NZ Fashion Week Is Back – Here’s What You Can Expect
Aotearoa fashion’s biggest event is back for 2023. NZ Fashion Week will return to Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre on August 29, following a three-year break filled with cancellations and uncertainty.
What you can expect this year
A redesigned and reimagined event will give fashion lovers the opportunity to experience the event alongside industry and designer guests – traditionally a trade-only show the new format will be a more consumer-friendly one – allowing the general public the chance to attend more shows than ever before.
“We’ve had a beautiful opportunity to regroup, to work collaboratively with the industry to redesign and reimagine this iconic event,” says NZFW general manager Yasmin Farry. “It’s been three long years since our designers, models, makeup artists, stylists, and photographers have had the opportunity to showcase their talents to the world, so we are very excited that New Zealand Fashion Week is back on the agenda for 2023.”
As part of its new strategic direction the event is striving for greater collaboration with the fashion industry and mana whenua, aiming to empower, nurture, and celebrate local designers, an association that has been cemented with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and will honour Te Tiriti, te ao Māori, and tikanga Māori.
Who will be showing?
The first line up has been announced. Alongside fashion icon Kate Sylvester and a group of next generation talent, will be designers Kiri Nathan, Kathryn Wilson, Campbell Luke, Juliette Hogan and NOM*d.
Kiri Nathan will open Fashion Week 2023 – the first Māori designer to do so. Talking about her participation in New Zealand Fashion Week, Co-Founder Kiri Nathan says, “The collection for New Zealand Fashion Week 2023 is based on the haerenga of fashion for Māori, from kākahu muka through to today and a look into the future. It’s an honour to be the first Māori designer to open NZ Fashion Week and we’ll be showing our respect to the Māori makers and weavers of kākahu and clothing based on environmental impacts.”
Find the official schedule here
