By Imogen Crispe
The Phoenix Cosmetics show was an extravaganza of candy-bright colours, music and dance, completely living up to its “Truly Outrageous” name.
See photos from the show
The show began with hip-hop dancing guys in pastel coloured hoodies, flipping and cart-wheeling down the cat walk to 80s rap and getting the audience clapping and cheering.
The 1980s theme continued as models with big hair, fluoro clothes, denim jackets and bright make-up strutted playfully onto the cat walk. They had brightly coloured feather false eye-lashes, big colourful shapes painted or stuck on their foreheads, and some had designs painted on their legs.
Symbols from the 1980s featured heavily in make up and clothes. One model had a cassette tape painted on her forehead and a real cassette tape in her fluffy hair. There were also tutus with Barbie dolls and My Little Pony toys sewn on to them.
The music then changed to Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” and Shortland Street actress Kim Crossman appeared showing off her aerobic dance moves in an orange and yellow shiny leotard.
She was followed by more dancers dressed in similar exercise-type leotards in silvers and turquoises, all with sparkly 80s eye make up or forehead embellishments.
Then the music changed again to “What a feeling” from Flashdance and a dancer dressed in a black leotard with enormous hair did a slinky dance down the cat walk, ending by pouring a glitter bomb over herself which produced squeals from the audience.
Next models in bird-like costumes with large feather shoulder wings and big black sparkly eye make up came out to some grungy rock and roll music.
They took their places on the runway and then a model wearing a very Lady Gaga-esque outfit walked out, wearing eye-mask-like black and gold embellished eye make up.
More embellished-face style make up followed, including a model with a full face of silver mosaic tiles, one with a painted beard of black and white stripes and about three with sharp studs stuck all over their faces and hair. Last to come out in this section was a model whose entire head, neck and top of their back were covered in silver mosaic tiles. Go Girls actress Bronwyn Turei featured in this section wearing feathers and glitter.
The final section was an homage to 80s animated TV programme Jem, about female rock bands. Models dressed as the characters from the programme came out wearing bright wigs with big matching geometric shapes drawn around their eyes and on their cheeks. Playing Jem herself was director of the show Emma McLachlan.
The show finished with Phoenix Cosmetics founder Phoenix Renata coming out arm in arm with Ms McLachlan.
Click the ‘video’ tab to watch highlights from the show.
Full NZ Fashion Week shows are available On Demand at TV3.co.nz/NZFW
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