Zambesi will be relinquishing special pieces from their 30-year archive and selling them from the Vulcan Lane store's lower level. It will be a rare opportunity to get your hands on some classic vintage Zambesi garments - pieces from "where it all began".
An indulgent day is planned, with cupcakes, chocolates and champagne and Andrea Moore will be in-store between 5pm and 7pm to meet customers. Join the VIP list or spend more than $500 and go in the draw to win a sought-after Heart skirt.
To celebrate First Light, TK Store will hold a not-to-be-missed uplifting fashion show, presenting the latest summer essentials at 7pm and 8pm ... get ready for colour with prints by Patrick Byrne and an in-store talk by Turet Knufermann about the concept behind the collection. 18 High St.
Storm will host its summer collection catwalk show and customers will receive a free gift with purchase. 23 High St.
Smoove will be serving wine, and will showcase the entire Reworked Vintage Dress collection as well as previewing the spring/summer 2011/12 range. 1J Little High St.
Kate Sylvester has a free gift with puchase and bubbles throughout the evening. 47 High St.
World Deluxe 57 High St, Man: 59 High St, Beauty: 35 Vulcan Lane. All customers who purchase from World during First Light go in the draw to win a Shiseido gift package valued at $500. Complimentary glass of Man O' War wine between 4pm and 10pm. Denise and Francis will be on hand to talk about the collection.
Ruby 4 High St. Free Ruby gift with purchase (nail polish and limited edition carabiner) with any purchase over $50. Drinks in-store and designer meet and greet. 4 High St.
The Silk Drawer Launch of the La Perla 2011 swimwear collection. 15 per cent off selected swimwear. 44 Courthouse Lane.
Farrys Launch of the new Paul Smith and Hugo Boss spring collections. 48 High St.
CK Jeans Showcase of the new season's collections and a promotion of CK One. DJ in-store from 6pm-10pm and prize giveaways. 25 High St.
Mardell Celebrates 30 years in fashion by showcasing 30 new-season dress styles. 66 High St.
City Designers Market Instore competition to win one item from each fashion designer. 1 Freyberg Place.
Scarpa Free goodie bags with purchase and bubbles instore. Chancery Lane.
Marcs Competition for a $500 Marcs wardrobe, Free scarf with purchases over $200. 41 High St.
Strangely Normal Competition for a $500 shopping prize. 19 O'Connell St.
Ecco Shoes Anyone who tries on a pair of shoes and goes on the mailing list is in the draw to win a pair of shoes. Free gift with every purchase. 43 High St.
Barkers Have a beer while you shop, in association with Moa Beer. 4A High St.
Ashley Ardrey Taste treats all day, styling tips and a First Light purchase promotion. 42C High St.
Untouched World Go in the draw to win an iconic zip shirt; every entry gets a free Untouched World soap or bath bomb. Free glass of wine from Torlesse Wines.
JEWELLERY
Jewellers Workshop Launch of the new "Family" collection of pendants and necklaces. 50 High St.
Carats Jewellery Launch of a stunning new art deco earring.
Agatha Paris: 35B Vulcan Lane. Launch of the new "Lady Farmer" and "Queen of Dark and Light" collections. 1st Floor, 10 High St.
RETAIL
Pauanesia Launch of Pauanesia's new Auckland tea towel. Free First Light Pauanesia brooch with every purchase and other treats in-store. 35 High St.
Unity Books Unity Books is full of fashion, from Kalman's Elements of Style to Balenciaga's latest tome. Open to 10pm. 19 High St.
Mix Foundation DJs instore for your listening pleasure.
HOSPITALITY
Istorm Gelato Launch of a new gelato flavour, Old School. Free mini-cup. Shop A3, The Chancery.
Rakinos Free feijoa wine. Level 1, 35 High St.
Mezze Bar Free tapas on the bar. 9 Durham Street East.
Merlot Launch of new main and dessert menu and introducing a tapas menu after 10pm. 23 O'Connell St.
Cassette Nine 9 Vulcan Lane. Cassette Rolling Pizzeria - Complimentary sampling of traditional Italian fare. 9 Vulcan Lane.
ART
Anna Miles Special installation of jewels by Octavia Cook. Suite 4J, 47 High St.
Jane Sanders Level One, Cnr Shortland and Queen Streets. Exhibition by Paul Cullen - HTWW: Devices. Short film of designer Maaike's summer collection with clothes from the film on sale at House of Hedone 5B High St.
WALK OF ART
Explore four exceptional heritage buildings: Endeans and Blackett building, 47 High St and the Gus Fisher Gallery and learn about the dynamics between the galleries and the art displayed within them.
Date and time: The walk will take place on Friday September 30 from 4.30pm-6.30pm as part of the High Street District's inaugural late night First Light event.
Venue: Meet at the Harbour Information Centre: Pier One, Downtown Ferry Terminal, Quay St, Central Auckland
Price: During the Heritage Festival the Art of the City Heritage Walk is being offered at a special price of $20 (Usually $30pp).
COMPETITIONS
Viva Best Dressed: Get dressed up in your favourite fashion and keep an eye out for our roving fashion ambassadors. You could be nominated for the Viva Best Dressed final judged by Viva editor Amanda Linnell, and Denise L'Estrange-Corbet from World. The prize is a $500 fashion voucher from World.
