By Kelvin McDonald of Whakaata Maori
Fashion designer Kiri Nathan will open this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week - the first Māori designer to do so.
The fashion show which is considered the “pinnacle event” for the New Zealand fashion and beauty industry is this year “sharpening its focus on Te Ao Māori”, organisers said.
“It’s an honour to be the first Māori designer to open NZ Fashion Week and we’ll be showing our respect to the Māori makers and weavers of kākahu and clothing based on environmental impacts,” said Nathan, who is Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Hauā and Ngāti Paoa.