mac+mae

interviewed | Sammy Salsa Style

26 April 2013 Meenal Maharaj

With an impressive client-base (including NZ’s favourite musical son and current X-Factor NZ judge, Stan Walker), Sammy Salsa Style is a fashion force to be reckoned with. From styling every-day people to music videos and fashion shoots for the likes of Remix magazine, Sammy’s passion for fashion stands out in everything that he does. We grabbed a few precious moments with him between shoots to find out more.

Tell me more about Sammy Salsa Style…
With a background in media including being the former host of Pacific Beat Street and a life long love of couture, I decided to pursue a career as a Fashion Stylist. From television to fashion, I’ve found real joy and satisfaction in realising my dream as an up-and-coming, nu-age Polynesian involved in the fashion industry, pursuing my signature aesthetic and passion for the art. My brand, Sammy Salsa Style, represents a strong hallmark of commitment, respect and credibility.

Sammy Styling for a shoot

What do you do? What services do you offer?
Wardrobe/ Fashion Stylist for celebrities, fashion editorials, photo shoots, models, live runway shows and the everyday person.

Sammy with his client Stan Walker

Smashproof video shoot styled by Sammy

Describe a day in the life of Sammy Salsa?
5am Run
Breakfast
Checking and responding to emails
Prepare for a shoot that week
Sourcing clothes, shoes, accessories from designers or boutiques
Lunch with a friend in the city
Meetings with clients
Sourcing more stuff for the shoot then hopefully home before 5pm to relax with a chilled glass of vino and to cook dinner for my gorgeous partner of 8 years – Although my days will be extra busy soon as I have a new role starting up with a prestigious institute combining my love of fashion & media!

Describe your personal style.
Depending on the day and my mood – Clean cut/ Quirky/ Retro/ Funky but always finished

Any advice for others wanting to do what you do?
I get a lot of messages from people who are real keen to get into Fashion design/styling. One thing I always say to them is “The history of fashion is just as important as what’s hot tomorrow” – Do your research, read books, magazines, be immersed in it, always be one step ahead of the world and of course, passion for the art goes along way.

What is your favourite client memory?
Besides my work appearing in Remix magazine (yay!) One of my most memorable would be: friend of mine had a James Bond themed party to attend and being on the plus size side she was very insecure and reserved with what she wanted to be dressed in. I took her shopping, showed her ways to accentuate her assets and gave her a full blown makeover. It really opened up her eyes to what was hiding among all the layers of clothing. I got a real buzz just seeing her expression as well as other peoples reaction to her new look. I get more satisfaction dressing everyday people as appose to styling a high fashion photo shoot or a runway show, for me its about giving back to my community.

Sammy for Remix

Worst client memory?
We did a fashion Beauty shoot with two models and two live, wild doves. We let them out of their basket (the doves that is) to get the shot but unfortunately being camera shy they flew right into the snug parts of the ceiling boards where we couldn’t reach them. An hour later we caught the birds put them back in their basket and ended up photo shopping a bird into the picture instead!

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing instead?
I’ve always wanted to be a police officer, working within the community mentoring youth and I think I’d look good in a police uniform! lol

What makes you get up in the morning?
As cheesy as it sounds. LIFE! I live it like everyday’s my last, I get excited not knowing what the day has install. Plus my 5am alarm clock going off!

Sammy’s client Erakah

What are you currently:
Reading “VOGUE on Alexander McQueen” (It was a bday gift)
Listening to Solange Knowles, Lana Del Ray & Moby
Wearing My trusty black trench coat from Industrie that I wear everywhere with everything! whether its a casual look or a night out at dinner
Eating Ortolana in britomart – Its our new local! Great food & service and I love the waiters/waitresses uniform
Drinking A vodka and soda (to start off with) at A&M or Racket Bar

Find him on instagram @sammysalsastyle84

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seen | Boutique Group Showcase, AW’13 Collection at Wellington Fashion Week – DAY FOUR

06 April 2013 K-Ran M

Wellington Fashion Week has so far been all about the floral prints and rich textures. These evocative prints and textures had it’s place on the runway once again on Day Four of Wellington Fashion Week with Vaughan Geeson Clothing and State of Grace joining forces on the runway to present Boutique couture at it’s finest. The Boutique Group Showcase, AW’13 Collection. Both designers presented somewhat simplistic but incredibly elegant pieces with flower shaped collars, sophisticated but subtle tones of grey along with touches of blue and orange to compliment amongst a plethora of rich prints. The show had a heavy aesthetic presence of proportions of the 1950′s and 1960′s with a pinch of the retro vibe from those era’s evidently present in Vaughan Geeson’s AW’13 Range.

A striking element of Vaughan Geeson’s range was the star print on a few of his garments combined with the micro floral chiffon in blue and orange.

What I particularly liked however about this showcase was the richly textured prints on the garments of both designers. They added a smart and elegant element and really epitomised what the 1950′s and 1960′s era was all about, it brought to life the prints that had a heavy influence on the couture of that era and made for eye-pleasing viewing.

