There was a distinct energy to New Zealand Fashion Week this year – one that’s quite hard to express to anyone who didn’t experience it firsthand. More than a showcase of creative talent and incredible design, this year’s week was defined by a strong sense of family, connection and culture.
Taking place at the heritage-listed Shed 10 and venues across Tāmaki Makaurau, the 25th-anniversary featured some of the most important names in New Zealand fashion design, alongside emerging designers and the 10th-anniversary of the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show. The atmosphere of the shows is hard to compare to any other fashion week across the world. In fact, almost impossible. There is a distinct spirit to the New Zealand fashion industry; one that feels deeply connected to its people, culture and community.
For RUSSH, being there was about more than simply covering another fashion week. As international delegates, we had the opportunity to experience the industry from the inside – meeting the designers, creative minds and industry voices shaping fashion in Aotearoa, and gaining a much deeper understanding of the talent and perspective coming out of New Zealand. This is your insider look at how Digital Marketing Specialist Jaime Carmody and Executive Fashion Director Hannah Cooper moved through the week.
Wednesday
Our week began on Wednesday, touching down in Auckland with just enough time to drop our bags before heading straight into fashion week mode. First up was Claudia Li, whose collection was presented within the intimate surrounds of The Northern Club; a heritage-listed venue that made the perfect backdrop for Li’s sculptural designs. From close range, the collection revealed its intricate construction – luminous fabrics, exaggerated forms and silhouettes that seemed to shift as the models moved through the room. There’s something particularly special about experiencing a collection at this distance. Without the separation of a traditional runway, every detail feels amplified. From there, it was straight into the rhythm of fashion week: cameras out, phone chargers at the ready, and already, a growing list of designers to remember.
That evening, we made our way to the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki for Karen Walker. A 90-model trail moved through the gallery, with the collection interacting with the architecture and artworks around it. It was the perfect setting for Walker’s love of unexpected contrast – fashion spotlighted in one of Auckland’s most recognisable cultural spaces. It was playful, unexpected and unmistakably Karen Walker.
Thursday
By Thursday, we had found a rhythm – or something close to one. We raced between shows, meetings and content, discovering the designers and creatives shaping the current New Zealand fashion landscape. One of the biggest takeways from the week was the sense of community. There was a genuine feeling of people wanting to be in the room together to support, celebrate and experience one another’s work.
One of the morning’s more intimate moments came from By Kai, the debut collection from Makaira Lee. Sparked by the question, “When are you coming home?”, the collection explored a return to family, place and a sense of belonging. Soft resort drapes and raw island details moved through a slow, grounding presentation that felt less like a traditional runway and more like being welcomed into a sacred family space. There was a quietness to the show that stayed with us long after the final look had left the room. It was a reminder that some of the most affecting fashion-week moments aren’t necessarily the loudest ones.
Friday
The week seemed to be gathering momentum with every show, and by Friday, Shed 10 had become its own kind of ecosystem.
Zambesi’s return to NZFW was another particular highlight. Presented at Ōkahu Bay, Song to the Siren transformed the wharf into a runway. A coastal palette of mustard, turquoise and chartreuse gave way to softer creams and, of course, Zambesi’s signature black. Against the water, the collection felt completely at home. It was one of those moments that reminded us why being physically present at fashion week matters. You can photograph the clothes and watch the show back later, but the atmosphere in person is something else entirely.
The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show was perhaps the clearest expression of the week’s celebratory spirit. The official Instagram account captured it well, telling people, “A gentle reminder we’re Pacific so don’t come and be boring… Bring the vibes, the energy.” Among the designers was Australia’s own Voice of Hope, bringing a distinctly Australian perspective to the celebration of Pacific design. The energy was infectious. There was music, movement and an audience very much encouraged to participate in the moment rather than simply observe it.
Leaving Auckland on Sunday, it was difficult not to reflect on just how different the experience had been. There is an energy to New Zealand Fashion Week that feels inseparable from the people behind it – and from the industry they have built. From established names to emerging designers, the collections felt confident in their own point of view, with a creative identity that was distinctly New Zealand.
Until next time, Aotearoa.
