New Zealand Fashion Week 2011 - Living Dolls

"Having just returned from New Zealand Fashion Designer, Annah Stretton’s Living Dolls show, I am finding myself still in complete awe at the sheer awesome-ness of the collection.

The show started off with a very cute vibe – presenting dozens of pastel coloured looks adorned with bows and pretty rosettes.
With lots of tulle, lace, silks, and luxe velvets, an elegantly feminine collection was exactly what was required on a rainy Tuesday night.

Bows were very consistent throughout the collection – whether it was a mini bow or a substantially sizeable one.
These bows were substituted for mini rosettes as the show went on, keeping with the chic lady-like collection.

It was interesting to see very organic hair styles throughout the show – although hair was huge (and that’s exactly what we loved about it!), it wasn’t super hairsprayed and hard-shelled (like you would expect from a collection inspired by dolls).
It had free movement and the fly-aways reinforced the “living” component of “Living Dolls” beautifully.

When it wasn’t a design oozing with tulle or velvet, there were plenty of plaid jackets and dresses in baby pinks and powder blues that will help everyone channel their inner Jackie-O. Structure was in at Annah Stretton this season, with skirts and sleeves stitched carefully to emphasise pleats and balloon-styles. 

Ruched collars were also very popular, especially in velvet textures.
These came in light pinks and darker tones to suit all personal styles – making for an easy addition to any wardrobe for next winter
Tights were added to every outfit, and provided even more femininity to the collection (not to mention being a very practical and chic choice for the winter months). The tights featured were mostly light coloured, with big leafy prints. There were also simple nude fishnets, which created a more modern look for a variety of the outfits.

Towards the end of the collection, out came darker colours and more ominous designs – introducing the colour black into an otherwise pastel-toned range.
The sparkly balloon dress above, with its bubble sleeves and metallic sequins is perfect for a stylish night out. The satin rosette belt cinching the waist is a very cute accessory, and the rosette design diversifies the look from the bows featured earlier.
A very stylish collection from a very stylish designer: the perfect end to a fun Tuesday out at NZFW."

-Lena Aseeva - NZFW

Watch the catwalk show by clicking below. 

NZ Fashion Week enters day two with charity show

On the catwalk last night was a fashion show with a difference as the Starjam charity teamed up with Annah Stretton to give a group of models the opportunity of a lifetime.

One of the models, Mary, is blind. So one of the Silver Ferns guided her down the runway, but even with the company it was a little nerve-wracking.

“I wont know where I am going and it will be exciting, but I'll be pretty nervous,” she says.

The Starjam Charity's mission is to empower the disabled to live with purpose and to broaden the perceptions of those around them.

The idea for the show came from Starjam founder Julie Bartlett after meeting designer Annah Stretton.

“I was both excited and scared by it, and we thought lets do it… a fantastic forum for our young people in all their shapes and sizes, and in all their perfection of who they are, to just get out there on the catwalk,” she says.

There are very few fashion week shows which get a standing ovation and even fewer where the models are having even more fun than the audience, a refreshing reminder that beauty comes in many forms.

3 News, Kate Rodger