Hobbled model left in moonboot
HELENA MITCHELL started Fashion Week well-heeled – and finished it in a moon boot.
The Auckland model discovered how much you can suffer for fashion when she sprained her foot dressing for an Annah Stretton catwalk show.
The 18-year-old went down the runway with cellotape wrapped around her black block heels, but was in too much pain to complete a planned outfit change and finale.
Backstage on Thursday night rumours swirled that a bone in her foot had been broken in an attempt to squeeze on a shoe that didn’t fit.
Agent, Andrea Plowright of 62 Models, said X- rays the next morning revealed a sprain.
She confirmed Mitchell was in a moonboot and had been ordered to stay off work until tomorrow.
In a statement, Mitchell, an NZ Fashion Week regular who is also signed with Chadwicks Sydney and has worked for the likes of Karen Walker and Ecoya, said: ‘‘I enjoyed the show and the look was awesome and sadly these things can happen, but it wasn’t the designer’s fault.’’
It was unclear exactly how the injury occurred. Stretton said she understood one shoe had been too big for the model’s foot, and packing and tape had been employed to hold it on.
Stretton said she had been ‘‘incredibly paranoid’’ about footwear for the show, after an incident at her 2008 Fashion Week outing where two models tumbled in four-inch stilettos.
‘‘I would probably like to get into the headlines for the fashion, not the slipping models.
‘‘I don’t want someone to break their leg in our show, and to know this young girl’s been hurt . . . I hate that.’’
Two years ago, Auckland Mayor Len Brown was labelled a fashion week hero when he caught a model who fell during a show by Australian designer Charlie Brown.
According to figures from ACC, New Zealanders last year made 840 claims for injuries sustained while dressing – including strains suffered while bending over to deal with shoes and socks, and various injuries from falling over while balancing on one leg.
High heels directly contributed to 780 claims worth approximately $380,000.
Typical problems included cuts, bruises, strains and fractures from slips and falls, along with injuries to people trodden on by others wearing heels.
Fashion Week’s trade only shows, previewing next winter’s collections, finished on Thursday.
Fashion Weekend – a ticketed, public event featuring in-season styles – concludes tomorrow.