Sunday morning is not your typical time for a fashion event, but designer Caitlin Snell managed to gather a crowd of young creatives and the young at heart for her delightfully serene show and exhibition titled The Maiden this weekend.

Caitlin has become known for her clever whimsy and bow accessories (we collaborated with her on a special Ensemble bow in 2023, and she’s also made some with Twenty-seven Names), but her talents beyond bows were on display during the show held upstairs at Studio One Toi Tū on Ponsonby Road.

There were oversized versions of her signature ‘Georgie’ bows hung on the walls and charming handwritten notes for guests left on the seats. A display of flowers by Madam Rat alongside a flower-adorned cake by Neat Cakes and fruit candles by Poppy and Sage sat in the centre of the room.

Harrison Chau took to their harp to help capture the mood of a ‘Midsummer’s daydream’ during the show, which featured a small but considered collection of well-made, one-off pieces that will be available to purchase from November 20.

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Bows were turned into crop tops; silken tops and dresses came in shades of deep purple, navy, white and a bold blue; mini and midi skirts were adorned with bow and flower appliques – all worn by friends as models, styled as individuals going about their daily lives: carrying flowers that could have been bought from the local dairy, holding an oversized red bow bag stuffed with veges and a baguette, dressed up in silky tops and dresses for a night out. A collective ‘awwwwww’ echoed across the room when Phoebe the dog appeared, walking the runway on a bow-adorned lead and stopping to sniff a few of the guests’ feet.

The crowd watching the show was appropriately adorable, with great accessories, layering and yes, lots of bows. Our resident photographer Abigail Dell'Avo was there to capture some of the ensembles, on and off the runway.