Caught up in the frenzy that is the Garage Sale at New Zealand Fashion Weekend, I somehow walked out as the owner of some new bits'n'bobs.
I honestly don't know how it happened.
The Therese Rawsthorne shirt I had eye-marked with it's cutout shoulders?......weeelll, didn't make the cut. The Stolen Girlfriends long johns I have obsessed over for aaaaaages? Left forlorn on the rack---though I kick my own arse while wearing stilettos for THAT stupid decision as they would be the perfect mannish coverup under the ladylike sheer maxi skirts and dresses. Stoopid, stoopid, STOOPID!! The Lonely Hearts Dress, the American Flag jeans, some wierd and wonderful woolly, jelly-fish thingys at DMONIC INTENT, the Chaos and Harmony Chelsea Boots....sartorial overload. My *chronic finger quoting* PLAN went out the window in terms of beelines for specifics, but I actually ended up with a few pieces I lovemore in the flesh than what I've seen onscreen or in magazines.
[But to the 'ladies'-and I use that term loosely-who treat these sales as a chance to go bridezilla at a wedding dress sale......YOU'RE IDIOTS! The amount of times I had to pick beautiful garments from under the hooves of clueless bitches as they clutched their bargains and mentally attacked others who came near them...insane. AND BLASPHEMOUS! Get a grip. I felt pain for the volunteers and others who worked the sale. It must have been like watching pigs clamouring for a place at the trough sometimes.] I digress...as per... A new month starts tomorrow, as does my self imposed buying ban in accordance with The Australian Salvos' 'Buy Nothing New' campaign for October....this doesn't include the pre-ordered stuff yet to arrive. Whoops!
The first label to show their collection at New Zealand Fashion Week 2010 LIVESTREAM! This will surely cement them as the stars of NZFW by allowing us, the fashion minions and/or members of the SGC Worshippers Club, to have a visual slice of Fashion Week Pie.
Very smart move boys, very smart move indeed.
Feeling like we're part of an exclusive event is one way to win us over and more likely to have us hammering away at the block of ice around our credit cards, robbing the little brother's piggy bank and begging Mum and Dad for $50 bucks, thus to ensure we snare another piece of SGC to add to our archive next winter.
Of course, I was online last night at 9pm...checking and re-checking the links, ensuring I would be seated in time to watch the show unfold at 9.30pm. Of course, in true 'fashun' fashion, the show was running late with tweets coming in left, right and centre updating and bemoaning the horrible weather and the large crowds waiting to get in.
I sat cosy, coffee in hand, rug on lap and impatiently watched lights go up, lights go down. Angle up, angle down. Camera one, Camera Two. Random stage people, random 'people' people. Blogger here, blogger there.....lights go down......[finally, it's like past 10pm man!]
Starting: Ad for a Mini, designed by SGC. Nice.
Intro: "Put Britney On!...." What?
What aurally ensued was a 'soundtrack' akin to swapping and changing tapes at a party. You know, when you're trying to find the right song...then some other d**k comes along and changes it? Yeah, kinda like that. Only, with cassette tapes and the literal sound effect--not the i-pod wooshing of today. And no d**k's.
SGC remained true to their vibe and I've no doubt Rumi Neely of Fashiontoast.com will be contacting them soon to secure a few pieces of the Kiwi label she has become a fan of and most definitely been one of the driving forces behind increasing their global identity and demand for the SGC brand. If anyone embodies the SGC aesthetic perfectly on the world's fashion stage...it's Rumi.
The womenswear was styled by one of my favourite fashion industry 'insiders'-Zara Mirkin. Her talent is a rare find and you've no doubt seen her work in many magazines...like No Magazine. I think I love her. The range looked spectacular and the oufits looked 'do-able.' Very fitting seeing as the theme of the show was 'Last Night's Party' and styling was based around the idea of wearing your clothes from the night before. I'd be quite happy to perform The Walk Of Shame, smudged make-up and the smell of bodies and cigarettes......if I were looking this hot! Also 'hot' was the use of spiked accessories like cuffs, belts and neckpieces-a very 90's reference. Overall a fun, upbeat, sexy and youthful collection that doesn't take itself too seriously and neither to the boys behind SGC. They've designed something smoking hot for the ladies that the boys can visually appreciate....and perhaps get lucky enough to endure a walk of shame too.
Splashes of blood-like 90's-esque red...
Still feeling furry for winter AW 2011.... The frill returns as a signature detail on sheer dresses. While the tops also get the frill treatment and prim suggesting victorian-esque collars....plus check out the pants!! The standout print, all pretty hydrangeas and lovely...take a closer look...as the flowers nest on beds of cigarette butts! Accents of sheepskin/shearling/wooly-tuffty-fluff[?] transform these seemingly straightforward garments into covetable pieces of Stolen Girlfriend 'must-haves'....and oh, trust me, I intend to! And take a sniff at the hydrangea accents..complete with cigarette butts attached!
The final look...awwwwww....and I want that t-shirt!
