Fashion's the focus but there's life outside the bubble

Owner of the label Sabatini Tony Milich (R) and his daughter Anja Milich attend the New Zealand Fashion Week cocktail party. Photo / Getty Images

A couple of All Blacks, a handful of designers, a clutch of corporates, a posse of pretty PRs and a bunch of bloggers - and almost as many media as VIPs - yes it was a typical party in Auckland last night to toast the start of Fashion Week.

Moet & Chandon were the hosts at an intimate gathering where the only new eye candy was America's Next Top Model winner Krista White. She's young and leggy, so could get away with a leopard print mini and a bargain bin top when the dress code said cocktail. But being a fashion crowd this was largely ignored, and with the event's early evening start many had clearly come straight from work to the hospitality lounge.

After the obligatory toast to Fashion Week's tenth anniversary and the parade of two near nude gold-painted models carrying a gold-plated jeroboam to be auctioned for charity, it was time for the obligatory social page snaps.

Down the corridor from the black-draped Moet lounge, with its lights festooned in pretty tulle skirts, the more barn-like atmosphere of one of the show sheds was the venue for the official opening event where a rather larger crowd was equally eager to sample the champers. They filled the room and spilled out the entrance, leaving many clamouring to see what was going on.

There was a performance from Mika and an appearance by Mayor John Banks. Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye wore Karen Walker as she told the crowd that New Zealand fashion would be on the promotional agenda come the expected visitor influx for the Rugby World Cup.

T-shirts from Huffer for every tourist perhaps, with the brand being named this year's winner of the $20,000 Air New Zealand Export Award.

Fashion Week founder and managing director Pieter Stewart said that the most satisfying part of running the event was having seen success stories develop.

"Over the past 10 years we've seen the industry develop from just a handful of our top designers having any real international experience, to now, when many of them have successful, well organised and focused businesses."

A surprise tribute was shown on the big screen with fashion identities saying without her vision and determination it wouldn't have begun at all. Now after a decade of Fashion Weeks our leading designers are household names and the standards of show styling, modelling, hair and makeup are vastly improved.

Not so welcome is the goodie bag culture and A-list obsession that sponsors, publicists and payola seem to encourage.

Opening night is always a curious affair, with everyone milling around without the focus of frocks. That comes today, with nine shows on the agenda. The best will be a celebration of applied creativity.

But lest anyone get too carried away with the hoopla or overlook the tough business environment out there, it was Fashion Week's own driving force who reminded guests that there's life outside the bubble.

Pieter Stewart quietly told the crowd they would see images around the venue with calls for donations to help rebuild her beautiful local church, St John's, Hororata. The 100-year-old stone building was badly damaged just over a fortnight ago in the Canterbury earthquake.

Stewart's own house suffered moderate damage with possessions destroyed, but, she said, many others were much worse off.