prairie girl musings

Tag: fashion week

Opening Night at BFW16

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Ballantynes Fashion Week‘s opening show. Held in the Contemporary Lounge, the evening began with bubbles, canapés and live music. For those of you who don’t know, Ballantynes is Christchurch’s oldest and most iconic department store. The company remains a mainstay in New Zealand’s fashion scene due to its wide range of local and international designers and focus on service. The staff are passionate about the selection of carefully curated pieces sold in store and provide an exceptional experience for every customer. Having worked in retail whilst living in Toronto, I always appreciate the impeccable level of service at Ballantynes. Needless to say, I’m lucky to have New Zealand’s best department store on my doorstep.

It was hard not to get excited about spring during BFW’s opening show, which featured SS 16/17 collections from various New Zealand designers and a few international names as well. The elegant show kicked off with a handsome man serenading the crowd to Michael Bublé, so we knew we were in for a memorable evening. With prints and stark whites taking centre stage, many of the outfits will transition well from daytime to night. Alongside the vibrant prints, we saw plenty of monochromatic looks. Needless to say, I know what I’ll be wearing this summer in Christchurch.

Thanks for a lovely evening, Ballantynes!

October 2, 2016
One Dress, Two Ways

Not usually one to gravitate towards red, I found myself drawn to the gorgeous print Ruby designer, Deanna Didovich dreamed up for her sister. Marina was attending a high profile wedding in Palm Springs and asked her sister to create something for her.

The dress, appropriately named, the Marina Gown, became the basis for Ruby’s Spring ’16 Collection, No Drama. It was featured in Harper’s Bazaar along with a myriad of other publications. Rather than donning a full-length gown, which might have been slightly ostentatious even for Fashion Week, I opted for the shorter Verse 1.0 mini dress and decided to style it two ways. The collection was inspired by enduring female friendships and the endless support they bring. I’ve always held my female friendships very dear, both with my two sisters and my girl gang around the globe. On that note: thank you to my dear friend, Carmen Huter who took these photographs for me and continually inspires me both professionally and personally.

Much like the collection itself, Verse 1.0 is certainly a no fuss option that transitions easily from daytime to night. Read more about the Spring ’16 collection.

Thanks for reading! For my next post, I’ll be talking about what to do in between NZFW shows.

August 28, 2016
7 Things I Learnt at MBFWA
I caught the tail end of MBFWA (I’m too lazy to type out the whole name…) and MBFWE (Weekend Edition). For me, fashion weeks are a time to gain insight into the industry and take notes from top bloggers and creatives. And so, I thought I would share some of the things I’ve learnt in Sydney this week(end).
1. Be nice. Australians are a friendly bunch and it’s refreshing to see photographers and media helping each other out rather than being overly competitive with one another. That said, the media riser can be chaotic.
2. Successful blogging, vlogging, YouTubing, etc. is hard work and it can take years of consistent, quality content to gain a real following.
3. On that note, consistency is key. If you follow me on any social media, you’ll know I struggle with this one. Food, fashion, landscape, I want to do it all.
4. Collaborate often with creatives you admire. It’s a fun way to create new content and support one another. Everybody wins.
5. Fashion week can be accessible and authentic. I like that Sydney included a fashion weekend as part of their event. Fashion weeks, by definition, are pretty exclusive, but there’s no reason why we can’t all get involved and appreciate the creativity that’s poured into each event.
6. Rather than trying to attend every single show, reach out to designers you admire and get tickets to their shows. Often times, these are off-site and much smaller.
7. Be confident. It’s natural to feel a little insecure when you’re surrounded by gorgeous models and journalists from The New York Times and Vogue Australia, but remember you’re here for a reason. Enjoy yourself and make real connections.
That’s all for today, folks. Next up, I’ll be sharing my favourite trends from the runways to the streets.
May 21, 2016
Kate Sylvester On Finding Inspiration

Photo: Luke Foley-Martin

Where do fashion designers find inspiration and who do they credit with their creativity?

Kate Sylvester shares the artwork that influenced her past and present collections and her ongoing love affair with lingerie.

You’ve surely seen Kate’s newest collection, A Muse, inspired by Picasso’s genius, his paintings and his muses who created the evolution of his work. Kate feels indebted to the huge treasure trove that is art, continually celebrating her heroes. “We all have to wear clothes and isn’t it ice to know you’re wearing a small piece of Picasso?” says Kate.

According to Kate, her very first lingerie collection, Vanessa Beecroft’s nude works was “a complete and utter failure,” but taught her tough commercial lessons that she still calls upon today. “First and foremost, we need to be commercial and on-trend,” she urges, a prevailing lesson throughout fashion week.

While many designers create youthful garments that don’t suit women of all ages, shapes and sizes, Kate makes clothes for living in. “I create clothes for myself, for my friends.” This wearability factor is present in every collection, no matter how quirky or elegant the final product. Kate manages to seamlessly draw from history’s great artists and photographers to create pieces that transcend time and appeal to consumers of all ages.

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos of Kate’s F/W Collection. How stunning is the lace Pola dress?

Photo: Gabrielle Devereux

Photo: Luke Foley-Martin

Photo: Luke Foley-Martin

March 31, 2016