New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria’s 2025 return was a feast for the eyes—and group chats, outfit moodboards and credit card bills.
It’s two-year break most definitely compounded the creativity in our land. The result? A kaleidoscope where catsuits meet stylish dogs, 70’s silhouettes meet avant-garde tailoring, and beauty dials between subtle and high-octane.
Here are the moments that we loved at NZFW2025.
A Dress For The Pearly Girls
Image credit: Juliette Hogan | Facebook
An audible gasp from just about every second person in the crowd welcomed Juliette Hogan’s pearlescent dress onto the runway. Silky, structured, grained, and a touch sheen-ey, it was a firm reminder that she’s, quite simply, the queen of fabric choices.
Brides, birthday-havers and main characters, keep your eyes peeled for this baby—and its sundress version—hitting the shelves soon.
Zambesi’s Flirt With Sparkle
Image credit: Radlab via NZFW | Supplied
It was a rather sparkly return to NZFW for our purveyors of fine black looks, Zambesi. There was lamé wet-look black lace, beaded shoulder dangles, rich silver lurex dotted into Instrumental, the S26 collection. Not to mention, a mesh number—quite literally dripping with sparse but statement beaded threads—as the opener.
As if we needed another reason to pop into Zambesi when our social calendars stack up.
Menswear With Teeth
Image credit: Radlab via NZFW | Supplied
Seriously lacking in previous NZFW, we saw menswear with panache thanks to Temesia.Co, a member of the Kāhui Collective. Crisp collars, hems that could cut, elegant lengths and oodles of layering options—all delivered, deliciously. Proof in the pudding? Designer Temesia Tuicaumia himself, stepping out in a tailcoat jacket and sulu ensemble.
Karen Walker’s Athletics Day
Image credit: Radlab via NZFW | Supplied
Nostalgic both to the 70’s and your school’s P.E. gear room, the Karen Walker x Adidas show was a patchwork of the practical and the playful (more on the vibes later). There were satisfyingly flouncy miniskirts, Dolfin shorts that have us second-guessing our leggings, and styling that made us rethink our next stroll in the park or pump class. Exhibit A: this pearls and preppy P.E. look.
Return of The Sequined Slippers
Image Credit: Matt Hurley via Harris Tapper | Supplied
We’ve been hoping that sequinned mesh slip-ons would be the next off the Y2K-revival rung. Thanks to Harris Tapper, our wish has been granted. We can hear the gentle shuffle down the runway—or at least, en-route for our coconut cappuccino.
Fire Engine Red from Claudia Li
Image credit: Hope Patterson via Claudia Li | Supplied
More a slap across the face than a mere splash, Claudia Li’s liquid, pure fire engine red-toned sequins (with a cool, bluey shot) had eyes watering and hearts racing. Cocktail gowns, neck scarves and the showstopper: a headscarf.
How she managed to track down such a pure, potent, fire engine red, we don’t know. But we do know that we’ll be keeping a keen eye on her e-boutique, or perhaps The Shelter’s Shelves.
Juliette Hogan’s Cheekbones
Image credit: Juliette Hogan via NZFW | Supplied
No seriously. “Cheekbones” was our first official thought when we saw the first exit at Juliette Hogan. Divine intervention, it turns out, because it’s all thanks to the newest (!) from our friends at Raaie: The Tranquillity Water Activating Mist, powered by volcanic properties.
Glowy may be an overused word in beauty vocab, but this look from Head Makeup Artist, Josie Wignall, is it. You could see the reflection from a mile away.
Have a snoop at the pretty bottle—and of course, our thoughts on its effects and formulation—here.
Catsuit In The Crowd
Image Credit: Jojo Ross | Supplied
Look we didn’t anticipate this turning into a street style wrap up, but when you see one of Aotearoa’s best new guard designers, 35 weeks pregnant, in a catsuit and coat of her own—you take a snap and you appreciate it. Or you shop it over at Jojo Ross.
Greyhounds In Stripes
Image credit: Greyhounds As Pets | Supplied
On the pooch front, our hearts were a flutter with greyhounds and whippets taking to the, err, catwalk.
It turns out that these dainty creatures look dashing in a striped Sylvester jumper, and, as we observed, have excellent boundaries. After all, you don’t have to walk down a runway if you don’t want to, notes one Swandri-clad dog.
There’s a good 2,500 greyhounds needing a home—or an apartment—soon. Go on, have a nosey.
Defying Gravity at Taylor
Image credit: Taylor | Supplied
Here’s a formidable Fashion Week first: powdered chalk. A chic stand-in for snow at Taylor’s Shadlowplay installation, it joined a bunch of other sculptural moments. Hair was sky-high (thank you D&M Hair Design) eyemakeup was intense (love your work, Aleph) and dresses were billowing—some of them pinned out with fishing line for a thoroughly theatrical touch.
A New Hobby Thanks To Karen Walker
Image credit: Felix Jackson via Karen Walker | Supplied
We thought we’ve seen it all cantering down the catwalk: until Ada Filppa, champion hobby horse athlete, sprung forth, decked out in a Karen Walker 'fit that paired perfectly with her horse (after being flown in from Finland for the occasion, no less.) Very fun, very söpö, very much the only way to properly celebrate Karen Walker’s return to NZFW.
Shoulder Candy By Federation
Image Credit: Anupam Singh via Breast Cancer Cure | Supplied
A new lease on life—well, the contents of your jewellery box. It turns out that hanging bracelets and chained metallic knickknacks off epaulettes is a look. Thank goodness coat weather is sticking around a little bit longer, and Federation is showing us how it’s done on the Breast Cancer Cure runway.
The Return of the Smokey Eye
Image Credit: Willow Handy via Harris Tapper | Supplied
Another thing to thank Harris Tapper for: the resurgence of indie-sleaze eyelids. Inky and unapologetically smudgy in all the right places, it’s a nice hark back to simpler, messier times, trawling through Tumblr needed. But would we expect anything less from local makeup legend Kiekie Stanners?
The Lobster Dress
Image Credit: Anupam Singh via Breast Cancer Cure | Supplied
Do we really need to spell out why this dress from Breast Cancer Cure is on our love list? We don’t think so, but we should explain where you can find it: Karangahape Road’s very own Hailwood.
Hero Image Credit: Hope Patterson via Claudia Li | Supplied