This week Te Wiki Āhua o Aotearoa made its debut at Raynham Park on Auckland’s legendary K’rd. The five day event was created to fill the gap left by the postponement of NZFW this year, and without a doubt, it exceeded all expectations.
Although Āhua is technically an amateur production, it felt nothing of the sort. Āhua’s kaupapa is rooted in inclusivity and showcasing the talents and abilities of Aotearoa’s young creatives. In the spirit of their purpose of solidarity in the industry, the organisers, Nina Bailey, Fifi Kwon, and Billy Blamires, also thought it vital to extend that idea of kinship further by donating all of the proceeds to aid in Gaza.
The event consisted of three nights of themed runways, a jewellery exhibition, and a wrap party. Opening night, ‘Life Cycle of A Butterfly,’ showcased all of the slow fashion designers. There was an abundance of crochet, knits and aimed to blur the lines between fashion and art. The second runway was titled ‘Evil & Parties’, and was a space for all self-proclaimed alternative and unconventional designers to shine. Night three, ‘Boys Cry’, was the event’s third and final runway, centred around the fashion subculture of streetwear. Headed by Āhua producer and organiser Nina Bailey, 6 designers’ took the stage; Fringes, Fourteen Labs, Milan Jeon, Maxwell, Club Klepto and Existence all showcased their latest collections. Each exhibited its own take on what street wear means and can look like. Every designer put their best foot forward and were met with much applause from the audience, but the standout stars for me were Milan Jeon and Club Klepto.
Milan Jeon was the first collection on the runway, and it was all about taking denim to the extreme of what it can be. Each piece was made entirely from denim items that already existed in the world, and transformed into pieces much more alluring and eye-catching. There were hoods, dresses with differing necklines and trims, skirts with denim fringes, and patchwork pants; The entire runway was incredibly innovative and it was as though you could physically see the entire designers’ thought process glimmering on the runway alongside the models as they walked. It was clear both the ideation and the final product came from the mind of someone who not only knows fashion, but also someone who loves it.
Club Klepto (the other standout) hit the ground running with the first of six breathtakingly beautiful models opening the collection in a leather bondage-esque crop top and mask ensemble.paired with dark wash jeans and heeled boots – the look perfectly mixed edgy with ‘ effortlessly cool’. Two looks later, a model came out in a chic oversized white suit. Featuring a black tie and what seemed to be zippers just above the knee, this look again took a classic piece, and transformed it.
Although Raynham Park is a small venue nestled away on Tamaki’s famed Karangahape Road, the Āhua team managed to make it seem larger than life. There were projections of a New York City looking street graffitied with Āhua insignia covering the walls, and moody warm toned lights dawned the runway as each model walked, with spotlights appearing as they reached their final mark. Music by DJ Zeroz pumped the whole night, solidifying the scene of excitement.
Hip Hop dancers took centre stage at the opening of the show and at the midway mark, paying homage to street wear’s hip hop roots and origins. The graphics, lighting, dancing and music were all perfectly cohesive; each element not only made sense for the street wear collections we were watching, they also elevated audiences’ understanding of the designers artistic visions.
The mid-show dance soloist Nicole Duffy, who was also a makeup artist for night 2’s show ‘Evil & Parties’, was impossible to keep your eyes off of.
“This night has truly encapsulated the young and underground creatives perfectly. The incorporation of everything street styled was beautiful to watch come to life.” says Duffy. “I’m feeling very privileged to have shared my craft of dance at this event.”
Āhua’s entire process, from conception to the wrap of last night’s show, undoubtedly paid off. When talking to the ‘Boys Cry’ head producer and one of the three Āhua organisers, Nina Bailey, she seemed to share the sentiment.
“Success began with the collaboration at the start,” said Bailey. “I’m so happy with how it turned out tonight… Actually I’m ecstatic. But the real win is getting everyone together to celebrate fashion and couture. The whole Āhua journey has been successful.”
‘Boys Cry’ was the perfect way to wrap up Āhua’s debut. Gorgeous materials, youthful innovation and intriguing silhouettes, alongside an atmosphere of buzzed anticipation, solidified Āhua as a real name to watch in the fashion industry. You would never be able to guess that this was an event organised by first-timers. It took a chance on budding creatives, pushed boundaries like we’ve never seen before, and seamlessly executed their vision in every capacity. This week has truly shown us that the future of fashion is youth.
Words: Paris Lloyd-Beere
Photography: Ryan Patrick
