So darling, what is a girl/guy to wear?

Karen Walker comes up trumps with this broderie anglaise dress. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Fashion Week wound up last night leaving many none-the-wiser about exactly what one should wear next winter.

Trends were apparent, but perhaps the beauty of New Zealand fashion is that no one look dominates, as is often the case overseas. The Northern Hemisphere went from boho summer to a blackout winter, but here the leading designers refused to slavishly follow Europe.

The commercial collections kept some colour and the leading designers, including Karen Walker, who showed last, confirmed their individuality, with several pulling off assured and stunning collections, particularly Zambesi and Kate Sylvester.

About 14,000 guests and 700 buyers and media from 14 countries attended 37 shows of 46 labels at the Air New Zealand-sponsored event.

Low-key anti-fur protests occurred outside the Viaduct Harbour venue, including last night when about 20 protesters chanted as members of the public attended Best of the Week shows.

Throughout the week, as on the final day, some newer designers also had their say, with Cybele, Deborah Sweeney and IPG wowing the fashion crowd with fresh, yet disciplined, collections.

The final day began with the AUT rookie show of 30 fashion students' collections, after a late show on Thursday in which High St-based Modus Operandi was forced indoors by rain.

Cult designer Miss Crabb's show was for the very young and the young at heart. To loud death metal music, the designer so often touted as a hot, young talent sent out a collection of roughly sewn garments. The show underlined the step up promising talent needs to take to make it on the big runway.

Cybele, Deborah Sweeney and IPG showed they had made that leap, wowing with collections earlier in the week that were variously cute, pretty and sexy.

Another whose range is growing is Adrian Hailwood.

His coherent 80s-influenced collection reflected the decade well, right down to tailored leather jackets with shoulder pads.

But it was the former graphic designer's Bambi print fabric that stood out. Used in soft, feminine chiffon dresses and mens shirts, it was contrasted with blindingly white stovepipe trousers or hard-edged black.

For an older crowd, Vertice/Vamp showed a heavily embellished commercial collection, right down to the shoes. Peasant-style skirts and velvet coats featured.

Karen Walker's Karen in TV Land collection gave the week a polished end with her signature cocktail frocks, this time with an early 60s hostess with the mostest flavour - little black dresses, with three-quarter lace sleeves, exaggerated bows and puffball skirts.

The era was also evoked in car coats Christine Keeler would have loved and mod-style parkas, including in a checkerboard print, worn with skinny ankle-crop pants.

She also followed through this winter's range with more high-waisted, wide pants and pinstripe jeans. Brown broderie anglaise overlaid teal fabric to good effect.

The big name shows give Fashion Week its credibility.

Yvonne Bennetti and Little Brother showed they had what it took in their first appearances at Fashion Week . Liz Mitchell was perhaps the biggest surprise , swapping red-carpet frocks for a walk on the dark side to astonishing effect.