a collection for a celebration — newly adorned Huia by Kate Sylvester.
93 23 — Kate Sylvester celebrates 30 years in design.
The collaborative partnership between Huia Vineyards and Kate Sylvester has transcended 12 years and over 24 fashion collections. We have long enjoyed pouring our wines, particularly a glass of bubbles at Kate’s shows and events.
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the Kate Sylvester design house.
To reflect, acknowledge and celebrate this milestone and incredible contribution to the New Zealand fashion industry, we have popped the next release of 2018 of the Huia Blanc de Blancs in three special labels, each that recall collections of personal meaning to Kate over those three decades.
Kate’s collections are rarely born without an inspirational muse. A recent collection, ‘Frances’ was an endearing homage to New Zealand born painter and artist, Frances Hodgkins whose textile designs Kate and her husband Wayne discovered on a curated tour of the archives at Te Papa Tongarewa. Taking respectful cues, Kate transformed a collection into structured yet ethereal pieces that brought the mostly unseen and unknown textiles into the light. It was this collection, timed with the very first Huia Sparkling Rosé release, that saw the first Huia wine dressed by Kate Sylvester.
Now, as the 30th anniversary of the fashion house rests on the horizon, Kate Sylvester has taken a moment to translate three significant collections into wine labels for the Huia Blanc de Blancs wine — our most noble.
Brighton Rock — Summer 2000
Inspired by Graham Greene’s novel Brighton Rock which juxtaposes innocence and evil. Kate used the doily print to represent the innocence of waitress Rose who is seduced by the gangster Pinkie in 1930s Brighton.
The Charming Man — Spring 2010
Kate created a charming garden party for all her muses; Proust was there along with Keats, Morrisey, Loulou de la Falasie and Coco Chanel. A bouquet of Redoute’s roses was the centre piece of the celebrations. Flowers have become a signature element of Kate Sylvester collections. Her mother was a passionate gardener with a particular love of roses, and her wild, blooming garden was central to Kate’s childhood.
Art Groupie — Winter 2008
Another of Kate’s triumphant collections was inspired by American surrealist photographer, Lee Miller. Such an intensely fascinating character it’s hard to adequately describe her. She endured much over her life which could be overshadowed by her exotic forays into costume design and modelling in Paris, France in the 1920’s but it was her fierce determination to become a surrealist photographer alongside the much revered Man Ray that really carved her pathway.
She became his muse and lover but importantly developed some ground-breaking photographic techniques. Miller’s circle of friends was rich with history’s iconic artists, Pablo Picasso, film star Lillian Harvey and Jean Cocteau who also fell to Miller’s charm. As if this woman couldn’t be any more appealing, during World War II, she became an official war correspondent photographing life during war and all of its atrocities for British Vogue.
With such a rich tapestry to work with you understand why Kate felt compelled to craft designs around this fascinating person. The Kate Sylvester collection that paid homage to Miller reflected that feminine strength, charisma and endurance. It is Lee Miller’s lips that appear on one of the limited edition Kate Sylvester Huia Blanc de Blancs bottles and we hope that with every glass that is poured from it, a quiet toast is made to one of the world’s most fascinating women. Bisous, Lee and to you, Kate. Congratulations on this magnificent milestone. We are so very proud to pour our wines for you xx
The perfect gift, this limited edition 6 pack includes two bottles of each wine label with three bottles popped in a Brighton Rock gift box.