LOCAL FASHION –CELEBRATING THE COAT

It's hard to overstate the impact a great winter coat can make on your wardrobe. Without one, even the most beautifully curated outfit can be just that little bit off. And you might get cold!

A coat is also the first and last item that people see on you when you hit the office, a party or your favourite bar, your first and last impression. A great choice will see you want to keep it on, instead of running to coat check or throwing it on the back of your chair as fast as you can, so choose well.

The best coat option is always a versatile one, so look into styles that can be worn multiple ways. When you choose well, the right coat can be dressed up with killer heels, or paired with chunky trainers and athleisure. Ensure yours is one you’ll want to wear today and forever. Read on for some coat inspo from some of our favourite local designers.

Natalie Procter, MINA

Mina is a Grey Lynn-based brand creating refined and effortless wardrobe staples with sustainability and ethical business practices always top of mind. Mina designer Natalie is a master when it comes to effortless yet elegant dressing, and her pick for a great winter coat is the label’s enduring Stone Coat.

“I absolutely love our Stone Coat,” says the designer, “it's our core style we do every winter season and I believe it ticks every box when it comes to investing in a coat.”

She shares that the MINA Stone Coat was actually inspired by a piece that her mum passed down to her: “She brought it back in her early 30s from a business trip to New York. It's long (mid-calf length), a soft caramel, and 100 percent cashmere. It still looks brand new all these years later, and it was the coat that came down to Wellington with me when I went to study my fashion degree. It's classic and clean so has never aged with passing trends.

“The reality is it's an investment piece,” adds Natalie, “so for our Stone Coat we always source 100 percent wool fabric when we can, and the timeless silhouette looks great this season in classic houndstooth. We create soft shaping in the waist so even if you’re sizing up for a boxy shoulder, you’ll avoid the look of a long coat drowning you out.”

From her elegant Herne Bay atelier, Fleur creates some of the industry’s most show-stopping pieces with a ‘less is more’ approach always top of mind. Formally trained, the designer took a break from the industry after 12 years patternmaking for local couture and high-end fashion houses, returning to launch REINE just a year ago to huge acclaim.

One of her top picks for stellar outerwear is the label’s Jean Luxe Coat, “which was a piece I was just compelled to make after seeing the exquisite winter white wool fabric. Shrug it on and it immediately makes you feel so special, like an old-school movie star. It has hidden side pockets as I wanted to take away as many elements as possible to really let the oversized but totally timeless silhouette shine, and the end result is a statement coat that can be worn everywhere and immediately elevates any outfit.”

The Mme. Henri Coat in charcoal is another standout style, with the designer sharing that she’s worn it “looking super preppy by day and over a sheath dress at night, and without fail I am stopped and complimented on it. This coat has the most luxurious look and feel that can’t be beat, and is just so polished that you never want to take it off.”

Lastly, she can’t leave out the label’s signature cape – the Manon. “I spent months working on this cape,” says the designer, “and I am so proud of how it turned out. I adore the nineties Calvin Klein-style minimalist aesthetic and Japanese design, and that definitely came through in this piece which I basically sculpted to the body.

“Our biggest seller, our customers love it for travel – over activewear on the plane, then draped over the shoulders with a statement dress after hours. It doesn’t matter what you have on underneath, it just gives you the most incredibly sophisticated silhouette.”

Deanna Didovich, RUBY Creative Director

The Ruby label has gone from strength to strength over the years, and it’s a credit to designer Deanna Didovich and her gift for creating collections that are instantly covetable. Deanna first stepped into the role of designer at Ruby in 2008 and has evolved the label from its original look which had a streetwear feel, into an elegant, romantic brand that has retained its quirky cool.

“At the moment, I find myself reaching for the pieces in my wardrobe that require minimal effort and can easily be dressed up or down,” says Deanna, “and my RUBY Rue Blazer has been ticking all of the boxes. The Rue is a medium weight, slouchy style that gives a tailored look while still allowing room for layers underneath and lots of movement. Currently available in four shades and coming in navy this month, the Rue is an every day wardrobe staple that can anchor any outfit no matter the season.”

The Liam Patterns' Marsha Coat

Emily Miller-Sharma, Liam Designer

With a lifetime connection to fashion and sewing through her family, Emily is General Manager of Auckland fashion label RUBY and designer for Liam. A passionate advocate for the local industry and sustainable business practices, Emily was the person behind Liam Patterns, making Liam the first established fashion brand to sell its intellectual property paper patterns of new and existing styles that customers can re-create at home. It’s from that initiative that Emily’s coat of choice comes: the Liam Patterns' Marsha.

“I hate to talk about the weather but it has given me time to bunker down and get back to doing the things I love, like creating with my hands,” says Emily. “It has been on my everevolving to do list, to make myself our Liam Patterns' Marsha coat. I have realised that Marsha would make the perfect companion for my daily commute to work on foot. I originally thought I would line this coat, but given the shortest day of the year has come and gone, I’m going to ditch the lining and create a trans seasonal throw on. That’s the beauty about Liam Patterns – the design choices are in your hands. If you see me walking along the bike path in my cobalt Marsha and leopard faux fur hat give me a toot!”

(HELENE RAVLICH)  PN

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