After a full on first day at New Zealand Fashion Week, Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre seemed pretty quiet for the first show of day two. The fashion set did eventually file in for the opening show from Deryn Schmidt and it was worth it.
Deryn Schmidt - Capture This
Print was the centre of the Wellington designers Winter 14 collection. Taking inspiration from a photograph taken by Schmidt's four year old daughter, Millicent. The image has been adapted into the first exclusive Deryn Schmidt textile print and graphic designer Andrea Stark has taken the image from the photograph and into a great graphic used on beautiful silk cotton fabric throughout the collection.
What I loved about Deryn Schmidt's latest collection was the softness of the printed silk cottons next to the richer textures of 100% New Zealand made knitwear complementing the collection. We're not talking chunky knits and cardis here but intriguing elements of design. Silk dresses with knitted sleeves, collars and cuffs not just general knitwear. It was clever incorporation of the heritage of New Zealand in a forward thinking, meticulously detailed collection.
Cooper
Cooper from Trelise Cooper, New Zealand's best known fashion designer is an "effortless luxe" of a diffusion line. Whilst Trelise Cooper the main line is the heritage, the attitude and the high end glamour.
"Escape to an English country manor for an adventure full of old world romance". Winter 14 at Cooper took us back to school as the grungy kid. Backcombed hair, dark lips and facial piercings that wouldn't look out of place at a Vivienne Westwood show. This collection had a grungy attitude to the sports luxe concept.
The wintery tale in the English country manor then took a twist to the glamourous with the most absorbing print. A drawing room, featuring a red writing table, picture on the wall and fire place. Mary Katrantzou would be proud.
Trelise Cooper
Opulence reigned throughout with lavish textures and dramatic shapes. There was an element of offbeat glamour with the brave models in skyscraper heels and even more so skyscraper hair. The NZ Herald describe the look as Park Avenue Princesses "Dramatically coiled conehead updos, suede-soft skin and an intensely matte burgundy lip gave towering models a glowering glamour." Source. NZ Herald Online.
The collection brief in our goodie bag described a "hypnotic intensity" to the winter collection and I was deeply hypnotised. From lavish prints we moved on to more heritage tartan, sparkles on shift dresses, gorgeous oversized coats with dainty dresses.
Trelise Cooper's clothes are billed as "conversation pieces, ones that speak volumes" and with rumours of lost clothes behind the scenes, models with bleeding ankles due to skyscraper heels, the whole show was a conversation piece. The final look in the collection was the most amazing gold sequined silk and chiffon dress. Truly stunning, amazingly set off against the white of the centre piece of the catwalk and a spectacular finale piece.
For a more detailed review and more images from both shows check out the LadyM Presents features.
Images copyright of LadyM Presents.