Zambesi's World Cup

The Rugby World Cup is just a week from kickoff in New Zealand, so it’s hardly surprising that some of its athletic chic appears to have rubbed off on the locals. The focal point of Zambesi’s Autumn/Winter 2012 collection was an oh-so-sportif fluorescent yellow, that Zambesi patriarch Neville Findlay quipped to frockwriter backstage has seen his wife, business partner and the brand’s womenswear director, Elisabeth Findlay, move into “high vis Liz” gear for the season. He may not not be wrong on the collection's visibility factor. This was a strong collection from Zambesi, arguably one of its best ever. Deconstructed sportswear is the fulcrum of this brand’s DNA, on this occasion given a shot of adrenalin with a unisex vibe and the eye-popping palette, that also included an electric kingfisher blue. Opening with a slick, Mod-like black knitwear series slashed with fluoro yellow banding, then followed a fluoro yellow mens anorak – courtesy menswear designer Dayne Johnston – that will no doubt be equally coveted by women and a loose fluoro yellow and black womens’ sweater dress that looked like an oversized footy jumper filched from the bf. 

There was enough signature black to keep hardcore Zambesi fans happy, whittled down to much more streamlined silhouettes, together with a charming grey and taupe series of wrapped knitwear and drop-waisted sack dresses and shots of faded leopard print, all worked back with lace-up, chunky-knit cowl-neck scarves, two-tone floppy felt hats, mirrored sunglasses and Converse Chuck Taylor High Tops. 

There may well be a run on the short-sleeved bone-coloured trench which closed the show on hot Kiwi newcomer, 17 year-old Rosie Crawford (above). Given that several collections this week have featured shag coats reminiscent of Zambesi’s Chewbacca-friendly Bedrock coat from last winter, it’s clear that this brand is setting the New Zealand fashion agenda.   

Krystal Glynn for Zambesi Spring/Summer 2011/2012, designers line up for NZFW

We mentioned that new Australian face Krystal Glynn had recently shot the Spring/Summer 2011/2012 advertising campaign for New Zealand brand Zambesi. Above and below is a first look at the campaign, which stars Glynn alongside Kiwis Josh Skelton and David Kemp and was lensed by Marissa Findlay (makeup by Amber D for MAC, hair by Jason Chong Li for Stephen Marr). Expect to see Glynn front and centre at Zambesi's runway show at the upcoming New Zealand Fashion Week, which runs from August 29th to September 2nd at brand new digs, the Viaduct Events Centre. Zambesi is one of nearly 60 brands that NZFW organisers announced earlier this week would be joining their Autumn/Winter 2012 showcase. Other headliners: World (which frockwriter hears is closing the event), Trelise Cooper, Helen Cherry and Workshop Denim, Jimmy D, Stolen Girlfriends Club and Miranda Brown. Solo debuts include newcomers Celine Rita, Ingrid Starnes and Whiri. Hats off to the resilience of two Christchurch-based labels that are joining this year's lineup: the very well-established luxury eco label Untouched World and newbie MisterR, whose Christchurch store was destroyed during February 22nd's devastating earthquake which claimed 182 lives.  

photography: marissa findlay
hair: jason ching li for stephen marr
makeup: amber D for MAC


all images: supplied to frockwriter by zambesi

Krystal method

No surprise that Krystal Glynn has found herself much in demand over the past three months. The 16 year-old from Sydney's Penrith - who frockwriter first profiled in April, a week after she was scouted on Bondi Beach - popped up in 10 shows at Australian Fashion Week in May (including Friend of Mine). In the interim Glynn has been shooting back-to-back for Australasian fashion brands: Spring/Summer 2011/2012 campaigns for Saba, Country Road, Zambesi, General Pants, Valley Girl and One Teaspoon and lookbooks for Akira Isogawa and Michael Lo Sordo. Above and below: a first look at the Michael Lo Sordo SS1112 images (once again, an alert to RSS subscribers: you will need to head to the blog to view the photogallery). That's in addition to editorial shoots for Australian mags Madison, Grazia, Cleo, Russh (two editorials) and Oyster (four editorials). Busy, busy girl. 

There are two quite incredible omissions from this list. And they are two Resort 2012 gigs for one of the world's blue chip fashion brands for which, according to Glynn's mother agent, Lincoln Ferguson at Sydney's The Agency Models, Glynn was not merely optioned, but in fact booked. 

We are not at liberty to divulge either the name of the brand or the reasons why we don't believe this is just agency hype. Update: The brand she turned down was Prada.   

What on earth prompted Glynn's agents (including New York's DNA) to turn the offers down? 

Ferguson told frockwriter, "Due to the short length of time that Krystal's career has been going, we decided that we would take our time with launching her overseas. Krystal will be going to New York in January". 
  

photographer: holly blake at RP represents

stylist: marina afonina

hair and makeup: victoria baron at RP represents

shoes: michael lo sordo for peeptoe

printing and design: richard alma at grin creative

all images supplied exclusively to frockwriter by michael lo sordo

Catching up with Alice Burdeu backstage at Zambesi

Here is a quick backstage interview (below) I managed to grab with Alice Burdeu after last night’s Zambesi show, which she opened – one of 19 shows that Burdeu told me she is doing this week. It was noisy, so it’s a little hard to hear (and better with headphones). Great to see Burdeu back in action. She is looking really good. As she mentions, she has been taking a break to study psychology at Melbourne’s RMIT. Looking forward to seeing more of her later in the week.

A tribe called vest - Zambesi Autumn/Winter 2011

 

Zambesi has a kind of wild, vagabond aesthetic that perfectly sums up the dark intellectualism of New Zealand fashion. Yet while the brand has a very loyal fan base, often the runway collections, which rarely appear to be edited, tend to drift off into a blur of deconstructed layering. Hands down, however, this was their best runway show to date. The impressive, ascetic set design, which saw models emerge from an inverted ‘V’ fashioned from white cotton-swathed scaffolding, set the stage for a sophisticated collection that not only hit commercial high notes, but also had light and shade. The trademark layered dresses and tunics in variations of black segued into a series of fluid trousers and techno taffeta parkas in crisp arctic whites, while brocades and lace were deployed in more opulent eveningwear pieces, from chemises to quilted knickerbockers and cigarette pants. Anchored by a series of fabulous, glam rock faux shag furs in gunmetal grey and off-white, the coats were particularly strong. Here is the show finale, below. See frockwriter’s Posterous for more images.