koi suwannagate

After meeting thailand's best stylist in the industry, he has been gracious enough to invite me to the presentation event of Koi Suwannagate!

Artistically inclined and imaginatively beautiful, Koi Suwannagate captures nature’s fleeting beauty in her trademark hand-sculpted creations of multilayered luxurious fabrics. Creating an ethereal fantasy, she tempers delicate arty hand-embellishments with elegant real-world clothes. Her prolific three-dimensional designs not only accentuate feminine contours but they envelope the female body in flowing lines.

pay it forward

I thought it was time I do something to thank BB for all these amazing opportunities she has given me over the seasons! With an astonishing FOUR Australian designers making the long trek to NYFW, I thought it best we work my favourite, and after some PR for BB on my part, its in the bag!

2 weeks.....and the line up starts to take shape!

In just a fortnight the fashion fever will have hit! And I cannot wait. Here is a first line-up of shows I will be lucky enough to be working, thanks to BB!

Alexandre Herchcovitch
Erin Fetherston
Zac Posen

three weeks to go

With three weeks until NYFW once again.....and so in honour of this countdown to being back in one of the best cities in the world, I shopped for NINE hours straight in one of my newest discoveries for fashion....BANGKOK! The local talent over here is phenomenal!

My favourites included TRIMODE, Painkiller, Greyhound and WWA!

the village

Talking to Karen Walker about her New York Fashion Week SS10 show and London Fashion Week

By Helen Lee

One of our favourite New Zealand designers, Karen Walker, gave us a little teaser about her upcoming New York Fashion Week Spring 2009/10 collection entitled The Village and if she would ever show in London Fashion Week again.

What was the inspiration for your upcoming spring summer 2010 collection that will show at NYFW?
We had been re-watching ‘The Prisoner’ (a British television series set in a mysterious seaside village, airing from 1967 – 1968) and have always loved the it look it had – a 60’s Edwardian seaside. I also loved its idea – a Seaside holiday resort that is actually a prison for retired spies.

What goes into getting a collection over to New York, do you ship it over or take it with your as part of your luggage so nothing could go missing or ship it all over?
I take three suitcases of the range with me, all the other things like shoes and accessories get shipped a few weeks before. All the piece arrive complete – thank goodness for porters in American airports!

What has the reception been from the buyers, press and general public since you switched from showing in London Fashion Week to New York Fashion Week?
The first season we showed in NYC we were on the front page of the New York Times and Style.com, that unlocked a few doors for us. Progressively since then the company’s been growing, even in these times of economic recession.

Did you consider going back to London Fashion Week since it’s holding its 25th anniversary shows this year?
No. But maybe we’ll show there for their centenary.

Looking forward to seeing images from Karen Walker’s Spring 2010 collection now, I’m day dreaming of a cute seaside shack with ladies lounging around in cuffed shorts and chic tops – all 1960s inspired of course.

Vertigo

A momentary detour of all talk NYC, as I am in Bangkok for one week!
Off the plane, arriving to a late afternoon muggy overcast, yet lusciously green Bangkok, it was straight onto the social scene that evening. By the way....Check out the airport (above)! Paul look me along with some old friends from Sydney, who are very successful in the fashion and music realms. Where we went, you better not suffer from vertigo is all I am saying!
Seated in the heavens as it were, 59 stories above the ground, we enjoyed the delectable cuisine on offer in what Forbes Traveller votes as one of the sexiest rooftop bars on the globe. I enjoyed the stunning 360 degree views of Bangkok while I tucked into my tiger prawn main.
Named after the balance disorder, I am certain architects and interior designers had a ball with the concept of this bar & grill. Purposely slanted cocktail glasses, precariously steep stairways, multiple levels meaning one is always induced into the up and down motion, and a total lack of the usual hideous safety rails seen at this height (ala Empire State Building!) make me wonder if you leave this bar at the end of the night, with a smile on your face, a full belly and another disorder to add to the list!

