Fashion Quarterly September 2019

The morning we sent this issue to print, I woke up to the news that the Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison had passed away overnight. The tributes flowed over social media, but a post from The New Yorker hit like a ton of bricks. They had shared highlights from a piece Toni had written in 2017, reflecting on the lessons her father had taught her about work, and it read: 1. Whatever the work is, do it well – not for the boss but for yourself. 2. You make the job; it doesn’t make you. 3. Your real life is with us, your family. 4. You are not the work you do; you are the person you are. Having been working on this edition – “the success issue” – it seemed appropriate to read something…

IMOGEN TEMM @archived.watchlist A talented graphic designer with an equally sharp sense of humour, Imogen helped craft our recent redesign and latest issue. Away from her desk, when she’s not binge-watching movies and updating her cinema-themed Instagram account, she can be found hanging out with her new cat Harold. BARTOLOMEO CELESTINO @bartcelestino Australian-born photographer Bart captured luxe new offerings from Gucci in the bustling beauty of Bangkok on page 134. Known for his arresting fashion imagery and large-format seascapes, he lived in New York and Hamburg before returning home and co-founding the inspiring Love Want magazine. His work has also featured in i-D and Monocle. ELLE HUNT @elle_hunt A New Zealand writer, who navigated the metropolis of London while working at the Guardian (she recently left to go freelance), Elle advocates the liberating power of wearing sneakers in…

Pacific tales An upcoming exhibition will celebrate how our Māori and Pasifika heritage has shaped the way Kiwis dress, and ask, what constitutes Aotearoa style today? Curated by New Zealand Fashion Museum founder Doris de Pont, and stylist and fashion journalist Dan Ahwa (of The NZ Herald’s Viva magazine), Moana Currents will showcase clothing, jewellery, textile, art and more. “Doris and I are both always looking at what people wear, and we see a distinctive modern Aotearoa style emerging,” says Dan. “You can see elements of Māori and Pacific materials, motifs, ways of dressing and adornment that have become part of our everyday wardrobe. We wanted to explore that relationship and celebrate that we are dressing ourselves as people of the Pacific: Moana people.” Pieces from established and emerging designers will be displayed,…

For his first solo New Zealand Fashion Week show, designer and winner of Project Runway New Zealand Benjamin Alexander is celebrating those who helped him make his dream a reality – including Mi Piaci, who are giving the models more stomp on his runway thanks to an exclusive collaboration. Working with the brand has been a personal process for Benjamin, who named each style after an important woman in his life. “Mi Piaci understood and believed in the vision I had for the shoes and the collaboration since our first meeting,” he says. “Each style is an exact replica of the initial concept I had in my head and I am unbelievably happy with the outcome.” The range will be available to shop online at Mi Piaci and Benjamin Alexander sites…

The All Blacks are known for their sense of style on and off the field, and this Rugby World Cup, Barkers is continuing its partnership with the team with a range of formal wear developed for after-match celebrations. The collection, which is also available for supporters in store and online, is made from ethically sourced, 100 percent traceable New Zealand ZQ merino. Practically made for the spotlight, the wool-derived fabric is odour, crease and stain-resistant, water-repelling, moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating, with natural stretch. “In professional sport, it’s about marginal gains. The less the players have to worry about, the more they can focus on their performance on the pitch,” says Barkers managing director Jamie Whiting. Whether the pitch is the rugby field, a formal function or a dancefloor is a moot…