But this doesn’t mean the talent was distilled. Here are four designers from New Zealand Fashion Week’s Autumn 2014 collections that you might have missed while your eyes were cast stateside.
New Zealand Fashion Week Autumn 2014: The Four Designers You Need to Know
Salasai
Since launching in 2006, Salasai has been garnering a reputation for tomboyish pieces that are both playful and utilitarian. This season, designer Kirsha Whitcher presented her collection via an intimate presentation that let us get up close to the amplified oriental florals, darkly sophisticated leathers and sports-inspired separates.
Image: Sandra Mu/Getty Images
NYNE
NYNE presented its Nomadic collection, the second that the nine-year-old brand has shown at New Zealand Fashion Week, in a monochromatic colour palette injected with a shot of scarlet. Artfully layered with luxe, oversized separates and asymmetrical dresses, these are pieces that will fit right in with your existing wardrobe.
Image: Sandra Mu/Getty Images
COOP by Trelise Cooper
Local industry linchpin Trelise Cooper’s diffusion line is an effortlessly cool offshoot of her main line. Unlike other similar projects, it’s not watered down but entirely distinct in its edgier aesthetic – and the price points are impossible to resist. This season the COOP girl is all about boxy skirts, heavily saturated metallic and off-kilter textures. We’re particularly excited about the wet-look leather and giant fluffy tees.
Image: Sandra Mu/Getty Images
Mitchell Vincent
While New Zealand fashion is known for featuring a lot of black, Mitchell Vincent’s debut collection was rendered entirely in white. Presented as part of the Indigenous Maori Fashion Apparel Board’s Miromoda showcase, the unisex newbie used white knit and organza materials that represented his hometown Taupo’s geothermal fields.
Image: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images