One night in bangkok

Before another season of frocks and fashionistas in the concrete jungle I love, its time to experience the offerings of the far east. I jet off today to Bangkok for work, to see all things fashion and the vibrancy of the city that my boss speaks about so fondly. Cannot wait!

Why I heart KW

heart palpitations

the four week mark until I jet over to NYC once more, has come and was celebrated at a lively night out in kings cross. last week I had the best news that friends from the last two seasons would be back again to make me smile in the corridors whilst waiting to begin a job. and even older friends have surprised me with a detour to NY before making the move to Canada! and now this...
doctor, doctor, give me the news... I got a bad case of lovin' you!

5 flew by

the countdown was put on the shelf with busy work schedules....but I must mark its passing...as I found out that friends from across the globe will be joining me in NYC!!! I cannot wait to see you Steph, and you too Wongee, and of course you Drew!

SIX WEEKS!

How quickly the days turn into weeks and then months. With only six weeks until I leave for New York....I am trying to have a little foresight and plan my trip...Namely how many new stores can I visit, which broadway shows I should prioritise to see, Aretha Franklin @ Radio City Music Hall OR The Horrors in Brooklyn, and what exhibits will be showing at the galleries?!

Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week

I have been lucky enough to be invited back to work on the production team for Karen Walker! As well as this great opportunity, I will be attending the rest of NYFW for the third consecutive season, working with backstage beauty Barbara Berman! Joy of joys!

LAN <3 DAUL KIM

One of my favourites from this season, Daul Kim opened the show for She's Cracked. She most definitely rocked out that stunning trench. As well as walking for Karen Walker, she is hot property gracing the catwalk for Rodarte, Chanel and D&G. She blogs, writes for magazines such as Paper Magazine and also reports for the fashion programme back home in South Korea, OnStyle. After an appearance on NZ television, I decided to cast my net further a field. Click the box below, and do try not to giggle too much!

TVNZ tells it like it REALLY is...

It is always so interesting to me how the media outlets can twist the viewers perception of this industry. Creating immense and endless glitz and glamour, and forgetting, that like every other industry out there, you do not get to the top by lounging about. TVNZ reporter Tim Wilson, was a breathe of fresh air, and told his audience to some extent at least, the cold hard truth. And there I was, on TV1 Breakfast being interviewed about fashion and interns and what not....HILARIOUS!

Good luck Paris baby! But just remember....for now you are SECOND assistant!

x

Where's Wally?

Some fashionistas live for the bright lights and fame of fashion week. I have fallen into quite an odd sub-category which I have relished! I want to be the new Where's Wally (or Waldo to the Yanks)! Haha!

My first flurry into this new role was over a year ago at BLUE, the menswear fashion/trade show, appearing behind the scenes in an episode of the Hills. I hadn't really heard of the show, and was more interested in chatting with PR empire legend, head of People's Revolution, Kelly Cutrone. And then again I embodied Wally backstage at NYFW Spring 2009 at the Jason Wu show (later in an issue of Vogue USA).

Come NYFW Fall 2009, it has been my mission to take on my new Where's Wally persona in full force. Spot me HERE if you can...and about four minutes in HERE

Although.....now part of me thinks I could in fact be Wally's arch nemesis, Odlaw!

The rest of the week....

A montage of the other shows I worked backstage at New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter

Rodarte

Alexandre Herchcovitch

3.1 Phillip Lim

Diane von Furstenberg
Brian Reyes

Isaac Mizrahi

Project Runway Finale

Sunday Shows

Due to the signing of a non-disclosure agreement, I am not allowed to discuss events that may have occurred behind the scenes whilst employed by the backstage company I worked for.

Sunday, bright eyed, bushy tailed and coffee infused to reduce the hangover, I headed back to the Altman to work the PREEN show, the talented british duo.

Some down time in between shows, I decided to head to Chinatown and meet some Australian friends for a spot of Yum Cha! And boy was it just the ticket to get rid of any hint of a hangover! We could not resist stopping in at the famous Ice Cream factory for two scoops of mouth watering goodness, despite the plummeting temperatures outside.

