Owned by husband and wife team Susi and Ted Wall, the Christchurch couple have moved to Wellington to rebuild their business and their lives after the devastating February earthquake of 2011. Their former store (in the red zone) was completely destroyed, along with every last piece of stock they owned. It is hard to comprehend how this might feel for a small and personal business such as theirs, it’s something I can hardly bare to think about.

I have been astounded by their positivity and their decision to look forward rather than back. It’s something we could all take lesson from. It’s important to mention too that my new retail manager Jane Hadlow also relocated to Wellington after the devastating earthquake last year. She was working within in the red zone when the quake hit. It has had a huge impact hearing these stories of terror in person, and being able to see first hand the effects of shock and grief.

Forget living through a recession, try living through a recession followed by 2 devastating earthquakes, a loss of your livelihood, your home, and a loss of people you knew and cared about.

But back to the shoes, Shoezies will stock Robert Clergerie, Repetto, Chie Mihara, Via Roma, Vic Matie, Accessoire, and Renato Angi amongst others. All beautifully selected and edited offering by Susi.

Even though I believe that Wellington is going to go mad for this store, I think you should all get out and show special support for them this opening weekend. You won’t be disappointed. Shoezies, 247 Wakefield St Wellington.

Alexandra

Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen was a fantastic match. The McQueen dress had so much drama when she moved, and the overall sweetness of the cut suited her well. McQueen just keeps growing it’s red carpet presence.

I really loved Emily Blunt in Mint Green. And I couldn’t believe it was Oscar de la Renta. She made it look like Christopher Kane. She is my pick for best dressed.

Michelle Williams looked very cute in red Valentino. The back of the dress was cut of lace (to the waist) and gave it a teeny tiny bit more sexiness. I had hoped she would do a sleeveless dress for once, but she seems intent on her prim cap-sleeve look.

Angelina looked like a red carpet pro in a black draped dress by Jenny Packham. It’s funny because the dress she wore to the the Globes (red napkin) was the only dress she has worn that I haven’t liked. She certainly doesn’t need ‘statement’ dresses with a face like that.

I am now excited about the Oscars, and hoping to see everyone turn it up another notch.

Alexandra

Nicaraguan Bianca Jagger married Mick Jagger in 1971, and filed for divorce in 1978 citing adultery (namely Jerry Hall).

She is still alive today and works actively for a number of charitable trusts.

Amazing in White YSL

Studio 54

Screen Siren

Who is the rockstar?

Maximum Fur

Studio 54

All-out Glamour

Alexandra

These paths are extremely narrow and mostly used to create a walkway to all the cliff-hanging houses we have here. After several minutes, a group of four young men in wide-leg jeans and matching checkered shirts appeared from above me on the path and were quickly descendning.

What followed was a series of elbow jabs and toe crushing as they marched past me without stopping, slowing down, or acknowledging my person. Did I mention these paths are narrow? Yes, usually only one person fits at a time.

Forget chivalry, what about manners? It had me wondering whether the standard of manners actually is in decay, or whether it’s something untrained individuals only develop later on in life as adults. Perhaps it’s just boys en mass, if one decides to behave badly they all do.

I do find it popping up in many other areas of life too (which I will not digress in to at this time). It’s as if we are becoming so accustomed to not care what anyone thinks that we are loosing our ability to be agreeable citizens, which ultimately helps us all get along in a peaceful way.

True manners are born out of care and respect for other people. I for one think you can’t beat a smile, a please and thank you, and a bit of body language the shows you have at least acknowledged a human being’s presence. I’m not even talking about white gloves, men standing when a lady leaves for the powder room, or monogrammed thank you notes. Just the basics really, it does make life a little sweeter for all of us don’t you think?

Alexandra

Much like the path of social media, low-end fashion such as Top Shop and H&M have had a rocky road to power. The wider perception up until recently has been that these brands worked against the fashion industry.  For years, most designers on the international scene were powerless to the fact that their collections were being copied within 5 minutes of a runway show ending and on a high-street chain-store floor by the next week.

