Word on Fashion has been immersed in New Zealand Fashion Week-land for the past week and gosh it was good for the soul and creative spirit. Sure, we were on social media A LOT, sharing reels of the incredible collections hitting the runway but it was also a week where we didn’t watch the world news or have conversations about AI. It was immersive, buoyant and completely inspiring, so we wanted to share our view on the world of NZFW 2026.
Here’s the lowdown on the 20 shows and presentations we attended, plus views shared around diversity, community and the joy of dressing up! They are listed in order of appearance from Monday night through to Saturday.
The Art of Style
The Art of Style held at Giltrap Group attended by 375 VIP guests couldn’t have been more fabulous. There were two runways. The upper level lined on both sides with luxury cars – the kind you want to be photographed beside including a very nice Porsche that I had to get a photo with – and basement carpark, which one had to descend down a ramp. Hence the dress code – cocktail dress and flat shoes!
The theme, Art of Style, may have conjured up images of the 2026 Met Gala’s dress code “Fashion is Art” but it posed a really great question: What does personal style mean in an era when algorithms can anticipate our tastes before we have had the chance to discover them for ourselves?
Curated by New Zealand Fashion Week creative director Dan Awha, the show explored the relationship between fashion, performance and art, bringing in new season collections into conversation with pieces from New Zealand’s creative past and present including costumes sourced from the Royal New Zealand Ballet and New Zealand Opera.
Doris de Point wearing wearing Doris de Pont x Gregory O’Brien jacket (2006), DNA fingerless gloves (2002) and tattoo tights (2004), tutu from the Royal New Zealand Ballet The Nutcracker (2018) by Patricia Barker, Margot Barton Millinery Hibiscus and feather printed acrylic hat (2004).
The show was designed to reflect on both the history and future of New Zealand’s creative identity. And it certainly did that. Each look was a mix of different designers. One person I spoke to was critical of this approach but I personally loved the puzzle of putting together the pieces and recognising that Doris de Pont (designer and founder of the New Zealand Fashion Museum) was wearing designs from her former label DNA and a hat by milliner and Otago Polytechnic fashion designer teacher Margo Barton. Also this is how we dress ourselves. As humans we don’t usually step out head to toe wearing one designer.
Lorraine Downes wearing Knuefermann.
Celebrity models included chef Josh Emett wearing Crane Brothers who wove his own creativity later in the week with cashmere-like cloud desserts at Elle & Riley’s 10 year celebrations. Emett and his wife Helen are to open a restaurant at soon to be opened 3-level luxury department store Faradays (131 Queen St).
Lorraine Downes wowed in Knuefermann, opera singer / model Isabella Moore wore Juliette Hogan and Peni Taehia coat, and Geeling Ching a coat from NZ Opera’s Semele (2020) by Tracy Grant Lord and Liz Mitchell shirt and skirt (2026), though my personal favourite was the Vinka Lucas gown worn by Izzy Cowdell which was “spectacular, spectacular”.
Vinka Lucas gown worn by Izzy Cowdell
NZ Fashion Design Council announcement
Before the show NZFW owner Feroz Ali made the exciting announcement of the creation of the New Zealand Fashion Design Council (NZFDC).
The NZFDC will aim to support designers to grow sales and marketing networks around the globe, beginning with a cross-market partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).
NZFW supported the FDCI by way of a runway show featuring six designers from India, Khadi – Beyond Borders at NZFW, and, in turn, pathways will be opened up for Kiwi designers to showcase their collections in India. Further developments are expected for the NZFDC in 2027.
Khadi Beyond Borders show, NZFW 2026.
Jumping for joy at Caitlin Crisp
Designer Caitlin Crisp was quite literally having the time of her life when she officially opened for NZFW on the Monday.
Models included dancers from the Royal New Zealand Ballet who walked en pointe like Sugarplum fairies in pink tutus and cosy Caitlin Crisp jumpers.
