FQ Fashion Awards
We're thrilled to announce the launch of the FQ Fashion Awards – brought to you by Shark Beauty. Set to take place in July, 2024 this inaugural red carpet event will celebrate and honour the outstanding achievements of the best in Aotearoa’s fashion industry.
With a mission to support the diverse talents within the fashion industry, the FQ Fashion Awards will serve as a platform to recognise creativity, innovation, and excellence across various categories. From groundbreaking fashion collections to captivating visual storytelling, the awards aim to showcase the best and brightest talents shaping the future of New Zealand fashion. One of the key highlights of the FQ Fashion Awards is its inclusive approach which extends beyond fashion designers to honour the entire fashion ecosystem.
Award Categories
Designer of the Year
Recognising a New Zealand fashion designer, or brand, who has demonstrated exceptional creativity, innovation, and influence over the past year. The recipient should have made a significant impact on the fashion industry, showcasing excellence through their collections and contributions to New Zealand’s fashion landscape.
Photographer of the Year
The recipient should have made a significant impact on the industry through their compelling imagery, innovative techniques, and contributions to the visual storytelling of fashion in editorial and commercial campaigns.
Stylist of the Year
Recognising a stylist or fashion editor who has exhibited exceptional creativity, vision, and influence in fashion styling over the past year. The recipient should have significantly impacted the industry through their innovative styling work, trendsetting looks, and contributions to elevating fashion aesthetics in New Zealand.
Fashion Writer of the Year
The recipient must be a fashion writer demonstrating exceptional skill, insight, and influence in the past year. They’ve significantly impacted the industry with engaging content, thought-provoking articles, and contributions to the fashion dialogue in New Zealand.
Accessory Designer of the Year
This award celebrates a New Zealand designer’s exceptional creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation in footwear, bags, and jewellery. The recipient must have significantly impacted the fashion industry with influential accessory collections, enhancing fashion aesthetics in New Zealand.
Hair Stylist of the Year
This award recognises a New Zealand hair stylist’s exceptional skill, creativity, and artistry in the past year. The recipient must have significantly influenced the industry with innovative techniques, trendsetting looks, and contributions to enhancing fashion aesthetics in New Zealand.
Make-up Artist of the Year
This award celebrates a make-up artist’s talent and artistry in the past year. Recognising exceptional skill, creativity, and the ability to transform faces into stunning works of art, the recipient should have significantly impacted beauty aesthetics in New Zealand with innovative techniques and trendsetting looks.
Model of the Year
This award honours a New Zealand model for exceptional talent, professionalism, and versatility in the past year. Recognising their ability to captivate audiences with confidence and charisma, the recipient should have significantly elevated the standards of modelling in New Zealand, working with leading designers, photographers, and brands.
Sustainability Initiative of the Year
This award acknowledges a New Zealand fashion brand, organisation, or individual for outstanding commitment to promoting sustainability. This award celebrates initiatives prioritising environmental responsibility, ethical practices, and social impact, driving positive change and inspiring others toward a more sustainable future in the fashion sector.
Content Creator of the Year
This award celebrates a New Zealand individual’s exceptional creativity and impact in fashion and beauty content creation over the past year. Recognising excellence in engaging storytelling across social media, blogs, and digital platforms, the recipient significantly influences industry discourse and audience connection.
Fashion PR Personality of the Year
This award honours an individual in New Zealand’s fashion industry for exceptional skill, dedication, and innovation in public relations. Recognising their ability to effectively communicate brand messages, cultivate relationships, and shape the narrative of fashion in New Zealand.
Best Contribution to Maori Fashion
This award award celebrates individuals, brands, or organisations for outstanding dedication, creativity, and impact in advancing Māori fashion and culture. Recognising initiatives honouring traditional Māori design while embracing innovation, recipients significantly promote Māori identity, heritage, and talent, elevating Māori fashion onto global platforms.