Lanvin for H&M

How a recession can change things. Chain stores needed designers to up their game, and designers needed well-paid collaborations. And what a match it was. Who would have figured working together would prove to be a better plan? A few clever alliances later, such as Lanvin for H&M and Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s, these low-end brands are working hard change the mindsets of the next generation.

One might be surprised that I think this is a good thing, but I do believe anything that allows more people to dress in designer product is for the better. I am also aware that often designers who get praised don’t necessarily get paid, and this too is a positive for true talents in the industry. Everybody deserves the fruits of their labour.

Kate Middleton wearing Zara

Do I think it takes away from the luxury market? After all there’s room for us all isn’t there? A lot of people have said that luxury is booming anyway so who cares. This term gets thrown around so much that people think anyone with a high price tag on their product must be popping Dom Perignon every day at quarter to five. I am in luxury and trust me it’s not booming.  This only applies to 100 year old luxury brands such as Hermes, Louis Vuitton etc and it’s largely because they have had success in emerging markets like Asia and the Middle East.

Terms like ‘exclusive’ and ‘niche’ have become very touchy in today’s democratic fashion domain too. Words that were once the core of every designer’s ad campaigns are now considered polarising and irrelevant. All these things signify a definite change in today’s mindset.

Hermes Birkin

It has really got me thinking about how a small business in luxury can continue to thrive. And you’ll be pleased to know, my conclusions are extremely positive.

Firstly, one thing that cannot be faked is quality. You can’t fake great fabric, you can’t fake great construction and you can’t fake a great fit. It’s simply not possible at the prices of the chain stores. And if you want to be taken seriously in this life, you need to be showing up in something fits properly, looks good under any light, and doesn’t pill.

I have tried to make myself buy things at chain stores, mainly when traveling and in need of an emergency singlet to wear on a hot day. Not only was the experience of the store disturbing (loud house music, no service, so much stock I couldn’t breathe), but I felt disappointed after my purchase, not happy. It was like the ice cream falling off my cone, it was anti-climatic.

I think that is the key to value and where the future of luxury lies. I for one crave personable, pleasant shopping experiences where I am given the environment and service to cherish what I am buying. You can’t beat pride in your purchases, nor can you beat the reassurance quality gives you when you purchase, wear and talk about it. Spending the extra money and knowing that is was worth it always makes one value the purchase and oneself a little more. Plus anything other than exceptional service won’t do.

I am sure you can all relate to this feeling; and that my friends is the beauty of designer product. This is why luxury has a place, relevance and longevity. It’s too good to die.

If these High/Low collaborations help designers with their own brands, and allow them to do the work that they do so well, it is a great thing. And chain stores working with designers instead of copying designers is also to be applauded and encouraged too. Even though every time we enter a new phase we all think it’s over, it’s important to take stock and remember that there are people everywhere making great things that people still love.

Alexandra

Launched by international Fashion PR powerhouse KCD, the idea is that due to heavy schedules, editors who might miss the shows of young designers, could watch them through an online portal rather than missing the shows altogether.

I agree that this is a problem (not really in New Zealand mind you) in the major fashion centres, and a smart solution was absolutely neccessary. Having been to New York Fashion Week for a few seasons, I have been astounded at how busy these editors are; to the point where a 5 minute traffic delay can mean canceling a range viewing.

Alexandra Owen NZFW 2008

Recently I wrote that I am 100% a supporter of the digital age and it’s possibilities and I stand by this. I also believe that anything that opens up more exposure for designers who would otherwise be forgotten is an amazing idea, plus saving on show budget is also a huge bonus and potentially opens this up to even younger designers.

I do wish to add to the mix though a few ideas, just for talking points really….

One of the things I have found from my experience in the biz is that the camera diminishes about 50% of clothing detail. Cut, fabric, construction and techniques are significantly diminished. With this in mind, I have definitely had more success with editors and buyers who have seen my collections in person first, not the other way around. And you can’t beat a first impression.

A live show is a very special thing that fashion designers offer media and buyers, a rare medium where craft, styling, and detail can all be seen, felt and judged fairly. It’s that one thing that can’t be replicated on film (yet- and I’m sure technology will get there soon).

