Art-meets-fashion at Crowded Elevator

Crowded Elevator Creative Collection Vol.2

Webb’s Gallery hosted a visual buffet for its guests at the launch of the Crowded Elevator ‘Creative Collection Vol.2’ exhibition.

‘Creative Collection Vol.2’ is a collaboration between Crowded Elevator's Carl Thompson, and six of New Zealand’s hottest artists. Steve King, Conor Clark, Askew, Kelly Thompson, Kentaro Yamada, and Anneke Stewart each designed a T-shirt that represents their individual take on New Zealand.

The event promised to tantalise the visual tastebuds, and guests that included Dai Henwood and Aja Rock certainly feasted their eyes on each artist's display.

Vol.2 chosen artists are a mixture of photographers, illustrators and graphic artists, offering a diverse array of looks ranging from Askew's graffiti inspired street art to Conor Clarks thought-provoking take on the New Zealand landscape.

Below, the opening party at Webb's Gallery drew a crowd drawing from both the art and fashion industry.



The New Zealand-inspired T-shirts offered something for everyone’s taste. Askew's street-style graphics merged to form the words “Help! Stuck on this crazy island." 
Below, Askew and Dai Henwood in Askew's design.



Kentaro Yamada's T-shirt was a computer pixelated collage of NZ icon Sir Edmund Hillary. Kelly Thompson’s fashionable take on “ I [heart] NZ” was a personal favourite.

The exhibition opening evening was accompanied by a catwalk show featuring looks from the latest Crowded Elevator collection. Models strutted provocatively down the catwalk with the signature attitude that Crowded Elevator models have become known for over the past three seasons. What started as a range of T-shirts has expanded into both men’s and women’s ranges which include dresses, skirts, singlets, jackets and denim.

The ‘Creative Collection’ exhibition ran from 18th to 19th of April at Webb’s Gallery, 18 Manukau Rd, Newmarket, Auckland. Artworks from the exhibition are on sale for between $400 for Kelly Thompson’s “Susan” to $7000 for Kentaro Yamada’s “Colour Circle”. Following the exhibition, the six T-shirts will be sold exclusively through WORLD.

Below, guests at the opening exhibition party

Story and photos: Amanda Haxton, April 2009