Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Dark Purple


The new issue of Purple Fashion, our favourite fashion magazine in the world, is now in store at Mag Nation. Featuring a hard-as cover of Freja Beha shot by Terry Richardson and styled by Christopher Niquet, the mag carries Olivier Zahm interviews with Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp, Karl Lagerfeld and Miuccia Prada among many others. The rest of the content is of the usual high standard with perhaps a highlight being the beautiful naked shoot of Dree Hemingway - who appeared in the last issue of Black prior to blowing up big time - by Inez and Vinoodh. Absolutely essential!

Also in at Mag Nation is Issue #12 of TWILL. It's a hearty beast too, and one that we are honoured to be included alongside at F-Tape as one of the leading independent fashion magazines in the world. Equally essential...

Copies of these amazing titles are limited though so we suggest you get down to Mag Nation pronto or you will most certainly miss out.

War Of The Flowers

Shaun Pettigrew is one of New Zealand's great creative photographers. If you own a copy of Issue 9 of Black Magazine you may remember his 6 page editorial with designer Fletcher Vaughan entitled Rebuild. The story conceptualised materialism, and the human necessity for ownership and in turn, waste. Shaun is currently shooting a bunch of TV commercials as well as finalising his epic documentary on legendary goth rockers Killing Joke but he still finds time to concept and deliver amazing photographic art projects - just for the hell of it. So when he sent through these pics from his latest project Flower War we simply had to publish them here on Blacklog. So what is a Flower War? "The Aztec ruling elite invented the custom of the "Flower War" during a drought-induced famine and times of economic hardship. The death of warriors was described in terms of intoxicating beauty, the dying rain down like flowers" says Shaun. Beautiful...

Monday, September 28, 2009

WHuffer!

All images: Steve King

We couldn't have asked for a better show to finish the week off with than Huffer. It was perfectly organised, punctual and the venue was spacious and well-suited. The collection – hot.

The show, styled by Rachael Churchward, opened with a woolen coat; exactly the kind I've been searching for all winter. From that moment I knew it was going to be an outstanding collection and that Huffer had revamped its look. I was right. The clothes seemed much more sophisticated and sexy than I recall them ever being, with a new edge redefining the meaning of street wear. This probably owes a lot to the expert styling.
The look for the girls appeared to be influenced by the 60s, with bed hair, heavy eye-liner, black and white stripes and thigh-high socks. We saw a lot of provocative satin, suspenders, night wear and lingerie. The guys' look was clean, fun and colourful, with chunky knitwear pieces, lots of denim, and beanies. It was very much a wearable collection, whilst still being witty and fresh, which is what the label is all about.

Congratulations Huffer!

Jordan

MAC Make-Up Looks of the Week


How beautiful are these? Trelise Cooper Kids...

Talented M.A.C make-up teams were everywhere over fashion week delivering some of the most beautiful make-up we have seen at ANZFW. M.A.C's Jodie Matthews and Tatum Savage, along with Anna Logan, doyen of ghd, also expanded their now legendary M.A.C/ghd room, to offer tired fashionistas a welcome place to relax. The Jo Malone hand massage proved popular, as did the ghd hair shooshy or M.A.C facial touch up - in fact the crew in this room may well have been the busiest all week as the traffic was continuous. Once again, thanks to M.A.C and ghd for providing an oasis in the middle of the mayhem - even Pam and Richie made it a destination. Here are a selection of hot looks from the lens of Russ Flatt and able assistant Dan Max.

Below: (top) Huffer, (middle) Zambesi, (bottom) Stolen Girlfriend's Club


This Ain't Nowhere - SGC Come On Strong


It poured, it rained, it was hot and heavy - and that was just the fashion. Stolen Girlfriend's Club proved, along with Huffer this week, that boys are taking over New Zealand fashion. OK they are getting some female help from the likes of Karen Inderbitzen-Waller, Kristine Crabb, Zara Mirkin, Ella Moore and Rachael Churchward but the best ideas this week were born in the surf, or at least the creative minds of designers like Marc Moore, Luke Harwood and Dan Gosling. Stolen Girlfriend's Club's Welcome To Nowhere show at the dirty old Masonic Lodge in Newton was conceptually brilliant and a huge step forward for the talented threesome. The knits alone were worth the outdoor soaking, uncomfortable wait in a holding pen and cattle-like entry-and-exit scenario, and overall the range was one of the most complete fashion concepts at this year's ANZFW. Much has been made of SGC's 'bad boy image' - and the perception that the name describes the technique when it comes to creating or designing - but Welcome To Nowhere was filled with raw concepts and unique creativity. Long may the doors to this particular clubhouse remain open...here comes the stolen fashion generation.

GHD New Gen Show



Top: House Of Ezis and (above) ISBIM.

New generation shows are always an interesting outing and this year's ghd New Gen show didn't disappoint. The participants couldn't have been more different from each other but that is what makes it fun. There was no shortage of theatrics; Trix and Dandy's pulp fiction extravaganza saw contemporary Clyde (sans Bonny) Michael Pattison rampaging down the runway with a machine gun and Serena Fagence's show took space-age to a new level with the amazing Bionic Pixie delivering one of the week's best soundtracks live - dressed to thrill in a shimmering suit. The fashion highlights though belonged to ISBIM, Whiri and Brisbane designer Andre Pytel's beautifully-tailored House Of Ezis range which looked completely at home on this side of the Tasman. Congrats to ghd for getting behind the new breed.

Below: Top to bottom - ISBIM, ISBIM, House Of Ezis, Whiri and Bionic Pixie performing in Serena Fagence

Friday, September 25, 2009

Pamtastic!




