TVNZ's style team hits Fashion Week 

Source: ONE NewsTVNZ stylists Michiko Hughes and Clifton Piper

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Hi, we are Michiko and Clifton, the two halves of the TVNZ style team.

We are responsible for the design of on-air looks for all of our stars. We manage all of their wardrobes (this involves almost daily retail therapy and we are devotees of our own Kiwi designers). We consult and advise on image direction with our team of hair and makeup people and oversee the running of the fabulous TVNZ Makeup rooms.

So, welcome to our weekly style blog!

This is your one-stop-shop, where we let you in on what's happening behind the scenes (or should that be seams?) at TVNZ and also in the world of fashion.

If you want insider tips on how to look your very best, you have come to the right place!

There will be things that we will rave about ("Style Blog Loves") and things that we don't ("Style Blog: What the?")

We're very excited to be starting this up because we both have a total love of fashion (bordering on compulsive!)

This compulsion led us to skipping over the ditch last week to attend the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.

Whilst we are huge fans and supporters of Kiwi fashion, Australian Fashion Week is great for the sort of work we do. Australian designs are very commercial, colourful and easy to wear which is perfect for people on the tele.

Both being ex-Sydney-siders, it's also great being back in a city we once called home.

Fashion Week begins

Day One of Fashion Week started off with lots of drama (something we are never short of!)

After primping and preening for what seemed like hours, trying on at least 10 different "looks", we were finally ready for "Le Grande Entrance!" NB: Looking your best at Fashion Week, with all those fellow fashionistas milling about, is paramount.

Of course the key is always to look like you haven't tried too hard, i.e as if you have just nonchalantly thrown a couple of pieces together at the last minute. Of course the reality is NEVER the case and to quote a Tui beer ad... "Yeah, right!"

We headed down to Fashion Week, which, this year was held down at Circular Quay, facing the iconic Sydney Opera House.

However, disaster suddenly struck. Whilst maneuvering around the cobble-stoned laneways of the Rocks (next to the harbour area), Michiko suffered a catastrophic wardrobe malfunction. The spiked heel of one of Michiko's ridiculously high stilettos had broken in two. As you know, this is a living nightmare for anyone out there that loves to don a fabulous heel!

After being scooped up, legs and arms a-kimbo, we were in a cab bound for David Jones department store and headed straight for the shoe department (i.e heaven!)

It must have been a sign from the fashion gods as the shoes (very strappy, very high, very sexy Jimmy Choos), the ones we had been coveting the day before, were still there but with a 50% reduction!

Just as Carrie Bradshaw/Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City knew the value of a great pair of Jimmy Choos, it became clear to us what a pair could do for a girl - AMAZING!

Ok, so we missed the opening show "Camilla and Marc"- gutted! But at least the tootsies were looking super fabulous and it could have been worse. Think Janet Jackson "Nipple-gate" wardrobe malfunction! (Which we also saw a lot of that week.)

But, back to the shows. It is difficult to draw parallels between Australian and New Zealand fashion. It's almost like comparing what people wear in, say, Miami (think colourful, beachy) as opposed to New York (think structured, more intelligent dressing).

Seeing as Sydney is populated by so many gorgeous beaches, resort wear featured heavily throughout most of the collections we saw.

Another huge theme that made itself obvious: The 80s are baaaaaaaaack! Although, on occasion, this is not always a good thing. We noted that there were often more replicatons than re-imaginings!

Whilst we admit that our toes were a-tapping and our heads were a-bopping to some wonderful hits of the 80s at the Wayne Cooper show, do we really want to another see a blue sequinned-donned diva with a re-enactment of a Whitney Houston face chart circa I Wanna Dance With Somebody"?

The 80s continue

Continuing on this 80s vibe, but on a brighter note, quite a few collections featured well-executed, cut-out panelling and bondage style lacing inserts done with a very modern approach, as seen at Zimmerman.

This theme easily drifted into the other strong feeling that dominated the collections at Australian Fashion Week - that of softness versus hard.

Several collections had romantic, billowing shapes in draped fabrics given some guts by hardwear detailing. This contrast between soft colours and pretty prints toughened up by leather, studs, chains and industrial detailing was seen at Bec & Bridge.

After a big day seeing all the shows, we were exhausted! Taking it all in was hard work, quite gruelling to be precise. A much needed trip for a refreshing beverage at the oasis-like Rosemount Wine bar beckoned! And thank God, because those tortured tootsies needed a well-earned rest, fabulously clad or not!

Our RAFW obsession was all the fabulous shoes... Here are some pics of the ones we loved !