Dispatch From New Zealand Fashion Week
Dear New York Fashion Week, we’re fighting. JK. You’re fun. You’re pretty. You’re exhausting. I don’t appreciate stereotypes, but I am mentally adjusted to the maddening PR girl that goes something like, “um, sorry, you’re like, not on the list…” Shout out to New Zealand Fashion Week for being amazing and for the lack of the aforementioned mess. Yes, last week I made my way over to the gorgeous land of kiwi couture, Auckland. Jet lag aside (like 20+ hours of traveling), it was marvelous. It was hipper than Chloë Sev’s walk-in closet. It was a street style photographer world-class amusement park. It was everything. So fashionistas, take note. Here are my highlights, and they don’t at all involve shearling or Lord of the Ring references. Sartorial stereotypes be damned!
FAVORITE TREND
Sneakers, on and off the runway. Also, Adidas sandals with socks. I thought I was whatever about the norm core craze, but the kiwis are doing it oh so right. New Balance with dresses? YAS.
FAVORITE MODEL
Ashleigh Good, whom Karl Lagerfeld sent down the Chanel couture runway whilst pregnant, was the talk of the NZFW front-row. She was unsurprisingly sweet and very pretty. But as for the most head-turning of the leggy land who actually pumped down the runways? This one. Eden Bristowe.
FAVORITE SHOW
Auckland’s l’enfant terribles/awesomes, Stolen Girlfriends Club, just might’ve put every Alex Wang show/afterparty to shame. Which is a fashion-y feat when one recalls Wang’s ridiculous Hello Kitty-themed bash replete with a Nicki Minaj performance and a RiRi sighting. But, whatever, Lorde and Florence Welsh are SGC fans, so, take that. Listen up: SGC’s Twin Peaks-inspired Fall/Winter ’15 sartorial-slaying occurred on a gravel track at a stadium. There was leather, there were chokers, there was tartan. As a fog machine did its thing, people supped on complimentary pizza/drinks, while an Iggy Pop/Pixies soundtrack blasted loudly. My favorite looks included the glitter bomb cyborg punk princess looks, a canary yellow knit form-fitting dress, and the denim one-piece with hardcore embellishments (someone get Chloë Sevigny on the phone, STAT!). The perfect hair, makeup, and styling enhanced the Twin Peaks theme. See also: a print that features Laura Palmer’s hand rising from the dead in water. *J’DEAD!*
Photos Courtesy of Alex Catarinella
Stolen Girlfriends Club Photo Courtesy of Michael Ng
