New Zealand Fashion Week 2026 showcases local and global designers

New Zealand Fashion Week 2026 featured over 180 designers, highlighting a robust local industry with an increasing focus on global exchange and indigenous representation. The event included the inaugural New Zealand Indigenous Fashion Symposium, which addressed topics such as trade, growth, and intellectual property.

Key highlights included the Kāhui Collective group show, led by Kiri Nathan, which featured designers from Taiwan, Alaska, and Fiji. Another notable moment was the debut of Makaira Lee’s label, BY KAI. Lee’s collection, titled ‘When are you coming home?’, drew on her Fijian heritage through soft tailoring, streetwear staples, and traditional performances.

Other notable presentations included ‘The Art of Fashion’, directed by Dan Ahwa, which integrated vintage and contemporary fashion with archival pieces from the New Zealand Opera and Royal New Zealand Ballet.