Fashion film: Ashleigh Good at RPD in Dazed Digital film by Jeff Bark

As if any more evidence was required that NZ model Ashleigh Good's star is on the rise here is a fashion film shot by photographer Jeff Bark and styled by the amazing Katie Shillingford for Dazed Digital. Set in suburban New Jersey, Ashleigh is one of two girls to answer a sweaty amateur photographer's call for models to shoot in his humble environs and yet again, it is clearly Ashleigh who is the star, although Tilda and Zuzanna pull their weight, too. Music: Some Velvet Morning by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood.

In Love With Ugly Days

Somewhere between a sloucherooni on the coucherooni and a high-steppin, kick boxing fitness finisher is where you will find the I Love Ugly man when he is at home in his stylish studio pad. This extremely smooth fashion film directed and cut by Reel Good to an exclusive for ILU tune by Ben Jamin called With You stars Eden at N Model Management and indicates the rapidly growing New Zealand label has found a niche for its menswear if not the man himself. Featured in the clip are the new Zespy trackpant, the Smart Pant and Ralph Pant, all three of which epitomise the label's sophisticated simplicity. Follow them now on Facebook!

Working Out Of Blackness

Every now and then an artist captures our attention synergistically. In this issue of Black Thom Kerr and Bex Sheers shot an editorial with three gothic schoolgirls set against a background of scholastic blackboard, chalk and schooly paraphernalia. Less than a day after the magazine had been published in New Zealand we were contacted by a Melbourne artist called The Black Math whose stark sometimes challenging images, concepts and messages seemed in tandem, not only with that shoot, but with some of the artistic aesthetics we espouse. Not all, but certainly a few...look out for a colab in next issue of Black, on sale first week of December.

BLK #17 Covers: Sean and Emily

This issue of Black, the 'Intercontinental' issue, number 17, we went black & white, with a little bit of colour and some snazzy design by Ian Fraser Ferguson. We have a simple philosophy: the rules are, no rules.
Emily DiDonato cover: Photography: Derek Kettela Fashion Editor: Soraya Dayani Hair: Luke Baker Make-up: Valery Gherman Emily wears: APC and Theyskens' Theory
Sean O'Pry cover: Photography: Michael Schwartz Fashion Editor: Marcell Rocha Hair: Danielle Prianno Make-up: Hung Vanngo Sean wears: Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior Homme and Patricia Von Musulin

Haere mai Stranger! Vinnie Woolston for Wrangler and Thrills

What happens when a world class denim brand like Wrangler teams up with a motorcycle specialist like Thrills to create a fashion line and shoot a film with director Riley Blakeway in Byron Bay - casting premium NZ male model Vinnie Woolston at 62 Models together with Emily Jean Bester as lead talent? This film, actually.... The models shine in this sexy sojourn into the northern New South Wales back blocks and the colab between Wrangler and Thrills looks like a winner, although we'd have to say that Vinnie, a good Raglan boy, could have fixed that car, magnificent as it is, in a jiffy! Cool narrative and great fashion film by Riley Blakeway...

Sew, why not? Home Sewn at Nathan Gallery, Britomart

Home sewn blouse by Margarita Robertson, 1970

Deadline has meant that we were a little slow to say something about the fantastic Home Sewn exhibition taking place at the Nathan Gallery in the Britomart. Focusing on the evolution of home sewing in New Zealand - the machines, the patterns and fabrics, the techniques and technology from a time when fashion was quite simply made in the home, Home Sewn runs up until September 26. Of equal interest is the fab wee book of the same name which features a number of patterns created by ten of leading New Zealand's  designers that you can take home and recreate yourself. This is the third exhibition curated by Doris Du Pont's excellent New Zealand Fashion Museum and it once again celebrates our fashion history, this is important work that Doris and the museum are doing so get along and check it out and buy the book, what a snazzy idea.

Home Sewn
Nathan Gallery, 40 Customs Street, Auckland
Until Sept 26, books available at exhibition

The book, only $45!

BLK #17: Film of Codie Young/Karen Inderbitzen-Waller shoot by Delphine Planqueel

In keeping with our 'Intercontinental' theme this issue Karen Inderbitzen-Waller and Delphine Planqueel travelled to Paris this issue to shoot Codie Young at Viva paris entirely in Raf Simons SS13. Here is the short film directed by Delphine Planqueel on a very French-looking estate. Special thanks to Bianca at Raf Simons, Paris. Raf Simons is available in Zambesi stores in NZ.

