Fashion Week: More blasts from the past

A model showcases a design by Trelise Cooper during the New Zealand Fashion Week. Photo / Babiche Martens

The rain may have been pouring and the wind gusting outside, but Ruby provided some light relief with yesterday morning's off-site show and their collection called The Adventurers: their best yet.

The collection continued NZFW's fascination with the past, drawing references from the 1960s, as well as a girl in search of a winter adventure - referenced by way of quilted sweaters, duffle coats, heavy wool fabrics, subtle harness detail and snowy prints.

The 60s influence appeared via bright colours, chunky knits and swing coats.

Highlights included a PVC "Mod" raincoat and rainhat, the addition of well-cut pants and a stunning wool-panelled ankle-length dress.

The fabric choices looked notably better this season as well. Cute, youthful and wearable, it was a collection that their army of Ruby girls (who were out in force at the show) will adore.

"Wind issues" delayed the start of a group show featuring Sabatini and Augustine International. Sabatini's collection featured lots of luxurious looking knits, fit for its starlet muse.

Key pieces included jackets adorned with fur, flippy skirts made to move as the wearer walks, and a leather jacket with shearling detail and knit arms - a show with plenty of retro nods.

Augustine International's collection was called the "4am Fairy", and featured a parade of party dresses: with sequins, silks, beading, and frills galore.

Some of the pieces looked a little cheap - and there were a few too many Balmain references.

Trelise Cooper stripped it back with her mainline collection, which showed in front of a beautiful stained glass window backdrop.

Cooper is clearly having a religious moment, with stained glass window prints and sequinned adornments - but most surprising was the amount of black, with classic black dresses and tailored suiting.

Her younger line, Cooper by Trelise, was much more classic Trelise, with sequins, leopard print galore and colour.

Jimmy D's fantastic death-metal inspired show stood out in a sea of retro-inspired femininity, with models made up to look like angst-riddled teenagers.

Designer James Dobson also looked back for inspiration, but to the 1990s instead of the 1950s.

Typically dark, the collection had a sportswear influence with hoods, panelled sports bras and "bum flaps" adorning shorts, as well as Dobson's signature drapery and diaphanous silk - and, unsurprisingly, plenty of black.

The standout was a collaborative print between Dobson and artist Andrew McLeod, which appeared on sweatshirting and on silk dresses.

The New Zealand Weddings Bridal Collection brought out the romantic in even the most hardened front row journalists.

Wedding dresses are so personal, but this collection of leading designers Jane Yeh, Louise Anderson, Anna Schimmel, Vinka, Kate Dowman, John Zimmerman and bridal store Modes ensured all tastes were catered for.

Crane Brothers added a welcome cool jitterbug feel for future grooms, with their sharp single-breasted, two-button narrow-cut suits that oozed style.

New label Neverblack followed with a collection that examined the failsafe contrast of light versus dark. Inspired by the moonflower, which blooms only at night, the mens and womenswear collection featured beautiful black dresses, floaty shapes and sheer fabrics. A standout was a shearling jacket and vest, for both men and women.

World is famous for its shows, but this year they kept it simple, and a little bit proper - guests were seated at round tables at the Langham's ballroom, eating cake and finger sandwiches.

The collection wasn't so refined, called Wasted Days, Wasted Nights. The womenswear included sculptural accents to dresses, suiting and, this being World, bold colour - plus a series of simple floor-length silk gowns that looked stunning on the runway but perhaps not in a wind gust like yesterday.

The menswear felt strong, with quirky accessories like polka dot umbrellas and glasses wrapped in yarn.

In contrast to the morning's youthfulness at Ruby, Alexandra Owen showed a sophisticated and mature collection that reinforced her as a young designer to watch.

Made up of tailored suiting, silk dresses and drapes of fabric, the collection also featured lots of sculptural padded quilting with buttons on coats, jackets and dresses.

Nom*d closed the day with an ambitious installation that provided some much-needed theatrics to the event.

The installation was made up of three sets: a debauched dinner party with pashing models and manic laughing, models sitting in a giant bed reading bedtime stories, and an Amish tribe of black-clad models.

There was also a performance from Rebekah Davies - herself clad in Nom*d.