New Zealand Fashion Week 2023 Reveals First Lineup Of Leading Designers

New Zealand Fashion Week has revealed the first confirmed list of incredible local designers for this years’ event. Featuring a mix of established names from around Aotearoa, fashion lovers can look forward to a spectacular showcase at the reimagined event taking place at the Viaduct Events Centre from Tuesday, 29th August until Saturday, 2nd September 2023.

Yasmin Farry, General Manager of New Zealand Fashion Week says, “The fashion industry lies at the heart of New Zealand Fashion Week, and we are thrilled to announce the first line-up of incredibly talented, innovative, and world-class creatives from Aotearoa. This high-calibre group is a true reflection of the bold vision we have to showcase inclusivity, innovation, and creativity on the global fashion event circuit.”

Alongside fashion icon Kate Sylvester, who has already committed to participating in New Zealand Fashion Week this year, Kiri Nathan, Kathryn Wilson, Campbell Luke, Juliette Hogan and NOM*d are also confirmed to be showing collections on the runway in 2023.

Kiri Nathan (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Paoa), MNZM (Contributions to Māori and the fashion industry) and Sir Peter Blake leader, lives to support and deliver Māori and indigenous fashion in cultural and business excellence. This year Kiri Nathan will open New Zealand Fashion Week 2023 - the first Māori designer to do so.

As a whānau owned and operated business, Kiri Nathan’s work connects traditional and contemporary Māori fashion with the world, in a way that reciprocates and respects culture, upholding the values of inclusivity through community and collectiveness with manaaki (care) and tautoko (support) to build success for many.

Talking about her participation in New Zealand Fashion Week, Co-Founder Kiri Nathan says, “We are committed to social cohesion and the informed wellbeing of people and planet. Our purpose is for intergenerational benefit. Ka ara ake tētahi, ka ara ake te katoa – one lifts, we all lift.

“The Kiri Nathan 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.”

New Zealand’s premiere footwear designer, Massey University distinguished Alumni and Sir Peter Blake Trust Leadership award winner Kathryn Wilson returns to New Zealand Fashion Week, celebrating 20 years of creating innovative, fashion footwear for her loyal fans.

Kathryn is excited to celebrate her collections on the Main stage Runway at the Viaduct Events Centre with a special nod to the 20th anniversary of her premium brand.

Kathryn Wilson says, “New Zealand Fashion Week is considered the pinnacle event for guests who love fashion and want to support local brands, so we’re thrilled to be back again this year bringing our footwear to life with beautiful styling, up-lifting music and diverse models to create memorable experiences for customers.”

Campbell Luke, conceived by Dr. Bobby Luke (Ngati Ruanui, Taranaki) will once again be taking to the runway in 2023. Unapologetic about the promotion of Kaupapa Māori led design, Dr Luke aims to promote a greater understanding of indigenous design culture, and to challenge the dominance of Western design paradigms and pedagogy. With his brand Campbell Luke, he traverses practices of moving image and photography, as a means to visually communicate and disseminate his research.

Dr Luke says, “New Zealand Fashion Week has become both nostalgic and opportunistic. Fashion Week has enabled designers a platform to showcase their work. Particularly, being able to share what is important to me and the narratives presented through a presentation of Collections.”

Juliette Hogan is known for striking the perfect balance between luxury and simplicity, creating effortless and elegant collections that demonstrate an intelligent understanding of colour and texture and will once again take to the runway this year.

Each Juliette Hogan collection brings a cohesive and fresh offering of pieces crafted predominantly from natural fabrics in a thoughtful palette of neutral tones balanced with statement signature prints. With expert tailoring and refined details, Juliette balances feminine and masculine elements, showcasing her unique design perspective and mastery of the subtle statement.

Juliette Hogan says she is thrilled to be showing at fashion week this year. “I really appreciate the way a show pushes me and my team to be more creative, and it is so rewarding when all the hard work comes together with the energy and magic that only a show can really achieve.

“New Zealand Fashion Week has definitely played an important part in the Juliette Hogan story, and we are excited to be showcasing a summer collection at Fashion Week for the first time.”

Dark and wittily sombre, NOM*d has created an iconic image on the New Zealand fashion landscape. The label's designs, which reference traditional tailoring, are anchored by a utilitarian approach and the concept that clothes must, above all else, be wearable.

In every collection, NOM*d maintains its credibility as a label unaffected by trends and whims, instead adopting the cool, considered gaze of the fashion outsider.

Margi Robertson Creative Director of NOM*d says, "NOM*d has been involved with New Zealand Fashion Week since its inception in one way or another. We believe Fashion Week is an important cultural moment on the calendar and a great opportunity to present our latest collections of course, but more than that, it is a chance for the wider fashion industry and fashion fans to come together and celebrate New Zealand creativity and support each other. We are excited to be joining the schedule for 2023."

A redesigned, reimagined and inclusive event will give fashion enthusiasts, trendsetters, lovers of culture and the general public 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.

Tickets for the 2023 event will be on sale from early July 2023. For more information, please visit www.nzfashionweek.com.

Designer imagery available to download here.

ABOUT NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK

Created in 2001 by Dame Pieter Stewart, NZFW is the pinnacle event for the New Zealand fashion and beauty industry. The annual stage enables local and international designers to showcase their collections and promote their brands. The goal of NZFW is to provide a launching pad for designers to grow their businesses both nationally and internationally. NZFW has evolved from a trade and industry event to become a multifaceted fashion, arts & culture showcase that engages thousands of fashion-focused New Zealanders. The event not only drives brand awareness for the designers involved, but also for strategically aligned fashion and lifestyle brands. These brands add to the scale of the occasion and it allows them to engage with an active audience of more than 25,000 attendees, as well as a wider local and international audience through the millions of dollars of mainstream media and social media coverage. In 2023 NZFW is sharpening its focus on Te Ao Māori and a sustainable circular model for the industry. The event will this year run from Tuesday, 29th August until Saturday, 2nd September.

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