got knits

if you've seen a guy running auckland with a pair of giant knitting needles sticking out of his bag leaving a trail of brightly coloured wool, chances are it's super talented knitter extraordinaire areez katki. his labour intensive, off-beat creations combine unexpected colours, and have a drippy organic, tribal feel - one scarf even featuring cute fimo bones allowing it to be buttoned up in various ways.

we have a selection of his one off pieces in store now - get in before this guy leaves the country, gets discovered by diane pernet, starts stocking dover street market, and forgets us here in little ole new zealand...

tv is on!

melbourne based designers monika tywanek and ingrid verner's autumn/winter collection 'lucky' is finally here, and it was hellah worth the wait!! a bomber with dino-like spikes, out sized polo necks, shredded 'mum' jeans (mum = high waisted dontcha know?), clever merino dresses with spare arms that can be tied or wrapped around the body, and THE sexiest one shoulder 'toga dress' that would be the perfect party/ball/when & where ever dress. all in a palette of black, tan, coral and acid washed denim. and not to be forgotten is the notoriously fabulous tv trash bag, in black vinyl with yellow handles just like a, er, trashbag.

check out the full collection here and instore now!

some romantic drinks

romance was born is here! but we are big ole' teases, so we're not showing you until this friday the 8th of may! so join us for drinks and a special preview of the collection as it goes into store. expect fringing dip dyed in ice slushee inspired colours, lurex tribal knits, embroidered yeti motifs, incredible crochet tops and dresses and more!!

where: children of vision, shop 16, st. kevins arcade, 179 - 183 karangahape rd, auckland

when: friday 8th may from 5pm - 8pm

who: you! + anybody else you feel like dragging along

star in the makin

every garment from makin jan ma bears a label saying "a film project by makin jan ma'. which may seem strange until you realise that for makin, each garment is a piece of clothing dressing a character in a film "makin writes stories and scripts and he makes clothes for his characters. he makes films for his stories while the characters wear their clothes in the films. making a film or actually dreaming to make a film is like a journey on its own."

makin's clothes are clever, but not too serious, easy to wear but deceptively complex, and often feature exclusive prints or specially developed fabrics.

as promised makin is subjected to the children of vision quiz...

name: makin jan ma

right now the time is: 10 to 10 evening time

and where abouts in the world are you?: I have been traveling alot and I recently had an exhibition in hong kong.

date of birth: 24/02/79

label name: makin jan ma

year label started: 2005 winter

my new collection is entitled: give me some deep water

concept/motivation behind new collection: having a feeling of heavy stone peacefully dropping into the deep sea

the ultimate makin jan ma lady or gent is: a real character in their real life. live up to what they believe in!

what do you know about new zealand? jann, kiri and the greens

shoot, shag or marry: shoot kate moss, shag virgin mary, marry the one I love!

complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was… getting to retire when I am 30.

thank you.

makin out

the newest addition to the children of vision family is london based designer makin jan ma. makin was invited to launch the spring/summer '09 collections last week at the super prestigious hong kong store, joyce (think john galliano, vera wang, alexander mcqueen, rei kawakubo, etc!)  with an installation entitled 'dream bigger, live harder, love deeper'.

makin's new collection is in store at children of vision now - largely unisex, with oversized drapey tees, mesh panelling, sloppy hoodies, and an amazing digital galaxy print...

more on makin soon!!

egg on yo face!

i came across the picture of sarah greenberger rafferty's 'panning (done eggs)' 2009 on vwork and it reminded me of the andrea crews egg print dress we have in store now... not sure if there's any connection between the two, and i refuse to delve into any cheesy egg pun's, but both are friggin cool!

you scared the bigeni out of me!!

gary bigeni is a talented young man. i first remember spotting gary's pieces in a showroom on my first trip to sydney for fashion week about 5 years ago and could never quite shake the image of his cleverly sculpted jersey dresses in deliciously bright colours, so i'm super happy we are able to carry his label in our store.

since that first time i spotted gary's clothes he's been a busy boy, working as josh goot's right hand man (i imagine they bonded over their love of jersey), and most recently has been nominated as a finalist in the woolmark awards that one of our other designers romance was born just won.

oh, and it's gary's birthday today!! happy birthday mr!

following is the world famous children of vision interview...

name: gary bigeni

right now the time is: 9.58pm

and where about’s in the world are you?: i'm in sydney, australia

date of birth: 25/03/1981

label name: gary bigeni

year label started: 2004

my new collection is entitled: floating under water

concept/motivation behind new collection: my collection is based around the deep blue ocean, crashing waves, silent lakes and moving waves. i wanted to create the movement of these element in my collection through twist and drapes.

