hunter gatherer

the only drawback to carrying predominantly northern hemisphere designers (and it's a small price to pay!) is that we're always buying the opposite season - so come winter we're sometimes missing those deliveries of nice, ruggy, heavy wintery coats and knits. enter perth designer carly hunter - whose collection of sculpted merino asymmetric coats, sumptuous shearlings and silk backed knits completely captivated us. carly's first drop just arrived today with more following shortly. now we just need the temperature to drop a few more degree's...

carly hunter shearling vest (top) $540.00, asymmetric oversized merino coat (bottom) $665.00, in-store now.

well seasoned

hi! sorry for the lack of informative posts recently - to be honest we can't quite believe it's nearly april!! sheesh!! but never fear, we'll be back on top of this whole blogging thing from now on. cross our hearts and hope to die.

above is a little taste of all the exciting new season deliveries that are currently gracing our racks, with new label 'bless' on its way and a candle line delivering soon from 'a treatise in white magic' entitled camp fire ritual that we can't wait to start burning in the store - it'll be the perfect way of easing ourselves into the impending winter.

stay tuned, and thanks for your patience!

ring ring. hello.

we first noticed anne-mieke ytsma's handiwork when we viewed her jewellery for fellow dunedin label company of strangers - we marveled at the 'till death do us part' ring that resembled three fine rings roughly bashed together, with twinkling stones that, instead of being precious, are actually cast in metal and highly polished. it's these contradictions that abound in anne-mieke's own line underground sundae.

name of designer: anne-mieke ytsma

right now the time is: 9:21pm

and where abouts in the world are you?: dunedin, new zealand

date of birth: 10.07.1984

label name: underground sundae

year label started: 2010

my new collection is entitled: future famous summer night

describe the concept/motivation behind your new collection: jewellery to remind us of the transitory nature of life. It's about the drift down city streets in search of signs of attraction or repulsion.

the ultimate underground sundae lady or gent is: elegantly trashy

most exciting fashion moment? going to an op-shop and finding an old ladies entire collection of eighties attire, never worn still with tags attached, crazy great outfits! everyday is an exciting fashion moment...

on my day off I would....: probably be found drinking coffee or making something

shoot, shag or marry: shoot andy warhol cos he's already been shot and i don't want to shoot anyone. shag and marry maybe one day? philip james frost my amazing artist boyfriend

complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was... magic

thank you!!

the first delivery from anne-mieke ytsma's new collection is in-store now and is online here.

white magic woman

many an hour has been spent looking for unusual candles and perfumes for the store - and it ain't easy - there has to be that perfect mix of an intriguing, unique scent, beautiful packaging and a bit of a story behind it...

so when we discovered black amber balms by 'a treatise on white magic' we all got pretty excited. created by emmelie brunetti, black amber balm natural solid perfumes are made with a variety of the highest quality essential oils, absolutes, and co2 extracts available, as well as certified organic jojoba oil, certified organic unfiltered beeswax and vitamin e.

each perfume has an amber base, this common accord, which acts as a base note and fixative, enables the perfume to linger on the skin and will impart a delicately sweet yet woody aroma. each scent is captivating on its own but it also perfectly suited to be layered with other black amber balms or even used as a base to compliment a favourite perfume to create a truly personalised scent.

anyway, blah blah blah. they smell incredible, and emmelie was nice enough to answer our random questions which will probably give you much more of an insight into what black amber balms are about...

name of designer/owner: emmelie brunetti

right now the time is: 12:05 am

and where abouts in the world are you?: los angeles, ca

date of birth: june 29 1980

label name: a treatise on white magic (atwm)

year label started: 2009

describe the concept/motivation behind black amber perfume balms: black amber balm is the product of an eclectic mix of influences, observations, fascinations and in-depth research on master plants, perfumery and the occult.

the ultimate black amber lady or gent is: anita pallenberg

most exciting fashion moment? styling our 3 year old daughter bella

on my day off I would....: get a pedicure, swing by agent provocateur, pick up a few good bottles of red wine.

favorite smell: campfires
what do you know about new zealand? kiwis, diwali & rugby

shoot, shag or marry: 1,2 & 3: my husband, erik

complete this sentence, i had a vision and my vision was… from beyond.

