Cybele Wiren's quietly mature designs will continue to win over her legion of loyal fans. Photo / Martin Sykes
The line of people snaking out the door waiting to get seated for the Cybèle show is evidence of how far the designer has come since launching thirteen seasons ago.
Cybele shows are always a hot ticket, but I've never seen it at this level before. The
designer, the very sweet Cybèle Wiren, won the Air New Zealand Export Award last night - and I don't think it could have gone to a more deserving person.
Her Fashion Week show last year saw the label take a giant leap forward from past seasons, and this range continues on with the quietly mature feel that will win over her legion of loyal fans.
Called Halcyon, the quietly beautiful and intelligent range is named after a kingfisher bird that tames the wild wind and waves.
The bird motif is central to the theme, and appears throughout with bird prints, floating wing like sleeves and panneled leggings and dresses.
Wiren's talent lies in her ability to work with panels of fabric, creating intricate pieces that may look simple at first glance but definitely aren't - and this range didn't fail to deliver, with gorgeous floor length gowns made up of different coloured panels of fabric.
Knitwear also featured heavily, with knit dresses, cardigans and wraps sitting over gorgeous floaty fabrics and more structured denim pieces.
And while the clothes were beautiful, my pick would have to be the heels made especially for the show, with spiked plume detail at the ankle.
