Fashion Week: Trelise Takes The Fashion Week Cake

Much-loved designer Trelise Cooper takes the cake at Fashion Week year after year, and the Autumn ’09 show Wednesday night was no exception.

Divine frock followed divine coat as 109 ensembles were paraded down the catwalk by 24 models over the space of half an hour – no mean feat when you consider they were going to do it all again at 7.30pm for the second showing!

Trelise showed her Cooper by Trelise Cooper Collection first up, a preppy, private school -meets punk rocker-meets equestrian range that shows that school uniforms can in fact be cool. We loved the embellished blazers, dropped crotch pants, skinny ties and gymslips.

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Image by Michael Ng/Air New Zealand Fashion Week.

The catwalk backdrop was removed for the Trelise Cooper collection – to reveal another backdrop made entirely of heavily scented, fresh white flowers – the perfect setting for another perfect collection.

The detail was there again, as was the layering – but this year I found it to be slightly pared down. The opulence we all associate with Trelise Cooper was still there, but in a way that makes the garments easy for anyone to wear. There is a freedom to Trelise Cooper’s design – she is not merely concerned with what looks pretty.

I couldn’t help but think, as model after model walked by in such intricately detailed pieces, about the enormous amount of herself Trelise must invest into her collections – I understand that all designers have to be dedicated to succeed but Trelise surely must be the hardest working designer in the New Zealand fashion industry – and one of the nicest too.

Collection highlights

Many mouths dropped open when a regal red, velvety embroidered coat was sent down the catwalk – a luxury piece that made you want to reach out and touch it.

The full, mint green 1950s style circle skirt and sequined cape is just gorgeous – I fell in love with it when it first came down the catwalk, and again when Trelise took the model for a spin down the catwalk with her.

From the mouth of FashioNZ Editor Julie Roulston: “while the complete Trelise look isn’t for everyone, there are enough knockout pieces that you could wear just one a day for an entire season and never run out.”

Here’s to another beautiful, magical collection from New Zealand’s very own Queen of fashion.

For more, check out fashionz.co.nz

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