L O N E L Y H E A R T S . N Z F W . 1 2 .

When I arrived at the Lonely Hearts show I was greeted with one of the longest lines I saw at NZFW. It seemed nearly anyone and everyone was there so I wasn't surprised when I heard even people with invitations didn't make it in due to a bursting full house. Lonely Hearts is easily one of New Zealand's most loved fashion labels and one I've been following for quite some time, so to be seeing their collection from the front row was quite an amazing feeling.

Launched in 2003 by Helene Morris and Steve Ferguson, Lonely Hearts can be described as "that indefinable clash of feminine vs masculine. It has its serious side but always maintains a sense of fun; you'll always find subversive versions of Helene and Steve's pop culture experiences running through their pieces". This was clearly evident in Lonely's new AW 11/12 collection when simple and feminine pieces clashed with a darker Gothic look and cool, edgy styling. Staying true to an Autumn colour palette I saw sheer fabrics, pleats, florals and leather being offered in delicious shades of burgundy, beige, blue, gold, grey and red. Leather jackets, baseball caps and red and black leather chokers reinforced the rebellious and youthful nature of the Lonely Hearts brand. Especially when models were walking down the catwalk to Prodigy's 'Smack my Bitch Up'. Loved how Lonely Hearts incorporated their "Lonely" by Lonely Hearts lingerie line into the show by pairing delicate lace bras and underwear with open leather jackets or cut out tops and dresses. A clever balance of feminine and masculine with a sexy and highly desirable end result, this was a show that well deserved it's excited and full crowded house.