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!

T R E L I S E C O O P E R . N Z F W . 1 2 .

With over 12 flagship stores, 300 stockists worldwide (including Australia's David Jones) and a legion of high profile clientele including Reese Witherspoon, Liv Tyler, Julia Roberts and Miranda Kerr, it was no surprise that NZ's most successful fashion label, Trelise Cooper, was easily the biggest and longest show at NZFW. The show was divided into two parts with three very distinct collections, each as different and desirable as the next. First up was Trelise Cooper's diffusion line Cooper. A collection with an American Country Western influence there was plenty of denim, plaid, crochet knits and oversize cowboy hats and lace up boots. This was followed by Trelise Cooper's main line which I'm sure you would all know just by looking at it that I would be a fan. Preppy, pretty and polished are a few words that come to mind. Soft pastels in lilac, blue, pink and green were worked into flattering two piece suits, tailored coats and checkered pants and skirts. A bright and colourful floral print complimented this soft spring colour palette, with doll-like make up and mary jane pumps finishing off these pretty and feminine looks.

As the show progressed the collection quickly transitioned into black and white tweed jackets, cream lace, bead embellished evening dresses and chic fur stoles. Particularly love the navy and cream swan print paired with cute white stockings. "Each piece in the range has been lovingly crafted using diverse fabrics and finishes to create the final beautiful result, which ultimately delights both the wearer and the observer" says Trelise. And after experiencing my very first Trelise Cooper show it was exactly that. A pure delight to observe and experience first hand.

Closing the show was a group of models in nothing but black suit jackets, sheer thigh high stockings, heels and underpants with the word "Boardroom" written across the back. Everyone seemed confused but equally intrigued by what it meant. One person even whispered to me that this was the eye wear line Trelise was launching (She already happens to have one, of course) but after the show I found out it was actually a "cheeky" introduction to her latest collection "Boardroom", which is being described as “an affordable collection for the executive woman”. Yet another performance at the Trelise Cooper show and another extension to her ever growing fashion empire, which already consists of Trelise Cooper, Cooper, Treslise Cooper Jewellery, Treslise Cooper Interiors and a perfume fragrance called 'Trelise'. Now that's an inspiring business woman.

S T O L E N G F C L U B . N Z F W . 1 2 .

Before the craziness of NZFW began I had the pleasure of popping into the Stolen Girlfriends Club studio to preview their new AW 11/12 collection titled "Here Lies The Bones". There's something about seeing the garments sitting neatly on their racks and being able to touch and feel each one, inspecting them closely to discover tiny little details you would have missed on the runway, then seeing them come to life on each model and look even better then you originally thought. I suppose that's the beauty of hiring attractive models, right? Things to note are the insane and extremely intricate lace pieces, faux fur bucket bags and hats, padded leather laptop cases that double as a side bag and Stolen Girlfriends Club's second consecutive year collaborating with It shoe designer, Jeffrey Campbell. The result I saw was a chunky wooden platform boot and customized Doc Marten's with a silver chain trim that I can see hoards of girls wearing down Oxford Street. A special thank you to Marc for taking time out of his busy schedule to show us around his showroom.

Two shows that drew the most interesting and fashionable crowds during NZFW was Ruby and Stolen Girlfriends Club. I wasn't sure if I was more interested in people watching or watching the show. Stolen Girlfriends Club are renowned for their unique and unpredictable shows, so I knew we were in for a treat when I arrived at a brightly lit and grungy warehouse. Staying true to their reputation, SGC surprised everyone by sending their models down a runway made entirely from metal scaffolding and concrete floors in what looked to be 80's prom gowns. With Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' blasting in the background, each model paused, ripped off their gowns, and revealed sexy sheer dresses from Stolen's "Here Lies The Bones" AW 11/12 collection. A very cool way to grab our attention to say the least. What we saw was a collection that stayed true to the their grungy, sexy and down right cool aesthetic, with skull printed denim, oversized knits, corset leather shorts and mammoth faux fur jackets and skirts. Delicate sheer lace dresses and free flowing skirts and dresses added an element of sexiness, with knitted beanies and chunky boots giving this collection it's SGC edge. Faux fur bags and oversize backpacks made their debut and I couldn't help but think how much Mandy from Oracle Fox needed these in her life. I for one am already envisioning how many things I could shove into this backpack for summer. Loved how Stolen Girlfriends Club Marc Moore and Dan Gosling closed the show by carrying a life size cardboard cut out of their missing Creative Director Luke Harwood down the runway, reinforcing just how unique and quirky this NZ trio is worldwide famous for.