New Zealand Fashion Week shaping up to be a winning year

New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) has announced its provisional designer line up for 2016, with a strong stable of established and emerging talent set to showcase their collections on the NZFW catwalks at the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre from Monday 22 August - Sunday 28 August.

Celebrated local design duo Harman Grubiša - recently revealed as the recipients of Mercedes-Benz Presents accolade for 2016 - will open NZFW in their signature style with an elegant show on Monday evening at 8.30pm. The show is set to be one of the hottest tickets of the week, with the dynamic duo pegged for big things from day one.

Some of the country’s best-loved labels will the feature across the schedule with forward-season looks from the aforementioned Hailwood, Federation, Carena West, Wynn Hamlyn, Lucilla Gray, Penny Sage and Eugenie showcased at the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre and Huffer, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Knuefermann and Twenty Seven Names presenting their collections at off-site venues. A stellar AOK K’Road show featuring Lela Jacobs, Jimmy D, Ovna Ovich and Maaike is set to stun on Tuesday night - reinforcing the serious style pedigree that hails from that part of Auckland’s central city.

The calibre of new design talent from around New Zealand triggered the decision to include a second New Generation show this year. The two New Generation shows will feature emerging designers on the rise including Erik Yvon, Mitchell Vincent, AO Label, Campbell Luke, Motel Bible, Kendall Watt and Danielle Power-Silk.

Dame Pieter Stewart says that this year “sees a particularly strong group of emerging, new generation and graduate designers and New Zealand Fashion Week is incredibly proud to provide a supportive platform which this next generation of talent can launch their careers.”

The 2016 Miromoda showcase is set to be another highlight of the schedule featuring exceptionally talented designers of Maori heritage, including 2016 Supreme Winners of the Miromoda Fashion Design Competition, Keri Wanoa and Brooke Strang of Wanoa Four.

The Friday Fashion Lunch closes out the week with a punchy show featuring corporate looks from fashion powerhouses Kate Sylvester, Hailwood, Ruby, Juliette Hogan, Trelise Cooper, Liam, Kneufermann and Adrienne Winkelmann.

Both NZ Fashion Weekend and the Resene Designer Runway shows offer plenty of opportunities for the public to experience the exhilarating buzz of NZFW as well.
(HELENE RAVLICH)