Annah in Wonderland | NZ Fashion Week 2013 | Annah Stretton
This week I was privileged to join the team at Annah Stretton Fashion Week runway show - Annah In Wonderland . Produced by Kiri Nathan and Phoenix Renata the show was an elaborate display of creativity, quirkiness and exquisite fashion in a Alice and Wonderland - theme showcase. Complete with its own Mad Hatter (Michele A'Court) body painted Cheshire Cat (Body FX), Alice (dancer Nerida Cortese) and Rabbit, the show was decorated with chandeliers, helium ballons an iron gate, large hedges and, almost stealing the show, a centerpiece of cupcakes and macaroons pops atop teapots, bird cages, tiered china, flowers, jewles and a eclectic mix of tables with a studded heart chair at the end. Annah Stretton is iconic in New Zealand and her new collection blends, edgy sophistication with pretty florals and ruffles. Bows featured strongly, as did her signature theatrical style. When you attend a fashion show at the Viaduct Events Center during Fashion Week you usually get a goodie bag or gift, and if your lucky, a front row seat. But most importantly, you are privy to the best in New Zealand behind the scenes happenings that take you form model transformation to final celebrations and all the emotions, atmosphere and amazingness in between. So i share a collection of images and a photographic slideshow (featured at the bottom) telling the story of.
Oliver Wastie interviews Phoenix Renata about how the Annah in Wonderland show for NZFW was the highlight of the entire event for her.
Caged Canary: NZFW 2013 - Annah Stretton
If there's one thing Annah Stretton knows how to do, it's how to put on a show.
Her 2013 Fashion Week show featured an
Alice in Wonderland theme and was full of theatre, performance and extravagant set design.
The centre of the runway was decorated with tables covered in real cupcakes, macaroons, flowers and jewels, while crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. A heart-shaped throne and red rose bushes completed the theme.
Annah Stretton is a wildly successful New Zealand entrepreneur, author and speaker. She has been in the fashion world for over 10 years.
Annah Stretton's show goes off drama-free
AIMIE CRONIN AT FASHION WEEK
JOHN SELKIRK/Fairfax NZ
Annah Stretton has courted drama off the catwalk this week, but her show last night at New Zealand Fashion Week went exactly as she'd planned.
The catwalk was laden with goodies to conjure the image of a Mad Hatter's tea party and the closest thing to a bearskin rug or taxidermy was an actor in a white rabbit suit.
Organisers had been in contact with police about the possibility of animal rights groups protesting outside the Viaduct Events Centre over her controversial Q&A in Sunday magazine.
After the show, the designer would not comment on the slip up, where she was photographed sitting on a bearskin rug while claiming to be a human rights advocate.
"I'll talk about fashion, that's it."
She said she was happy with the show.
"For me, it was really important to go back to that theatre and drama the brand is seen for ... It's just a story we told using the fabrics I know will translate well commercially."
Polka dots and floral prints featured heavily in the collection, but Stretton was hesitant to be pinned down to any specific aesthetic except to say, "it was all about the journey of Alice and the white rabbit."
Models walked in high heels with patterned tights, encrusted tiaras and floral headpieces that were larger-than-life.
In Stretton style, there were plenty of bows. Bows on prints, bows on peplum sleeves, bows on scarves, on waists, on necklines.
Over one thousand guests packed into the Westpac Shed to see the Annah in Wonderland collection.After the show they helped themselves to cupcakes from the catwalk.
On Saturday, Stretton's second show, Come on Oz, Say I do, will take place as part of Fashion Weekend.
Members of the public can buy tickets to attend a gay wedding that will take place on the runway. Stretton chose two women from Australia to come over and say their vows.
The women will be dressed head to toe in Annah Stretton and both will be wearing "two very girly dresses.
"For us it's a fashion show first, so we chose girls who could wear the dresses well and represent our brand globally."
Stretton says she has received a lot of international media in relation to her Fashion Weekend show.
- © Fairfax NZ News
NZFW 2013: Annah Stretton
Based on the entire theme of Alice in Wonderland - from props, set, pre show characters, right down to the fabric in the garments this was truly a childhood story brought to life! The Cheshire Cat, painted by BodyFX and the Mad Hatter Opened the Annah Stretton show, prancing up and down the run way which was split down the middle by line of vintage tables covered in cupcakes, macaroons, tea sets and flowers. I knew we were in for an exciting show.
Featuring two halves to the show, and man frock coats, and suits, dresses with many petticoats and flounces to the second half predominately spotty. Polka dots on everything, reversed in black and white, huge floral crown hats made by Pheonix Cosmetics really tipped of the whimsical look and fairy tail feel of the whole show..
Nerida Cortese as Alice dancing with the Mad Hatter down the runway mid-show just added the final touch to the amazing production by Jonathan Smith. Perfectly timed and choreographed, Nerida wearing a pretty circle skirt dress by Annah Stretton just made it perfect.
Even though it didn't seem to be the initial plan the runway audience loved being able to swarm the run way and snap both pictures and a cup-cake at the end of the show.
Oh this was such a performance. Annah Stretton’s show was a play on Alice in Wonderland with tea parties in the centre of the runway, Alice and Mad Hatter performances, and of course the clothes to match. She had four different collections, the first being full of pastels, florals and lace – Very much like a classic tea party. Her patterns then changed in the second collection to more Mad Hatter inspired patterns of floral with checkers in bright purples and blues. The third collection delved into a more Wonderland look with harsher and bolder floral colours, and big floral headpieces to match. The forth was a stark contrast to the last three with a Queen of Hearts inspired collection, think red tartan, lace and frills; they all had fantastic headpieces and crowns to match. Stretton really put on a show and played up the magic behind Alice in Wonderland. I came home absolutely buzzing and couldn’t wait to show everyone my photos.
