Greathounds
At Greathounds, the runway belonged not to models but to sleek greyhounds, gliding alongside their human companions with a natural poise that rivalled any supermodel’s. Presented in partnership with New Zealand Fashion Week and Greyhounds as Pets, the showcase was both playful and poignant – a celebration of fashion and a call to care.
Designers including Karen Walker, Kowtow, Nom*d, Kate Sylvester, and Stolen Girlfriends Club brought their signature flair to the dogs’ wardrobes. On the runway, each piece found its own perfect canine wearer. One hound strutted in Karen Walker’s signature quilted monogram jacket, while another sported a delicate bow designed by Caitlin Snell – our personal favourite? A Stolen Girlfriends Club necklace perched delicately on a greyhound’s neck – playful, and perfectly suited to its wearer.
The atmosphere was warm and convivial. Laughter accompanied wagging tails, yet there was a gentle awareness beneath the charm: with greyhound racing ending in 2026, thousands of dogs will soon need homes. After the finale, guests lingered to meet the dogs up close, stroke their coats, and hear from the Greathounds team about their tireless efforts.
The show left a lasting impression not through spectacle, but through presence – an honest, stylish celebration of the hounds themselves and the work being done to give them new beginnings.
Breast Cancer Cure Designer Showcase
Breast Cancer Cure’s Designer Showcase brought together some of Aotearoa’s leading designers in support of vital research. A full crowd gathered under soft pink lighting, with Sweet Mix Kids providing a live soundtrack that carried the show’s energy from start to finish.
The runway shifted easily between playful and tailored. NOM*d showed khaki tones and utility-inspired looks, styled with mesh headscarves and Puma footwear. Storm leaned into tailoring with sharp suiting, zebra prints, and slim ties. Tuesday lifted the pace with colour and print. Trelise Cooper, Kathryn Wilson, Moochi, Hailwood, and Federation each contributed their signatures, a testament to the breadth of New Zealand fashion at its best.
While the crowd delighted in the theatre of the runway, the underlying message was clear: fashion here was not only about aesthetics, but about galvanising a community around something larger than itself – hope, research, and the future.
Sonnie
Written by Rafferty McDaid, aged 8.
When we arrived there was a big table covered in bags of lollies for everyone. If you were lucky enough to sit in the front row, there was an extra bag on your seat stuffed with really cool things.
Inside the Sonnie show there were colourful lights everywhere. Then it started – kids came out breakdancing, doing ballet and gymnastics. My favourite part was definitely the breakdancing. The music really set the vibe. I almost wanted to jump out of my seat and dance too.
The dancers wore heaps of colourful clothes. My favourite was a t-shirt that said Sonnie’s Pizzeria in big red letters – I was excited because I have the exact same one.
At the end, confetti burst out and giant beach balls bounced through the crowd. It was so fun I didn’t want it to finish.
Pacific Fusion Fashion Show
FQ’s final show of the week, the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show, was a powerful way to close out NZFW. After six packed days, you’d expect energy to wane, yet Shed 10 buzzed with joy and anticipation, heightened by standout street style — from a razor-sharp silver suit spotted on the front row to founder Nora Swann’s corseted Ah Tua dress.
This year’s theme, Reclamation, set the tone: an act of identity, restoring and reasserting Pacific stories at the heart of Aotearoa’s fashion scene. With creative direction by Sammy Salsa, the runway Designers delivered with collections that fused heritage and modernity in striking form. Daina Hugh opened with a moving tribute to Lavinia Ilolahia’s nana — sculptural silhouettes and wrap detailing crafted into cohesive tailoring.
From there, the runway became a kaleidoscope of perspectives. KokoPacific reimagined Pacific heritage through contemporary resortwear; NIQ atelier transformed recycled heirlooms into unapologetic, textured silhouettes reclaiming history. Funk N’ Soul97 turned up the vibrancy with tapa cloth, silk, and jewel-toned prints, while Cheremene Castle Designs blurred art and fashion with empowering bespoke statements. Dane Dagger leaned into grunge and gothic influences, offering rebellious, androgynous streetwear with avant-garde edge.
Ah Tua — founded by sisters Matilda and Aialaisa Ah Chong — reasserted Samoan heritage in contemporary form, weaving cultural roots with personal storytelling. Disciple of Discipline Design Studio challenged gendered norms with WOM/ANS WEAR, reshaping oversized menswear patterns into fluid silhouettes. Chateaubriand Wear honoured Kanak resilience with mission dresses reimagined in lace, broderie anglaise, and Lapita prints. Deadly Denim embraced circularity, transforming 1970s tablecloths and tea towels into wedding attire Finally, Mika Mika followed with crisp menswear-meets-streetwear in bold black, red, and white.
Pacific Fusion wasn’t just a finale; it was reclamation in motion — a joyful, unapologetic declaration that Pacific fashion isn’t on the sidelines, but leading where the conversation goes next.