Many more coffee infusions later and we were off to Bryant Park, for my first Promenade tent show of the season, the young cute and quirky American designer of the moment, Erin Fetherston.

And to complete this exceptional Sunday, I headed to VANDAM, a kooky club night every Sunday at the Greenhouse with some NY friends...and had another amazing night in the city that never sleeps...

After Party

The Soho Grand set the stage this season's AFTER PARTY. All that hard work, the many hours that went into arriving at this moment.....time to let down the hair, indulge in many a 42 below delight, and be proud of our acomplishments. Unfortunately we opted to indulge in one too many a 42 below, and our night ended a little earlier than planned. At least for some, a valentines kiss was not missed out on ;-)

Second Row!

A quick hussle downtown to drop off the full collection, and then, thanks to a very generous HMJ, I was off to to the Alexander Wang runway show!

I arrived at the Roseland Ballroom in midtown to a very long queue before me, and thanks to my golden ticket of sorts, I was able to breeze on through and into the lobby.

Being Valentines Day, Wang opted for a cocktail that paid tribute to this most romantic of nights. I couldn't get enough of the pink concoction that somehow managed to get chocolate into the mix while still retaining its raspberry appeal!

The buzz and atmosphere in the low lit ballroom was exhilarating! After being ushered to my seat....second row...SCORE! Thanks HMJ....I was fixated on Anna Wintour, looking ravishing, not a hair out of place, free of her usual optical armour, laughing in hysterics with her guest on her right! Somehow I managed to miss other guests such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Roisin Murphy and Santogold!

The show was fabulous, Wang had certainly taken it to the next level as a designer in my mind. Taking my two winter favourites and creating the perfect marriage of fur and leather was astounding.

She's Cracked

*** A little late, but I decided I had to document my second trip if only for my own records ***

Cupid move over, February 14th was KW's day this year!

We were all set, organised and ready to depart for the Altman building, but one can never be too prepared leading up to show time.
And then the heavens opened and the rain came down. EXCELLENT.

On arrival to the Altman Building, all-be-it a little wet around the gills, after setting up all the racks and looks, it was time to do the rounds.

Being my first show of the season, it was time to catch up with all my friends and aquaintences from last year!
Backstage dressing team, hair & make up, casting agents and public relations were all given the bluest of eyes and sweetest of smiles with a how do you do.

All right, I'm ready for my close up Mister Demille! Of sorts. One of the production team interns had won an amazing prize in New Zealand, and so one of the breakfast shows were doing a puff piece. A short & witty interview later and it was back to the task at hand.

The lights went down, music ripped into action, and Daul Kim opened the show working it down the runway! The show went off without a hitch, the stunning collection being well received by its audience, which included many top publications and avid followers of this New Zealand designer.

"She's "Cracked." That was the theme of Karen Walker's show, which had its beginnings in the designer's decade-deep archive, from which she unearthed a favorite print of a broken strand of pearls. "We love the beauty that comes out of catastrophe," said Walker backstage, "and the brittle nature of things."

The first look out was anything but broken-down: a quite pulled-together square-shouldered and square-bodied trench over black cigarette pants, punctuated by lipstick-red patent pumps. Soon enough, though, the fissures began to appear—in the crackled leather of a black motorcycle jacket, the breakaway flaps on jersey tops that hung below boxy jackets, and Walker's charming graphics (including the resurrected pearls and a colorful new shattered-china-plate print).

She tempered her gone-to-pieces motif with strong and simple silhouettes and, right on trend, paid close attention to the shoulder with a princess sleeve on steroids that appeared on cute sweatshirt dresses and built up in petal-like layers on smart little shifts. It was a strong collection with loads of sellable yet quirky separates. And, frankly, is there a better time for fashion that celebrates the beauty that can blossom after things fall apart?" - Style.com