Forty-five years. That’s how long Fashion Quarterly has been around for. To celebrate, we opened the archives for one night only with a special exhibition at Sanderson Contemporary of FQ covers from 1980 to today. Held in partnership with Partridge, the room was a sea of black, sequins and sparkling jewels as Aotearoa’s fashion industry, including iconic former FQ editors, gathered to celebrate forty-five years of New Zealand’s leading style authority.
Champagne flowed courtesy of Taittinger — served from an impressive Brut Réserve NV Methuselah, no less — and Villa Maria wines delighted even the most discerning palates. DJ duo Radieux elevated the atmosphere with a celebratory soundtrack, punctuated by a roaming saxophone. Guests dined on freshly shucked oysters by Whisk Catering, and the sweetest finale came in the form of an FQ birthday cake, all enjoyed against a backdrop of beautifully styled Flock Events furniture.
The evening was punctuated by joyful reunions and a palpable sense of celebration, all centred on what remains of the FQ archives. With much of the collection lost over the years, the night became an ode to what has survived – from a partially torn Winter 1984 cover to a rare Karl Lagerfeld–shot edition – and a toast to everything still ahead.
Fashion Quarterly was founded in 1980 by Paula Ryan and Don Hope, who began the magazine from the upstairs loft of their family garage. The first editions — then called Fashion Collections — were distributed to roughly 400,000 letterboxes. As its popularity grew, it was transformed into a paid glossy magazine, and in 1986, the first print issue of Fashion Quarterly as we know it hit newsstands. It was sold to ACP Media in 1990 and then Bauer Media in 2012.
From the beginning, FQ has championed New Zealand fashion, showcasing local designers alongside international trends. It featured Rachel Hunter in one of her earliest shoots — later returning to grace the cover — and, decades on, we featured her daughter Renee Stewart as our Autumn 2025 cover star.
For generations, FQ has been a source of fashion news, inspiration, and conversation, while helping shape countless creative careers. Many of the country’s leading photographers, stylists, writers, and models have come through its pages — a legacy of which we’re deeply proud. In 2020, when FQ faced closure following Bauer Media’s exit from New Zealand, it was saved by Parkside Media (later Via Media) before being acquired by Elcoat Media in 2023.
Under Elcoat Media, FQ has evolved into a 360-degree brand spanning print, digital, social, and events — including the launch of the inaugural FQ Fashion Awards in 2024, celebrating and uplifting the entire New Zealand fashion ecosystem.
Forty-five years on, Fashion Quarterly remains as relevant as ever. For those who’ve been part of its story, working at the publication never really leaves you. It’s something you carry — like a part of its pages stays with you, always connecting you to the magazine, and to each other.
