Cybele

Cybele kick-started the beginning of Air New Zealand Fashion week with her winter collection "Virtue."
The title of this collection was then cleverly put to test for media and spectators who had to demonstrate patience, for the show started Fourty minutes late. While being seated the set design included a large, black backdrop at the beginning of the catwalk with sprinkles of gold dots, which formed an abstract pattern. Among the time waiting I was trying to decipher this clue of what this image was in order to better understand what was to come. Was it wings, tree branches, an abstract print, It made me keep thinking about the scene in Lord of The Rings when Gandalf is trying to enter the dwarves cave. When he finally figured out the magic words a tree branch lit up on the door and it opened.
Like Lord of the Rings this collection was based around travelers, the Victorian traveler who is off discovering brave new worlds, with capes and silk dresses billowing and floating, off wherever the wind takes them. The Victorian's fascination of collecting exotic insects and fauna from far off lands called for the use of the lily and moth.
The models were dressed almost like princesses, pale skin with rosy checks, slicked back tied hair, some with a relaxed and modernised princess Leia look (another journey movie, but in a galaxy far, far away). But from the start of the first track by Fever Ray you knew these dolled up princesses were in for a perilous journey ahead. The subdued soundtrack continued with songs from Portishead and The XX. Moth wings were used as pin tucks in dresses and skirts, which gave a more sinister skeletal effect and were also used in prints which I happily found out was also the backdrop I spent so long trying to decipher. The lily instead of blooming upwards was represented facing down in a large glass neckpiece or in a group print of dangling, weeping lilies.
But just like in the movies this show was a happy ending. The execution in interesting pattern cutting is something Cybele has made a name for herself and does well in, I was glad to see the departure of double strap singlet and singlet type dresses and elated to see the arrival of tailored jackets with interesting sleeve or neck detailing.