Fashion Police star praises 'beachy' Kiwi style

George Katsiopoulis has visited NZ for the first time, complimenting Kiwi style. Photo / Brian Bowen Smith,E!

Fashion Police star George Kotsiopoulos has praised New Zealand style, describing it as "cosmopolitan beach vibe."

The stylist, who sits alongside harsh comedian Joan Rivers on on the E! channel's Fashion Police, landed in to Auckland for a flying visit to meet with the entertainment network's staff and catch a glimpse of Kiwi style.

Between a jam-packed media schedule, Kotsiopoulos spent about 15 minutes browsing local fashion retailers, WORLD and Zambesi, where he spotted a black, deconstructed jacket he'd like to get his hands on.

He told the nzherald.co.nz the looks he spotted on the street had "a strange combination of Lagoona Beach and San Fransisco".

What we wear matters because it's "an armour," he said.

"It's the image that you want to project to the world, it's who it is you want to project yourself to be.

"We all want to be comfortable in our home, but we want to look good. If I'm wearing trackpants in my house they're cute trackpants, they're still fashionable. I walk by mirrors, we want to look good, I do at least."

Not surprisingly, the most memorable Kiwi on Kotsiopoulos' radar is Grammy winner Lorde.

"She seems very outspoken and speaks her mind and doesn't say stupid things, which is great," he said.

He said the teen's "grungy, moody" style reminded him of fictional character Beetlejuice (which he watched on the plane).

"For someone to be that young and not that famous, it's smart to have a look," he said.

"You just associate her with having that big, black curly hair.

"It's like, okay, that's Lorde, just let it simmer in the Zeitgeist for a while. Let people know who you are. You want to be memorable."

Kotsiopoulos mingled with local media and celebs at a waterfront party last night and will jet off to Melbourne today for fashion week before heading to Sydney.

- www.nzherald.co.nz