New Zealand Fashion Week

It was always going to be a challenge - taking a full week away from the hustle and bustle of Porter Novelli life (even as a recent addition, it was feeling very much like home) to leap into New Zealand Fashion Week and lead a very different existence for eight days.

Having worked with the NZFW team before my time at PN, I was always going to end up back there (once you're in, you never get out). In previous years I had worked on-site for a number of clients or as a media representative, so I was anxious to see how it fell into place from the organisers side - particularly given the challenge of walking out of work on a Friday, and into Fashion Week the following day to kick it off and make some magic happen.

And happen it did - with a trio of roles as VIP Hosting Manager, mentoring the Photography Competition and shooting for NZFW directly it was always going to be busy beyond belief. The VIP Hosting was mainly stress free due to the fantastic team under me, relegating me to a supervisory role and ensuring the assorted media, buyers, celebrities and models were taken care of and happy at all times. Highlights had to be looking after the eccentric LA based media (entertaining to say the least) and America's Next Top Model winner Krista White, without a doubt the nicest group of VIPs I've ever encountered.

Working backstage and behind the scenes was hectic, stressful, crazy beyond belief and incredibly fun. There wasn't a second without phones going off, crises unfolding, media panics, people chasing you down on walkie-talkies or champagne bottles being popped, and at the time it all seems a bit much - but the months of prior preparation, planning and steadfast attention to detail finally reveal themselves in those moments where despite all the minor hiccups everything falls into place. The lights go up, the models strut out and the cameras flash - to the adoration of the media, the public and hopefully potential customers.

I'm often asked what the highlight of the week was, but in all honesty, it's impossible to say. The days pass in a blur - in all likelihood you've spent 90% of your awake time on-site, with occasional trips to off-site shows or after parties. But of course there are some truly standout moments - the Trelise Cooper show with its themes of stained glass windows, sacred hearts and baroque grandeur was truly outstanding. The Huffer off-site show was a smash-hit taking over the new Auckland University Business Department with models storming the square catwalk, while the Michelle Yvette show reinvigorated some classic 1940's looks -leveraged beautifully with Kapiti to launch their new white chocolate and raspberry ice-cream on a stick.

Culminating with a crazy series of wrap parties and events, the week drew to a close on the intense period of activity and insanity known as New Zealand Fashion Week. Estimated media coverage value was in the high millions at last count, the models were returning overseas and I was left exhausted, stressed and overwhelmed, but with a sense of pride in having helped make such an event happen. I miss it already, and NZFW, I'll see you same time, same place, next year.