With New Zealand Fashion Week underway, Hawke's Bay Today caught up with Hastings-based clothing designer Kirsha Whitcher. The designer's newest collection "Sacrificial Grace" will be showing at the Hilton Hotel in Auckland, tonight. Whitcher spoke to reporter AMY SHANKS about influences of religion, season trends and why she's still based in Hawke's Bay.
The models' hair cascades from a dead centre part to the waist, lines are clean-cut and well-fitted, and the colour, well there's barely a hint of it in the latest range from Hastings-based designer Kirsha Whitcher, whose label Salasai will be showing at New Zealand Fashion Week tonight.
"We have classed white as the new black this season," Whitcher says of this season's collection titled "Sacrificial Grace".
"It's very stark, very simplistic - a patchwork range that we have pulled together."
The "patchwork" of detail which runs throughout the collection was inspired by alternative religious sects such as Quakers and the Amish.
"I like to take the time to think about what the season's trends could be translated to and sort of let that be a point of inspiration. This year the silhouettes are longer and A-length and when I put them together it had an Amish feel."
From there, Whitcher dove into research, reading up on the lifestyles and beliefs of many different religions.
"I started to find out more about them and how beautiful they were in their own way," Whitcher says.
"They lead a very civilised existence. I took that and stripped it right back."
Themes of modesty, love and, of course, sacrifice have been woven into each garment, peeking through in the knee length hem lines, dreamy fabrics in muted tones and simplicity of the pieces.
"It's very angelic, but there is an underlying theme of good versus evil, with a feeling of darkened innocence prevailing. We have created a sort of lamb to the slaughter feel on the models."
This year, Salasai will be showing at the Hilton Hotel, a space which Whitcher has manipulated in order to create a backdrop that adds another dimension to her designs .
"There will be a beautiful conceptual, concrete scene and the models will wear big laddered shoes," she says. "The result is beautiful, something really special."
Thirty five looks or 100 samples distilled from a range of ideas and concepts will walk down the runway ending countless hours of planning and preparation.
"It's a real labour of love," Whitcher says. "The final show is like an explosion of six months of work in one go."
Expect to see individual unisex pieces that you can swap with your partner, minimal layering and simple styling with a healthy dose of Whitcher's effortlessly cool, sophisticated style.
With Whitcher based in Hawke's Bay and her team working out of Auckland, the lead-up to New Zealand Fashion Week has been hectic, but she wouldn't have it any other way.
"We love living in Hawke's Bay, our boys go to great schools and all our family are there. It's easy enough for me to jump on a plane and be in Auckland when I'm needed."
Though she admitted to being a little "worn out" Whitcher was quietly confident the show would be a success.
"I'm anxious but I'm really looking forward to it coming together on the day,"she says.
Fashion designer puts on one holy show
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