New Zealand Fashion Week Survival Guide

How does an editor or blogger survive the biggest week in New Zealand’s fashion calendar?  New Zealand Fashion Week is fierce, fabulous, crazy, intense and above all so much fun and a celebration of the best of NZ Fashion.  The FashioNZ Fashion Week dream team divulges their secrets to how they survive the week, from handbag necessities, to beauty and fashion must-haves, get an insider’s look into how to survive New Zealand Fashion Week! 

Natalie Cosgrove, FashioNZ editor

Rubbing shoulders with all the beautiful people at New Zealand Fashion Week definitely calls for some pre-show preparation and a few tools up my sleeve to ensure the week goes smoothly! 

My Fashion Week survival kit (aka my giant handbag) will include all the essentials so I can bring readers the most up to date info from Fashion Week, such as my laptop, camera, phone, notebook, and pens.  MAC makeup essentials to keep me looking beautiful, water, perfume, my trusty Lucas Paw Paw and more than a few cans of sugar-free Red Bull.

And to ensure I’m looking my best, I’ll be primped and preened thanks to  Joel, my amazing hairdresser at Stephen Marr, I’ll have beautifully shaped eyebrows thanks to the lovely ladies at Forme Spa, plus, of course, Julia and I will be making a trip to the salon for a manicure and pedicure because chipped nails are definitely a no-no.

And most importantly... what to wear?  Fortunately, our friends at one of my favourite labels, Lonely Hearts, have offered to dress me in some beautiful clothes from their latest spring/summer collection. YAY!  You can view the lookbook here.  Leave a comment below and let me know your favourite pieces you think I should wear!

Julia Dick, FashioNZ blogger
As the newest member of the FashioNZ team I want to be as prepared as possible for an exciting week of shows and parties. I’ll be arming myself with the usual essentials-iPhone for recording any favourite looks and up to the minute social media updates, moleskin note book and pens for scribbling down details, Water, sustenance in the form of sugary treats and a light hearted attitude.       Of course, a trip to the spa with Nat and a little pre fashion week outfit planning wouldn’t go amiss either.

Janelle Rennie, FashioNZ blogger
Fashion Week is Marvellous Madness! Shows, Reviews, After Parties and tonnes of gorgeous people to rub shoulders with mean that it’s a crazy busy, full on fabulous week. There’s definitely some pre-fashion week preparation that ensures life runs just that little bit smoother during all of the fashion frivolity:

The obligatory trip to the drycleaner – clean cropped jackets, crisp pressed pants and crush free silks never go out of fashion, and don’t look good in the front row.

The hairdresser – a fresh colour and cut is essential; fashion week does not allow for bad hair days!

The nail salon - having fingers and toes looking lovely, in a non offensive colour which will go with all outfits is a must… there is no time in the mornings or evenings to match your nails to your attire.

New shoes - regardless of what fabulous, newly dry-cleaned creations you’ve adorned yourself in, old shoes worn at the heel from the accelerator pedal, smashed stiletto’s or  lacklustre shine will bring any gorgeous fashion combination crashing to the runway you’re walking down to find your front row seat. Invest in a couple of pairs of new shoes and everything else you’re wearing is given as instant boost!

Gracie Stewart, Beauty Bible editor
Ahh Fashion Week, quite easily my favourite and least favourite time of the year. When you are rubbing shoulders with the most important, and most beautiful people in the fashion industry you certainly need to be looking your best.
And this is how I plan on doing so:

Hair: I have made an appointment with my fab hair dresser Ranee, she actually works from home but is by far the best hairdresser I have ever been to, and trust me, I have been to a few. Ranee will be freshening up my highlights, giving me a treatment, and of course a much needed trim.

Skin: The Dermalogica MicroZone Treatments are amazing and at only $50 you really can’t go wrong. I try to get one done once a fortnight or at the very least once a month. On the Sunday before fashion week I am booked in for a flash exfoliation and hydrating treatment so my skin will be blemish free and glowing.

Nails: I don’t think any sane person would be caught with chipped nail polish at fashion week and to ensure I am not the only I will be getting a manicure and pedicure. I have decided to opt for my staple colour of black for both fingers and toes as that way I will be sure it goes with everything.

Fashion: Quite possibly the MOST important part of fashion week. And thanks to the lovely ladies at Lonely Hearts, Natalie and I will be dressed to perfection in the latest Lonely Hearts collection all week. YAY!

Handbag essentials: No fashion week preparation would be complete without my important handbag essentials. This year they will include, my laptop, camera, deodorant (you have no idea how hot those tents get!), perfume, lip gloss, my makeup bag, water, sugar free Red Bull and of course my iPhone, so I can be Tweeting and Facebooking, keeping you all up to date in an instant!

Greta van der Star, FashioNZ guest contributor
It’s the fashion week countdown! Dry cleaning, nail painting, face masking, snack buying, fringe trimming, brow grooming, party feet re-stocking.... GO!