Fashion: NZ Fashion Week through Bailey Nelson Lenses
New Zealand Fashion Week is of course a fairly big deal for those of us in the rag trade- whether you play in the deep end and are part of the industry full time or simply like to dip your toes in, it’s worth getting amongst the week where fashion is served up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For us fashion blogger folk there’s a buffet of opportunity; from meeting new fellow fashionistas, rubbing shoulders with PR agencies, meeting the names behind the brands, sneaking into the front row, to being the subject of the many roaming cameras which are hunting down people with epic street style (obviously me).
This year was my second attempt at NZFW, last year was a teaser for things to come and with The Fashion Outfit NZ launching to coincide with New Zealand Fashion Week, Vlad (Russian stylemaster) Tori (dynamite photographer) and myself had to look instagrammable from every angle. Multiple outfit changes per day were mandatory and posing would be at an all time high.
Let me show you how my two fashion friends and myself who make up The Fashion Outfit NZ saw NZFW through our collection of Bailey Nelson eyewears.
Bailey Nelson is no stranger to my platforms. I discovered this rad Australian eyewear brand just under two years ago and we’ve had an ongoing relationship since. Bailey Nelson’s sunglasses and opticals are designed locally in Australia and are all individually handcrafted overseas. They’re made from the highest quality cellulose acetate in Italy, with hinges from Germany & lenses from Japan - you can tell they’re serious about quality construction. You can get the full detail from my previous post about how Bailey Nelson have adopted a smarter business model designed to give you an exceptional eyewear product at a fairer price. No fancy high-end designer label that hikes the price. And no you don’t pay extra for polarised, that’s just how they roll and their frames start from an affordable $175.
While The Fashion Outfit team were brainstorming NZFW content ideas over a cup of tea at my house, we had this funny idea of how we could make Bailey Nelson front and centre for the week, and it hit me in the face as I was looking at some outfit inspiration overseas with the likes of New York & Paris Fashion Weeks.
Celebrities are famous for wearing sunglasses as they’re being papped seated front row of shows. There’s no need for this. It’s not sunny. No course not, fashion is rarely about need, it’s about making a statement. So while we had our Bailey Nelson frames all that was needed now was to get ourselves front row and be seen in our Bailey Nelson eyewear looking ridiculously good.
Challenge accepted.
We also searched for an idea that could help us easily showcase Bailey Nelson’s extensive range of eyewear, from opticals to sunglasses, and do so in a very short space of time. So we set out to basically create our own mini fashion (no-runway-required) show while Vlad and I discussed something we noticed was missing at New Zealand Fashion Week which ended up igniting a nationwide search… well maybe that’s a bit of a stretch but hey, I’m the one telling the story here!
With Summer on the horizon Bailey Nelson should be your new best accessory, particularly for us guys, as a pair of eyewear can instantly trigger some added style. Whether you’re on the hunt for opticals, sunglasses or both, you can visit the team in-store for a free eye exam and consultation. You’ll end up with a pair of frames suited to your face, so you’ll not only will you look great, you’ll also be doing your eyes a solid.
OUR TOP 5 FAVOURITE BAILEY NELSON FRAMES
Theodore.
Windsor Rim. Black. $205
Lincoln.
Havana. 7 colours. $175
Dallas.
Black. 4 colours. $205
Parker.
Clear. 11 colours. $175
Frederique.
Oak swirl. 3 colours. $205
Shoutout to our friend Emily for kicking it with us in the Bailey Nelson High Street store one Saturday evening so we could dance around to music, be silly and try on nearly every single frame. Much love to the wider Bailey Nelson family too for supporting our madness at Fashion Week! You guys all rock and we love our new family of frames.
See you at #NZFW19 everyone.
jb