CELINE RITA SS/09 SHOW AT SALE STREET

The young fashion set was out in force on Monday night to support young designer Celine Chapman, who showed the SS/09 collection from her label Celine Rita at Sale Street bar. It was the second consecutive show the AUT Fashion graduate has held at Sale Street and all less than a year after graduating. The runway had been set up outside, but as the rain bucketed down a last minute move had to be made. No one would have known though, as Sale Street is one of a select number of Auckland bars with enough room to easily accommodate a long red carpet runway and a huge eager audience.

 Her summer collection ‘The Sweetest Thing’ was full of cute floral dresses,   skirts and midriff baring lace tops designed for sunnier, warmer days. Celine says the collection was inspired by childhood summers and the feelings you get when you think back on them. “For me it was summers spent at the beach boogie boarding, eating ice creams everyday and rollerblading. For everyone it will be different memories, but I want the range to take the wearer back on a nostalgic journey of summers past.”

20-year-old Celine is surprised to find herself showing another collection, and party, so early in her career. “I did imagine I would be doing this at some stage, just not so early! I wanted to work for someone else in their workroom and get to know how it all works, and gain some contacts before going out on my own.” Experience and age aside, the Celine Rita brand is growing quickly with a number of stockists around the country and a lucrative online store, www.celinerita.com.