Fashion Week 2010 round-up: The trends

Texture: Alexandra Owen. Photo / Babiche Martens

The wild weather bomb that hit the 10th New Zealand Fashion Week made everyone feel a bit drippy. At times the front row resembled a row of sodden crows on a wire, as fabulous baubles and sexy shoes were abandoned in favour of warm clothes and sturdy boots.

The Westpac tent, which houses the biggest fashion shows, shuddered and flapped. Heavy lighting rigs swayed overhead, and fashionistas looked up and prayed they wouldn't be plucked up, Wizard of Oz-style, and be last seen flying over the harbour in the grip of a rogue squall.

However, in true-grit style, the fashion folk were not going to let the worst storm in 30 years cramp their style (and in managing director and Christchurch resident Pieter Stewart's case, earthquakes too). So the shows went on.

The models, many of whom were rookies, did a sterling job. They deserved medals for serenely cruising down chilly catwalks, in sheer, sleeveless or short strapless dresses; or, if they were really lucky, in one of the many shaggy fur coats that were shown for next winter. It was this divergence of looks, and playing with textures, that set the tone for Fashion Week.

Designers shone through with their unique visions for the future showing, that for a small pond (which we were standing in most of the time), we have a large pool of talent.

Shagadelic

Combining or creating different sorts of textures was the common thread running through many of the collections. Just about every show featured a furry jacket, gilet or skirt. These were combined with contrasting garments that were variably sheer, shiny or patterned. Designers who really explored texture were Zambesi, Alexandra Owen, Ruby, Sera Lilly and Neverblack. Zambesi used a wide variety of fabrics - sheer nylon, lace, brocade, an animal print, mesh and, of course, shaggy fur. These were cleverly layered to create a deceptively simple look due to a tight colour palette of black, white, camel and silvery grey.

Alexandra Owen created her own textures by pleating fabrics to give a quilted-looking diamond pattern complete with buttons. These worked spectacularly well when worked in silk and fine wool, but looked heavy in her wool coating. She also scrunched fabric up into textured shapes which looked at their best decorating necklines and bodices. Hers was the most innovative and original show of the week.

Ruby's was less cutting edge, but still desirable as the majority of the garments were cute, easy to wear daytime thrashers. Shaggy chenille sweaters and skirts were combined with plaid shirts, frilled top silky pants, tops with sequinned fronts and quilted backs, puffer waistcoats, short little blazers, great weekend jackets and raccoon print T-shirts. These combinations created a witty, slightly preppy look. A strong first-time showing for Ruby, which neatly filled the shoes Kate Sylvester had left vacant with her absence.

Sera Lilly made a giant leap forward in more ways than one. Firstly, she broke convention by casting ordinary girls, not models, for her show (who were drilled so well they walked liked pros). Secondly, she used lots of them (44 in total, most shows would have only about 20). Thirdly, as well as the event dresses she is known for, she also showed a section inspired by South America. It was in this that textures were combined for full effect. Key pieces were a Gaucho-style, multi-colour, striped wool poncho and a calf-length full skirt. Shaggy cream fur was trimmed into cropped tops, a gilet and a full skirt with a lace-up basque top; chocolate shearling was cut into a short cape and a jacket with large, fleecy lapels. These substantial pieces were combined with light-weight, earthy floral prints to evoke the spirit of the pampas.

Another newcomer to the Fashion Week scene who tapped into the textured trend was Neverblack. They showed a collection that combined sheepskin aviator jackets and gilets with sheer, floaty dresses over white lace lingerie, slouchy cardigans, a cream shaggy fur skirt and the prettiest washed out water colour print on silk satin tops and dresses.

On trend:

* Texture
* Draping
* Long and sheer
* Black and white
* Camel colour
* School blazers
* Geometric shapes - cuts and prints
* Full skirts, long and short
* 1970s long, flared pants
* Ruffles
* Puffer waistcoats

What's new pussycat?

Aside from textural issues, as the shows unfolded, so did the mini trends for next winter. These manifested themselves in a more realistic way than you would normally expect from catwalks; high voltage "glam" was minimal (only at World) and gimmicks were virtually zero as designers turned their attention to cash registers rather than headlines with solid, mostly well thought out, collections.