Overall, another beautifully executed showcase featuring tones of grey but set against rich prints and colour to lighten the sombre mood that Autumn and Winter can often bring. Nothing like a bit of Vaughan Geeson Clothing and State of Grace to lighten up your Winter!

Image by Masanori Udagawa

Image by Brady Dyer Photography

Image by Brady Dyer Photography

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seen | AW’13 Group Show at Wellington Fashion Week – DAY TWO

04 April 2013 K-Ran M

The feature show of Day Two was the AW’13 Group Show featuring Trelise Cooper, moochi, twoWORLDS, STORM, Mondegreen, Sabatini/Goodness and Taylor – all of which are iconic fashion labels within the fashion industry itself and are house-hold names down Lambton Quay and Willis Street in Wellington.

The first group show of Wellington Fashion Week offered a plethora of fashionably artistic elements. Trelise Coopers Autumn/Winter range was full of the colours of Autumn. The browns, the oranges and reds. The aesthetic design and print was typically something you would expect from Trelise Cooper and was actually what differentiated her from the other designers. Her Autumn/Winter range that was showcased tonight has a mixture of bold yet somewhat attractively absurd textures with an amazing array of colour and fabric. The trim of her garments are made to perfection and are what makes her label so unique and diverse.

My favourite however was Taylor. Although their Autumn/Winter range was predominantly black and white, I actually thought they gave black a new name! They were that good, and THAT inspiring! The overall aesthetic of Taylor’s Autumn/Winterrange was very relaxing and simplistic but it also maintained that chic element through the odd pink and red. Never before, have I seen black worn so elegantly.

Kieran over and out on Day Two of Wellington Fashion Week 2013. Check out a few photo’s below – the official set will be posted on Wellington Fashion Week 2013 Facebook page soon. Be sure to also follow Kieran on Twitter for all the latest and up to date info hot off the runway at Wellington Fashion Week > @TheCLASSYKiddo

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seen | WORLD at Wellington Fashion Week – DAY ONE

03 April 2013 K-Ran M

Today saw the beginning of Wellington Fashion Week for 2013, it’s second year in operation. And what better way to begin the five days of festivities than beginning with the fashionably well-renown WORLD Showcase.

WORLD is known as one of New Zealand’s foremost avant garde fashion design house and is also an iconic and well-known retailer in Wellington. WORLD has showcased it’s couture at Fashion Weeks in Paris, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and now what I like to think as the Fashion Capital of New Zealand, Wellington.

The models rocked the Great Gatsby-style hair which was incredibly pleasing to the eye with lips shimmering with glitter to compliment and add a more fashionably artistic touch to the overall look. It was a classy twist which was perfected by WORLD’S aesthetic intention as well as the make-up and hair artists.

WORLD’S Autumn/Winter 2013 Collection Showcase was somewhat of an easy guess for me in terms of knowing that we would not be left sitting there twiddling our thumbs. One thing for sure is that whatever they were going to showcase would be absolutely fabulous in design and eye pleasing in colour! It was exactly that plus more. As models walked the runway, you witnessed modern design of a big, bold and beautiful nature at it’s finest. The colour mustard which is my absolute fav, was well utilised within most of the clothing garments. Obviously though, cause it’s an Autumn colour! The standard Greys, Blacks and Browns were often complimented with a touch of orange or pink – that of which proved to be an artistic flair!

Overall, without doubt, WORLD opened Wellington Fashion Week with the kind of ground-breaking show that the brand has become known for across the fashion speaking WORLD. A fashionably amazing show leaving us all with no excuse as to why we all shouldn’t flock to WORLD store tomorrow and purchase clothes at left, right and center of the store… I mean, come on! We totally have to!

Kieran over and out on Day One of Wellington Fashion Week 2013. Check out a few photo’s below – the official set will be posted on Wellington Fashion Week 2013 Facebook page soon. Be sure to also follow Kieran on Twitter for all the latest and up to date info hot off the runway at Wellington Fashion Week > @TheCLASSYKiddo

Adios amigos x

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seen | I Love Ugly Bucket Hats

28 March 2013 Mccaulay+Maestro Crew

Bucket hats are not just for farmers and fishermen these days; I Love Ugly has just released a collection and we’re coveting the Flags bucket hat. The current ad campaign for the bucket hat collection features Brooklyn based hip-hop artist Oddisee. Here’s the press release.

Every product we produce is rich in menswear history. Our products have their own stories to tell, one such story is of the Bucket Hat.

The Bucket Hat hails from Irish origin, traditionally being worn by fisherman and farmers to protect them on those common rainy days. In the early 1900s it was adopted by the English upper-class, turning this once common piece of headwear into a desirable hat of luxury that only the aristocratic had access to; in fact the bucket hat was then re-designed to be more malleable so that it could be folded to fit into the inner pocket of the blazer jackets of said higher class folk.

The I Love Ugly Bucket Hat collection features both nautical and elegant fabrics inspired by this tradition, and all under-peaks are lined with genuine pig skin suede.