black amber balms are available in-store now and online soon. each 12ml tin retails at $40.00

habanarama

we're often drawn to that potent combination of pretty and dark with our buying for children of vision - and when it comes to jewellery 'dainty' just aint our thing... so when we came across the work of new york jeweller chris habana we knew we were on a similar wavelength.

his new collection 'loosing my religion' is full of suitably gothic imagery, crosses are made three dimensional and wrapped around the wrist or inverted and turned into small (but definitely not dainty) studs. A ram's head is covered in tiny nail heads and large frame work quartz shapes form a striking neck piece.

yeah, we're pretty much in love.

the above selection is in-store now and online soon.

wholy (un)holy

charlotte rust has a formidable pedigree, she owns one of auckland's coolest vintage stores, has worked for leading new zealand label nom*d, and possess that kind of effortless 'cool' that is frustratingly impossible to emulate. for her new label/project 'unholy' charlotte puts her vintage sourcing skills to good use, unearthing ironic metaler tee's, tacky holiday tee's or just plain weird tee's, splicing them together, and creating clever drape front jackets. the combination is considered (often creating new hybrid band names where they meet at the back) and the result is infinitely wearable.

name of designer: charlotte rust

right now the time is: 10.27am

and where abouts in the world are you?: k'rd, auckland, nz

date of birth: year of the dragon

label name: unholy

year label started: 2010

my new collection is entitled: um pass, i've never been one for themes which is probably why I failed so miserably at the fashion and design polytech course I did when I left school

concept/motivation behind new collection: yet another version of a recycled t-shirt garment but with more form and function, I am interested in using existing fabrics/garments rather than developing a garment from scratch

the ultimate unholy lady or gent is: keith richards circa exile on main st, diamanda galas



most exciting fashion moment? being profiled in i-d magazine - but my ego was quickly deflated when I realised they had used someone else's answers for my questions

on my day off I would....: bake, eat, browse online for shoes..

shoot, shag or marry: shoot - madonna, shag - eric northman, marry - rick owens (strictly for material gain)


complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was… leather and fur clad - recycled, naturally

thank you.

recycled double drape tee's by unholy are in-store now and available online here

press up's

every issue metro magazine runs a feature entitled 'dress code' where they compare varying styles of dress within the same occupation - with fashion week rapidly approaching this months issue featured fashion designers.

james dobson, designer of jimmy d and co-owner of children of vision (centre) represents! wearing a combination of children of vision labels including jimmy d, rad by rad hourani, complexgeometries, and salvor projects boots.


our friends at simply you magazine were kind enough to feature us in their latest issue out now - the image features australian label akira, new to children of vision for spring/summer.

thanks guys!!

cult following

above images by oliver rose

even though our fashion radar is pretty firmly focused on international designers, we are always excited when we find labels closer to home that can slot in along side our other fashion finds. auckland designer celia phillips has always had a formidable personal style, and was a standout at the aut (auckland university of technology) final year show - with a strong, cohesive collection inspired by cults and religious garb. celia kindly answered a few questions for us:

name of designer: celia phillips

right now the time is : 1.45pm

and where abouts in the world are you? : auckland, new zealand

date of birth: 21 feb 1986

label name: celia phillips

year label started: 2010

new collection is entitled: yearning for zion

concept/motivation behind new collection: fundamentalist mormons prairie dresses combined with an interest in occult imagery inspired this collection


the ultimate celia phillips lady or gent is: I have always had an obsession with marianne faithfull

marianne faithfull

most exciting fashion moment: seeing my garments captured in the amazing photos taken by photographer friends oliver rose and lydia cowpertwait.

shoot, shag and marry: shoot: paul mccartney, shag: daniel ash (when he was younger), marry: the blonde guy in rosetta stone (also when he was younger)

daniel ash

i had a vision and my vision was: to create clothes that my friends would love to wear

celia phillips new collection 'yearning for zion' is in-store now.

if you like it then you should put it on a ring

digby and iona is a new york based accessory line that make cute but darkly humorous jewellery (a combination we are rather fond of here...), so when we saw their latest collection 'the wood' and in particular the above stump ring we got pretty excited. the best thing about the ring is that it can be customized with two sets initials that they etch into the love heart by hand! 

so after talking with the lovely folks at digby and iona we'd like to offer you the opportunity to order your own stump ring complete with your choice of initials (don't worry, for all you lonely hearts it comes plain too!! email us for more info) and to make the whole thing even more exciting everyone that orders this custom ring before the 11th of june goes into the draw to win a $200 children of vision voucher redeemable online and in-store.

