Lorde

So after all the debate and speculation Lorde was "Kiwi Free" when it came to her choice of designer to wear.

To me this is more of a sad indictment on the state of New Zealand’s fashion industry rather than any sort of snub by the artist herself.

There are possibly a handful of designers she could have considered but they don’t really fit her own style. KW is too playful and Zambesi is too mature.

In other situations possibly Kristine Crabb, Ingrid Starnes, Kate Sylvester, Nom D or Stolen Girlfriends but very little of what these designers do would work in such a formal occasion.

The rest are left flailing.

The online revolution was supposed to herald the death of creative industries like the music industry so it is ironic that the likes of Spotify and iTunes have (in this case) been the artist’s best friend. 

New Zealand’s other creative Industries (fashion included) need to learn from this success and not just celebrate it if they want to have any chance of surviving beyond the next five years.

What are some lessons we need to learn?

1. Original ideas, determination, self belief and passion will always win in the end: Lorde's career has been relatively short but the people around her have worked tirelessly for years.

2. To succeed on an International stage you need International relevance. The entire world is your competition.

3. Good PR is important.

4. Any business needs good management. Lorde is a "business" like any other. 

5. Online isn't the enemy. Being a vampy is hardly a "new idea" but the use of social media and free music platforms is a case study in how to succeed today.

6. Don't get involved in it for the glamour. You need to always be ready to perform on the opposite side of the world 48 hours later.

Finally I thought that Lorde looked great, the Prada shirt and Celine trousers were beautifully cut and created a silhouette that worked for her.

It's hard to get white shirt and black trousers right but when your style advisor is reputedly Anna Wintour you're probably going to nail it.