Basically, it’s a damn shame that editors and buyers find themselves so snowed under these days, missing out on the best bits (the clothes themselves) could just make the job all that more of a grind for all of us.

I have to say good work to KCD though, as it’s great to see PR Agencies being more proactive for their clients, especially when times are tough for all.  Here’s a link to the NY Times article that came through my twitter feed. http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/now-online-only-fashion-shows-for-busy-editors/

Alexandra

It has been of non-stop conversation in my household since, and is something that all creatives and creative businesses have been confronted with in the last 3-4 years.

I will admit I was very resistant to the digital age, blogs and other social media initially, and it’s not just because I loathed that techy 90′s font and medical-blue background that Facebook uses as their logo (still offends me to this day).

For me, and for many people, it seemed like the death of many things us precious creatives hold dear; mystery, craft (anyone can now be a photographer, writer, musician or superstar on the online world without training), fear of mediocrity and a general looting and pillaging of artists work (especially in music).

For many creatives climbing the ranks through traditional means of training, interning and hard work in the industry, it was initially downright infuriating to watch these teenagers start a blog, call themselves a photographer-slash-designer, release an album followed by a feature film, all the while sitting front-row at fashion shows. “Who the hell do these untrained upstarts think they are, and why the hell are they promoting themselves as superstars?” was something on everybody’s lips.

And as the recession dragged on and left little budget for everyone, the internet continued to thrive. After a while, I for one started to realise that utilising blogs and social media etc was not only a free marketing tool, but global in reach for any creative. Secondly, artists could now download an App and could be making their own music or photography without having to shell out $10,000 for the privilege.

All this, combined with talent can make for a powerful tool, and which is why I am very excited about the digital age. If technology can empower artists to drive their own futures more effectively, it is to be celebrated and embraced. Think Radiohead releasing an album off their website first, or Bon Iver recording his own album in a cabin.

Questions of mediocrity rising and cultural decline is a concern. Let’s be clear I loathe rubbish, and it pains me to see a self-launched singer with no talent go to #1 on You Tube just as much as it does to see celebrities designing clothing lines thinking that it is easy. But I do feel that the fear of mediocrity is one that every generation in history has had,  and not one exclusively reserved to our ‘you-tube start-up’ generation.

As more and more talented creatives embrace modern media, the less room there will be for the rubbish. All it takes is interesting content to challenge all the junk out there.

All-in-all, this digital ‘monster’ that we all loved-to-hate is now something quite exciting and full of possibility. In other words, as I said to myself recently “It’s time to get over it snob”.

Next time, I will write about the democratisation of fashion design, with a focus on high- end/ low-end and the future of luxury.

Alexandra

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I will be writing more on this topic in the coming days…

http://www.presspauseplay.com/

Enjoy!

Alexandra

This is after all, a runway show that showcases every major star on the planet. And many designer’s lives have been changed overnight after certain frocks hang on certain starlets for the evening.

I went home after work, watched and waited. I waited firstly for the big stars- where were they all this year?? And secondly I waited for a dress I liked… sigh.

All in all, the only dress I can remark on positively is Rooney Mara’s, but I still only loved it from the knees-up (curtain hem needed to go). Plus it was black, and it would be nice to see her wear some colour off-camera.  I will say her makeup and hair was impeccable, and it suited her age.

Although I started with a big toothy grin, it soon faded to a distressed frown. No glamour, no sexiness, no bombshells (remember Januray Jones in Red Versace tassles last year? Sizzling)  It felt like someone was left off the list- someone who could save the day for fashion, stylists and viewers everywhere.

One too many red-stained folds on Angelina’s dress (who usually never falters), and oddly Natalie Portman had the same red napkin attached to her dress. Michelle Williams was far too covered up in a velvet-wallpaper tunic with matching headband. Disappointing too to see bright-young-thing Emma Stone show up in a serious, tasteful but albeit oomph-less dress. It seemed like a missed opportunity all round for New Hollywood, who should be taking risks and adding sizzle.

Let’s not forget these are the most privileged people in the world with access to the best designers, stylists, hair and makeup teams in the world. GET IT RIGHT ladies/stylists, or at least better. Bring on the Oscars.

Alexandra