Fashion meets flowers in former church

Local designers gathered in Waitati last night to showcase a combination of fashion and flowers.

The show provided guests with an evening of live music, drinks, canapes, fashion and flowers from local and special guest designers.

Hosted by Blueskin Nurseries & Cafe in Waitati, the "Fashion in the Garden" show was part of the iD Dunedin Fashion Festival.

The show took place in the former St Brigid's Church which had been adorned with floral decorations.

Blueskin Nurseries co-owner Sally Brown said she had the idea to do a fashion show in the gardens after designer and friend Georgina Lawson released a line of coats for her label Ater.

When plans to stage a fashion show fell through last spring, iD said the pair should "absolutely" take part in the festival.

Local models wear garments by Dunedin fashion designer Charmaine Reveley at an iD Fashion in the...
Local models wear garments by Dunedin fashion designer Charmaine Reveley at an iD Fashion in the Garden event at Blueskin Nurseries & Cafe in Waitati yesterday. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON
"I obviously love gardens and flowers and I also love fashion as well. It's just such a cool thing.

"So we decided we would do it."

The show featured designers Charmaine Reveley, Ater and Videris Lingerie, Jo Salmond and Darlene Gore, Lohi and Caitlin Crisp, as well as a flower demonstration by Estelle Flowers.

The overarching message of the show was the importance of sustainability and supporting local and New Zealand-made fashion.

It also highlighted the strong relationship between fashion and flowers.

"What we decided was, if we were going to have fashion in the gardens, we needed to bring flowers into it.

"They're very closely related with the creative freedoms and things like that."

Besides Videris Lingerie and Caitlin Crisp, who travelled down from Auckland to take part in the show, all the designers were local.

Ms Brown said the show proved how much can be achieved when people work together to promote each other and support local businesses.

"When you do things together, it's so much more of an impact."

The show sold out "very quickly" and many of the attendees were customers of Ms Brown and the local designers.

"We all are connected.

"Everyone who is here tonight knows each other in some funny kind of way."

A raffle was included in the show, with various goodies from local businesses as prizes.

All of the raffle proceeds went to the Otago Cancer Society.

ani.ngawhika@odt.co.nz