Fashion Week announces a full designer schedule!

20th August 2008

Air New Zealand Fashion Week announce a full designer schedule!

With only one month to go, event organisers are getting set to open up Air New Zealand Fashion Week on September 16th to four action packed days of fashion! The catwalks will be running back to back to cater for a full designer schedule which is representative of the diverse and creative range of designers that New Zealand has on offer.

To get things going with a bang, internationally acclaimed fashion label WORLD will open up the big week as the very first show for Autumn/Winter Collections 2009.

"After several years of focusing on collections overseas we're really pleased to have the resources and the time to show at Air New Zealand Fashion Week this year. It provides us with a great opportunity to showcase our international collections back in our home country which is extremely important to; WORLD, our customers and our brand partners such as Deane Apparel," says Francis Hooper of WORLD fashion brand.

Also showing on the opening morning is Kirrily Johnston, the first ever Australian designer to feature at Air New Zealand Fashion Week. Johnston is looking forward to showcasing her label in New Zealand.

"We are thrilled as the first Australian's ever to participate in Air New Zealand Fashion Week. Our label has received quite a lot of attention of late from NZ and we are really looking forward to bringing it to some New Zealand stores. The week has such a solid reputation and it's very much about Australasia for us at the moment, so the timing is perfect," says designer Kirrily Johnston.

Another exciting addition to the 2008 line up is the Agresearch show which will collaborate with a number of top designers such as Annah Stretton, twentysevennames, Stitch Ministry, Zambesi, Hailwood, Jaeha, Sera Lilly, Salasai and many more. Agresearch are world leaders in developing textiles and will use their group show to showcase specially designed New Zealand textiles such as next-to-skin, wool based and environmentally friendly fabrics.

Fashionistas can look forward to the highly anticipated shows of the week which include Zambesi, Nom*D, Trelise Cooper, Karen Walker, Annah Stretton and Huffer. While popular designers Cybele, Deborah Sweeney, Sera Lily, Lonely Hearts, Deadly Ponies and Jaeha are all back again for 2008. Another designer who will return to Air New Zealand Fashion Week after a three year break is Kylee Davis (formerly of Insidious Fix) who returns with her brand new edgy label Stitch Ministry.

Fashion Week Managing Director Pieter Stewart is pleased with the talented range of designers that will represent Air New Zealand Fashion Week.

"Every year is different, and I'm pleased to report that 2008 Air New Zealand Fashion Week is bursting with just the right balance of fresh and emerging talent alongside the well established and recognised labels. You can expect to see a stronger representation of popular streetwear labels, plus some exciting new group shows which give the audience a marvellous taste of a variety of labels. We're also pleased to welcome our first ever Australian designer Kirrily Johnston and the new Agresearch Show which is an important step in supporting our New Zealand Agricultural Textiles industry," says Stewart.

This year five Verge Breakthrough designers have been announced to take part in the Verge group show, and with a $10,000 grant up for grabs designers will be taking their turn on the runway very seriously! The announced designers are Kellie Chapman (Deuchar), Ana Steele (Ana Steele), Theresa Brady (Sable & Minx), Michelle Yvette (Michelle Yvette) and Emma Wallace (Emma). An exciting addition to the show sees a buzzer style voting system implemented for guests in the front row who can vote for their favourite designer collection.

If you're after something a bit more "street" then check out the Coco PR Friday show which features urban fashion labels Doosh, Moneyshot and Crowded Elevator. Or the Coco PR group show on Thursday that features designers Michael Pattison, Sheryl May and Ooby Ryn.

Go to www.nzfashionweek.com to see the full designer schedule for Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2008.

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