ALAYNA

Alice McCall top | New Look stripe skirt | Miista Alayna boots (sandals version here, loafer version here) | Benah x Karen Walker bag (more Benah x Karen Walker here) | Daniel Wellington classic gold canterbury watch (more here) | Elk Accessories three row tonal bar necklace.***So many NZFW posts to get through. I've been sifting through all my photos and am trying to figure out the best sequence to post them in. Shows, backstage, travel diaries, outfits.. it's all a big mess of happy memories. Clara sent me these photos today so I thought I'd quickly get these up first  - what I wore on day #1 of NZFW, snapped in the span of about five minutes right after the beautiful international VIP delegates welcome breakfast and right before rushing off to the opening show - NOM*d.I was so excited to get my hands on this beautiful Alice McCall top from the Cruise collection that showed in MBFWA earlier this year to bring to Auckland - it's one of my favourite pieces (actually scrap that, it's too unfair to pick favourites!) from the Cruise collection and if you haven't had a peek at Alice Cruise, I highly suggest you check it out now,* I literally need every single piece in this collection and this super adorable model (my favourite from the runway show) is really not helping my cause. If you're anything like me, you just spent 20 mins freaking out on the phone with your bff listing how you basically need it all in your life, right now, despite it still being 16 degrees. Anyway moving along.. it's massively voluminous in real life, so I rolled up the sleeves so as not to seem like I'm wearing a big balloon taking up way too much personal space whilst squeezing through the crowds in between shows. The little Benah x Karen Walker (oh how I adore this union of two super talented designers), to compensate for the massive top I am wearing.All in all, day #1 started off extremely optimistically. I'm not one for super high stilettos (shoes like that give me vertigo, despite the refreshing air up high) but I happened to find myself in the highest pair of heels I had packed in my suitcase for the week. But 13 hours, eight shows, one and a half meals (food, how i missed food!) and about eight times up and down the stairs in Viaducts Event Centre later and I was still more than fine. The gold bees must have had some pretty intense super powers because these things just don't happen!* Alice Cruise is now up for pre-order everyone! Photos: Clara Pafundi