Best Contribution to Pacific Fashion
This award celebrates individuals, brands, or organisations for outstanding dedication, creativity, and impact in promoting Pacific fashion. Recognising initiatives that showcase Pacific design, craftsmanship, and storytelling while fostering innovation and cultural exchange, recipients significantly empower Pacific communities and artists, elevating Pacific fashion onto global platforms.
Rising Star Award
The ‘Rising Star Award’ celebrates emerging talent in New Zealand’s fashion industry, showcasing exceptional promise and creativity within the first five years of their career. Recognising remarkable growth and innovation, recipients push boundaries and shape the future of fashion with distinctive vision and ambition, setting a precedent for excellence.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ is the highest honour in the New Zealand fashion industry, recognising individuals for extraordinary contributions and legacy. Celebrating dedication, innovation, and excellence, recipients demonstrate unparalleled leadership, leaving an indelible mark through creative achievements, mentorship, and advocacy, inspiring future generations and shaping New Zealand fashion’s cultural, economic, and artistic landscape.
The Judging Panel
Zeenat Wilkinson
Founder and creative director of Sauce – an online platform dedicated to championing and celebrating diverse voices, and a digital consulting agency providing brands with content creation, branding, digital strategy, copywriting and production. Zeenat’s an established multidisciplinary creator, storyteller, and entrepreneur.
David K. Shields
David K. Shields has recently returned to New Zealand after three decades abroad producing fashion and portraiture work, plus other forms of artistic expression. David has fashioned an impressive resume of Portraits commissioned for international print titles and has recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree.
Amanda Linnell
Amanda Linnell has been at the forefront of New Zealand’s lifestyle and fashion media for the majority of her career – working for leading titles such as Fashion Quarterly, Sunday Star Times and Viva, where she was the editor for 15 years. She is now a freelance writer and publicist.
Katherine Lowe
Katherine is the mastermind behind SUPER, an international mother agency and a model and talent management company based in New Zealand. SUPER provides a thoughtful, transparent and professional service to everyone they represent and work with.
Category Finalists 2024
Accessory Designer of the Year
- Jasmin Sparrow
- Yu Mei
- Kathryn Wilson
Content Creator of the Year
- Beck Wadworth
- Jaime Ridge
- Jessie Kirk
Contribution to Maori Fashion
- Campbell Luke
- Kiri Nathan
- Noa Blanket Co
Contribution to Pacific Fashion
- Nora Swann
- Papa Clothing
- Sammy Salsa
Designer of the Year
- Maggie Marilyn
- Rory Docherty
- Zambesi
Fashion Writer of the Year
- Jessica Belle Greer
- Isabelle Truman
Hair Stylist of the Year
- Danny Pato
- Kelly Manu
- Michael Beel
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Karen Walker
- Nom*D
- Zambesi
Make-up Artist of the Year
- Kiekie Stanners
- Liz Hyun
- Rae Sacha
Model of the Year
- Grace Cox
- Jordan Daniels
- Manahou Mackay
Photographer of the Year
- Benn Jae
- Olivia Kirkpatrick
- Rob Tennent
Fashion PR Personality of the Year
- Anna Farrera
- Diana Marshall
- Murray Bevan
Rising Star Award
- Adrion Atelier
- Nicole van Vuuren
- Oosterom
- Rebe Burgess
Stylist of the Year
- Courtney Joe
- Natalie Cantell
- Sarah Stuart
Sustainability Initiative of the Year
- Deadly Ponies
- Kowtow
- Maggie Marilyn
Assessment Guidance
Assessment criteria covers the nominees’ success in their given category as well as their contributions to New Zealand fashion and sustainability. In the case of multiple nominations for a nominee judges will consolidate the information and make a single assessment. All nominees will be judged by an expert panel based only on the information provided in the form below. The purpose of the supporting evidence document is to back-up any claims in the written application – don’t use the eight pages to add more information as the judges may not consider this in their assessments
For more information and event updates, please visit our website or reach out to us at [email protected].
