KEY POINTS:
It will be one of the strangest, if not the most threatening, garments ever to come down the catwalk at Air New Zealand Fashion Week, but the newcomer who made this piece of clothing isn't at all worried.
Designer Jaeha-Alex Kim says the black leather glove, featuring scissor
blades attached to the fingers, makes the perfect accessory for his label Jaeha's first major runway show, inspired as it is by the 1990 fantasy movie, Edward Scissorhands.
"The reason we chose this reference is because of the character," says Kim, who graduated from AUT this year and has already sold clothes to an Australian boutique. "Because despite his harsh exterior, [Edward Scissorhands] is soft inside - which is the idea I wanted to portray in the show."
In the end Kim and his team had to use a range of different sized and shaped scissors, as well as borrow one huge antique pair worth around $500 from a knife sharpening service.
Kim dipped most of the blades in black paint and then carefully attached them to the gloves. And although the edges of the scissors have been blunted by the paint, Kim says he will spend the weekend working out which of the models already cast for his Tuesday morning show is best equipped to perform with these slightly scary accessories.
Kim is not the only designer going over carefully laid plans this weekend. New Zealand Fashion Week, which starts on Monday and runs until Saturday, will include up to 60 designers displaying clothes in around 36 shows, while up to 50 other fashion firms will display their wares in the Fashion Week exhibition centre.
Organisers of the event estimate that up to 200 models, both from New Zealand and overseas, will also be involved, along with 90 hairdressers, 50 make up artists and more than 200 members of the local and international media.
All will congregate in the trade fair's venue, formerly the America's Cup base in the Viaduct Harbour Marine Village. The base has had a temporary refit worth $3 million and, besides the various showrooms and the exhibition hall, will feature a themed entrance hall, an exhibition space, a restaurant, bar and relaxation area.
Although two public days will be held on Friday and Saturday, the first half of the week is only open to official delegates and invited guests.
Other spectacles that should get onlookers talking during the week include a three piece band formed especially to play on the runway at Adrian Hailwood's Monday afternoon show; a giant kitchen chair that designer Chelsea Thorpe has had specially built for her Tuesday morning show; and what one top designer, who wanted to keep her show plans secret, describes as "eyeballs walking down the runway".
Another big name will also be debuting a menswear line - but that too is being kept top secret until the last minute.
Trelise Cooper promises a "Fellini-esque setting with dancers", while at Huffer all the designers are saying is "expect lots of cars".
The final show will be an invite-only party held by Karen Walker.
