Poetic Justice

Ok, we know this is the second Huffer post in a row. And we know that we have been slack at posting on final deadline, but we just had to post this. Anyone who went to the Huffer show at ANZFW would have noticed a bunch of words on the runway. We did, but didn't have the chance to walk around reading them. So here, pasted on to an "11 foot six, black painted, hinged, then laminated timber" structure to "create art" is Dan Buckley's poem to celebrate "Fly", the Huffer collection which was shown. We think it is genius...

Huffer Moving Pictures

One of the things we loved about working with Huffer on their Air New Zealand Fashion Week show was the amount of effort that they put into the detail, capture of the show, and everything that goes into it. Lindsay Horner is a film-maker from the Southern climes who has worked with Huffer in the past, notably on their "House Of Horrors" project and the relationship has proven so successful that Steve and Dan decided to fly him up to document the show and the team putting it together. Here are the links;

Pre- Show; Huff'n'Puff and Show'n'Tell...

The soundtrack is by Coco Solid and both films are peppered with a sense of humour - which is refreshing in a sometimes po-faced fashion world...

WHuffer!

All images: Steve King

We couldn't have asked for a better show to finish the week off with than Huffer. It was perfectly organised, punctual and the venue was spacious and well-suited. The collection – hot.

The show, styled by Rachael Churchward, opened with a woolen coat; exactly the kind I've been searching for all winter. From that moment I knew it was going to be an outstanding collection and that Huffer had revamped its look. I was right. The clothes seemed much more sophisticated and sexy than I recall them ever being, with a new edge redefining the meaning of street wear. This probably owes a lot to the expert styling.
The look for the girls appeared to be influenced by the 60s, with bed hair, heavy eye-liner, black and white stripes and thigh-high socks. We saw a lot of provocative satin, suspenders, night wear and lingerie. The guys' look was clean, fun and colourful, with chunky knitwear pieces, lots of denim, and beanies. It was very much a wearable collection, whilst still being witty and fresh, which is what the label is all about.

Congratulations Huffer!

Jordan

MAC Make-Up Looks of the Week

How beautiful are these? Trelise Cooper Kids...

Talented M.A.C make-up teams were everywhere over fashion week delivering some of the most beautiful make-up we have seen at ANZFW. M.A.C's Jodie Matthews and Tatum Savage, along with Anna Logan, doyen of ghd, also expanded their now legendary M.A.C/ghd room, to offer tired fashionistas a welcome place to relax. The Jo Malone hand massage proved popular, as did the ghd hair shooshy or M.A.C facial touch up - in fact the crew in this room may well have been the busiest all week as the traffic was continuous. Once again, thanks to M.A.C and ghd for providing an oasis in the middle of the mayhem - even Pam and Richie made it a destination. Here are a selection of hot looks from the lens of Russ Flatt and able assistant Dan Max.

Below: (top) Huffer, (middle) Zambesi, (bottom) Stolen Girlfriend's Club

This Ain't Nowhere - SGC Come On Strong

It poured, it rained, it was hot and heavy - and that was just the fashion. Stolen Girlfriend's Club proved, along with Huffer this week, that boys are taking over New Zealand fashion. OK they are getting some female help from the likes of Karen Inderbitzen-Waller, Kristine Crabb, Zara Mirkin, Ella Moore and Rachael Churchward but the best ideas this week were born in the surf, or at least the creative minds of designers like Marc Moore, Luke Harwood and Dan Gosling. Stolen Girlfriend's Club's Welcome To Nowhere show at the dirty old Masonic Lodge in Newton was conceptually brilliant and a huge step forward for the talented threesome. The knits alone were worth the outdoor soaking, uncomfortable wait in a holding pen and cattle-like entry-and-exit scenario, and overall the range was one of the most complete fashion concepts at this year's ANZFW. Much has been made of SGC's 'bad boy image' - and the perception that the name describes the technique when it comes to creating or designing - but Welcome To Nowhere was filled with raw concepts and unique creativity. Long may the doors to this particular clubhouse remain open...here comes the stolen fashion generation.

GHD New Gen Show

Top: House Of Ezis and (above) ISBIM.

New generation shows are always an interesting outing and this year's ghd New Gen show didn't disappoint. The participants couldn't have been more different from each other but that is what makes it fun. There was no shortage of theatrics; Trix and Dandy's pulp fiction extravaganza saw contemporary Clyde (sans Bonny) Michael Pattison rampaging down the runway with a machine gun and Serena Fagence's show took space-age to a new level with the amazing Bionic Pixie delivering one of the week's best soundtracks live - dressed to thrill in a shimmering suit. The fashion highlights though belonged to ISBIM, Whiri and Brisbane designer Andre Pytel's beautifully-tailored House Of Ezis range which looked completely at home on this side of the Tasman. Congrats to ghd for getting behind the new breed.

Below: Top to bottom - ISBIM, ISBIM, House Of Ezis, Whiri and Bionic Pixie performing in Serena Fagence

Pamtastic!

I was fortunate to sneak into the Pamela Anderson and Richie Rich press conference on-site at ANZFW yesterday and snapped a few pics of the legendary actress and her designer partner. I have to say they were both amazing in that environment - gracious, quick-witted, funny and completely endearing - even though some of the "NZ press" asked the sort of inane questions you might expect them to - like "Pamela, do you prefer to wear next to nothing, or nothing?" Whatever. It's great that Brian Long and the ANZFW crew managed to get the pair down here to show tonight, I for one am a new convert. The Huffer show is taking up all of our attention today so this will be the last blog until the weekend when we will upload pics from a number of shows. Have fun...

ANZFW 09 - Kate Sylvester show

Like Zambesi the night before, and Nom D earlier in the day, Kate Sylvester did not disappoint her legion of faithful fans with a strong show in an inner city warehouse. Conceptually the range and styling was a tribute to one of Auckland's foremost style leaders - "Black Lips" herself, the ever fabulous Judith Baragwanath. For many years the model, turned style icon and writer, was the most individual dresser in town and has long been admired for her satorial panache so it was great to see Kate Sylvester tipping a hat in her direction. The event had a festival atmosphere and without a doubt, the most stylish audience yet. Set to a soundtrack of fuzz rock classics, Sylvester, with the help of long time cohort Karen Inderbitzen-Waller, rolled out a substantial collection which ended with troupe of models stomping down both runways. A highlight for the crowd it seemed was male model PC cruising the catwalk in a women's full slip and boots - and - in a fashion week strangely lacking in goodie bags (recession, I know) the three KS medals have undoubtedly been a highlight already

Zambesi Classic

Last night on the big stage at the Sky City Theatre Zambesi delivered a classic show in trademark style. Using the full extent of the stage and backstage area, and against a beautifully lit cyc, models wound their way backward-and-forward on an S shaped runway to a suitably dark and menacing soundtrack. Some classic Zambesi looks from years gone by were reborn amidst a raft of new styles and themes. A great collection and show from the great New Zealand label who, like ANZFW stalwarts Nom D and Kate Sylvester, can always be relied upon to deliver.

Bravo Zambesi...