Rock doesn’t usually look so good in the hard light of day, so it was intriguing to receive an invitation to a morning show and even more so, that it would be held at the bland, functional environment of the Sky City Theatre.

So we lined up, filled the theatre, an hour late, and waited for the show…

The main feature was a gorgeous piece of cinema by Curious, directed by Kirsty Cameron and styled by the talented Karen Inderbitzen Waller. The film took us on a journey “from innocence to experience, with a few lessons in non conformity on the way.”

Our heroines start as girls, dressed in white, playing the games of innocence and youth, before revealing darker selves in blacks, greys and khaki. We then see them setting off through the forest, in lighter garments, with hints of colour; purple, blue and red and - young men joining them on a journey towards the light. One of the girls though falls behind to wash herself in the ocean and return to chastity.

There was universal approval of the film by the audience. It took us all on a simple, but beautiful journey that showed the Nom*D ‘Turncoats’ collection in an almost spiritual light. I was thinking that it was hard to make out individual garments clearly onscreen, but that was easily resolved when models stalked out from the wings and walked in procession up through the theatre before returning to the stage for finale.

The models grouped into the three tribes, showing the three stages of life shown in the film – virtuous first, next the darker phase and finally the more enlightened group. All had their highlights, but my favourite pieces were in the final group, with a lightness I haven’t seen in Nom*D before, colourful highlights, accents from leather and velvet, hoods from flowing rayon. But the middle group also couldn’t be ignored for the wonderful typically dark Nom*D strength and punk rock treatments including Doc Marten boots and fishnets hand-drawn on skin.

Some of the leather work was spectacular. Caged or rib-like body pieces, a touch medieval that contrast with some of the sheer garments on show.

I loved it. With an international confidence cast in the colours and influences of New Zealand’s South Island, the maturity of this label is clear to see – even in a soulless theatre.


- Paul Blomfield

Photography c/- Hilary Johnston

With thanks to FashioNZ for the review.
For the latest from Air New Zealand Fashion Week please check www.fashionz.co.nz

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