KEY POINTS:
So much fashion happens in a single year and 2006 is no exception. We look at the highs and lows - and we're not talking hemlines.
BEST
New Zealand Fashion Week While the mainstream labels, who had previously opted for middle-market ruffles in funny places, happily caught up with the rest of the fashion world, New Zealand's high-fashion leaders showed their brilliance yet again. Those who remain in the memory include Zambesi, for their enormous show; Nom*D for their stylistic rebirth; and Kate Sylvester, for an innovative, design-led show about wolves and girls.
The date change meant that designers were just as happy with results as onlookers.
Mala Brajkovic You need only a quick flick through overseas runway reports, with their bright colours and 80s inspirations, to realise this local designer has a firm handle on the zeitgeist. And she manages to do it all her own fresh and inimitable way.
Karen Walker's rave reviews after her show at New York Fashion Week. Single-handedly making New Zealanders feel cool overseas.
Zambesi's summer Zoi collection A beautiful story set on a warm Greek isle told in clothes.
The next Next Generation While sophomore labels like Cybele, Kristine Crabb and Lonely Hearts Club go from strength to strength, a new bunch of designers with potential have started to emerge. One look at the offerings by young designers like Sherie Muys and Camille Howie at the Deutz Fashion Ambassador show in September was enough to make the most jaded frock watcher feel optimistic.
Art fashion Big names like Nicholas Ghesquierre at Balenciaga and relative newcomers like Britain's Gareth Pugh and Christopher Kane started making radical clothes that most of us will never wear (or afford). But damn, they're inspiring.
Retro-inspired garments Because fashion is all about cycles and reactions. And there's nothing like nostalgia, updated for the new millennium, to make dressing up more fun.
The new androgyny Men's shirts and pants on girls are so cool they make your teeth hurt.
Environmentally conscious chic Slowly but surely this most consumerist of industries is paying attention to what looks to be the biggest social and economic problem the current generation of shoppers will face. Hopefully more of us will consider what throwaway fashion really means, and more clothing companies will look into ethical business practice.
High-fashion hair Many of the styles seen at the best salons and on the most stylish this year have not been free and easy nor Jennifer Aniston-like. Instead they've been inspired by a new breed of musician, like Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, chopped, asymmetric, definitively layered and bluntly fringed. In other words, admirably risky.
Fashion socialism It's become increasingly stylish to mention you got your T-shirt from a chainstore. This year local designers are helped out by styling ranges for mainstream stores, with the likes of Liz Mitchell putting together a range for Farmers, World making kiddies' T-shirts for The Warehouse, and Australian labels, Tsubi and Kit Willow doing it at Jeans West and Portmans respectively.
Local jewellery It's as if all the students at local craft or design courses graduated at once, then unleashed their works of beauty on the world. Fantastic locally made jewellery is everywhere.
WORST
Puffballs They weren't particularly flattering in the 80s and a lot of them aren't much better now. The only excuse for wearing one today is a label that says Balenciaga.
Australian Fashion Week Apart from a few fashionable bright spots, this event was so disorganised several New Zealand fashion editors vowed never to return.
Retro-inspired garments That is, designers taking vintage dresses and re-making them exactly. Over and over, until their whole collection is comprised of such looks. Yawn.
Lack of decent celebrity-style icons Who wants to look like Paris Hilton? Oh OK, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Britney Spears, the Pussy Cat Dolls and a bunch of 12-year-olds in matching pink tracksuits do. Where's the Jane Birkin or Katharine Hepburn of this generation?
Imitators in denial If you're not being inspired by international labels, you may be inspired by New Zealand labels. You may even have opened a store right next door to them.
Glassons in the race to get colourful, youthful fashion on to shelves This local company seems to be losing out to various Australian competitors like Supre, Sussan and Portmans.
Designer denim The pursuit of the perfect pair of jeans is both a trial and a pleasure. But is anyone else sick of hearing about the designer jeans that Mischa Barton wore once, that have just arrived in the country and cost the price of a small secondhand car? Sure they might make your ass look a little nicer but wouldn't spending all that money on a gym membership do the same?
Naming rights No doubt they have their reasons but to the general populace the legal wrangles over various brand names - Cherry Cotton Candy v Helen Cherry, and Trelise Cooper v Tamsin Cooper - just seems petty.
Pants that procrastinate Make up your mind. Either you're wearing shorts or you're wearing trousers. Three-quarter-length pants which end mid-calf are just about the least flattering leg length anyone, male or female, could don.
