Favourite things come from all areas of life for designer Adrian Hailwood, whose childhood memories of counting rods in maths lessons feature right up there with architecture and Picasso portraits.
Adrian Hailwood showed his latest collection, "Going Platinum" on Tuesday, with models made up to look like mannequins - a reference to the work of artist Alex Prager, who photographs stylised women looking like "living dolls fighting a war against constructed beauty - and losing". The show, styled by Zara Mirkin, featured bag and sunglass collaborations with Saben and Cassius alongside opulent and luxe garments. Off the back of his successful show, Hailwood talks us through his eclectic list of favourite things.
10 FAVOURITE THINGS
1. The English country garden
The old-school type you see at rambling old estates where everything seems a little dishevelled and overgrown - the grass is a little long, the daisies seem haphazard. In truth, they are very well-designed and thought out, giving a slight eccentricity - a lot like Helena Bonham Carter's hairdo.
2. The art direction and costume in Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner
Sean Young looked chic and sexy, her hair was an Andrews Sisters' slash comic strip knockout, and those Mugler shoulderpads! The sets of Tokyo and New York in the future looked graphic; the heavy use of falling rain and neon were spot-on noir.
3. Costume National shoes
They are my favourite shoe brand and I have bought many pairs over the years. They look and feel great and last forever. I have red ones, green ones, black ones and beige ones.
4. Zora for Wunderkammer jewellery
Zora made me a lion-head pinkie ring with blue sapphire eyes for my birthday ... twice, as I lost it somewhere on my travels the first time round. Her jewellery is exquisite.
5. Architecture of Jean Nouvel
I first saw an exhibition of his that Paula Savage put on at the City Gallery, Wellington, more than 15 years ago and it was breathtaking. The French have taken his work into their hearts and he has designed some of the great modern buildings of our times. He recently designed the new pavilion for the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park.
6. All things French
The Eiffel Tower, the language (I love to say pamplemousse - "le grande pamplemousssssssse") which is designed to sound clever, sexy and naughty all at once. The Galleries Lafayette, Chanel and Karl, baguettes, Jeanne Lanvin and last but not least ... Yves.
7. Pop Roger's retro store, Real Time, on Ponsonby Rd
A style-surfie's heaven, and if old groucho is in a good mood you may get a nice drop of wine and always a great yarn to wash it down with.
8. Picasso
My nana had a print of his when I was a young lad and I used to draw it over and over again with my Crayola crayons. The big-nosed jughead lady and her blue hair was my favourite. I later studied his works at university and got to see them in all their glory at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona ... made me shed a tear or two. "Art is a lie that makes us realise the truth." Pablo Picasso was the titan of creativity.
9. Purple magazine
Olivier Zahm is the gentleman behind this classy publication and isn't afraid to put himself front-seat, which he does with great swagger. This magazine ticks all the right boxes for me. Great photography, classy tidbits on where to eat, drink and be merry in all the best places around the globe, as well as interesting bios and well-written content in general.
10. Cuisenaire rods
I had these at primary school more than 30 years ago. I'm not sure if they still have them but boy, did I love my counting rods. They were like a cross between a K-Bar and Lego. I think white was one, brown was maybe seven, blue eight, green, I think was six and orange a 10? These were the only things that vaguely gave me any joy in doing maths.