to see all the details and order either click here or pop into our auckland store.

it's the perfect gift for a loved one, or just to immortalize that justin bieber crush you've recently developed...

heeling powers

one of our favourite discoveries from our buying trip to paris in september was london based shoe designer atalanta weller - her sci-fi sculptural creations were like shoe tractor beams - resistance was sorta' futile (see what I did with the whole sci-fi star trek thing there?). her shoes feature spock like extensions, futuristic rubber tubing and crystaline, faceted carved platforms - and atalanta herself is a total sweet heart, equal parts shy and totally kick ass. we love that she created shoes for gareth pugh by vacuum packing them onto the model moments before they walked on to the catwalk. genius. anyway, this is starting to sound like some kind of deranged fan letter, i'm gunna let atalanta do the talking now.

name of designer: atalanta weller

right now the time is: 2.32 pm.

and where abouts in the world are you?: london

date of birth: 21/12/1978

label name: atalanta weller

year label started: september 2009

my new collection is entitled: the landing

concept/motivation behind new collection: retro futurism, from pompei to star trek via bat for lashes

the ultimate atalanta weller lady is: confident, sexy, intelligent, and fun.

most exciting fashion moment? going to 10 downing street!

on my day off I would....: make sculptures.. make shoes .. make more sculptures ... hang out with my friends...

what do you know about new zealand? it's far away and very beautiful, and every body who goes there seems to love it.

shoot, shag or marry: shoot -a shoe film, shag- couldn't possibly tell you! , marry -a wild man..

complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was… shoe shaped.

thank you.

atalanta weller is available in-store now and online here - don't miss out, they are exclusive to children of vision in the southern hemisphere and stock is very limited!!

sibling rivalry

we've been fans of sibling's quirky take on men's knits for a few seasons, so it was one of our first port of calls when we hit london for fashion week, and what a lovely bunch of ladies and gents they are! cozette mccreery, sid bryan and joe bates are the trio behind the east london label, and between them they have worked for (and in some cases still consult for) the likes of giles, mcqueen, lanvin, fendi, and givency... so... ya' know, they know they're stuff!

we've ordered from their next season 'social zombie' collection, but sneaked in the iconic 'skull breton' long sleeve tee now as a little taste of what's to come. 

check out what's to come from their next collection in the hilarious video below.

Sibling Collection 4 Film from TiRA on Vimeo.

sibling skull breton tee's are instore now and online soon.

OMG KTZ 4 EVA!

During our recent trip, Kokon to Zai was definitely one of our favourite shopping destinations - their stores in London and Paris are filled to bursting with some of the coolest labels around, and we feel pretty happy to share a few of the same labels such as Bernhard Willhelm, Daniel Palillo, Casette Playa and now, their own in-house brand KTZ. Worn by the likes of Rihanna, Lady Gaga (they recently ditched showing at London Fashion week in order to focus on the wardrobe for her latest tour) and regularly featured in international magazines like Italian Vogue, I-D, Dazed and Confused, KTZ is a big deal!!

It's fun, in your face, and we kinda want everything.... uh-oh!!

In-store now, and online soon!!

the pleasure principle

photo courtesy of francois hugon

new to children of vision this season is new york label pleasure principle - think super soft and incredibly fine tee shirting fashioned into drippy hooded tops & voluminous dresses, and washed down fleecy sweatshirting hooded capes, and the season's must have silk biker jacket cape dress. it's equal parts dark and androgynous, and they make pieces you cant ever imagined you lived without. we asked them a few questions about their latest collection:

name(s) of designer(s): diva pittala & adrian cowen

right now the time is: 6.55pm sat feb 27th

And where abouts in the world are you?: manhattan

label name: pleasure principle

year label started: 2002

our new collection is entitled: high as a kite

concept/motivation behind new collection: part of the collection has been about taking generic items like the over-size t-shirt and using that as the starting point for more abstract designs, so from this point of departure some items have an oversize draped quality that works for either gender. when designing pieces that are specifically women's wear we avoid the cliches of typically 'feminine' decoration, which may result in the items appearing unisex.

the ultimate pleasure principle lady or gent is: martin cohn - our andrognye model this season

what do you know about new zealand? nothing..

