Feature: Charmaine Love At Air NZ Fashion Week

Since her win at Westfield Style Pasifika, Charmaine has gone from strength to strength, fusing Maori design with urban fashion wear. The collection she presented as part of the second Verge Breakthrough Show continued the work she started with the dress worn by Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie, incorporating the same Maori design into most of her collection.

First up was a man sporting a sheer white checked shirt, brown flat front pants and Ink'd underwear, quickly followed by Mark Hewlett wearing a crisp white shirt with clean lines unbuttoned (which did mean few women were looking at the clothes) and a pair of jeans. The simplicity of these two garments is a testament to the wearability of Charmaine's clothing.

The women were next, the first sporting a pale blue grey tee with a black line print of a famous painting of Russell, all of the tall ships in the bay. This was followed by a delightful white shirt atop a floral print skirt - with Charmaine's Moari motif across one shoulder.

An open knit dress over a white slip was next, very reminiscent of the grass skirts Maori women wear, followed quickly by a dress of white doily-like lace over a black slip. A shift dress made from the same fabric that Fergie sported hit the runway next, this one with one kite/wing sleeve.

A steel grey satin ankle length dress (with motif in black), and a shift dress and bold jersey dress - both with zig-zag hems - provided teasers for a divine evening dress of pale orange organza covered by pale gold chiffon, with Charmaine's signature motif hand-drawn on in a black tattoo-like line.

The final dress of the collection was a floor length sleeveless dress with a pattern of bold gold (as opposed to silver) fern fronds. Peeking out from underneath the fishtail hem was ruffled black chiffon. Charmaine managed to not only remain true to her roots, but to bring a uniquely New Zealand flavour to every garment.

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