Olivia O'Driscoll By Derek Henderson

Image - Pilot Magazine/Derek Henderson

Pilot is an incredibly good looking magazine.

Produced in New Zealand by Andy Pickering (once editor of Remix Magazine), with a focus upon exceptional design and layout, it seems logical that Pilot would also focus the same exceptional aesthetic standards upon their homegrown fashion editorials. In the past they have done so brilliantly, but it seems their recent issue has left a little to be desired.

Issue #6 of Pilot contains only one New Zealand produced fashion editorial, styled by industry novice Emma Gleason, and shot by Derek Henderson.

While drafting up and coming contributors usually displays an encouragement of fledgeling talent, in this instance it seems to display a lack of imagination from editor Andy Pickering. For a magazine which usually features several locally crafted fashion editorials, produced by some of the countries best names, to suddenly have just one, is an oversight.

I could be wrong, but I'd pick that Gleason was chosen because of her close ties/tweets with Murray Bevan of Showroom 22, her blogosphere fame, and self-promoted dabblings as an assistant to the respected Dan Ahwa. Rather than her own proven styling ability.

The shoot itself does indeed display a certain degree of polish expected from such a preeminent title, but this is undoubtedly due to the photographer and model, rather than the stylist. The styling is lackluster, and is an expected exercise in the pseudo-androgynous style Gleason herself is known for. Ill fitting menswear garments appear out of place alongside their more feminine counterparts. Accessories seem forced, and chosen only for their inherent brilliance, rather than a cohesiveness with the rest of the shoot. Fit and style are awkwardly transient throughout.

Apparently giving Gleason complete stylistic freedom, this shoot could have been her opportunity to shine in a discipline she is, thus far, not know for. Instead it was a largely directionless mash-up - Twiggy meets Mad Men meets Pretty Woman. It displayed none of the heightened creativity expected of a fashion editorial.

The addition of other content, from New Zealand's more experienced fashion industry personnel, would have added a credibility that this issue of Pilot lacks.

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Side Note.

The Pilot cover image of David Dallas, also styled by Gleason, is breathtaking. It is the best of all the summer covers from New Zealand's lifestyle, culture and fashion titles. Slick, polished and entirely unexpected.

McInnes Taljaard By Calypso Paoli

Image - Calypso Paoli

I've always held The Fashionisto in such high regard. It is my go-to-guy when it comes to menswear imagery. A one-stop-shop for the best male fashion campaigns, editorials and runway productions in the world. It represents an incredibly comprehensive view of global mens fashion, without sacrificing quality.

Initially an only an aggregator, The Fashionisto launched an in-house magazine in February of 2010. It was a logical next step for an entity with a such a large readership and experienced editing eye. It was to be, or so I thought, a chance for incredible, but otherwise unpublished, photographers and stylists to display their work.

New Zealand's creative talent has recently featured on The Fashionisto, in an exclusive - McInnes Taljaard By Calypso Paoli. An editorial shot by Calypso Paoli and styled by Benjamin Walls, features the top names in New Zealand fashion design. What could have been an incredibly rare chance to display our countries best talent to the world, was anything but.

The stylist of this editorial, Benjamin Walls, is a photographer - by training, but not by trade. It is perhaps due to this lack of educational and professional styling experience that this shoot seems to possess no definitive identity or personality. From Indiana Jones, to an Ivy League attendee, to John Steed - it transcendeds look, style, or reason.

Besides the lack of real character direction, there is no styling polish in this shoot. Shirt collars are too large and not reduced with styling tricks, delicate fabrics are not ironed or streamed, and rich felts still have traces of dust and lint.

I get the feeling that the stylist forced every piece of menswear he collected into the shoot, without editing or thought as to what was being photographed.

There are a couple of great looks in this editorial. But they are lost amongst the sea of mediocrity. With a little bit of garment editing, this could have been a winner.