Fashion on the Flipside: September 2012

Saturday, September 8, 2012

A much needed creative injection

Day 4 - This was the final day of Fashion WEEK, which is primarily a week of shows for invited buyers and media. Fashion WEEKEND is targeted at the public which anyone can buy tickets to come along and view some of the shows shown earlier in the week as well as the Designer Garage Sale, and lots of other girly fun things!

The first show of the morning was the Phoenix - Truly Outrageous show. These guys are a cosmetic brand so their show was a very different from the other designer shows. It was based around the Truly Outrageousness of Jem (and the Holograms). For all those pre-80's kids, you can find out who Jem is here.

It was a pretty incredible show with so much colour, energy and creativity. The models were more like dancers and it was one of my favourite shows of the week.

Kimberly Crossman - former Shortland Streeter, and insanely energetic pocket rocket!

Bronwyn Turei - Go Girls actress

Also this day was the Miramoda show, which was a collection of Maori designers.

Then another Designer Collection show, and later that night was the Westpac Red Collection. This was another invite-only event for all the big Westpac clients, with a few celebs here as well. There was a bit of a greek theme going on, complete with live human statues, which were pretty cool. The champagne was flowing (Louis Roederer, no less), and it was quite the night to rub shoulders with some the richlist.

Bearice Faumuina - shes so beautiful in person!

Got chatting with these guys back stage who were super nice. The CVE, which I'm told stands for Corporate Voice Experience. I'd never heard of them before but apparently they're currently No. 6 on iTunes, so a few other people must have.

By this stage in the week, my brain is starting to go to mush and I'm trying to break through the creative block. Being able to come back day after day to try new things and perfect your technique is great, but I'm getting weary.

But there's still a buzz at every show so mentally I don't feel tired - just creatively.

My feet are also super sore from standing on unforgiving concrete all day, as are my shoulders from carrying 6kg of camera gear on my back.

But the thought of a nice loooooong massage when I get home and a good nights sleep in my own bed is keeping me going.

It's still super awesome to be here, so I shouldn't be complaining!

Not long to go now.

Friday, September 7, 2012

What we all came to see.......a model fall

Todays post is a little behind the times, so we're going back 2 days to NZFW Day 3 - Wednesday.

Today started off with the Charlie Brown show, for which the highlight for me was the model fall. Yep. I said it. I delighted in watching a model fall. Not quite a faceplant, but I'll take it anyway. In other shows, I've JUST missed other models stumble and even a strapless wedding dress fall down. These moments happen in a nano-second and they've been the exact nano-second I've rested my camera for a bit.

But not today.

At the end of the show, all the models came out for a final lap, and the poor girl at the end was wobbling all the way down. Clearly there was something wrong with her shoes. So, determined not to miss this moment, my camera was ready! And here's the play-by-play:

Mayor Len Brown to the rescue!

(if you still want to see more of this, check out the TV3 video clip of this)

Later this day was the Annah Stretton show, which I really enjoyed. I've been getting a lot of the same kind of runway shots, so have been exploring outside of the Photographers Pit to other places around the show. While up the front, I caught this perfectly framed moment of the model exiting the runway. Love it.

Part of our porfolio needs to include 10 social and 10 atmosphere shots, so have been working hard to get some of these as well.

Then to finish the day, we got into one of three offsite shows. This one was for Stolen Girlfriends Club, and was held in an underground carpark. Pretty sweet! We also got there early enough that I got a prime spot right in the middle, and without having to sit on the ground. I was stoked.

Superstar Zowie was also there (easily recognisable by her eyebrows alone!)

Founders/Designers of SCG Dan Gosling and Marc Moore

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Day Two .....Wedding Dresses!!

After a massive first day, I decided to pace myself a little and be a bit more selective with what shows I attended. Its a lot of standing around waiting for a good place in the Pit, then waiting for all the guests to be seated, then the actual show itself, and my poor feet were starting to feel it.

So yesterday I started off with the Deryn Schmidt show, which as it turns out is the wife of Fraser's friend! Small world huh. I quite liked her stuff. A bit more womanly with more classical pieces. Some of the other shows have had some pretty crazy pieces, but I still find it interesting to watch nonetheless.