the ultimate gary bigeni lady or gent is: someone who love classic with a mordern edge. desire quality garments and has a fresh approach to fashion.

what do you know about new zealand? it is cold, and they have great clothing. xo

complete this sentence, i had a vision and my vision was… to create a collection that is inspired by fluidity and free movements. To make obstensively simple pieces that are infact so complex in design and construction that they can be transformed into different configurations dependant on the wearers whims and desire.

thank you.

gary bigeni's first drop for autumn/winter is in store now.

got me lookin' so (crazy in love)

i have to admit i hadn't heard of trosman until vicky threw the website url at me, and ever since i've been a little obsessed with this buenos aires designer's pretty-off-beat-beautifully-wierd creations. 

"admirer of national geographic magazine and nostalgic for legendary designers like charles eames, frank lloyd wright, le corbusier and van de rohe, trosman takes distance from the classic methodology of a fashion designer. she walks through the silhouette taking scientific decisions and developing each piece like an architectural process where parts are apparently not sewn but become ensemble. while doing so she reveals shapes that flow along the body as if they were predestined."

stocked in amazing stores such as l'eclaireur in paris (one of our favourite stores!), and featured in publications such as taschen's 'fashion now 2', and phaidon's 'sample', if you don't already know about trosman you'll soon want it.... alllllllllll of it....

trosman will be instore when we open on march 19th

give it a good belt!

ok, belts dont usually feel like the most exciting purchase in the world, but barry betham & leanne marshall from auckland based label commence are determined to change all that and in turn make the sexiest belts around, and even though we are unashamedly internationally focussed we love that they are on our own door step!

victorian inspired ruffs become details on wide belts and cuffs, and their classic 'hermiston' belt features a back strap that can be adjusted and worn low or high on the waist. and i don't want to start sounding all 'practical' (shudder) but they are beautifully made and you'll have them for years.

their talents extend further than just adorning the waist too - they have done a selection of stunning hand dyed dresses and perforated leather sheaths exclusively for children of vision.

barry and leanne answered our hard hitting questionnaire and revealed a mutual dislike for chris martin....

name: barry betham & leanne marshall

right now the time is: 11.31pm

and where about’s in the world are you? auckland

date of birth: '73 & '76

label name: commence

year label started: 2003

how does it work designing/running a business as a duo, who does what? we are both involved in all the processes.

do you ever fight/disagree?? yes - we are now.

my new collection is entitled: collection 13

concept/motivation behind new collection: our first collections started from a eccentric widowed woman & always stem from her, in our 13th collection she is playing with rituals & a darker side.

the ultimate commence lady or gent is: someone who appreciates beauty in the atypical

shoot, shag or marry?
barry - shoot: chris martin, shag: lara stone, marry: leanne
leanne - shoot: chris martin, shag: the game, marry: marcel duchamp

complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was… to make beautiful things people want to keep forever

thank you.

a'n'd, uh, yeah totally

as we speak a box of treats from london based designers azumi and david (a'n'd) is winging it's way to little ole' new zealand... well actually, according to fedex it's somwhere called 'becton' right now. but never fear! i'm sure it will be safely instore when we open!

the story of a'n'd goes a little something like this (well alot like this, it's off their website). azumi and david studied at central saint martin's in london but met at the troubadour coffee house in london's earl's court in may 1995. they got married in hackney town hall, london on march 10th, 2000 and had their wedding reception on october 14th, 2001 in nagano, japan. they celebrate birthdays on the 8th and 10th april, designating april 9th as a'n'd day.

awwww bless. a'n'd designs are playful, conceptual and timeless - and guaranteed to baffle your aunty.

azumi and david were nice enough to submit to the children of vision interrogation!!

name: azumi and david (a'n'd)

right now the time is: 11.19

and where about's in the world are you?: east london

date of birth: azumi - 8.4.75, david - 10.4.65

label name: azumi and david (a'n'd)

year label started: 1999

how does it work designing/running a business as a duo, who does what? do you ever fight/disagree?? we live/work together as mr and mrs, we do have disagreements but then come to an agreement.

my new collection is entitled: a touch of luxury

concept/motivation behind new collection: things to wear with touches of luxury like fur, cashmere, swarovski, leather

the ultimate a'n'd lady or gent is: elegant with a subtle sense of humour

what do you know about new zealand? we'd love to visit

shoot, shag or marry: meryl streep, george michael, dan carter?: they'd make a lovely menage a trois, don't you think?

complete this sentence, we had a vision and our vision was... aided by our optician - we both wear identical glasses frames so we see things to wear in a very similar way - with an elegant sense of humour.

thank you.

