Young designer makes debut with solo show
One of fashion’s brightest stars, Maggie Hewitt, is debuting her first solo runway show on the New Zealand Fashion Week schedule today with her label Maggie Marilyn.
The 24-year-old wunderkind whose designs have been worn by the likes of Kate Hudson, Kendall Jenner, and the Duchess of Sussex during her royal tour of New Zealand last year, is looking forward to showcasing her latest designs at home after finding success overseas, particularly in the US, which is a major market for her.
Known for her whimsical aesthetic and relaxed tailoring, Hewitt is one of a new wave of designers championing locally made clothes for a global market.
“We’ve invited all of our makers, suppliers and customers” she says. “This show is for them. They are so involved in making our clothes and they never really get to see what happens after they make and ship them, so it’s extremely special for them to see what the clothes look like in a runway setting, at its most heightened form with the scenery, the music, the hair and make-up.”
Launched in 2016, the Maggie Marilyn label was picked up by luxury e-tailer Net-a-Porter with its debut resort collection, and since then she’s amassed an impressive portfolio of stockists, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, the brand sharing rack space with the likes of top luxury names Alexander McQueen and Chloe.
In 2017 she impressed judges as a shortlisted finalist for the prestigious LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) prize, and while she’s shown intimate presentations in Paris and New York, this is the first time Hewitt has presented a traditional runway show in her home country.
The collection, showcased at an offsite venue in Morningside, won’t deviate too far from her signature aesthetic style.
“I’m not highly conceptual as a designer. I know what works and what doesn’t. But the sustainability message is and always will be a key message for the brand,” she says.