Retail therapy: Call for black

A model dressed in black at last year's New Zealand Fashion Week show for Zambesi. Photo / Babiche Martens

The New Zealand Fashion Museum is set to return with a new exhibition this year and a theme that is close to the local fashion industry's heart: the colour black.

A pop-up exhibition will happen later this year, looking at why and how black has become part of our identity as New Zealanders, from the black uniforms of our sports teams to the iconic black singlet to the "dark and intellectual" perception of our local fashion.

The exhibition will be part of the Real NZ Festival in September-October, while the museum will also host a series of events leading up to it throughout the year, including a cocktail party.

Curator Doris de Pont is currently after pictorial and material evidence of the wearing of black throughout our history, whether it be a old family photos, magazine articles, Victorian mourning clothes, a black singlet or an iconic black cocktail dress.

If you have something that you think may be suitable, or want to find out more, contact her at: doris@fashionmuseum.co.nz, or ph 021 680 860.

Show girls

See new winter collections from Trelise Cooper, Juliette Hogan and more, at Viva's show at the New Zealand Fashion Festival next month. Tickets to the Wednesday March 23 show are on sale now; earlybird tickets are $45, from iticket.co.nz.

Style notes

Remember the High St Lucky Christmas Shop that opened in the inner city last year? We thought the idea was genius, and you clearly agreed - the enchanted forest themed pop-up shop with a conscience raised $28,000 for the Auckland City Mission. The High St Guild organised the store, including retailers, bars, restaurants and hoteliers from the High St precinct like Kate Sylvester, Workshop, Zambesi, Unity Books and Pauanesia; presenting a cheque to the City Mission yesterday. Workshop's Chris Cherry, part of the Guild, said the store sold out of mystery gifts three times, but supporters were more than willing to give more. Expect to see more initiatives planned around the High St area this year.

Fashion school

Fashion is more than just pretty clothes - learn more about the background and evolution of the industry with Look at Me: The History and Now of Fashion, a new course at Auckland University's Centre for Continuing Education. The course will explore the history of fashion and the development of the fashion industry in terms of globalisation, feminism and other social influences. $117 for four Tuesday sessions, starting March 1. To book or for more information, phone 0800 864 266 or visit cce.auckland.ac.nz.