I was fortunate to sneak into the Pamela Anderson and Richie Rich press conference on-site at ANZFW yesterday and snapped a few pics of the legendary actress and her designer partner. I have to say they were both amazing in that environment - gracious, quick-witted, funny and completely endearing - even though some of the "NZ press" asked the sort of inane questions you might expect them to - like "Pamela, do you prefer to wear next to nothing, or nothing?" Whatever. It's great that Brian Long and the ANZFW crew managed to get the pair down here to show tonight, I for one am a new convert. The Huffer show is taking up all of our attention today so this will be the last blog until the weekend when we will upload pics from a number of shows. Have fun...

Thursday, September 24, 2009

ANZFW 09 - Kate Sylvester show

Like Zambesi the night before, and Nom D earlier in the day, Kate Sylvester did not disappoint her legion of faithful fans with a strong show in an inner city warehouse. Conceptually the range and styling was a tribute to one of Auckland's foremost style leaders - "Black Lips" herself, the ever fabulous Judith Baragwanath. For many years the model, turned style icon and writer, was the most individual dresser in town and has long been admired for her satorial panache so it was great to see Kate Sylvester tipping a hat in her direction. The event had a festival atmosphere and without a doubt, the most stylish audience yet. Set to a soundtrack of fuzz rock classics, Sylvester, with the help of long time cohort Karen Inderbitzen-Waller, rolled out a substantial collection which ended with troupe of models stomping down both runways. A highlight for the crowd it seemed was male model PC cruising the catwalk in a women's full slip and boots - and - in a fashion week strangely lacking in goodie bags (recession, I know) the three KS medals have undoubtedly been a highlight already

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Getting The Black Eye

We're out and about with the Sony Alpha picking up our choice of great personal style all week. Images from Day 1 on site and Zambesi last night - cue Tammy and the lovely Keisha above - can be found on The Black Eye each night, or as soon as we get a chance to post them.

Zambesi Classic






Last night on the big stage at the Sky City Theatre Zambesi delivered a classic show in trademark style. Using the full extent of the stage and backstage area, and against a beautifully lit cyc, models wound their way backward-and-forward on an S shaped runway to a suitably dark and menacing soundtrack. Some classic Zambesi looks from years gone by were reborn amidst a raft of new styles and themes. A great collection and show from the great New Zealand label who, like ANZFW stalwarts Nom D and Kate Sylvester, can always be relied upon to deliver.

Bravo Zambesi...

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Twenty Seven Names

Here's a pre-show shot of the first looks for the Twenty Seven Names show. The girls behind the label, Rachel and Anjali, claimed the sixties as inspiration for the collection named Butter Not Bombs. It opened with all the models walking out together in a parade of ultimate cool. I'll be honest, I did get a few goosebumps. It was a rebellious yet pretty array, with one foot in tailoring, the other in grunge. The garb was teamed with burly black Doc Martins or white Chucks making it effortless for the models to stomp down the runway and own it. We saw trench coats, suit pants, oversized shirts and chunky knits as well as some lace, velvet and bodices. Twenty Seven Names shows always have the best music and this one was no exception. I loved every minute of it.


Jordan Rondel

Lonely Hearts


Lonely Hearts kicked off fashion week last night with a film installation at the Process showroom. The screens showing the video were enclosed in a circular section cut off by spooky film tape hanging from the ceiling. It was packed with people, but what I caught a glimpse of proved that Lonely Hearts is just as clever, nonconformist and damn hot as ever.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Win Yourself an Ultra Artwork


Top image: Michiko Hughes. Above: Anna Fitzpatrick

The good folks at Samsung are offering Blacklog readers the chance to win one of the artworks on display at the Samsung Ultra Touch/Zambesi site. The exhibition was held this week at the new Zambesi store in Newmarket but you can still bid for the artworks online until Sept 30 or win one for free on Blacklog! Simply go to the site, choose the artwork (top or bottom line, 1 to 5, left to right) and email the answer to this simple question to mail@blackmag.co.nz to be in with a chance to win an enlarged, professionally-mounted artwork of your choice:

How many megapixels is the Samsung Ultra Touch phone camera?

Please include your name and courier address with your email. We will announce the winner on Monday.
Image below; Lens Flare On The Tracks by Otis Frizzell

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Treat Time










Check out these pretty and delicately spicy Belgian biscuits I baked. They may not look as professional as the ones you can buy from cafes all around Auckland, but I like the rustic aesthetic and they taste just as great. These biscuits make the perfect gift for someone who deserves a treat and since it was Ange Crane's birthday yesterday, it was an apt opportunity to make them. Here's my recipe:
Makes 28

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
250g softened butter
1 organic egg
2 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2teaspoons ground ginger
2 3/4 cups plain flour softed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup good raspberry jam
Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon butter, melted
3 drops of red raspberry essence

Coloured sugar:
1/4 cup white sugar
2 drops of red food colouring

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Cream sugar and butter until fluffy and add the egg. Sift in mixed spice, cinnamon, flour and baking powder. Mix until you get a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out the d
ough and using a cookie cutter of your desired shape to cut out 56 biscuits.
Place them onto the trays and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.
Spread half the biscuits with jam and sandwich with the remaining biscuits.
To make the icing sift icing sugar into a bowl and add the milk, butter and raspberry essence. Stir until mixture is well combined, a spreadable consistency and pale pink. If It is too stiff, add a little more milk.
To make the coloured sugar simply mix sugar in a bowl with red food colouring.
Finally, spread the icing over the biscuits and sprinkle with the coloured sugar.

Bon appétit!









By Jordan Rondel