Theatrics keep runway buzzing

A model wears a design at the Zambesi fashion show on day one of New Zealand Fashion Week in Auckland. Photo / Babiche Martens

Thank goodness for Zambesi. The New Zealand label, which will celebrate 30 years in the industry with a retrospective show on Saturday night, closed day one of NZ Fashion Week with some much-needed theatrics after a day where designers largely played it safe.

The Zambesi team presented a beautiful collection, called The Enigma, to a packed audience at the SkyCity Theatre, opening the show with a model standing on stage reading in front of a moody forest film backdrop.

Fuzzy knitwear pieces, tailored suiting for men and women and a subtle palette of browns, greens, grey and, yes, lots and lots of black.

Womenswear featured signature Zambesi pieces, with standout suiting, leather pieces, chunky oversized knits, cut out and slashed detailing and silk dresses.

The menswear was particularly strong, with the new cropped length and tailored pant, letterman style jackets with leather sleeves and wool coats.

Auckland-based designer Cybele Wiren kicked off the day with a show that was almost one hour late.

Inspired by Victorian widows in mourning, the pretty collection, called Virtue, may not have pushed many boundaries compared with past Cybele collections but it did showcase Wiren's maturing aesthetic and brilliant pattern-cutting skills.

Taking cues from prim Victorian dressing, with makeup reminiscent of flushed widows in mourning, the collection featured a subtle palette of gothic black, off-whites, blue, khaki and apricot, dramatic and feminine ruffle detailing and a subtle but effective sprinkled dot moth-wing print, which also formed the basis of a pretty sparkling runway set realised by Dion Boothby.

The beauty and purity of the lily was also referenced throughout, with standout cast glass necklaces by artist Layla Walter that acted as memento mori, "worn by widows as tokens of affection for their love lost".

It is refreshing to see Wiren growing up, playing with tailoring with structured jackets, coats and pants sitting alongside gorgeous flowing capes and dresses.

Sable & Minx was up next with a collection called Bon Chic Bon Genre, with easy-to-wear garments that were somewhat forgettable.

Designer Theresa Bradey sent out floaty chiffons, leggings, a bit of denim and some gowns; all aiming for that wearable, middle market that often gets overlooked when showcased next to some of the more directional labels at ANZFW.

Wellington-based label Twenty-seven Names and Auckland's Juliette Hogan are two young labels that have worked out the balance between wearable and being just fashion-forward enough. Their highly anticipated joint show was a highlight of day one.

The labels are polar opposites in fashion terms - Twenty-seven Names' collection was inspired by the "fusion of war and peace" in the 60s and Hogan's by prim, bookish beauty - but together they worked well.

Twenty-seven Names' collection, called Butter Not Bombs, is undoubtedly their best yet. A group of models in shades of black, pink and white provided a punchy opening; and the soundtrack that featured TLC, Snoop Dogg and more was a crowd pleaser.

Garments subtly referenced the freedom of the 60s, with oversized capes, shift dresses, shirting, blazers, military-inspired jackets and even culottes. Velvet, lace and denim appeared throughout, and a chunky, oversized knit cardigan was a standout.

Hogan's prim and pretty collection - cutely titled So Pretty It Hurts - followed, bringing a subtle contrast to Twenty-seven Names' more streetwear-inspired aesthetic.

Hogan has long referenced her "well-mannered" muse, and this season looked to that special type of buttoned up, bookish girl.


Like those quiet girls, there was potential for Hogan's restrained designs to get overlooked but Hogan edged her signature feminine look a step forward with bolder use of colour, prints and shorter hemlines.

A circle cape with oversized pussy bow tie, which came in eggshell blue and apricot, was a highlight, as was a simple black dress with a beautiful cape back detail and a pretty tiered chiffon dress in a delicate nude shade.

Hogan is also known for her floor-length pieces, some of which have already appeared in the front row at Fashion Week, and she continued her love affair with the maxi with several long gowns - including a dramatic long-sleeved zipped dress that closed the show.

Annah Stretton is known for her show gimmicks, from boar's heads to falling models, and this year's show certainly didn't fail to deliver on theatrics.

This time around it was nipples and gold bodypaint, a reference to the collection's inspiration in dancer Freda Stark.

Models that were actually clothed were only just, with jackets, tops, coats and dresses worn over the top of exposed vintage lingerie, bodysuits and suspenders.

While it was certainly beautiful, it sometimes distracted from the actual garments on display.

The garments featured lots of lace, sheer fabrics, florals and even shaggy gilet vests, and while most of the models may not have been wearing pants, the pieces were mostly wearable and will sit well with Stretton's legion of fans.

Alexandra Owen bought some much needed maturity to the day, with an intelligent collection that featured a strictly subtle palette and grown up tailoring.

Wide lapels on simply cut coats, sheer buttoned up shirts, plaited leather scarves and a somewhat scary horse harness worn by a couple of models that reinforced a very subtle equestrian theme.

Last year's Alexandra Owen show wowed the audience, and while this collection may not have had the same impact, it was a refreshing change of adult pace.

The Diet Coca-Cola Little Black Dress show brought some international flavour to the day, with classic LBD-inspired designs from Australian designers Romance was Born, Alpha60, Alice McCall, Kirrily Johnston and Marnie Skillings being sent down the runway alongside some of our local talent including Jimmy D, Yvonne Bennetti, Juliette Hogan, Kate Sylvester and Adrian Hailwood.

Each designer sent out three black gowns "inspired by the feminine curves of Diet Coke's iconic bottle shape", and while the dresses were all certainly chic and wonderful, there was the feeling that it was just one big sponsored advertisement - which of course, it was.

VIVA EDITOR'S PICKS
* The haunting music and sculptural shapes and panelling at Cybele
* Juliette Hogan's belted capes with oversized bows for a feel of 1950s elegance
* The creamy chunky knits and broiderie-Anglais tunic dress at Twenty-Seven Names
* Alexandra Owen's continued affair with beautiful fabrics and elegant suiting