Auckland Designers

Karen Walker

Walker has long shattered the equatorial fashion ceiling and is well-known in the pages of glossy fashion magazines for clothes that are comfortable and sophisticated, made of rich fabrics and muted colors, and pulled together by playful themes. The look suggests the bad girl with good fashion sense. She draws inspiration from mold-breaking women—Amelia Earhart and Woody Allen's "Annie Hall."

Kate Sylvester

Another made-in-New Zealand designer gone global, Sylvester's style is eclectic and modern, with pieces made to be worn separately or mixed and matched. The colors and fabrics reflect the themes of her collections, from the tutulike skirts in the Black Swan—a riff on classic ballet—to the T-shirts and grandpa sweaters of her grunge rocker series. Sylvester's goals are to create fashion that is sustainable and that transcends trendiness.

Trelise Cooper

New Zealand's madcap version of the Laura Ashley empire includes home, adult, and children's lines, but without the prim-and-proper boundaries. Feminine fantasy confections of ruffles, beads, and flounces define Cooper's style. Cooper celebrates individuality and her clothes reflect this philosophy. The hallmarks of her children's items are oversized ribbons and bows.

Zambesi

Elisabeth and Neville Findlay have been producing fresh shapes in mix-and-match fabric textures for decades and have a worldwide following. Their edgy, modern clothing has a familiar palate, but experimental shapes and materials are both functional and challenging. A skirt may have an irregular hem or a traditionally shaped dress a metallic sheen, but all pieces maintain an inherent wearability.

Up and Coming

Mena. Mena is run by a four sisters who take vibrant color and mix it up with big prints that reference traditional Pacific design. They have a lot of fun with "maxi dresses" that make the most of floaty chiffon while their short flirty party frocks may make you forget your little black dress. Mena's store is in a working class suburb called Onehunga. 275 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland, 1061. 9/636-9089. www.mena.co.nz.

Mena. Mena is run by a four sisters who take vibrant color and mix it up with big prints that reference traditional Pacific design. They have a lot of fun with "maxi dresses" that make the most of floaty chiffon while their short flirty party frocks may make you forget your little black dress. Mena's store is in a working class suburb called Onehunga. 275 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland, 1061. 9/636-9089. www.mena.co.nz.

tk. Turet Knuefermann is one of New Zealand's young star designers. Her work blends high-European fashion (elegant backless dresses) with a New Zealand sense for practicality (classy, everyday pieces). At her Ponsonby area boutique, tk, she aims for approachable fashion. It all begins complimentary coffee as Brazilian music plays in the background. Rather than sell visitors on "Wow" items that quickly become "Wow, I can't believe I bought that" piles in the back of the closet, Kneufermann seeks to match her designs to the customer, guiding each one to pieces that she'll wear over and over again. You'll be in good company if you do nab a few of her pieces; Kneufermann has been a styling consultant for New Zealand Idol contestants and has several celebrity customers. 50 Brown St., Ponsonby, Auckland. 9/361-2020. www.tk.net.nz.