Designer gives TVNZ's fashion code a fail

Francis Hooper
Francis Hooper

A leading New Zealand fashion designer says Television New Zealand's new casual dress code is the wrong look for the image-driven industry. 

A leaked memo obtained by the Heraldon Sunday revealed female reporters at the state broadcaster had been asked to adopt a less glamorous appearance, while men had been asked to ditch the ties and roll-up shirtsleeves in favour of smart casual attire. 

World Fashion house co-owner Francis Hooper yesterday said he was surprised a television company whose core business was image wanted its news teams to slacken off in the fashion stakes.

‘‘For me as a fashion person, I already think they've dumbed it down enough,'' Mr Hooper said.

‘‘During the day their newsreaders don't have neckties and their sports readers and presenters in many cases have team jackets, so it's a bit, I think, how low can you go?''

The memo called for women to wear a utilitarian style of dress, including more shirts and trousers with block colours, and banned bare arms.

Male reporters were advised to wear open-necked shirts, their sleeves rolled up, jackets and chinos or dark dress trousers.

While the code might be seen to identify with the relaxed Kiwi lifestyle, it was important to project a professional image on-screen, Mr Hooper said.

‘‘[In] some cases you're reading the news and it is really serious, and the gravity of the moment has to be captured visually as well, which is the fact that the guy reading it is wearing a fantastic suit with a tie or the woman reader is dressed very, very sharply. I think there is a time on the six o'clock news you have to dress up,'' Mr Hooper said.

The new code had overtones of a school uniform, he said.

‘‘I think the bare arms - what do the girls wear? Onesies? - I'm not sure. It seems like TVNZ hasn't changed. You're still at school. You're told what to do.''

New Zealand society was governed by a casual dress code, which extended to the corporate world, he said.

The casual Friday had bled through to every day of the working week, Mr Hooper said.

‘‘For me as a fashion person, the way you look and how you present yourself in the world is really important. I wouldn't be in businesses if it wasn'timportant. 

‘‘All I can say is if you take your image lightly and you don't dress well and don't project well, then you won't do well in business.'' 

- By Lynley Bilby of the New Zealand Herald 

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