everything from holographic prints, tulle & metallics, through to chiffon, leather and lace. To create this look James focused on a blown-out ultraviolet highlight for the cheeks & warm eye colour (I have to say the ultraviolet creation was absolutely stunning!!) and use the following products to do so – MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, Cream Colour Base in Luna, Black Black Chromagraphic Pencil, Extended Play Mascara & Frozen White Pigment.
Hailwood – Runway
Hailwood bought Savvy streetwear to the forefront through tailored denims that screamed ‘streetwear with sophistication’. Next down the runway for Hailwood – Glamour! In abundance! Beautiful, feminine, sexy ‘old Hollywood’ graced the runway in high-glamour dresses, floaty chiffon, slinky silk and lace, embodied the 1940’s film starlets. There is not a dress in the this collection that I don’t want to own – it would seem from this collection that Hailwood knows woman, better than, well, woman!
Hailwood – Backstage Beauty With M.A.C Cosmetics
The key theme and inspiration for Hailwood – 40’s Silhouette. The ‘beyond feminine’ film starlet vs the vampier vixen of the silver screen. Led by James Molloy, this look was executed using antique colours on the eyes for both the starlet and the vixen. Whilst the film starlet sported a clear glass lip, the vampy vixen wore am almost blackened lip by combining a ‘current’ lip liner and fuchsia lip colour. Items used to create these looks: Woodwinked on the eyes, Soft and Gentle on the face and both using the mineralise skinfinish.
Lela Jacobs – Runway
Floating slowly down the runway in what seemed like an almost catatonic state, models donned Lela Jacobs’ ‘de’ collection to the musical stylings of tzar behemoth playing live on stage.
Jacob’s favoured a monochromatic palette (mainly black), allowing her to explore and present fibre and texture as the ruling element. Jacobs’ designs are versatile, highly wearable and each item appeared a masterpiece. Minimalistic and understated, yet a collection so rich in technical patternmaking, combined with the use of high quality fabrics such as leather, cotton, silk and merino, the ‘de’ collection is thought-provoking and exquisite!
Jacob’s explains what ‘de’ means to her. ‘de’ is a prefix – interrupting something, then reversing and undoing it, e.g. centralise – de-centralise, construct – deconstruct, the dominant given reality is a closely woven fabric. Loosen the weave, see what manifests. Between and beyond boundaries and borders, not just fashionable and industrial ones, but historical and cultural, geographical and political – geopolitical ones.
Company of Strangers – Runway
Situated in an underground car park, creating a dark and edgy atmosphere. Company of Strangers showcased their ‘Libertine’ collection. A collection inspired by the paintings and drawings of Austrian Impressionist, Egon Schiele, whose work is characterised by its expressive linear style. Rich gem coloured pieces were scattered amongst company of strangers’ signature muted colour palette. Floaty, sheer dresses teamed with a range of jackets – leather, bombers, cape & cropped, accompanied oversized hats, beanies and knitwear.
Andrea Moore – Runway
Walking through a dark Nordic wood, follow the footprints in the snow and emerge into a world of hidden secrets and strange metamorphoses. Princesses emerge as swans, foals into princes, and the Northern Lights illuminate shadowy depths. “Scandinavia was a real inspiration this season,” explains Andrea Moore. “They have a tradition of mysterious stories and enchanted animals, quite Gothic and arcane, contrasted with a design aesthetic of such pure simplicity. And of course the whole region is so beautiful in winter.” Silhouettes are crisp and clean, sparkling with drops of ice captured inside Swarovski crystals. Ruffles add drama and easy glamour. The focus is on the waist and the graceful curve of the back, accentuated with the swoop of a zip featuring a romantic gold swan or silver deer. Capes, coats and bomber jackets envelop in soft drapes. Sporty grey marle sweatshirts are contrasted with star-struck silks. Bright houndstooth camouflages the modern hunter. A new stable of statement pants is introduced along with impeccably cut jeans in the finest Japanese denim, a signature horse prancing on the back pocket.
