Christchurch-born designer Caitlin Crisp is to headline the inaugural Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival with a one-off solo show on November 8.
Crisp will debut her Resort 2025 “nautical” collection made for golden days by the sea and has collaborated with tanning and body care range BONNIE for her 400+ person show at the James Hay Theatre inside Christchurch Town Hall.
What we love most about Crisp is her dedication to creating fun, feminine, forever pieces.
The packed three-day schedule of the Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival (CSFF) includes public-facing fashion shows and designer-hosted events plus panel talks and brings a bespoke version of New Zealand Fashion Week to Ōtautahi Christchurch.
The weekend-long event will run from November 7 to 9, 2025 and is the first year of a three-year partnership between New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) and ChristchurchNZ.
Claudia Li at New Zealand Fashion Week 2025. Photography Radlab
CSFF schedule for 2025
Kicking off the festival in truly iconic style, New Zealand Fashion Week is proud to be bringing Australia and New Zealand’s largest fashion and lifestyle platform, THE ICONIC to Ōtautahi for the weekend’s first public show at James Hay Theatre.
THE ICONIC presents The New Guard will see the brand unveil its newest collections from exclusive designers LOVER & minima esenciales, followed by a curated edit of New Zealand’s next generation of fashion designers styled by New Zealand Fashion Week creative director, Dan Ahwa.
Guests will be treated to spring looks from some of New Zealand’s most exciting designers including Harris Tapper, Claudia Li, Wynn Hamlyn, Adrion Atelier, Caitlin Crisp, Rebe and Rory William Docherty.
Rory William Docherty at London Fashion Week 2025 with millinery by The Lyttelton Hat Company.
Christchurch Celebrates Caitlin Crisp
The only solo designer runway event at the CSFF 2025. Resort wear at its best.
The George Presents The Spring Edit, curated by NZ Fashion Week
New season looks from a plethora of New Zealand’s top designers all in one place including Juliette Hogan, Kathryn Wilson, Karen Walker, Ruby, Kowtow, Knuefermann, Twenty-seven names and more, curated by NZ Fashion Week’s Creative Director, Dan Ahwa.
Word on Fashion’s favourite Christchurch hotel, The George, is Official Hotel Partner and Presenting Partner for The Spring Edit.
Knuefermann at New Zealand Fashion Week 2025. Photography Norrie Montgomery
Festival Flair Across Ōtautahi
To support the CSFF’s major fashion shows held at James Hay Theatre, the schedule will also come to life across Ōtautahi Christchurch with panel talks, designer moments and stylist workshops:
Beyond the Runway
Following the success of the Beyond the Runway speaker series which debuted at New Zealand Fashion 2025, the conversation now continues in Christchurch with Beyond the Runway: From Runway to Real Life.
This intimate event sees NZFW creative director, Dan Ahwa in conversation with stylist Leigh-Anne Rheeder, exploring the evolution of New Zealand Fashion Week. The discussion will be followed by a live styling masterclass on translating the season’s trends into timeless, wearable looks, along with a personal shopping experience hosted by Leigh-Anne and Dan at Ballantynes.
Level 1, The Atrium, Ballantynes
Sunday 9th November, 2pm – 3.30pm
Frame HR & FashioNZ Present ‘Fashion In Focus’: Hosted at Christchurch’s Centre of Contemporary Art on Saturday 8th November, two exclusive panel talks will come to life, featuring some of New Zealand fashion’s most successful leaders and exciting new creatives.
Beginning with a talk that focuses on senior business leadership in many facets, ‘How’d you get your start?’ is an event where guests will hear from CEOs, designers, creative directors, and entrepreneurs on not only their successful careers but more importantly how they landed in the fashion industry.
Stylist Sammy Salsa. Photography Radlab
Joining together for this talk will be April Ward, CEO of leading retailer, Glassons, celebrated women’s wear designer Juliette Hogan, New Zealand Fashion Week creative director and fashion stylist Dan Ahwa, career curator Rachel Smart from Frame HR, and fashion influencer & beauty entrepreneur Mary Outram. MC’d by FashioNZ publisher and fashion PR maven Murray Bevan.
The second talk in the ‘Fashion In Focus’ series is entitled ‘Meet The Creators’. In this special, one-off panel talk, Frame HR and FashioNZ will bring together a modern mix of fashion creators who set the tone for how we see the fashion world shaping up today. Featuring in this talk will be fashion stylist Sammy Salsa, author and model Kaarina Parker, FashioNZ editor Bella Wright and others.
Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA), 66 Gloucester Street, Christchurch
Saturday 8th November, 11am and 1pm. Tickets $45 at Ticketmaster.co.nz, on sale 15.10.25
Designer Hosted Events
Shadow by taylor: taylor will launch a bespoke, New Zealand crafted, limited edition signature scent in a unique experience as part of the CSFF.
Taylor, 192 Papanui Road, Merivale Christchurch
Saturday 8th November, 10am for 10.30am launch
Meet the Designers: Join Vicki Taylor & Adrian Williams to view a first release of Adrion Atelier’s new capsule collection, for the first time ever available in Christchurch.
Taylor, 192 Papanui Road, Merivale Christchurch
Saturday 8th November, 11am-3pm
Designer Adrion Atelier at New Zealand Fashion Week 2025. Photography Radlab
I Made My Coat a Mountain: A parade of clothing in the port – this group show will see presentations from Lela Jacobs, Evan Beijaen, F.B.P.D, PAGE JENSEN, Stephen parks aka 6×4, Being Clothes.
12 Oxford Street, Lyttleton
Saturday 8 November, 12pm
How to book
Tickets to all major events as part of the Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival 2025 are on sale from 14th October via Ticketmaster.