shoot, shag or marry: this is the question that's been holding us up....

complete this sentence, I had a vision and my vision was… blurry

thank you.

view the entire pleasure principle collection instore now or online here.

rad

coming soon.

dear prudence...

above image courtesy of 1am magazine

above - salem bag $355.00

above - rose-cross bag $398.00

dear prudence,

your bags are super cool, we are particularly fond of the furry deer skin bucket bag with braided leather and tasseled strap, but the soft as butter drawstring bags with front zipped pocket are equally swoon-worthy. we love how beautifully made they are, and how perfect they are for throwing over your shoulder and looking all effortlessly cool and stuff.

lots of love,

children of vision.

p.s. dear prudence bags instore now!! don't miss out!

jensen-isms

image courtesy of ponystep

we've had the word, peter jensen's resort spring/summer 10 collection has left the uk and is winging it's way to us as we speak. we are big fan's of jensen's quirky take on british buttoned up primness, one part demure, one part disarmingly cute. we'll post pics of the collection when it arrives, but in the mean time brush up on your peter jensen general knowledge with this very thorough interview with ponystep magazine entitled '77 peter jensen-isms', our favourites are:

2. peter’s best friend at school was lise lotte, who was cross-eyed and wore bigger glasses than he did.

15. peter was once stung by a jellyfish.

26. peter’s favourite danish pop group are shit & chanel, who were renamed after being taken to court, to shit & chalou.

47. peter’s biggest regret is not saying hello to vivienne westwood when he once saw her.

58. peter hopes that in ten years time from now he will still be doing what he does at present, but by then would be massively rich and own a summerhouse in sweden, as well as two pug dogs - one called thelma and one called olga - and would look fantastic and talk like posh women and say things like, ‘how silly!’

click here to view the full article

special delivery!

gosh! ok, so new zealand fashion week and good old pamela anderson (yes, pamela anderson and designer richie rich were in town!) have been and gone, and in the midst of all that we got bombarded with lots of exciting new things!! yay!! so, uh, yeah, we have just emerged from the haze, updated the web-shop and here we are again...

here's a quick update of what's new - more detail sooooooon!!

the first drop from tv's 'army dreamer's' collection is instore now! a little bit 70's & a little bit militaristic - tv have gone perforation crazy! huge kaftans, crop tee's, slinky floor length dresses and more fitted tee's have been laser cut with tiny square perforations - amazing!

click here to go straight to the new tv available online now

we've long been fan's of carri mundane's (carri mundane aka cassette playa) work - from her work with M.I.A to her giant sonic the hedgehog head wearing models. so we are super happy to be the exclusive stockists of cassette playa in new zealand! for her autumn/winter collection carri has got all nordic death metal on us - with spikey upside down smiley faces, and rune like prints. ace!

click here to go straight to the new cassette playa available online now

one of our favourite little discoveries is hong kong based accessory line hoiming. designed by husband and wife team hoiming fung and baldwin pui, they describe their label as a 'witty luxury brand' - all their pieces are hand stitched, and beautifully off-beat. the bags are killer, and the super cute bat necklaces are a must have.

click here to go straight to the new hoiming available online now

finnish designer daniel palillo obviously has a great sense of humour, his new collection "i want to believe" is full of melting hearts, giant ying & yangs, and pentacles - think death-metal-raver-alien-abductions. tops are super sized, pants are super skinny and the prints are from the pen of mr. palillo himself. we are fans, it's dark but not up-your-own-arse dark. which we like.

click here to go straight to the new daniel palillo available online now

new to children of vision for spring/summer is melbourne based label material by product. designed by susan dimasi and chantal kirby, material by product has a strong reputation in europe, championed by fashion figureheads such as diane pernet of influential fashion blog 'a shaded view of fashion'. their signature look comprises of elegant draped jersey tunics and dresses with an impeccable attention to finish, with hand stitched bindings, hand printed pointillist like patterns and flattering little tucks and pleats. exquisite!

click here to go straight to the new material by product available online now

our favourite parisian fashion activist is back with her new collection “sister’s of mercy’. vintage tee shirts are ripped apart and re-constructed into sweeping tunics, gorgeous felted wool bolero’s feature cascades of thick fringing, and oversized tops are slashed to skeletal proportions. Its fun, dark, and surprisingly wearable.

click here to go straight to the new andrea crews available online now