Young designs toasted at bar

Photo: JASON OXENHAM

OFF TO MARKET: Designer Celine Chapman is one of the new talents selling her fashion range at the Sale St markets.

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A new market is coming to town. But bargain hunters beware, the stalls on show at the Sale St Designer Markets in the city are in a class all of their own.

From 9am to 3pm every Saturday and Sunday, the walls of the Sale St bar will be lined with young designers hoping for their big break.

The markets, which debut on Saturday morning, will be showcasing fashion from the city’s up-and-coming designers, including established labels as well as fashion students and will also include some gourmet food stalls, designer homeware and jewellery.

Organiser of the markets and co-founder of online design store Epiphany, Brendan Poole says the idea was inspired by the success of similar bar markets in Sydney, where he’s seen young designers make their mark.

"It’s basically where all the young designers go out of school. They start getting seen and then get picked up by various retailers and fashions houses."

He says while Auckland has some good farmers’ markets, there have never been any fashion markets of any credibility.

"It made perfect sense to establish the idea here. We’ve been waiting for a bar like Sale St to come along as we needed somewhere with plenty of space."

One young fashion graduate who will be showing her stuff is Celine Chapman.

Since graduating from AUT’s fashion and design school last year, her label Celine Rita has taken off and she launched her winter range called Beautiful Little Fools in a show at Sale St two weeks ago.

Although she hadn’t been planning to start anything straight away after studying, she was overloaded with requests for her summer range and hasn’t looked back.

She hopes the Sale St venue will expand her customer base even further.

"It’s a completely different market and such a new concept to shop in this way. I think it will definitely be worthwhile."

Sale St owner Luke Dallow says he’s excited to be hosting the markets and thinks they’ll be popular.

"Blokes can tuck into a hearty brunch while their partner shops, it’s a win-win situation."

The markets are on every Saturday and Sunday at Sale St bar, from 9am to 3pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News