Kathryn Wilson's fashion show may be all about shoes, but her tastes run to much more.
Kathryn Wilson is one of New Zealand's best loved footwear designers, and will be the first to hold a New Zealand Fashion Week show dedicated solely to shoes. Next Tuesday's show is set to feature girls in catsuits, a short film made in collaboration with Garth Badger and a range of shoes Wilson has described as "playful".
Wilson (who is set to debut a diffusion line called Miss Wilson next year) has had her designs featured on the NZFW runways many times before, in shows for other designers including Juliette Hogan, Huffer, Hailwood and Twenty-seven Names - but this year the spotlight will be focused on her. She talks us through her 10 favourite things - and gives us a sneak peek at her new collection.
10 FAVOURITE THINGS
1. Hailwood dress
A beautiful blue silk dress that Adrian Hailwood gave to me as a good luck dress to wear to my show at NZFW. It's such a stunning colour. He is the bee's knees.
2. My first pair of shoes
My mother kept these from when I was a toddler, they are red sandals with a small wedge - and well worn, I loved them.
3. Mr Bigglesworth
My cat, Mr Bigglesworth, a Cornish Rex with loads of personality. He travels to work with me every day over the harbour bridge in the car. We get some strange looks on the motorway.
4. Boh Runga feather bracelet
This was a gift for my 30th birthday, and now I wear it every day. Boh Runga's new collection "Weapons of Mass Devotion" is being shown in the Kathryn Wilson Fashion Week show on Tuesday. She is so clever.
5. Fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen
A book of fairy tales written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It has all the great classics from my childhood. The Princess and the Pea is my favourite story of his.
6. My Volvo XC70
It's safe and sophisticated and fits a lot of shoe boxes.
7. Shoe storage wall
It holds 80 pairs of heels - I decide what outfit to wear each day based on what shoes I'd like to wear.
8. Black and white print
A print that was given to me by a very special friend I met as a neighbour in my apartment building. It is black and white, timeless and from the heart. He's an incredible artist and a wonderful man.
9. Sutherland heels
A pair of "Sutherland" heels from the Winter 2011 Kathryn Wilson collection. They are super-feminine, stylish and surprisingly comfortable.
10. Banana smoothies
From Trinity Cafe on Parnell Rise: delicious and the cure of all headaches.