The finale soundtrack, The Time of My Life from the movie Dirty Dancing, had two dancers do some of Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray’s moves much to the delight of the audience. Crisp then literally skipped for joy down the runway followed by the entire cast and had a giddy spin. We loved every minute of it. As well as the very welcome glass of Veuve Clicquot and fresh Daily Bread croissants served on platters to everyone on exit.
Designer Caitlin Crisp having the time of her life.
As for the clothes? In Caitlin Crisp’s own words: “I’ve always loved clothes that make you want to dance.” And the narrative extends beyond the clothing itself. “Clothes won’t change the world, but the women who wear them will.”
We can get on board with that.
A drive to Gow Langsford Onehunga for Yu Mei
Yu Mei founder / designer Jessie Wong is so respected in the design community that practically every delegate included Word on Fashion made the 30-minute drive from NZFW HQ at Shed 10 to the Gow Langsford gallery in Onehunga.
Here there were plinths displaying Yu Mei’s bags, which are indeed individual works of art. It was a celebration of creativity and was Yu Mei’s third exhibition presented in collaboration with Range Rover. The exhibition – Objects by Women – showcased the work of Augustina Binyamin, Katherine Rutecki, Kathryn Tsui, Catherine Griffiths, Marta Buda, Shannen Young, Josephine Jelicich and Binh Minh Ha, Jenny Takahashi Palmer, Georgia Tikaputini and Douglas Hood, and Turumeke Harrington.
All but three works were created especially for the one-day only exhibition. Some of the artists also worked collaboratively together.
“This really was an invitation to women in design who we feel have a shared craft with the process of leather craft,” said Wong. “It was just astounding what they all brought back to us. Lots of collaborative pieces and beautiful works of art.”
It also saw the presentation of Yu Mei’s most iconic shapes in Americano Lambskin and Fire Croc and the launch of the new Pania bag – a shape Wong has “been iterating for the last 10 years”.
Food at the exhibition served on stainless steel trolleys was also presented like art. Sliced grapes on whipped butter on focaccia; and florets of lettuce filled with peas and spinach and skewers of Brussels Sprouts.
Twenty-Seven Names
The last time Twenty-Seven Names showed at NZFW was 2018 so it was a welcome return to the runway for the Wellington designer besties.
Back in 2018 NZFW was still mostly a trade show, rather than the in-season event it is today, so to pay homage to that and also to keep it exciting for themselves they showed two collections – Semester One SS26 and Semester Two AW27.
As per all things Twenty-Seven Names, the concept of the show was as clever as one of their intricately folded exaggerated giant bows, with a play on a prospectus for an Arts Major covering the classics, art history and philosophy, and sending the models down the runway for the finale wearing graduation caps.
“It’s called Tau Sigma Nu which is Twenty-Seven Names [in Greek] and we had quite a lot of fun with the idea of like going taking it back old school and being self-referential to the things that we’ve done in our career,” said Anjali.
“We wanted to show AW27 and give our buyers the opportunity to see the collection before they all come and see us the next couple days at Fashion Week. So they can have already imagined what it will look like on and get to sort of experience it through our lens.”
Rachel said she liked the tradition of Fashion Week being part trade show. It’s lovely to show in season, but I feel like the whole thing about Fashion Week is to show people something that they haven’t seen, and so the excitement of that feels really good because it’s what’s fresh for us.”
Elle & Riley
The luxury cashmere brand celebrated its 10th anniversary during NZFW with an invite-only soiree in Faraday St, Parnell.
The Language of Cashmere: A Lexicon was an intimate presentation celebration the fibre in a limited-edition book printed by Milk Books with photographs by Luke Foley-Martin and featuring words from people that Elle & Riley founders Yolande and Elle admired and sharing their thoughts, anchored by one word through the lens of cashmere.
For example, Josh Emett chose “purity” – because “The best ingredients require the lightest touch. I think the same is true of cashmere. The greatest luxury is often found in simplicity, and in treating something exceptional with care.”
