Rose Coloured Glasses

The decadent bar that is Sale ST, music pumping, diet coke in hand, I eagerly await the arrival of Celine. As I soon find out, Celine is notoriously late. When I say soon, I mean 15 minutes after we had agreed to meet. And with me being notoriously early, I have to sit like a Nigel No Mates for a good 25 minutes. Makes for good people watching. I enjoy eavesdropping on a girl telling her friend about an extensive job interview she has just been to, and watch a couple obviously out on their first date.

Celine arrives, apologetic and looking very fashionable.

She’s wearing the obligatory leggings and black leather jacket, with one of her own creations in the middle. I note contentedly that we are both wearing pussy-bow tie tops. How very fashion-forward of me.

Celine’s clothes are beautiful. She says she is inspired by fabrics, and this is obviously visible throughout her three ranges. Her style is ‘unique, original, sophisticated, quirky and thoroughly feminine’, using a lot of velvet in her winter range Beautiful Little Fools. Her range is quintessentially feminine, with signature styles in neck frills and short shift dresses. Very pretty and girly. I am in love.

Celine’s one fashion rule? Stay away from black, apart from the obligatory black tights which are a wardrobe must-have this season. Ironically they seem to go with every piece in Celine’s range. Celine is a strong advocate for New Zealand made products, and since completing her Bachelor of Fashion Design at AUT just last year, she has quickly developed her label. Much faster than she ever anticipated, and already she has two machinists working for her. Meaning every item in the Celine Rita collection has been made in New Zealand. Celine’s focus is definitely on quality rather than quantity – and when you see her clothes in person this is very clear.

Visit Celine’s website (www.celinerita.com) to check out her current winter range as well as her past ranges. Want to check out Celine’s range in person? She is stocked in Dressing Dolls in Kingsland, Freesia in Christchurch (opening next week) and Shop9 in Hamilton, which is opening in a few weeks. Celine also has a weekly stall at the Sale ST markets (which she now refers to as her home away from home), every Saturday, 9am-3pm.