KEY POINTS:
The sleek worlds of New Zealand high fashion and interior design will collide this Saturday at the Urbis Design Day, with 18 showrooms open for public perusal.
The day-long event will feature a selection of high-end design showrooms, including kitchen and bathroom retailers, each decorated by a local fashion designer.
Urbis magazine publisher and event organiser Claire Sullivan said the idea was to bring the two worlds of design together and introduce interior design to a wider audience by drawing on the public's interest in fashion design.
"Our fashion designers are such stars in this country, people really want to see what they're doing."
Fashion powerhouse Zambesi will work with design company Matisse, while Miss Crabb designer Christine Crabb has been paired with Michel Cesar's bathroom collection, where she will compose an intimate boudoir-style creation, said Sullivan.
"The fashion designers will go into the showroom the day before the event and create their own take on an interior space, using the furniture and products within that showroom," said Sullivan.
"They're also able to bring along their own things and embellish it, whether it be with fabrics from their own collections or whatever they want to do."
Amongst the various showrooms, Huffer are set to put on a fashion show at Mt Eden's BoConcept store; Taylor has enlisted chefs to cook up a storm with international kitchenware brand Poggenpohl; and Little Brother's Murray Crane will collaborate with Simon James Design to create "the ultimate boys' room".
Each of the showrooms will offer a selection of refreshments, while 18 minivans will be on hand to transport viewers between venues, departing every 15 minutes.
So far 1600 people have enlisted for the free event, however, Sullivan said she expects about 3,000 people to pass through the various showrooms on the day.
All the showrooms will be open from 10am to 5pm this Saturday. There is no set order to the day and visitors are free to call on as many or as few sites as they want.
To pre-register for the event, visit the Urbis website.
Designer Pairings:
Huffer + BoConcept, Mt Eden
Liz Mitchell + Corso de Fiori, Newmarket
Workshop + De De Ce Home, Ponsonby
Hailwood + Design Denmark, Viaduct Basin
World + ECC Lighting Living, Grafton
Zambesi + Matisse, Parnell
Lucie Boshier + Spazio Casa, Newmarket
Little Brother + Simon James Design, Newton
Ruby + Italy and Kitchens, Newmarket
Miss Crabb + Michel Cesar, Eden Terrace
Taylor + Poggenpohl, Parnell
Kingan Jones + Eon Design Centre, Freemans Bay
Doris de Pont + Michael Draper Design, Grey Lynn
Jane Daniels + GeorgiGregg, Parnell
tk store + Palazzo Design, Newmarket
Angela Lewis + Domo Collection Ltd, Parnell
Beth Ellery + Kouzina Appliances, Parnell
Servilles + Studio Italia, Newmarket