Josh Emett’s cashmere-inspired desserts at Elle & Riley.
Juliette Hogan
Fringing was one of the biggest trends of the week and Juliette Hogan went big with an installation of circular curtains of cascading illuminated fringe along the runway, creating a sense of movement as models walked through the space. It was beauty in motion and she carried through the theme with fringing on hand-finished pieces.
Some of the pieces used up to 12 metres of fabric each! A time-consuming undertaking with breathtaking results. Several of the looks were created exclusively for the show, showcasing Juliette Hogan Bridal and recently launched JH Bespoke.
“I’ve always loved the way fringe brings movement to a garment. For this collection, we wanted to take the idea further,” said Juliette.
Footwear in the show was provided by Bared Footwear.
Plume x NOM*d
An invitation-only event, NOM*d‘s intimate salon show experience in The Libraries at The Hotel Britomart was one of the shows we were most looking forward to.
Racing there from Juliette Hogan I missed getting one of the few seats though Patty Huntington offered me half her chair and I took her up on the offer. We laughed and reminisced about the time I had to do the same thing in New York at Marc Jacobs that we crashed together and our random adventures together at different Fashion Weeks over the years.
Margi Robertson and the team know how to put on a good show and splitting this one into two parts was clever, especially on the part of hair direction of Stephen Marr who created fabulous wigs for the Plume presentation featuring international designers available at Plume – Ann Demeulemeester, Comme des Garcons, Undercover and Melitta Baumeister.
NOM*d then presented its ‘Superstars’ SS26 collection – the brand’s 81st season – pairing timeless design with “a touch of sport entering the city”. It also marked the introduction of Clare Warburton as NOM*d’s new lead designer.
The lighting for the show was muted and atmospheric. I later found out there’d been a technical issue that blew out the lights. We didn’t notice!
NOM*d Superstars SS26
Taylor
Patty and I continued on our NZFW26 adventure to Taylor, located at another offsite venue in Durham Lane.
We were worried we’d miss it but they were waiting for us. Patty wanted to go backstage to see the models and designer Vicki Taylor explained that wouldn’t be so straight forward because this was not a straightforward show and the models / aka dancers were already in situ.
Patty wanted photos so Vicki whisked us upstairs and into the space where mannequins dressed in Taylor with accessories by Anthurium made an impressive line up. It took a moment to realise that only five of them were actual humans. Vicki wanted to make sure we got a shot so obligingly turned on the lights because she didn’t think we’d get much during the show. She planned on there being a lot of smoke.
The presentation of Somnii her SS26 collection was inspired by dreamscape – the moment between sleeping and waking where things feel both familiar and strange where live performers danced around the space shape shifting amongst swirling smoke.
“This collection grew from the idea of the dreamscape – not as something soft or romantic, but as a space where the mind rearranges reality. Where fragments of thought, memory and form collide and become something new,” said Vicki.
The Studio and Sylvester
So much to say here yet will try and keep it brief.
Hearts panged when Sylvester hit the runway with its final ever SS26 collection. It seems unbelievable that we will be bidding farewell to Sylvester soon. The presentation packed a strong punch. The kind that gets you running to the store to snap up the collection for fear of missing out.
The crowns worn by the models as styling pieces, bringing the collection together within the group show, were also stand out and covetable. We want those too!
Fringes
Fringes button suit by designer Finn Mora-Hill created quite the buzz. It has 6,000 buttons!
He used a projector to project the pattern of one of his prints onto the fabric before applying the buttons to the suit which took one month to make.
Liam Lingerie
Liam Lingerie took part in NZFW for the first time and we loved the diversity of shapes and sizes which the brand represents and caters for. Thank goodness! Particular shout out to celebrity model / opera singer Isabella Moore for walking in this show. You are a goddess.
Afterwards I asked Evelyn Ebrey, co-producer of documentary Cutting the Curve, how she felt size was represented on the catwalk at NZFW this year. She thought having some of international curve models back like Isabella and Holly Rose made a difference.
