Holly Snelgrove

“The key phrases ‘Imagine the Possibilities’ and ‘Now Or Never’ had me turning to childhood ideas of dreams and fantasy, following a more whimsical theme.

The vibrant blue of Resene Now Or Never, a striking shade, with eye-catching intensity, brought to mind the recent subject of the solar storms – the aurora. An experience that for so many had been aspirational and a once in a lifetime experience, was seen across the globe, capturing people's attention, despite, or perhaps because, of its fleeting nature.

The blue of an aurora evokes feelings of magic, fantasy, and ethereal beauty. The dynamic movement and rich colours translating perfectly into flowing lines and soft textures that mirror the swirling patterns and luminous hues of silk. The way the aurora dances and shimmers across the night sky calls for a dress that moves and flows with its own sense of magic and grace.

I want my garment to embody the beauty and mystical charm of the aurora. I envisioned a garment with unexpected or exaggerated elements such as ruffles or, fringe with a whimsical, fluid outline. I wanted the overall look to still maintain a high fashion vibe, but with a touch of spontaneity and magic.

Utilising my own fashion preferences and going after a magic or dreamlike vibe to create a feminine and frilled look landed me in the celestial and fantastical realm of ‘magical girl’ styling. A subset of media and a caricature that not only impacted me and grabbed my attention as a child but continues to draw me in. A caricature and a genre of Japanese fiction. A story of a magical girl focuses on every day, young girls with heroine alter egos, leaning heavily on stellar or angelic motifs. Often their transformation would be cast against a sky of stars and paired with rays of light, even resulting in an aurora-like phenomenon.

This genre embraces the idea of being a girl, hyper feminine, expressing themselves freely and using accessories associated with femininity and beauty as an anchor for their transformation. E.g. Hairpins, necklaces, or charms.

This only encouraged me to go further into the whimsical theme. An aurora has the appearance of the flowing hem, layered, ruffled, and frilled. I wanted to reflect this in my design, through the waterfall of the sleeves and the waving hemline. The shorter and more flared skirt giving a more youthful and playful feel, focusing more on a frilled effect over that of a sleeker, silhouette.

The main feelings I wanted this to convey are beauty and an otherworldly allure of the sky’s display. I want the wearer to feel like a beautiful being of fantasy when they wear my design.”

Resene Whitecliffe Colour of Fashion clothing - 2024

Photography by Natasha Boshkovski Photography

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