The Your Vision on Display hair show was part of opening night at New Zealand Fashion Week, at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre last night.
The official shows kick off today and Fashion Week runs until Sunday.
Last night's hair show, put on by hairdressers for hairdressers, gave stylists a chance to showcase and celebrate what they do best. Each participating salon was given five minutes to show what inspires and drives them as a collective.
Dame Pieter Stewart, who founded the event in 2000, was joined by NZ Fashion Week Ambassador Colin Mathura-Jeffree to open the event.
Mayor Len Brown was one of 450 guests at opening night and together with designers and fashion industry insiders, he toasted the occasion.
Child Labour Free founders Nikki Prendergast and Michelle Pratt last night announced new companies joining the initiative, which included designers Zambesi and Twenty-Seven Names.
The winners of the HITO Hot new talent competition were also read out. Across the five categories of hair stylist or barber, makeup artist, fashion stylist, female model and male model, the winners were Hannah Oxley, from Invercargill, Emma Robinson, from Christchurch, Rebecca McGill, from Wellington, Sarah Lake, from Christchurch, and Nichol Drayton, from Christchurch.
How to "talk the talk"
• At Zambesi declare: "My favourite show ever was the one at the St James."
• If something is coming down the runway that looks a little prairie, turn to your neighbour and say: "It's a little Chloe, don't you think?"
• If it's something minimalist, say: "It's very Celine."
• At the bar at Stolen Girlfriends Club, ask: "I wonder what time the show will start?" Knowingly roll your eyes.
• Proclaim at Kate Sylvester: "Kate and Wayne, what a dream team," in reference to Kate and partner Wayne Conway's creative collaborations over the years.
• At Annah Stretton utter: "Remember the boar's head?" You'll need to Google this for follow up chit-chat, or leave it as a rhetorical question if you have no idea about said boar's head.
• The perfect conversation starter is: "I wonder what Trelise is up to?" Someone in the group will surely have something to say.
Visit Viva's dedicated New Zealand Fashion Week section for the most savvy, intelligent and dynamic coverage around.