Karen Walker SS13 at NYFW: Interview and BTS video by Renee Bevan

Another triumphant show by Karen Walker last week in New York. Here is an exclusive behind-the-scenes film - with interview - by our video-person-in-New York, Renee Bevan. Thanks Renee!

Indigenous Ink 2012

The second annual Indigenous Ink, a living exhibition of Maori and Pasifika tattoo art and culture, is being held November 16-18 at the Mangere Arts Centre - Nga Tohu o Uenuku. The event has attracted artists from across Aotearoa and the Pacific; Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti and The Cook Islands. Participating artists include:

Su'a Paul Sulu'ape
Haki Williams
Turumakina Duley
Tuigamala Andy Tauafiafi
Ishmael Jaco Augustine Schmidt
Carl Cocker
Tihoti Mataura
Hohua Mohi
Paitangi Trace Ostick
Tyla Ta'ufo'ou
Kingi Pitiroi
Vincent David

Keep up to date on the Indigenous Ink Facebook page. Unmissable for fans of tattoo art. 

Ayami Nishimura by Rankin

 Our friends at Rankin Photography in London sent us a copy of his beautiful colab book with the great Japanese make-up artist Ayami Nishimura. The book is one of three that Rankin has now published conjointly with make-up artists; the others with Alex Box and Caroline Saulnier. The quality of work - both photographically and in terms of make-up - is stellar. As much as we love the book we just know that there are make-up artists and photography fans out there who would love it even more so we are going to give it away on our Facebook page. Here are some close up samples form the book...

NZFW: Stolen Girlfriends Club BTS photo essay by Damien Nikora

Stolen Girlfriends Club's show at NZFW was the biggest show of the week with over 1200 rabid fans packed into a low-ceiling underground car park, just around the corner from the SGC club house. As is becoming the boys behind the brand it was also one hell of a party in the basement of the Wall Fabrics building and suitably 'Dead End' to go with the name of the collection. Here are a selection of behind-the-scenes images by the very talented Damien Nikora and his assistant Jordan Oldfield.

Backstage at Karen Walker Spring 2013 "Fantastique Magnifique" Collection at New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week is well under way this week and it's looking great. The greatest of all, of course, is that of the most recent showing from kiwi maverick; Karen Walker. In Karen Walker’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection, 1950's optimism is blended with all things celestial, creating a luminous and translucent collection that’s a nod to a past so consumed with the future.

A wonderfully smart and quirky collection strutted down the runway with that signature pop of color; this season seen in shades of rose, periwinkle, and maize, and with a nod to the Space Age- an addition of a metallic melon. Heavy fringes and long, loose hair gave the models that French-y vibe that we love from Karen Walker.

The juxtaposition of the past and future, beauty and geekiness, domesticity and technology and the earthly and celestial combine to create a collection that is both classic and modern. Walker’s moon-kissed collection reminds us that some times looking up is the best way to go forward.

We were lucky enough to receive first hand, and fresh from the scene, polaroid images from backstage at New York Fashion Week with the Karen Walker team and her models just before they showed their new collection to the city that never sleeps!

Marr Factory "The Bathroom Edit" Directed by Ralph Matthews

With both Marr Factory and NZ Fashion Week done and dusted it seems like a good time to look back and reflect on how darn fun the last two weeks have been! The Marr Factory, along with Stephen Marr and Hallertau, have accumulated some extremely cute footage of all the models, post-show, sitting on a bright yellow toilet (!), being goofy and fooling around with bubbles, pom poms and mustaches in the backstage rooms of The Golden Dawn. It's fun!!

'The Bathroom Edit' is Directed and edited by Ralph Matthews. Watch the video below!

Enjoy!



Marr Factory - Avec l'amour from Stephen Marr on Vimeo.

NZFW: Company of Strangers by Damien Nikora

 Only a matter of hours now until we go to print with BLK #17, hence the low key posting action here and on our FB page over the past week. Deadline immersion! Time then, to start putting some posts up! Last week at NZFW Damien Nikora was shooting behind-the-scenes images for KMS California. Here is what can only be described as a quality photo essay of a NZ fashion show: last week's first ever NZFW outing by Dunedin label Company of Strangers - release the pressure! All photos by Damien Nikora

Lela Jacobs x Studio Abnumeral Exhibition Launch at The Keep

"The next great technological disruption is brewing just out of sight. In small workshops, faceless office parks, garages and basements, revolutionaries are tinkering with machines that can turn digital bits into physical atoms" Michael Weinberg, Nov. 2010

Offering something a little left of Fashion Week, Lela Jacobs teamed up with design studio Abnumeral to collaborate on some beautiful 3D printed creations. The fashion designer and design team, made up of John- Troy O'Sullivan and Rupert Enberg, launched their creations last night at Lela Jacobs' store on K.Rd, The Keep, in partnership with GEM wines, Hallertau beer and Waiwera water.