She felt it had improved on last year though pointed out that if you are a brand that doesn’t sell above a size 14, having to custom make a garment for a curve model just for the runway was a bit disingenuous. “It doesn’t quite work because then you’re giving people the idea that you sell up to an 18 or 20 and only go to a 14 or a 16.”
Adrion Atelier
Adrion Atelier presented The Dying Craft – A Celebration of Making which revisited early designs Adrion has carried in his head for years, with a focus on drape. He is also the king of glamour and his stand out black evening gown (main hero image for this story) is a work of art.
The stunning monochromatic quilt the model carries was a collaboration with local quilter Diane Hinds and took 50 hours to complete.
Harris Tapper
Harris Tapper opened The Studio show and we can’t stop thinking about their balloon / puff hemmed embroidered jackets!
Emma Jing
Emma Jing’s collection brought “piratecore” and romance to the runway. She’s probably not putting those eye patches into production but we hope she is producing the hats.
Penny Sage
Penny Sage had some people wondering why a model was carrying a bunch of parsley. Why not sage? Well it doesn’t really have the same impact does it. Plus, she is an Earth-conscious sustainable designer so it made sense to me. Though I was more obsessed with her pouch purses. I was hunting for one such purse for the Bridgerton Ball earlier this year. I saw many purses like this throughout the week and it’s a welcome move I say. Elegant with eveningwear and more practical than a clutch because you can dangle it on your wrist.
Ovna Ovich
Ovna Ovich is another designer with a sustainable lens and it was wonderful to see her back at NZFW. For this collection designer Marina Davis didn’t introduce any new materials but worked with what she had and reworked styles, dyed fabrics and collaborated with painter Emma Beck who hand-painted some of the dresses.
“We also we did a print together on the T-shirt. It was working with what I had and not actually really creating new but turning what I had into something new and breathing new life into it. It was really fun to do it like that, instead of starting from scratch.”
Longform
Longform – merino clothing by Des Rusk – was beautiful in its simplicity. Every piece covetable and classic style staples with the extra X-factor of Rusk’s handwriting.
Claudia Li’s Love Letter to New York
When I was a girl I dreamed of being in a room filled with beautiful dresses of volume and silk. The kind you see in Vogue magazine. Beautiful colours, sheen, beaded embellishments. It’s called haute couture and that’s what Claudia Li presented in intimate salon presentation at The Northern Club, even though I know it’s NZ not Paris.
I’ve covered Haute Couture Paris Week once and Claudia’s collection met that standard.
Claudia Li’s Love Letter to New York collection presented at The Northern Club.
And it was the most elevated expression of Claudia Li yet, marking the launch of her new private client, made to order offering for luxury event wear, bridal wear and special occasion dressing.
The collection presented unmistakable Claudia Li silhouettes in silk duchess satin, fil coupé, taffeta, silk shantung and jacquards. I swooned over the hand-applied crystal embroidery and the colour palette that spanned from ivory and black to lavender, pink, soft mint and antique gold, accessorised with diamonds from Patridge Jewellers.
Claudia Li and Partridge Jewellers. Photography Hope Patterson
This was an occasion for these occasion dresses! A penultimate Fashion Week moment.
Also loved that Amanda Cosgrove got to wear a bridal gown proving bridal chic at any age is achievable.
Amanda Bransgrove modelling Claudia Li. Photography Hope Patterson
COLLAR at The Keep
Lela Jacobs always does things differently and her latest presentation for NZFW at The Keep on K Road had a full turnout for an exhibition of collars by different designers and artists hanging from the ceiling. She timed entry for COLLAR over three different slots in an attempt to keep the room less crowded. Upon entry you were instructed to keep chatter to a minimum. The concept was for people to move silently through the room and take time to examine the collars as the music gradually rose in crescendo. The latter definitely happened and so did the chatter because people couldn’t help but talk about these amazing collars.