getting trashed

i enjoy my morning blogs, first coffee of the day in hand, flicking from site to site, checking out what natalie and zoe love, what isaac likes, susie's bubble AND one of my FAV's... garbage dress.

zana bayne has great style - usually shrouded in numerous layers of black, hottt leggings, bitchin' margiela shoes topped off with her trademark mass of black curls and red glasses. she lives in san francisco, but dreams of berlin, has sexy friends and is an uber talented artist and web designer. it's true, i have a little blog crush.

so, i was totally stoked to see zana rockin' pieces from berlin label postweiler hauber's new spring/summer collection recently - as pictured above... both pieces will be hanging on the racks when we open in 18 days!!!!

more on postweiler hauber soon, but in the meantime check out zana's blog, she rulzzzzzz!

SOCK! BLAM! KA-POW!

nylon magazine, february 2009

i have long had a dream to live up high in the swiss alps in a little chalet, riding everywhere on my rickity bicycle, with fresh bread and cured meats in my basket, surviving on red wine and cheese fondues... and if i was a girl this image would be complete with a pair of hansel from basel socks, probably the long cable knitted ones with buttons...

but, alas, hansel isn't from basel. there isn't actually even a hansel. it's hannah, from los angeles. but i can forgive her. hannah from los angeles doesn't have the same poetic resonance.

but hannah most definitely knows a thing or two about socks. we will be carrying a mixture of northern hemisphere summer styles, and the southern hemisphere winter collection. from toasty knee highs with colourful knee pads & marionette inspired ankle socks to sexy silk rib tall socks. these definitely aint the kind of socks your nana would give you at christmas time... unless you ask nicely. ok?

the full range of hansel from basel socks will be instore in march.

crewsing for a bruising

andrea crews is not afraid of boobs. in fact i would go as far to say they embrace boobs... so to speak. andrea crews clothes are made to have fun in, they have that whole debauched parisian vibe nailed. i reakon they are the kinda girls that would be crazy, mad fun to go out partying with, i can imagine crawling home at 3am through dirty ole paris after a night on the tiles with them. then finding out the next day that they didn't get home until 10am, and after i left they met some guy who owned a boat, and they partied with carine roitfeld and yelle on this boat drinking moet, and smoking, and doing karaoke. and it was crazy. and i would feel lame that i missed all that.

where was i?

oh yeah. andrea crews is cool. the lovely maroussia at andrea crews was kind enough to answer my random questions.

name: my name is maroussia rebecq, dj name is mama roussia, my brand name is andrea crews, my grandma name is "princesse de chine"

right now the time is: it's cold outside but here in my office girls are warm and almost naked!

where abouts in the world are you?: we work in paris but sell worldwide

date of birth: 1983

label name: andrea crews

year label started: 2001

my new collection is entitled: sunset empire, a spring summer collection i produced for chicks that assume their activist and eccentric power!

concept/motivation behind new collection: reinvente the daily life, always playfull and creative!

the ultimate andrea crews lady or gent is: everyone who wants to have fun and those who have cool haircut

what do you know about new zealand? warm wool, gentle lambs, crazy landscapes, huge men with incredible tatoos, yeah it could inspire me for a collection!!

shoot, shag or marry:
shoot : missy elliot
shag : missy elliott
marry : missy elliott

complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was: sharp

thank you. thank you james. see you.

the collection featured in the youtube will be available when we open in march.

romance was born

we love yeti. how can anything so big and fluffy be scary?? they are like the big bird of the "are they/aren't they real" animal world, alongside the lockness monster, and big foot.

we also really love romance was born (go figure! we are stocking them...) the spring/summer collection 'yeti magic' from sydney based duo anna plunkett and luke sales is inspired by...uh, yeti, and ice slushee's - that'll explain the multi coloured dip dying then...

in short it's cool. in long it's super friggin totally freakin cool.

i want it all, but i'm a boy... so i'm getting a tee shirt and thinking about the tote bag. if you get in quick you may be able to pursuade me otherwise... there is only one. quick! save me from myself!!

romance was born will be in store march.

bernhard willhelm

do you believe in love at first sight?? i do... the first piece of bernhard willhelm that I ever saw was a sweater dress with the word 'plop' emblazoned across it - plop!! jesus!! it was the perfect antidote to all the logo'd, serious, minimalist fashion that was going on at the time, and was just, well, completely absurd!

we are excited and super privileged to be the only store in auckland to carry bernhard's clothing line. as a teaser here is bernhard talking about his spring/summer collection, what he likes to do first thing in the morning, and playing drums in berlin... the collection featured will be in store when we open in mid march. stay tuned.

(ps. during the show check out the full-on outfit in the front row... wowsh!!)