The exhibition saw not only 3D printed crowns, collars and cuffs from their collaboration but also Abnumeral's own designs of a lighting rig, a BIC lighter/ branding tool, restored antique brackets and a vegetable steamer, all of which were made by 3D printing machines in France, The Netherlands and Switzerland.

NZFW 12: ghd presents Blue Sky - Twentysevennames & Ingrid Starnes

Twentysevennames. Photo: Michael Ng

One of the few offsite shows this year was held at the Australis Room in the Britomart yesterday. Wellington based label Twentysevennames and Ingrid Starnes were both paired under the ghd presents Blue Sky banner. Twentysevennames started the show en masse before retiring to return individually on the catwalk. The collection entitled 'I Thought You'd Never Ask'  - based upon a book called Marriage Plot - answered plenty of questions for their legion of fans both here and overseas with strawberry, heart and polka prints matched with socks and jellys, and plenty of tangerine and caramel. Exactly the sweet outing required. Ingrid Starnes also reflected a bookish element albeit more Bronte than the previous show with an English country estate theme, 'Hunt's End.' Classic suiting in houndstooth, country coats, circle skirts and silk dresses in olive, orange, yellows, purples and blues suggesting that the riding is done, time for a Pimms perchance? Great to see two of Aotearoa's rising fashion stars incorporating a strong narrative to their work and knowing their respective audiences well enough to design with them in mind. All photos © Michael Ng www.passionforfashionphotography

Ingrid Starnes. Photo: Michael Ng

Film: Christopher Landon at Clyne by Damien Nikora

Christopher Landon from Damien Nikora on Vimeo.

Hibiscus Coast's finest Damien Nikora continues to impress us with his creative vision photographically but he is also pretty good at making animated short films like this one of Christopher Landon at Clyne. Like most good models, Christopher has concurrent creative pursuits to his modelling career, in his case, getting down and dirty with a paintbrush. Nikora captures the essence of this to a dab and paint-blood hands - shot at Landon's studio. Landon is exhibiting shortly, we will keep you informed.

NZFW 12: Zambesi Backstage by Yasmine Ganley

"Exhilarating!" was the word that came to mind for Black Fashion Director Rachael Churchward, "Superb", "Classy", "Outstanding" weren't far away, Zambesi's AW 13 show at New Zealand Fashion Week was indeed one for superlatives, and one for the ages. Liz Findlay's brilliant women's collection was matched stride for stride by Dayne Johnson's coming of age as Zambesi Man designer with classic tailoring, rad prints and fun, almost nutty collarly concepts that just seemed so completely Zambesi across both labels. The well-cast model selection included boy legends like Vinnie Woolston, Michael Whittaker and Josh Skelton who all walked purposefully to one of the strongest soundtracks heard in a while. The Jason Chong-Li led Stephen Marr team whipped up a raft of intrinsically perfect Zambesi hair and Amber D and the team at M.A.C nailed, 'scuse the pun, the make-up and nails. Afterward, Dayne Johnson said that the team had a truncated window to produce this collection and that there was considerable time pressure on Liz and himself to come up with the goods. If this is anything to go by the pressure was well and truly absorbed, classic! Photos by Yasmine Ganley. 

Marr Factory Thursday: Kate Sylvester - film by Ralph Matthews

Marr Factory - Kate Sylvester from Stephen Marr on Vimeo.

Film of Kate Sylvester, the final Marr Factory show on Thursday night by Ralph-shoot-at-night-then-cut-by-day Matthews. Cut to the sound of live band for the night Surf Friend's 'Sunny Day'.

Film by Ralph Matthews
Hair Creative Direction by Matthew Benns & The Stephen Marr team
Make up by KieKie Stanners @ M.A.C Cosmetics
Styling by Karen Inderbitzen-Waller
Hair products by Wella
Additional filming by AB Watson and Joel Takao
Soundtrack: 'Sunny Day' by Surf Friends