The standout piece for me? The one where I let out an audible squeal and may have dropped my Tim Tam in my coffee? This stunning one-sleeved dress. When that baby goes live I AM PRE-ORDERING, no matter WHAT the cost. images by Hilary Johnston via FashioNZand check out the gallery for the full show and menswear looks.
The show was a total rush to watch and I am so thankful that Stolen Girlfriends and TV3 gave us the opportunity....CHEERS SGC AND TV3!
Whether you like it or not, Ruby is taking over the world. I don't know if it's the invite [see above], the coats they showed or my slightly off-centre brain, but I conjured up images of Dick Dastardly and Mutley, a little "Nyeh..ehh...eh, ehhh...." and a wheezy-slash-asthmatic laugh as I fly in my bi-plane wearing aviator goggles and hat, dropping clothes bombs on fashionistas below, banner flapping, stating in all caps "RUBY WANTS YOU!"[Probably, slash that, definitely not the intention of the collection, I'm sure.]
The collection Deanna Didovich sent out for the labels debut show at New Zealand Fashion Week, was identifiably 'Ruby' and it will prove to be a case of "WE WANT RUBY!" come winter 2011. Loyal fans have a large array of covetable new pieces to spend their pennies on next year without having to overhaul and rethink their current wardrobe.
Shaggy, want-to-rub-your-face-on-them textures that remind me of Liv Tyler's top in Empire Records..... Nude tones continue to dominate for AW 2011 Perfectly cosy garments with perfectly cool pants....
A smattering of strong colours featured in many collections shown this week and I loved Rubys Robin Hood-esque shades of green used above and the olivey-mustards below...images by Brigette Norcross via FashioNZ
There were garments made with plaids, ginghams and a circle-type fabrication that I haven't featured in this post or it would have been SOOOOOOOO LOOOONG. You HAVE to take a look at the galleries available for yourself.
And my stand out pieces? The oh-so-cute panda top [also on sweater], oversized gingham shirt dress and the mac.
There's also a capsule collection available for your perusal here.
twentyseven names If there was one show I would have donated a kidney to see [sans payment, just give me a front row seat, goodie bag and a little 'fashun' atmosphere], it would have been that of designers Rachel Easting and Anjali Stewart-the creative champions behind label, TwentySeven Names.
To date, I only own one piece of theirs [the most awesomest prarie dress EVER!] but will probably donate my remaining kidney [can you function kidney-less?] to have a go at wearing something from their 'The Fearsome Five' collection for AW 2011.
From what I can glean from the blogosphere, the collection was inspired by the cliques we all encountered when embarking on our first year in high school. Those groups of girls we felt enamoured with, intimidated by, aspired to be or avoided.....and then would eventually assimilate into, once we had chosen our identity...or it had chosen us. The looks were broad and slightly cliched in their representation of typical high school groups and sub-cultures [though, I was not remotely cultured in high school, nor did I truly understand what a sub-culture was] but that's not to say the collection didn't resonate with me. The ability to identify and reminisce was enjoyable and I actually realised I still dress with some of those high school personas in mind. 'The Fearsome Five' were, in my own labelling here, the goth girls [dark and odd], eco op shoppers [granny chic], the sports [collegiate jackets], the rich chicks [preppy] and the indie kids [on-purpose-ugly-that's-why-I'm-cool, man]-remember, we're chanelling the 90's here when P.C was only kicking off. Stereotypes were stock standard.
Personally, high school for me was a radar I never left a blip on. I can safely say no-one but my two best friends remembers I even existed. But I remember the different groups...the gangstas, the geeks, the metalheads, the populars, the artsy/philosophicals, the greenie-eco's, the down-with-the-boys and the sports. Mufti days were always the worst, as those were the days where your 'place' and 'group' were as visible as a neon sign over a stripclub.
But I digress...I didn't group the shots by...well...groups, that's a game for you to play...'SPOT THAT CLIQUE!' *cue gameshow music*
What stood out for me where the prints....the raspberry red dress? Hello Winona in Reality Bites or in fact anything she wore in the 90's... I adored the folds and sheer floatyness of these pieces....as any decent thrift shopping geek or indie freak would. The dark, goth like pieces featured giant spots or harlequin-like diamond shapes....
The sporty letterman jackets emblazoned with a '5' and preppy blazers complete with crest detail..... The coat you will most likely clamour to own.....is it a cape? Is it a coat? Perfect for us girls who can't identify with just one silhouette. images by Hilary Johnston via FashioNZ
Trying to pick an underlying theme to this collection was a little difficult as there was quite the mash-up [which I have no aversity to partaking in myself] of garments on show. Retro, futuristic, velvets, silks, knits, denim, prints, spots, BIG spots, casual, evening, greens, browns, yellows, draping, architectural....and...ding...17th floor, homewares, please watch your step as you exit.