Fashion is just another art form and its easy to look at the clothes and think, 'That's weird/ugly, I'd never wear that,' but fashion is more than what you'd wear; its about appreciating that someone really creative has poured their heart and soul into this piece of clothing hoping that someone else will like/buy it. For those that don't buy it, it's still important for us to appreciate the piece - the fabric, the colour, the cut, the tailoring, the construction, the way it falls on the model and how it all come together. Some of the pieces are classics, and you can see why 600+ people come along just to see what a master designer will come up with next!

I thought being at Fashion Week I'd be having mini panic attacks everyday deciding what to wear, but its quite the opposite. Because there are so many 'unique' people here, anything goes, and if you can wear it with confidence, then do it!

Anyway, aside from the Deryn Schmidt show, I also caught the NZ Weddings Magazine Collection and then the big show stopper - Trelise Cooper, complete with 600 goodie bags embedded with tiny LED lights. The media got a glimpse of the lights and backdrop before the show started and I heard the audible frustration of the photographers when we saw a wall of gold helium balloons, which then opened up to a dimly lit wall of lights, and to top it off and neon blue wall of light behind that. Oh and we're shooting WHITE dresses. Uggghhh. There goes the white balance. I guess in a time like that it really sorts out the pros from the rookies and how fast they can adjust their camera settings and white balance to compensate for such yucky lighting!

Anyway, I promised this post would be for my bride-to-be's, so here's a selection of images from the Wedding show. It was beeeeeaaaautiful.

The show was opened with Miss Jamie Ridge stomping out the runway, in this stunner

And my FAVOURITE dress ever! It's a wedding dress with POCKETS! I died when I saw this, and am seriously considering renewing our vows JUST so I can wear this.

A few colourful characters. It seems every second person has their iPhone out taking photos then immediately tweeting/blogging about it, midshow. There's even been a bunch of bloggers holding up their iPads to get a photo. Cringe.

And for the fellas....

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Official Day One of NZ Fashion Week 2012

It's officially started. Yesterday, around midday Ruby / Liam kicked off NZFW 2012 with the opening show. They gave us warning that before the show starts, to find your spot, then hold it as there's dozens of other media all clambering to get the perfect spot on the photographers podium, aka The Pit. Those that miss out on this stand around the sides. And everyone wants get directly centre to get the model looking straight down their lens. Not being the aggressive type, I laid low for the first bit, then a spot opened up on the podium so I was in!

Since then I've been carefully selecting my place and know the best and worst places to stand. I have to say though, being tall is definitely working in my favour, but not so much for the shorties behind me!

The first show was amazing and nothing like I've ever experienced before. The atmosphere is insane and the models are fierce! There were probably 60+ media in the pit with their giant lenses perched over your shoulder. There's literally about 20cm that you can move in the course of the show, which normally go for about 20mins (after starting fashionably late - 20mins seem to be the norm).

Yesterday, after Ruby, I went to Cybele, then Coop by Trelise Cooper, then the Designer Selection Show which is what it says it is - a selection of maybe 15 designers showing just a few pieces each, then caught the last of Hailwood, and finished with Zambesi later that night. When I arrived home at 9:30pm, I was exhausted, mostly from being on my feet all day and I think a bit of a 'comedown' after running on adrenaline most of the day.

Have found a couple of buddy's in the pit and fellow contestants, so it's nice to see the odd semi-familiar face in a crowd of strangers, sprinkled with celebrities.

Speaking of which, day one star spottings include:

Colin Mathera Jefferies (at almost every freakin show)

Petra Baghurst looking lovely

Michaela from NZ Next Top Model, runner up

Sara Tetro

The Ridge ladies - Sally and Jamie

Samantha Hayes

Wendy Petri (who I recognised completely from behind, such are my mad celeb spotting skills)

A couple of couples from The Block tv show

Madeline Sami

And a few other "that's that girl from whats the name"

Anyway, here a few shots from day one, quickly edited.

Ruby

Part of the Designer Selection Show - Andrea Moore

Like a true professional, this model tripped over (missed that shot), before regaining her balance, stricking a pose, blowing the crowd a kiss, then continuing ones normal. Nicely done.

One of the models was bound to loose their balance sooner or later in shoes like these

Ruby

The three finalised from the Kleenex Cottonelle competition had their dresses on snow, and they were incredible! If they weren't made out of toilet paper, I'd totally wear this one!