FIVE WAYS DJs dresssed in sequins
five ways to wear The life of the party, DJs remix new-season sequins to show us how to amp up an outfit.
RAIN & CHINA KATAYANAGI
TWIN DJ DUO AND MODELS
“We obviously share clothes like any other siblings or twins, so there’s no doubt our fashion senses will end up similar. They only differ because Rain dresses more tomboy, and China dresses more girly. Our fashion senses change all the time – it depends on where we’re going. But we always wear something comfortable that looks cool.
We’ve recently Marie Kondo’ed our rooms so most of our clothes are gone. Our wardrobes just have a lot of tees and pants. During the day we’ll usually wear pants and a Bassment tee or a hoody.
What we wear when we’re working or going out depends on a few things – but what always makes our fits ‘a fit’ depends on our makeup and hair. We always wear something that makes us feel like us. We used to do heaps of different beauty looks, but now we’re kind of just keeping it ‘natural’.
Our style hasn’t changed with DJ’ing. We’ve dressed the same before and after DJ’ing entered our life. Black is always our go-to. And we are also loving the matchymatchy fashion trend at the moment.
Fashion is important to us. It tells us a lot about a person.
We enjoyed the sequin looks because we sometimes enjoy being super extra and sparkly. We could see ourselves wearing these because we high-key but low-key like matching fits!
Our dad is a DJ – he’s always DJ’ing so there’s no surprise we picked it up. Stylist Immy (Imogen Wilson) gave us our first DJ gig, and from there we just kept getting booked. We love discovering new music or DJ’ing for our friends.
Rain’s speciality is that she will play anything. She doesn’t care. If she’s DJ’ing at [Auckland club] 1885 she will play Patea Maori Club if she wants to. DJ’ing with confidence is the best speciality. Also, China’s the GOAT at mixing, so we make the perfect DJ duo.”
SORAYA LAPREAD
MUSIC PRODUCER AND DJ
“I believe fashion was our first form of artistic expression; the first time we used our creativity to add style and emotion to something functional. Whether we admit it or not, it is important to everyone and to our society as a whole.
Garments that excite me are those that I haven’t seen before, ones that have details and decoration – those one-of-a-kind, workof-art-type garments. I am always working and my supporters often come to the different gigs I play around the city. I feel like it’s my job to look dope, and I don’t want to be seen in the same look twice; that’s lazy.
Developing personal ‘uniforms’ suited to my body type helps when getting ready in a rush, which is always the case for me! I look for high-waisted cuts and textures that move over the whole outfit. I love bright and rich colours. Emerald green is my all-time.
I love that sequins have detail, texture and movement. My dad [Commodores bassist Ronald LaPread] always taught me to dress up when I entertain. I love drama. I love costumes and I think sequins under stage lighting is the ultimate.
When I produce music, I’m usually in the studio, which is usually full of boys, so my day attire is casual and boyish. Jeans, tees and the occasional tracksuit. If I’m out at night, I’m working. I learnt the hard way how to make ‘hot’ also comfortable, and how to get there without heels. Some nights I DJ for up to six hours and I never sit. I would rather focus on my work and not how uncomfortable I am.
I’d like to think my speciality is playing to the crowd I’m in front of. First I try to identify my audience and then I like to throw in tracks that are in the same vein but might be new to them. I love bringing life to a party. A DJ is like the heartbeat or pulse of a dance floor, so my mood, my posture and my song selections affect everybody in that space. If I have done a good job, then we are all vibrating together as one.
Lately, I have been producing for a lot of artists whose projects I am very excited about: JessB, Bailey Wiley, Chaii and the
MVP Stan Walker. I have an artist here from
LA, Azul. She is phenomenal and we are currently finishing her debut release here in New Zealand. I’m also finishing my own solo project.”
JAIMIE WEBSTER HAINES DJ, DESIGNER AND CONSULTANT
“My sense of style is a complete embodiment of all that I love and am interested in. I am excited by all aspects of creativity – great food, great art, great clothing, great design of all kinds, great music and, of course, great people.
Generally I wear my own designs. I am lucky enough to still work closely with my patternmaker and seamstress from when
I had Jaimie Boutique and my label Jaimie on Ponsonby Rd in Auckland for eight years, and I’m now doing exclusive limited runs of pieces that I love. The Jaimie look was once described as ‘elegant tomboy’. I thought this was pretty accurate!
Sequins are not usually in my repertoire, however a bit of bling can be perfect at the right time. The gorgeous Turet Knuefermann asked me to DJ live on the runway for her show at New Zealand Fashion Week last year and the top I am wearing here was made from a fabric she was featuring in long skirts. It’s available in store, although in very limited numbers, and it’s even called the ‘Jaimie’ top!
The music I play is a reflection of all that I love. I mix Latin, soul and jazz with proper disco and modern electronic sounds. I weave them together to create an experience and tell a story.
For now, combining all my loves together is enough to keep me very busy, along with being a mum to four-year-old Zoot – that’s a full-time job alone! I have a new company called Zootmusic with my husband, musician Nathan Haines, which incorporates our talents – his 30 years of experience as a musician and producer at an international level, and my fashion, design, art degree and DJ background. We’ve done hundreds of high-end events all over the world. We curate bespoke musical concepts, do event consultation, create playlists and write original music for commercial projects.
For me, DJ’ing is another creative outlet – it’s also a very in-the-moment way of making people happy. I got into DJ’ing officially when I was 20. I have always loved music and was the annoying one at the party who always wanted to put on my songs! I am now at a level that I can trust myself and know I will always deliver. We have many exciting projects this year, including Nathan’s 25-year anniversary shows at The Civic, Auckland, and The Opera House, Wellington, in August.”
SIN HOWARD GEORGE FM NIGHTS HOST AND DJ
“I’m forever changing my look to suit my multiple alter egos. I can be your grungedup DJ in the nightclub or your Sunday-bestdressed honey to meet your grandparents. My wardrobe is almost like a costume box, and my friends and I have a great time rummaging through it after a few wines.
Fashion is important to me. It’s the opportunity to put on a visual display of who ‘Sin’ is. As I work as a night-show radio host on George FM, days are usually slow and steady for me and my leather platform Doc Martens take me from A to B.
I’m a sucker for leather and white at the moment. Sequins are no longer just a glam look, they can be worn with your favourite casual outfit too. I love to layer and clash patterns. The biggest trend right now is confidence. And I love it! Currently, my beauty look is glossy lips and lids and slick hair. It’s simple and it lets the clothes do the chat.
My spin specialities are house, disco and techno. DJ’ing has always been about the music for me. I grew up in a household that encouraged us to listen to music and now
I get to encourage others to listen to music, especially electronic. My passion lies within what I do behind the decks, but also how it makes me feel watching the people dancing in front of the decks.
I used to be a punter at every gig before I decided to give it a crack. I was a bedroom DJ for two years until I was given my first opportunity to play in front of a crowd. The love affair began, and it’s been impossible to keep me away ever since.
This year has been a cracker already. I was lucky enough to play support for Fatboy Slim’s Auckland show during his tour here. I’ve also played at Auckland Town Hall as support for Netsky, headlined Morning People (a morning rave before work), and been flown to Ultra Australia to interview Martin Garrix and The Chainsmokers. I feel so honoured to be in such a thriving industry and the music industry here in New Zealand.”