New Zealand Fashion Week Is Almost Here, We’ve Rounded Up Our Pick Of The Best Events
Molly Codyre
New Zealand Editor | Urban List
New Zealand Fashion week has had a wild ride over the last decade. With cancellations, limited events and a change of stewardship, the 2025 relaunch made a huge statement: fashion week was back and better than ever.
This year's edition is simply building upon that momentum. With a stacked showcase full of some of the country's best designers, both established and up-and-coming, it's a call to arms for the industry, showing that even in hard times, New Zealand's fashion scene is still full of ingenuity, creativity, and damn good clothes.
Unlike most international fashion weeks though, NZFW is unique in that you can be in the room, too. Rather than shows being hyper-elite spaces full of journalists, buyers and influencers, NZFW opens things up beyond the industry, with tickets available for purchase by the general public, too. This gives you a first look at your favourite brand's new collections, as well as the chance to potentially find a new go-to as well. So, what to add to your calendar? Here, we've rounded up the events we're making a beeline for this week.
Caitlin Crisp Opens The Week With Her Tuesday Morning Show
It should come as no surprise that the debut solo show for Caitlin Crisp's eponymous brand just so happens to open NZFW. First scheduled for the 2021 edition of the event which was then cancelled, the show marks a hallmark moment for the much-loved designer. Expect a show full of surprises, with pieces that lean into the playful, feminine side of womenswear—the design ethos that has garnered her such a cult following.
The Details
When: Tuesday 18 August, 10am
Where: Shed 10
Cost: From $79.93
Find out more here.
Pōneke Brand Twenty-Seven Names Returns For The First Time Since 2018
Founded in 2005 by Rachel Easting and Anjali Burnett, Twenty-Seven Names has long been one of New Zealand's leading brands. The kind of place you can rely on for designs that don't take life too seriously (while still looking seriously good), the brand has only gone from strength to strength in the two decades since. This will be their first NZFW show since 2018 and, if the brand's Common Material showcase in June is anything to go off, we can expect big joy, myriad looks and an abundance of colour.
The Details
When: Tuesday 18 August, 2pm
Where: Shed 10
Cost: From $79.93
Find out more here.
Dan Ahwa Curates The Studio
Few names in NZ Fashion are as recognisable or influential as Dan Ahwa. The creative director has played a strong hand in defining our modern industry, both through his time as fashion director at Viva and Canvas magazines, his styling work, and his role advocating for the industry through groups like Mindful Fashion NZ. With The Studio, he's bringing together key pieces from some of Aotearoa's most defining contemporary designers, including Dominique Healy, Rebe, and Penny Sage.
The Details
When: Wednesday 19 August, 10am
Where: Shed 10
Cost: From $79.93
Find out more here.
Dinner And A Show With Tough Auto And Londo
Dan Ahwa namechecked Tough Auto as the Kiwi brand he's most excited about, which should tell you everything you need to know about this up-and-coming Aotearoa designer. Produced by Dominic Estall, Tough Auto's collections focus on premium leather and sustainable, enduring pieces. This debut presentation comes just two years after the brand's launch, with food by Christchurch's Londo and a screening of the collection by Cay Ltd.
The Details
When: Wednesday 19 August, 6pm
Where: No.7, 7 Pitt Street
Cost: $125
Find out more here.
Kāhui Collective Celebrates Māori And Pasifika Design Alongside International Indigenous Brands
Fashion is so much more than just what we wear. It's a creative expression, a means of expression and, for many, a way to communicate whakapapa. Kāhui Collective celebrates all of this, bringing together eight Māori and Pasifika designers, alongside eight international indigenous brands for a runway show and retail activation, alongside NZ's first indigenous fashion symposium, where the designers will be joined by more than 40 indigenous creatives.
The Details
When: Thursday 20 August, 6pm
Where: Shed 10
Cost: From $79.93.
Find out more here.
Art Director And Stylist Makaira Lee's By Kai Launches Its Debut Collection
Makaira Lee has worked for over a decade in NZ's fashion scene, including a long stint at Ruby. So, when she announced she was launching her own brand, it's safe to say our ears pricked up. By Kai is inspired by Lee's Fijian heritage, with a focus on highly wearable pieces that are designed to work seamlessly into your wardrobe. Designed and made in New Zealand with her mum Jeannie, the collection started from her Fijian wedding where Lee and her mum designed and made each bridesmaid's dress, an experience that fundamentally brewed the By Kai roots. The debut collection will be one for the books.
The Details
When: Thursday 20 August, 10am
Where: Shed 10
Cost: From $79.93.
Find out more here.
Beach Brains Exhibits A New Vision For Kiwi Menswear
Beach Brains is like gorpcore for your local skater boy. Founder Gareth Hemmings creates pieces that, while anchored in menswear, are meant to function as unisex and take the wearer from the beach to the city in one seamless transition. The show is going to reflect this tension; exploring the connection between streetwear and the outdoors, showcasing pieces from both current and future collections.
The Details
When: Thursday 20 August, 8.30pm
Where: Shed 10
Cost: From $79.93.
Find out more here.