There was aluminium mesh with freshwater pearls by Mia Straka and a collar woven from Woolworths string by Wynn Hamlyn; nylon cord, wax cord and red dyed goose feathers by Kiri Nathan; a cloud of orchids in cobalt with cascading yellow ties by Adrian Hailwood; repurposed woollen knitwear and safety pins by Margi Roberton of NOM*d; and a collar fashioned out of a pair of pink leather gloves by Annabella Schnabel.
FQ Fashion Writer of the Year 2026 studies a collar made from a pair of leather gloves by Annabella Schnabel at The Keep.
Kathryn Wilson
Showing footwear in a massive space to hundreds of people and keeping them entertained is no mean feet feat (pun intended) but Kathryn Wilson proves she can do it again and again.
Both her shows were sold out at NZFW and so spectacular that hubby and NZFW executive director Liam Taylor even shed a proud tear. We were tearing up too because Kathryn is just so damn nice and the show was just so positive and joyful.
Dancers dressed as 1950s showgirls were arranged atop a cake-like centrepiece on the runway and held shoe cutouts aloft while they performed a choreographed synchronised performance as models tapped their new shoes along the catwalk to the upbeat music. And thanks to the big screens in Shed 10, expert camerawork zoomed in on the footwear so you could see the styles clearly. Another tick.
Karen Walker Auckland Art Gallery Grand Tour
Karen Walker and Mikhail Gherman never do things by halves. Their shows are also about the experience.
So The Grand Tour presented by Karen Walker and Lexus was highly anticipated.
Walker took over the Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tāmaki and invited guests were seated in different galleries so the models had quite the workout as well as complex choreography to remember. One model I spoke too said it was the most intricate show she’d ever walked in. Models were broken into three groups and given different instructions for walking through the three rooms and each room had different choreography.
Follow the blue line – where the models had to walk for Karen Walker’s Grand Tour through Auckland Art Gallery.
After welcome drinks guests were broken into groups and each allocated a “tour guide” holding a flag aloft who then proceeded to take us on a merry tour to find our seats. I was seated in the Gibbs Gallery, the closest to where we entered the gallery. Yet we followed our guy through all of the galleries, and seeing the different rooms and artworks, was wonderful and exciting.
The show also brought high energy as models wearing expertly layered looks of Karen Walker, high-tech adidas Originals and customised Levi’s Blue Tab Japanese denim, powered through the galleries at pace, walking around the rooms and spaces several times, to allow you to see the clothes but also weaving in some of the chaos of moving about a crowded gallery as a tourist.
Walker described it as a visual narrative that moved between eras, cultures and destinations. Inspired by grand tourists of the Romantic age and culture-hungry wanderers.
Among those walking for Walker on the night were Benee (her first her runway show), Princess Chelsea, Thomasin McKenzie, Davida McKenzie, Lorraine Downes, Geeling Ng and Ben Sarikaya.
She also brought in the A-team with Karen Inderbitzen-Waller as stylist and Kiekie Stanners for make-up direction and Sara Allsop on hair.
Did we feel like we were taken on a grand tour? Yes!
By Kai
There was a standing ovation for By Kai’s NZFW debut which was not only outstanding but emotional. It was so moving that many in the front row teared up – including me.
It was also beautifully styled with bags made especially for the collection by Georgia Jay.
A definite Fashion Week moment!
Future of Fashion Driven by Giltrap Award
There were eight finalists representing the next generation of fashion talent in Aotearoa – Anthurium, Heather Brennan Evans, iTi Clothes, Laurence Sabrine, NIQ Atelier, Rhian, Winnie Catherine and Zoe Langley.
And the winner was Winnie Solomon of label Winnie Catherine from Wellington. That made it a triple win for the designer who has also recently been taken on by The Shelter and been named Emerging New Zealand Fashion Designer of the Year’ for Remix Magazine.