We thought now was an appropriate time to re-interpret this classic piece of headwear, adding our signature twist that we carry throughout every product we create.

Aspire to inspire before you expire.

Check out their online store.

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been | Rossalia Almedia Fall 2013 Collection Launch

11 March 2013 Nathalie Owen

It was a beautiful summer’s evening on Thursday night, at the launch of Rossalia Almedia’s Fall 2013 Collection entitled ‘Fly Away’; held at the Ipanema Food and Art Society, in Ponsonby.

The venue was the perfect backdrop for her new collection, which infuses Rossalia’s Brazilian heritage with the relaxed Kiwi culture. Rossalia moved from Brazil to New Zealand in 2007, and immediately fell in love with New Zealand’s, culture, people and classic Kiwi style. “I originally came to NZ to travel and relax…but then I fell in love with the people and the lifestyle here.” It was at this moment that Rossalia had a vision to infuse New Zealand’s understated style with her own Brazilian roots to create a cool sophisticated collection that easily transitioned from day to night.

Some of the amazing images at the Ipanema Food and Art Society

The designer at the launch

Tonight saw that dream turn into a reality, with a beautiful collection, that is fun, classic and edgy and that really capture’s the essence and power of the Rossalia Almedia women. “The women who wears Rossalia Almedia is a very powerful women, she’s knows how to dance and walk, she is confident and she’s not [necessarily] the skinniest girl in the room, the brand is all about sexiness and mixing culture, fabrics and colours”

The Eagle Dress

One of my favourite looks from the collection was an amazing green and beige draped dress with an incredible leaf inspired fabric. This look successfully combines the NZ and Brazilian aesthetic to create a funky sophisticated dress that can be worn for both day and night. The ‘Eagle Wings’ dress currently retails for $179.00

The Wing Pants

The black ‘Wing Pants’ were also a stand out favourite amongst the collection. The cut out detailing in the leg instantly gave the pants that ‘cool edgy’ look, and would be a great staple for any winter wardrobe. Rossalia explains the inspiration behind the design saying “these pants were inspired by wings, so when you sit down the detail in the side of the leg opens up like 3D wings.” The pants retail for $219.00

Aviator's Jacket in black

Aviator's Jacket in light cyan blue

Rossalia’s favourite piece from the collection is the beautiful ‘Aviator’s’ military jacket with amazing bird’s tail peplum at the back of the jacket. The jacket comes in both black and a light cyan blue, and is that perfect must have in winter. The ‘Aviator’s Jacket’ currently retails for $235.00

Tommie, Rossalia and myself at the event

Rossalia Almedia’s fashion launch was a great success, with a fun edgy collection aimed at 20 – 40 year old women. Rossalia has proved that she has mastered the art of Kiwi dressing, with these relaxed transitional pieces that can take you from winter to spring. The Brazilian accents make it a very fun colourful collection, which will be great for the adding a pop of colour to our traditional kiwi black this winter. Be sure to check out Rossalia’s latest collection on her website and keep a look out for her next collection launching online in April.

Check out the video for the Collection below:

To shop the looks from the Rossalia Almedia Fall 2013 Collection click here:

Follow Rossalia Almedia on:

Facebook | Pintrest | Twitter | Tumblr

Words: Nathalie Owen

Images: Tommie Flamingo and Bobby Campbell

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seen | I Love Ugly’s March Collection 2013

08 March 2013 Dru Douglas

Ah it’s a good time for the boys to get some shopping done. Thomas checked out Ted Bakers AW13 collection last week for mac+mae and now more threads for the boys with I Love Ugly’s new collection dropping last night.

Inspired by the 1960′s male, I Love Ugly has given us a collection with timeless pieces that focus on the small details. If we recall back in history class, the youth dominated the 1960′s with The Mod subculture coming out of Great Britain. The TV show Mad Men also seems to be inspiring a 1960′s fashion resurgence so we can only be expecting good things!

I Love Ugly has introduced a key piece for this coming season with the quilted jacket which comes in an almost Peruvian brown and a paisley design.

The Paisley is such a striking pattern featured in this collection. Whether it be in the jacket lining, on short sleeved shirts or as mentioned before on the quilted jackets. This paisley design though is not something to be intimidated by cause it comes in autumnal hues of brown and red with lashings of white and orange.

Also in the collection is the Penny Zip Up Hood, which will be one of the popular pieces with the contrasting ribbed texture. The contrast ribbing continues in the knitwear with the Penny Crew and comes in a dark maroon and black.

I Love Ugly do pants really well. All looks shown in the images feature Jonty Pants, Smart Pants, Ralph Pants (with the design line on the front leg), Track Pants (gathered at the leg) and the Zespy Pants.

Tops are featured in this collection in the form of t-shirts and shirts which come in both long and short sleeves. There’s contrasting yokes and great detailing in the use of what I can only assume is either wooden or coconut buttons. It is a classy collection that still has all the street elements in it to give it that I Love Ugly twist.