REVIEW: Ride My Coattail | Te Wiki Ahua o Aotearoa

REVIEW | WEB EXCLUSIVE | ARTS

Written by Sanskruti Banerjee (she/her) | @san._.banerjee | Contributing Writer

BEHIND AERA THE LABEL

Aera The Label, featuring their limited edition runs of ready to wear clothing made their debut of the Ride My Coattail collection, at Ahua Fashion Week 2026. Aera’s house of experimentation and stories revolves around conceptual fashion, every piece underpinned with whimsical, lace and flowy incorporations. A brand that celebrates community and friendship, woven into each piece. This night featured creations by; Chloe Giles, Weiting Zhang, Jenny Jung and Sophyia Hilario. 

THE RUNWAY ATMOSPHERE AND VIBES

Ride My Coattail replaced the static tableau vivant with a vibrant, performance-led runway set to funky music. Models brought cheeky energy, pausing to do makeup, take calls, and exchange eye rolls and smirks, creating a playful yet powerful expression of femininity and self-possession. This curated performance runway had crowd members laughing, interacting and absorbed not only in the pieces, but the atmosphere overall. There was a table in the middle full of props such as bags, makeup supplies, a vintage mirror, stacks of spooled over books and jewellery. The models were adorned with sparkling blue eye shadow, but this did not distract from the clothes; they all moved with a liquid softness, graceful but filled with power. 

THE RUNWAY LOOKS

All the outfits balanced a clever interplay of softness and structure, presenting silhouettes that sat strong. There was lace with intricate patterns, whites and blacks, off shoulder tops and wide flowy legged pants. Sheer fabrics, beautiful skirts complete with white lace and textured layers resembling East Asian fashion roots and hues of blue also graced the runway. The contrast of neutrals alongside pops of colour, particularly present in the socks with bright yellows or electric blues made for a playful contrast, anchoring the collection in youthful vibrancy. There were short skirts, cut outs and splashes of wool providing an ice princess core winter vibe. Bold cut outs and geometric shape patterning, alongside other pieces with wispy fairy-like sleeves created a striking contrast between sharp structure and ethereal softness. There were high block heels and platform boots, adding a layer of grounding. My absolute favourite look had to be Aera’s sheer wine toned two piece - complete with a cropped fuzzy top with a semi transparent loose wispy skirt at the bottom and tall black boots. 

Ride My Coattail took us into a world blurring the lines between performance and presentation, crafting a beautiful collection that felt intimate, playful and powerfully self aware. It was a celebration of femininity in all its forms. Soft yet strong, whimsical yet deliberate, leaving a lasting impression of a brand unafraid to experiment, connect, and redefine the runway experience.

Photography by Jenna Chapman @jarzyshotz