Winnie Solomon of label Winnie Catherine receives her trophy – just part of a grand prize package – for winning the Giltrap Group Helping Kiwis Fly Award from Hamish Miller, Head of Motorsport and Group Partnerships at Giltrap Group.
Kāhui Collective
Led by Kiri Nathan, this year the Kāhui Collective not only brought together indigenous designers from the Pacific and New Zealand but also further afield for a group runway show.
Standouts were the menswear from J’AKE, Temesia and Obsolescence. I saw them last year and was so pleased to see them again.
Newcomers who shared their craft and indigenious culture included Arctic Luxe from Alaska, Beyni Boi from India, Nugala Creative from Australia, AZA / A from Fiji and Yuma Taru from Taiwan.
TĀWHIAO by Shona Tāwhaio ended the show on high note with her contemporary couture made using traditional weaving techniques. A humble artist who is a total genius at sculpturing and weaving wearable art.
TĀWHIAO by Shona Tāwhaio
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, Stan Walker got up from the front row, grabbed a microphone and belted out a song much to everyone’s delight.
Then! Yes, there was more. Everyone was invited next door to The Cloud which hosted New Zealand’s Indigenous Fashion Symposium for kai, including oysters being shucked by chef Peter Gordon. There was so much food including paua on fried bread, and bubbles. Everyone who attended the show at Shed 10 was invited and that’s tikanga. It was very hard to peel myself away to head to Saben at The Hotel Britomart.
20 years of Tilly
Saben celebrated 20 years of its best-selling Tilly bag with an invitation only pop-up event at The Hotel Britomart of Tilly’s loaned by customers. It was also the official launch of a special-edition metallic Tilly which sold out in 12 hours upon release!
Saben founder and designer Roanne Jacobson said because the Tilly has been an enduring style she’d not kept every Tilly in the Saben archive so they needed to do a customer callout. The response was incredible and to see the different treatments of the Tilly from colours and embroidery to studs was impressive.
Invited guests each received a key upon arrival and had fun attempting to open a glass case housing the new limited edition Tilly. One lucky person got to walk away with it!
Saben’s limited edition Tilly celebrating 20 years of producing this beloved style.
Beach Brains
Menswear label Beach Brains hails from Auckland and has been rocking it internationally so it was epic that they did their first runway show on home soil at Shed 10. Funny, I’ve used the brand in a few shoots I’ve styled after visiting Public Library showroom but didn’t connect the dots that it was a Kiwi brand.
The brand was co-founded by Dan Gosling and Jody Coggan, and is designed for the space between the beach and the city.
A dramatic backdrop of crashing waves on giant LED screens set the atmosphere, with Raglan model and NZFW icon Vinnie Woolston opening the show.
Raglan model Vinnie Woolston opened the show for Beach Brains.
The title of the collection was Washed Up, mixing the current collection with future pieces and blurring the lines between seasons. We love that the pieces are made to be worn hard, washed, altered and lived in, with the goal to be found in a vintage stores in decades to come.
Fabrics used included leather because of its toughness as well as how it changes over time. There was also Japanese shadow plaids, cotton-wool blends and muted earth tones. Dan and Jody also draw on a visual language of grunge, workwear and vintage military clothing.
Eight womenswear looks also appeared within the show as women have begun wearing Beach Brains too, so “it felt right to show that on the runway” said Dan.
The collection also marked the debut of the Beach Brains boot.
Not sure if I should mention the guy who threw up in the front row at the conclusion of the show. So rock n roll. At least he held it to the end!
Zambesi
Like beautiful sirens emerging from the ocean, the models at Zambesi’s offsite show at Ōkahu on Tamaki Drive, provided an ethereal moment of pure beauty as they walked along the pier before circling the outer decks.
Zambesi. Photography Laura Snelling
It was the first morning show in the history of Zambesi showing at NZFW and a visual masterpiece under the creative direction of Marissa Findlay.
