Fashion Quarterly‘s editor Sally-Ann Mullin recaps the 6 key things she spotted at the Eugenie show:

Vibe: The show feels like it’s paying homage to a gritty 1980s French art house film I know I have seen, but can’t place. I find out later from designer Liz (Wilson) that late 70s/early 80s Debbie Harry, the cast of Midnight Cowboy, and elements of Tom of Finland are the key inspirations here. An eccentric mix of sophisticated-grunge fabrics and styling elements shown on a cast of newcomers, musicians and creative types made for a show with little cohesion, but my, how it worked. I (along with everyone I was seated with) want to be a Eugenie girl for AW17. She’s the girl you want to have at your house party – or the girl you wish that you were at someone else’s party.

Fabrics, features and stand-out pieces: Floral and paisley stretched velvet tops and dresses with asymmetric, cut-out necklines were paired with burgundy berets and over the knee boots. Meanwhile, hyper-feminine lilac silk wrap shirts with chambray denim buttons were worn with see-through vests and straight fit raw edge denim and metallic stilettos. Black, bias-cut spaghetti strap camisoles layered over blue pinstripe shirts were another highlight, and something I’ll be trying personally.

Beauty: Kiekie Stanners for MAC Cosmetics had no two girls sharing the same beauty look with each girl made up to highlight her own individuality. We saw burgundy smokey eyes, glossed nude eyes with burnt red or matte oxblood lips, acid gold washes over the eye and some almost bare faces. The hair, designed by Ben from Ryder, ran to the same theme. I’m talking bobs, messy next-day updos and candy-coloured matte wigs sitting slightly askew, cut into classic 1970s shags.

Accessory game: I’ll be tipping my hat to Eugenie and reaching for a vintage raspberry beret come winter. I’ll of course be wearing it atop messy post-party hair and teaming it with a Eugenie sweater and over-the-elbow kid gloves.

Winter wardrobe wish list: The denim pieces were on point and covetable, as were the mixed-media leather jackets and the 0800-Venus-Envy sweats, socks and T-shirts. Hashtag waitlist-worthy.

One thing we learnt from the Eugenie show: Homogeneity is so last season. The mix of interesting models (many of the standouts from alternative agency, The Others), individualised makeup looks and most importantly, the mix of fabrics, styling, and influences left us with the feeling that as long as you wear something with conviction, anything goes.

Words: Sally-Ann Mullin
Photos: Olivia Hemus for MAC Cosmetics (top) and Michael Ng for NZ Fashion Week.