First Light shopper prize: One lucky shopper will win a fabulous prize from the High St district. Simply purchase any item at a participating First Light retailer and you go in the draw to win a night in a loft suite at Hotel De Brett with continental breakfast, a pre-dinner drink the drawing room, and a three-course pre-show dinner for two with a bottle of wine all valued at $750.
Winner will be notified by email on Monday 3 October.
ENTERTAINMENT
12pm - Bobby Brazuka & Jennifer Zea
1pm - Lewis McCallum
2pm - Matt Crawley
3pm - Funkommunity
4pm - Sweet Mix Kids
5pm - Boomio Sound
6pm - The Checks
7pm - Viva Best Dressed Competition
7.15pm - Andrew Tidball
8pm - Motor City Family Funk
9pm - Boomio Sound
LIVING LARGE ON HIGH STREET
Peter Urlich, DJ and man-about-town: "One of my most cherished High St memories is Potter Blair and Associates, Vulcan Lane - one of the inner city's first and coolest cafes. It was run by artist Denis Blair and he filled the small space with his large, surreal works while downstairs, the infamous Trevor Potter cut the hair of Auckland's A-list. Great coffee, eccentric clientele and never a dull moment, it attracted some of the most interesting characters I've ever met."
Barney, Pavement: "As a teenager growing up in South Auckland in the early 80s, High St was a mythical place described in Ngila Dickson's Cha-Cha mag. Too young to afford the clothes or get into the bars and clubs, I rarely ventured there, though it continued to hold a strange allure. When we started Pavement in the early 90s, it was the only place to have an office. Situated above The Box/Cause Celebre & Rakinos, in a building that once housed the Listener, our proximity to the country's best designers was invigorating. And countless other treats were just a stone's throw away. Many remain. Long live or petite slice of Soho or Paris."
Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, World: "It was 1988 and I bumped into my now best friend Brent Lawler. He was hairdressing at Potter Blair cafe/salon in Vulcan Lane. Next to: California, Monsoon, Chrissy R, World, Equipment, Mosquito, Zambesi et al! High St was the only place to be to discover new exciting things. It was a time of new fashion, new friendships and new culture. High St was and still is the birthplace of NZ culture!"
Nathan Haines, musician: "High St was a strange and wondrous place when I first visited from the distant North Shore at the age of 14. My father was playing at Club Mirage, later Cause Celebre, but it wasn't until a year later that I worked in my school holidays at the musical instrument store KBB, upstairs in Canterbury Arcade and really started hanging out. When I joined The Jazz Committee in 1987 - a band formed by two brothers from the very musical Harrop family - we wanted suits that looked the part, and the brothers knew Stu and Greg Maine on Vulcan Lane: bespoke suit makers to Auckland's cool and hip. We all got matching 50s suits in lurid colours with wide lapels and big pleated trousers, and it became our trademark look for years. In the late 80s I used to boot down to Potter Blair to meet Peter Ulrich and Mark Philips in my 60s Citroen DS in suit and tie and Cutler and Gross sunglasses, and I generally thought the world was a cool and groovy place. At least we didn't look like "normal" people. We listened to jazz, drank coffee, and read Cha-Cha. Hanging round High St, I thought I was in Manhatten. I moved to NYC soon after but Hight St was the perfect start."
Neville Findlay, Zambesi: "Probably my most vivid memory involves Vulcan Lane, and when the then Auckland City Council - in their wisdom - decided to rip up the beautiful red pavers and replace them with nice new bluestone pavers a la Queen St. A small group of retailers - Chris Cherry from Workshop, Andrew Bishop of Feline and yours truly - embarked upon a long and determined fight to keep the Lane the way it had been, for recent history at least. I guess it was the sheer persistence of our tag team - with some valuable assistance from the media that finally wore the council down and indeed we not only saved ratepayers some considerable money but also retained some degree of individuality for the unique Vulcan Lane."
THE DISTRICT
The district - encompassing High St, O'Connell St, Chancery, Vulcan and Durham Lanes - has a long and proud history as a wellspring for so much of New Zealand's best modern creative culture.
Through the years, its laneways and basements have played host to some of our most notorious night spots, and its streets have fostered many of our greatest designers.
Always a leader, the district's pioneering attitude and entrepreneurial spirit can be traced from the building of the city's first store in 1841 to the appearance of New Zealand fashion on the runways of the world.
Behind it, promoting the district, is the High Street Guild, founded by a collective of local businesspeople passionate about the district. The guild was formed to ensure the area's legacy lives on. Their aim is to encourage excellence, culture and community while attracting like-minded people to shop, work and play in the High St district.
First Light is the opening initiative from the guild. Following this, the district plans a monthly late night, that is not just a late night. It is called Black Friday, paying tribute to our nation's fashion obsession with the colour. On the last Friday of every month, Black Friday will host instore happenings, music, film, screenings, art and hospitality offerings. The High Street District Gazette, is a window into this world, where stories, happenings, characters and style are celebrated.
* Check out our blog for more information on First Light.