Silhouettes to emerge for next winter were simple full-length sheer dresses and skirts in black or white (Blak Luxe, Jimmy D, Ruby, Stolen Girfriends Club). Also full-skirted dresses which ranged in length from super short (Ruby) to just above the knee (Juliette Hogan, Salasai) to just below the knee (Sera Lilly, Starfish). Seventies long, flared pants (Hailwood, Andrea Moore, Stolen Girlfriends Club) looked fresh and new compared to skinny, dark pants that show no sign of going away.

Design details include draping (the most accomplished were at Hailwood), geometric patterns and cuts (at Brady, Sabatini White, Cybele, Salasai and Zambesi) cropped blazers (at Twenty-seven Names, Ruby and Cooper by Trelise), oversized sweatshirts (the biggest was at Salasai), puffer waistcoats (at Ruby and Cooper by Trelise) black and white colour combinations (at Salasai and Zambesi) and camel, which appeared in virtually every show. There were also ongoing trends such as khaki, animal prints, small floral prints and spots.

The highlights of Fashion Week came from many quarters: Adrian Hailwood for his sinuous draped dresses in devore velvet and satin, plus great 1970s style flared jeans; Salasai with their geometric black and white theme, right down to the brothel creeper shoes; Juliette Hogan for charming, womanly tailoring, with bone-coloured leather cut into a short-sleeved top and pencil skirt, pretty scalloped fabrics and the perfect, spotted dress; Ruby for showing cute everyday outfits; Trelise Cooper for her staggeringly beautiful catwalk backdrop of a Botticelli inspired stained glass window, and her accompanying ecclesiastical inspired prints; Starfish for making eco clothing; and Stolen Girlfriends for their sense of humour, sexy dresses and party time fun.

On trend:

Colour
* Black
* White
* Navy
* Camel
* Khaki
* Nude
* Coral
* Apricot

Pattern
* Geometric shapes
* Plaids
* Animal prints
* Small florals
* Spots
* Gothic
* Cute animals

Fabrics
* Fake fur
* Lace
* Devore velvet
* Denim on denim
* Sheer
* Chunky knits
* Silk satin
* Wetlook
* Leather

The new dandy

Menswear got a shake-up on the catwalks at Fashion Week, and not just from the usual culprits, World Man, either. The new vision for men is a peacock affair - they can now easily outstrip the girls with their finery and a flurry of colour. Or, at the very least, share the limelight with similar design details, prints and colours. Zambesi showed the most restrained collection with a crisp look. Black and white was the major theme, which gave it a graphic edge, especially when cut into contrasting geometric panels or knitted into stripes. They also combined white and camel - the new "it" colour.

Next came World Man, with robotic looking "Ken" style models, all fake tan and square jaws. They perfectly showcased the clear plastic coats and jackets that echoed the garments underneath them, which were either subtle (a hooded dark peacoat) or not so subtle (a fluro pink coat). They also showed plaid and camel suits, which were outlandishly styled with thick, turquoise glasses.

However, the knock-out piece in the show was a touch more restrained - a stylish black and grey two-tone coat, which was worn with a leather belt where the two colours met.

Next was Salasai where the line between men's and women's wear was blurred. The men wore short and full-length kilts and the women wore their oversized sweatshirts. However, the menswear pieces that stole the show were the tailored jackets which had contrasting panels picked out in black, white and turquoise.

Other winning items were the crisp white shirts with breast pockets edged in thick black piping and the sweatshirts embellished with a geometric diamond placement print. These were all teamed with relaxed black pants decorated with shiny black patch panels.

It was Stolen Girlfriends Club that really gave menswear a shake-up. They used their signature print of the season - an image of cigarette butts and mauve hydrangeas - on both women's and men's wear. It looked fresh and new as men don't usually get to wear flowers (even if they are tempered by cigarette butts) and was cut into a shirt, a jean jacket, a car coat and skinny pants.

These pieces were combined with black leather to ground outfits in male territory. The other looks that gave the collection a Dandyish edge were leather dropped crotch pants and velvet jeans which came in burgundy.

After these shows Huffer was quite tame in comparison, with standard casual jackets tarted up with oversized badges. However, they will be a stylish safe haven for those not brave enough to wear the new "look at me" clothes.

On trend:

* Black and white
* Camel
* Contrasting panels
* Geometric designs
* Drop crotch pants
* Chunky knits
* Leather
* Shearling