Apparently, the influence of some LA photographer, Alex Prager [who I will not endeavour to research or pretend to have ever heard mention of as I'm not that kind of blogger] came into play. When describing the imagery in particular that the collection was based on, my eyes glazed over with words like "living dolls" and "war against constructed beauty"-can you tell I'm not that artistically inclined or well-versed in the finer points of the creative world as a whole? I'm not ignorant....just a little lazy.
This post may sound a little negative. But. It. Ain't. I'm just trying to get that 'influence, arty-farty clap-trap' out of the way.
What Adrian Hailwood presented was an array of seemingly mismatched colours, textures, fabrics, references and shapes but it made for one hell of a visual feast. Each outfit sent down the runway looked effortless, quite unique and yet completely wearable and inter-changeable. Not an easy feat but something we almost come to demand from designers and labels. Though I am not a fan of wearing colour, I could be swayed to dip my toe in the greens and yellows-albeit most likely in the form of hosiery and socks than actual garments and will absolutely be swathing my frame in drapey, velvet accented pieces featuring, what I can only describe as, Super Wine Gum spots.
I'm definitely interested in the mix of grey print sweats with flocked spot bottoms.....
There was some tan with a minimal print thrown in for good sartorial measure....
Tones of green, envious much? Coats are still big statements for winter 2011....as is playing with proportions.
Velvet, texture, draping and spots..... The show stopper... images by hilary johnston via fashionz.co.nz Adrian Hailwood, you struck a chord with my aesthetic and definitely plucked at the strings of my sartorial heart.
If you follow me on Twitter, ya know I'm sick. Like SICK sick...not, yeah man, that was SICK!, sick...but chicken-soup-eating-honey-lemon-tea-drinking-moany-groany-achy-breaky-heart, sick.
New Zealand Fashion Week officially started today and already the kiwi blogging contingent has tweeted and blogged there little fingers off...which is great entertainment for me. Being sick takes COMMITMENT. And I am fully committed to my bed, surrounded by my phone, my laptop, remotes, magazines and a box of tissues....for blowing noses, just wanted to make that crystal. So, I'm fully immersing myself in the wonderment of NZFW from the comfort of my bed, clothed in my jim jams and bare faced. Wonder if any of the other fashionistas there are as comfy or stress-free?
Anyways, as I am no fashion or style commentator of note and am not actually AT NZFW [maybe next year I'll give it a crack?], I decided to faux-attend...here's what I faux-wore to Day Tahi [Maori for 'one'] to NZFW.
So...what is 'Achy-breaky-heart sick?' Yeah, that's because Big R doesn't want to share my germs and is currently practising non-body contact displays of affection...like paying for my new Stylestalker blouse, which I FULLY appreciate...but I'd rather have a kiss from my Boy.
EDIT: for readers in Germany where this has been banned [?] here's a few shots.... wearing: random lace apron, stylestalker blouse, shakuhachi vest, thrifted shorts, top shop wedges and assorted rings.
The hunt is on for the perfect bag and it has to fit my world in it. Make that two bags...I'm not being greedy or nuffink but there's casual and there's classic. Two needs. Two worlds.
These ones from simone camille are right up my alley, though the $1800+ price tag puts them WAAAAAYYYY out of my stratosphere in terms of acquisition. But the hobo-boho-foho-fobo-bofo-tribal-native-mirrored-joseph-and-the-technicolour-dreamcoat-slouchy-spangly-pom-pom-fangly-ness of them makes them extremely desirable. I'm a sucker for those jingly-jangly bits hanging off all over the place like little good karma catchers....I need me some good karma. I'm sure some hunting at the local Trade Aid will a] get me something in a similar vein and b] support some talented people deserving of some karma themselves.
Dear Mr DeadlyPonies. I love you. I love a lot. I love your bags. I think they are cool. I love that they are "Mr Somebody's". Don't tell my Mr that I love you. He might get jealous. Love from, fashion westie xxx
Saben, Saben, Saben. Have you been reading my diary? I bet you have, you dirty sneak. These are my daydreams brought to life. Remind me to find a new hiding place and please, don't tell Sally Johnston that I thought her lamingtons were crap.
Goes without saying...black, sling, fringe, dangly-fangly bits.....likey, likey what Krystal Simpson of What Is Reality Anyway? blog has done for her piece in the Blogger Collaboration with Coach. Also goes without saying; can't afford it. Benah. The current blogger obsession. Currently available at The Department Store. Currently out of my financial league. Boo hoo. Prefer the Lucian satchel over the Jove though....
Never gonna happen but I like the fact that this bag mashes my two worlds into one rather groovy little number. Casual Print, meet Classic Design. Classic Design, this is Casual Print. Casual Print likes to watch New Zealands Next Top Model while slurping on Double Coat Tim Tam straws. Classic Design likes to read No and Pilot Magazine while eating strawberry lamingtons. Yeah. It's a tough one.....what to do? What to do? I'm leaning towards a number inspired by the Simone Camille and then it's a face off between saben and Deadly Ponies. Got some spare hundies laying around you can lend me? My world's in a bit of an economic downturn at the mo.....
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