For the past 25 years, New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) has set the stage for the country’s most unforgettable fashion moments. From love letters drifting across the runway and a fashion show staged among the hushed stacks of Auckland Central Library, to stunt cars burning rubber as models strode around Western Springs Speedway. And, of course, there was that surprise cameo from Pamela Anderson. But beyond the spectacle, NZFW has long served as the beating heart of Aotearoa fashion — a platform where designers, buyers, media and the wider industry come together to celebrate local creativity. Ahead of NZFW’s return from next week, we invited some of the industry’s most familiar faces to reflect on their memories from the past 25 years.
Marissa Findlay
Photographer, show producer and Zambesi brand director
“One of my craziest NZFW moments would have to be producing the A*Muse by Richie Rich runway show, featuring Pamela Anderson. I still pinch myself when I think about it.
Working with Pamela meant being prepared for the unexpected — and then some. Her last-minute requests were extraordinary, but somehow that was all part of the magic. Keeping everything moving and making it happen on the day was certainly a challenge, but seeing the show come to life made every frantic moment worth it. Richie Rich was backstage in rollerskates while we were sending models down the runway — because, of course.
The real highlight, though, was getting a glimpse of the real Pam behind the scenes. During model fittings, we found ourselves hanging out with her in her hotel room. One minute she was setting off confetti bombs on her bed, and the next we were sitting cross-legged on the floor in a circle having D&Ms, listening to her talk passionately about her kids.
It was surreal, chaotic and completely fabulous — the kind of Fashion Week moment you know you’ll never forget. There aren’t many jobs where you can go from managing the logistics of a major runway show to sitting on a hotel-room floor with Pamela Anderson, surrounded by confetti and having a heart-to-heart. Iconic?”
Dan Ahwa
FQ fashion editor-at-large, stylist and NZFW creative director
“My favourite memories of NZFW over the past 25 years include – and in no particular order – The Knife’s Silent Shout booming down the runway in 2007 for Jimmy D’s Everybody Loves Nobody Sometime show; sitting next to gossip columnist Bridgette Saunders when Aja Rock threw red wine on her at the Huffer show in 2007; and the elegant widows who wept their way down the runway for Kate Sylvester’s Stop Your Sobbing show in 2005, with lace-trimmed handkerchiefs tucked into their dresses and sleeves.
One of my most recent favourites was working with my team on the Into the Archives show outside Shed 10 in 2025. For me, it marked the beginning of a new era for the event – positioning NZFW as not just a fashion week, but as a cultural event that reflects where we are now and helps set the agenda for what New Zealand fashion can mean today.”
Courtney Joe
Stylist
“This wasn’t technically a show — volunteering at NZFW was strictly a behind-the-scenes role — but I did manage to find my way to the Stolen Girlfriends Club afterparty at Cassette Nine in 2012. At the time I was a student, and a dresser for the week when I heard whispers of the top-secret party location being leaked. Far from invited, a group of us devised a plan to get ourselves into the venue before the party officially started — it was that easy! I remember we felt SO cool sitting under the festoon lights and neon signs watching all the big names roll in. And to top that, we met Mark Hunter a.k.a. The Cobra Snake (who was major at the time) on the dancefloor, who took a snap of us (again, really major).”
Isabella Moore
Model and opera singer
“I love it when different worlds collide, so a favourite memory of mine is opening the Augustine show in 2019, singing the well-known operatic aria ‘O mio babbino caro’ before joining the models on the runway. I felt so in my element getting to bring two parts of my career together in one moment.
If you’ve ever been involved in Fashion Week, you’ll know it isn’t complete without a dash of chaos! In 2023, I was booked back-to-back and remember sprinting from one show to the Jockey show, where I had about 20–30 minutes and four or five people working on my hair and makeup at once to completely transform my look.
The show that fills me with the most pride is Pacific Fusion. I love representing my culture, and seeing Pasifika designers and models celebrated on the NZFW runway is incredibly special.”
Murray Bevan
Director of Showroom 22
“Over the last 20 years working for NZFW, I have encountered a myriad of friends and fashion industry associates who have quickly become tiny gremlins in and around fashion week. Some of my most memorable interactions include having a model agent thrust a printed invite into my chest, walk past me, and say, without making eye contact, “I’m not sitting here.” There was also the time a former-Zambesi staff member spun around and screamed at me in front of 200 people after being rejected from a Karen Walker show, “I’ll never forget this, Murray Bevan!!”.
Then there was the very arrogant A-list editor who loudly stormed away from a runway show queue, remonstrating about her row-B seat — if only she’d stayed, she would have learned that the designer had removed all of row-A, meaning she was in fact in the front row. Finally, in 2005, at the Karen Walker eyewear launch, I received more than 10 phone calls the day after the show from guests who had had such a great time and drunk so much alcohol that they had all accidentally walked out of the venue wearing brand new sunglasses from the show. All pairs were recovered and no reputations were damaged.”
Ngahuia Williams
Photographer and model
“When I started modelling as a teenager, Fashion Weeks were such a buzz. One of the things I enjoy is watching designers at the very beginning of their careers. People willing to take risks, make art and create pieces for themselves and for everyone to see and love. There have been too many to name. As a young person, I admired that. Twenty-five years on, I probably admire it even more.
This year I’m really looking forward to Emma Jing’s debut show, watching someone so creative begin her own Fashion Week journey. Makaira from By Kai, another designer at the beginning of that personal journey, putting it all on the line in a show format for us to experience and appreciate. I think that’s one of the things that comes up for me when I think about Fashion Week over the 25 or so years I’ve been coming and going. The excitement of watching people at the beginning of something, taking a risk and putting their expression into practice.”
Turet Knuefermann
Designer of Knuefermann
“My favourite fashion week highlight for Knuefermann was celebrating 20 years of the brand over two levels of Auckland’s Northern club. A line up of amazing models with breathtaking hair design by D&M oozed the modern love theme navigating a labyrinth of stairwells and podiums through the elegant downstairs bar designed by Fearon Hay and through to the upstairs dining room filled with loyal customers and press to celebrate both new and vintage designs from the collection.”
