G O O D B Y E . N Z F W . 1 2 .

I know it's a few weeks on since the fashion weeks began but traveling and blogging seem to never go hand in hand together. No idea how any of the girls do it but I admire anyone who manages to get their FW content online in the same day (Katherine Lowe I'm talking to you!). NZFW has truly been one of the best highlights I've had during my blogging career and it wouldn't have been possible without the kindness and support of everyone involved. Big and loving thank you's going out to NZFW, Air New Zealand, Pullman Hotel Auckland, Ruby and NZ Tourism. And more specifically Anna, Calvin, Sammy, Eleisha, Jessica and Len Brown, who took care of me during my time in New Zealand. Also to all of the NZFW designers who invited me to their beautiful shows. It was a dream.

One of the craziest parts for me was I hadn't had a break or been overseas in over two years so when left Sydney and landed in New Zealand a mere 3 hours later I was in awe. This is usually the amount of time I spend in front of the computer editing photos so to think I could be flying to New Zealand in the same time is just crazy. The people, the scenery, the shopping - there really is something so refreshing about New Zealand that is has me itching to go back. I didn't get much time to explore the city but I did manage to go vintage shopping on K Road, wandering down the beautiful boutiques along Ponsonby Road and spending too much money on High Street in the CBD. And to think this dynamic fashion scene has been right on our doorstep the entire time! Luke has never been to NZ before so I'm planning on taking him there for a nice little holiday and dedicating some proper time to discovering more about this beautiful place. With Air New Zealand offering direct flights from all Australian capital cities to Auckland I'm tempted to stop editing and just jump on a plane to NZ instead! You can find more information about flight schedules, ticket pricing and booking details here.

Still so many shows to blog about from NZ (Zambesi, Jimmy D and Twenty Seven Names coming soon!) but I thought I'd take a break from FW coverage and start blogging about New York. Definitely feeling more inspired than ever and I have NZ and NY to thank for that.

M I S T E R . N Z F W . 1 2 .

I discovered MisteR during their quick appearance in the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Show on the last day of NZFW. Unfortunately I had missed their show the day before due to work related reasons and after seeing Yvan's photos I was kicking myself for not being there. MisteR launched in 2006 as a menswear label and debuted their first womenswear line this year at NZFW. MisteR's style can be described as "an artful collision between the heritage of British tailoring and the experimental fun and quirkiness of Asian fashion". This could not sound more perfect to me. Titled 'Not So Grim', MisteR's new winter range was a structured and playful take on the "The Brother's Grimm" childhood stories like Goldilocks, Rapuzel and Pinocchio. Brightly coloured and two-toned plaid clashed with candy stripes, polka dots and an autumn leaf print in what looked like every Harajuku girls dream. Gingerbread men featured as cute accessories and pinned to the lapels, hems and back pockets of garments. A quirky touch that didn't go unappreciated here. Using only natural fiber fabrics, buttons and linings, each range has a strong focus on Eco-friendly and sustainable fashion, with limited quantities of hand numbered pieces being produced each season. It's the little things like this that makes all the difference and I can see why this is NZNTM Judge Colin Mathura-Jeffree's favourite label. A warm congratulations to Mickey and Ra on their 10th season and 5th anniversary. Being a huge fan of Japanese fashion I personally hope to see MisteR being carried in boutiques throughout Australia. Definitely a niche for quirky menswear in the fashion industry at the moment or is that just me?

H U F F E R . N Z F W . 1 2 .

As you can see, Huffer sure knows how to put on a good show. Their new AW 11/12 range was full of interesting menswear jackets, shirts and trousers, with a sharp focus on functionality and detail. One jacket could even be transformed into a practical laptop bag. Genius. A brand that prides themselves on being known as 'board sports inspired fashion' I was surprised to see how cute and feminine their womenwear line was. Full circle skirts, sheer lace and box pleats were a few reoccurring winter staples. The autumn season was reinforced with a cute leaf print found on dresses, skirts, shirts and matching turbans in grey, orange and blue. Models had their hair carefully pinned up to resemble Russian Babushka dolls and were sprinkled in fake snow before walking down the runway. Loved the beautiful layering of button up shirts, cable knit jumpers and trenchcoats paired with more knitted beanies, Prada-esque flatforms and jumpers tied around the waist. This was cool styling without even trying to be cool. And who can forget when they closed the show with a girl in a bikini jumping out of a giant cake with tinsel and poppers. Yes that really happened... Models then ran onto the runway laughing and cheering, pulling each person sitting on the front row onto what quickly turned into a huge dance floor on the runway. I think I was the only person who managed to fight off the models but how could I miss taking photos of Yvan, Natalie, Alex and Anna dancing away? No idea where the alcohol and American flags came from but like I said before, Huffer sure knows how to put on a good show. Or should I say spontaneous party? Thank you for having me guys. Twas a very fun show indeed!