Zambesi. Photography Laura Snelling
Zambesi’s Song to the Siren SS26 is a romantic exploration of sailors and sirens, the wildness of kelp, life beneath the surface and the elemental meeting of ocean and land.
Raffia was transformed through artisanal craftsmanship into jackets and sculptural hats, as well as a fringed skirt and statement bag. Soft tulle and mesh created transparency and movement, while Goldrush sequins brought flashes of reflected light.
The palette moved between land and water. Splash, a fresh mint green, alongside azure cobalt and seafoam, punctuated by the acidic mustard tone of the show’s opening look like a sunrise.
Zambesi. Photography Laura Snelling
Raffia recalled the tangled forms of kelp and grasses whilst sheer layers shifted with the body and silk moved with fluidity. Against this softness, Zambesi’s characteristic structure remained. The result was a collection that’s both elemental and refined. And covetable.
The show opened with Muru Maipi sounding Karanga-a-Hape, a pūtātara held in the collection of Auckland Museum and previously sounded during the America’s Cup.
Backstage at Zambesi. Photography Guy Coombes
Pacific Fusion
The Pacific Fusion show is always sold out so I was stoked to get a seat this year.
The vibe was high after being greeted at the entrance to Shed 10 by Pacific dancers and a few drinks in the VIP lounge which was filled with a finely dressed crowd including Opera singer / model Isabella Moore.
The designer showcase included collections from Fugawi, Ah Tua, Whitecliffe College, Ivoha, Voice of Hope, Peni Taehia, Sacred Soul Apparel, Another Coyote, Niue Creative Collective, Haus of Bwagavi, NIQ Atelier, The House of VA and Dane Dagger, and celebrated 10 years of Pacific Fusion.
The House of Va wowed with its headwear pieces, making headlines all over the news.
The House of Va, Pacific Fusion.
The show was closed by Dane Dagger, Pacific Fusion’s Legacy designer for 2026. Dagger debuted at the inaugural Pacific Fusion event in 2016 making it a beautiful full circle moment.
Designer breakfast at The Shelter
Somehow I made to breakfast at The Shelter on Saturday morning and was so glad I did. Aside from the yummy croissants and fresh fruit cereals and mimosa, it was a chance to chat with many of the designers who presented on the runway over NZFW including Adrion Williams of Adrion Atelier, Finn Mora-Hill of Fringes, Chloe from Anthurium, Winnie Solomon of Winnie Catherine, J’Ake, Vince Ropitini of Obsolescence and many more.
The panel discussion was led by The Shelter’s Vicki Taylor. One takeaway I loved was the distinction that these designers do everything across their business. Maybe one or two might use an external machinist, but almost every single one of them sews the elements themselves.
“So I don’t know about you, but there’s no way you’re going to get a Marc Jacobs piece sewn by anybody even close to the designer,” said Taylor. “So to be able to have that as it comes out in New Zealand is actually an incredible privilege. It would be called couture in the rest of the world, but here we’re just called an emerging brand.”
Viva Presents Greatest Hits
I didn’t actually attend this show but I got to see the photos and wish I did. Especially as model Molly Kate from All is For All modelled for Winnie Catherine.
Molly Kate walked for Winnie Catherine at Viva Presents.
ĀHUA x NZFW
The final show of the week was ĀHUA with doors opening at 9pm and show kicking off at 10pm! The line to get in snaked down K Rd for more than 100 metres.
Like the Viva show earlier, the show – which was titled ‘Becoming’ – ĀHUA presented the greatest hits of its participating designers since the inception of ĀHUA over the past couple of years.
Model Delilah Gow wears Zigliani at Āhua. Photography Aliyah Hazel Edwards
The hip hop dance performance modelling clothing by One of None was an energetic highlight.
The tightly edited show showed one to three outfits from each designer. That still numbered 91 looks so the epic finale was three minutes long – too long to post on social media but I soaked it up and loved every minute of it. These are the designers of the future.
