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| Starfish |
Retail
does not exist without the replenishment from the designers, and our cool
little style capital is home to some exceptional designers. The range of output
is stupendous. It covers all bases from the avant garde art-performance-garments
of Hermione Flynn to the delightful
inventions of Starfish and the fluid
silhouettes from Philippa & Alice.
These designers export: both their garments and their design stories. Many
Wellington designers regularly show in the long-established fashion shows of
Dunedin, Auckland, Melbourne and New York. Their works are featured in the
international press, both magazines and online, and many overseas boutiques
make room for a showing of local labels. Such international applause is not
given to the sleepy.
For
established and emerging designers, Wellington’s being home to Massey
University’s fashion design school is simply treasure, and many well-known
names like Alexandra Owen have been through their courses. The school’s
curriculum, access to professionals in the trade, and its annual show more than
hint that this part of the economy has weight. The fashion school pinpoints
Wellington as a destination where things are happening -- a fact supremely buttressed by the city also
being host to the World of WearableArt
competition and extravaganza.
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| Silence Was |
So many factors support Wellington as a
fashion hub, and this year’s Wellington Fashion Week will promote the city, the
region, and all who take part in its exuberance. In particular, the week’s
runway events will exhibit a number of new labels who, in spite of economic
sluggishness, have emerged because they are driven by inspiration and
accomplishment.
The label Kelsey Genna,
established last year, will show her work which is very limited (editions of
ten), and predominantly sells online. We will get to see her trim use of mouth
watering colours like berry fruits mixing with the peaceful marzipan shades of
cream and pink. We will see Silence Was,
established in 2011 with an emphasis on a romantic and bespoke tailoring ethic.
And we will see Nouveau, a range from
Pixel Ink which promotes an urban,
street-wear graphic thrust – quite often eccentric and quizzical like their Tourist Box T-shirt showing a tui
seemingly using an old Victorian bellows camera to take our photo. Wonderful.
