Walking on Air

File under: fashion, events, Wellington

Last night, we braved the light-industrial wilderness of Rongotai's Tirangi Road to see Walk on Air. Everyone who was anyone in the Wellington fashion world was there (and somehow, they let me in, too). This is the second in a series of events, organised by Hank Cubitt of House of Hank, to showcase the work of local designers.

The "Walk on Air" theme was followed throughout, with models parading along illuminated runways around billowing parachute silk. Ushers were dressed as flight attendants, and the occasional roar of aircraft taking off from the runway just metres away added an unpredictable yet authentic note.

The final coup de théâtre saw the silk backdrop fall to the ground, while amid a bank of highly localised (and utterly unforecast) fog the hangar doors opened to reveal an executive plane gliding onto the floor.


Out of this stepped the designers, to be greeted with a final round of applause before the audience headed back to the terminal for the after party (first-class "passengers" only, I'm afraid).

In the absence of an official fashion week, this is Wellington's premiere annual fashion show, so it's good to see it carried off with wit and imagination. I'm looking forward to see what they come up with for Walk on Earth and Walk on Fire. Take a bow, Captain Hank Cubitt!