Zambesi – Runway
A full-fashion-house awaited the start of the Zambesi runway show. Doing what these pioneers of NZFW do best, originality – the curtains revealed the entire backstage to the public – the models, the creative team, hair & makeup – all was on-show to give a true and accurate account of what goes into a showing from beginning to end. A captured audience right from the get go.
Zambesi’s signature androgynous style and dark tones are still very much prominent in their latest collection. A nod to kiwi-made recognised through their featured fern motif, set amongst a palette of NZ’s blue skies (ok not today maybe, but normally blue skies) and lush greenery, with another kiwiana feature coming through in their woollen pieces (I may have read into the kiwi thing a little too much, but it’s what caught my attention). A delightful addition to the tonal palette was a pop of colour coming through with varying shades of red.
As expected – tailored, wearable, sophisticated fashion at it’s best and the ideal way to wrap up day one of NZFW – sitting front row at the forefront of fashion (see what I did there) with Zambesi.
Zambesi – Backstage Beauty With M.A.C Cosmetics
OK – so I know I mentioned that I got to catch up with James Molloy of MAC (and yes, that was amazing, and he is incredibly talented, not to mention lovely!) However, finally getting to meet with Amber D in person (not just over Twitter) I’m not gonna lie – the HIGHLIGHT of my day! Amber D is the makeup artist that inspired me to become a qualified makeup artist myself. She’s pretty much my makeup artist idol & one super talented, uber-cool chick! Anyway, I digress, worry – onto the makeup look for Zambesi…
Led by MAC makeup artist – AmberD. The key theme for Zambesi: ‘it’s all about the lips’. Amber D took her lead from the ruby-red python leather featured in Zambesi’s new collection. By keeping to a natural and clean look for the rest of the face, the focus was on the ruby-red lip featured on all the models. Not just any red lip – the M.A.C Cosmetics team created each look using a number of shades to create the perfect red lip to accompany the python feature. Once creating the perfect shade (and ensuring all the models had the exact same lip hue and shape – the lip-look was completed with a high shine, flawless gloss finish.
Me with Amber D
Stay tuned for the next installment of NZFW 2013, coming up on the blog tomorrow.
Ange x
Gurlinterrupted
A Girl Interrupted By Fashion, Beauty & Anything Pretty That Catches My Eye
While still on ‘media room’ access – I highly recommend headphones if you are hoping to pump out those editorials (admittedly I’m far too swept up in catching up with out-of-town friends that I don’t get to see all that often as we all come together for NZFW, to put on headphones) but be warned, the media room can be a hustle and bustle of noise, especially if you’re in there at the same time as me, Anya (from Beautiful Bedlam) and Sopheak (from SopheakSeng.com) – our laughter is loud and aplenty!
Business cards – bring them, a lot of them. Fashion week equals making new friends and networking, networking, networking!
Footwear – wedges, sneakers and flats are your friends! If you’re a heels wearer – I suggest you keep a pair of ballet flats in your bag – preferably a pair that are compact, such as Fairy Feet. They’re so incredibly handy to pop on between shows and they come in a range of colours – you can check them out here: 
A snack bar or fruit – just in case there’s no time to go out for food… sure, there are generally some snacks in your goodie bags, but you can only live on Jaffas and Liquorice Allsorts for so long (and trust me, I survived on these items alone for an entire day last year, the sugar come-down wasn’t pretty!).
Beauty essentials – these are our beauty must-haves during NZFW… Lucas paw paw (for dehydrated lips, to apply to blisters caused by heels, to combat unwanted blemishes, yeah it’s an all-in-one balm). There was no way we would create a ‘beauty essentials’ piece and not include MAC Cosmetics… MAC strobe cream (we all own this right?) the perfect hydrator/illuminator/foundation base – ahhh the list goes on, it does A LOT! MAC Face & Body foundation for touch-ups throughout the day; and since we’re still infatuated with MAC’s ‘The Simpsons’ collection (available in-store 4th September), we’ll be donning one or two key pieces from the range. And our number one ‘go to’ bold lip colours for NZFW are: MACs Ruby Woo, Lady Danger & Pure Heroine.
Key Makeup Artist: Amber D
