KEY POINTS:
One top designer returns while another is a no-show: this year's Air New Zealand Fashion Week line-up was announced yesterday, with a few surprising names on the schedule.
For the first time, top Australian designer Kirrily Johnston will show in New Zealand, with a winter collection inspired by singer Erykah Badu and monks.
The Sydney designer decided to take part after she was invited by the Fashion Week head office.
"New Zealand Fashion Week has its own flavour and it's starting to get a lot of attention. We are doing quite a lot of work in Hong Kong at the moment, and everyone there seems to be quite aware of it and really switched on to it."
Fashion Week managing director Pieter Stewart sees the move to bring imports from across the Tasman as an ongoing thing.
"It makes sense as Australia no longer has an autumn-winter fashion week and we're delighted to have Kirrily as she is a respected designer."
Stewart says it's very positive that this year's event will be as strong as ever with a good mix of emerging and established designers taking part.
Local fashion showstoppers World will return to the Fashion Week stage after a four-year hiatus. Designer Francis Hooper says the brand has struggled with being away from Fashion Week for so long, but "we're back and we're super-excited".
Sad news for Kate Sylvester fans, however, as she will not be showing this year.
Other labels to return this year include Zambesi, Trelise Cooper, Karen Walker, Nom.d, Deborah Sweeney, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Hailwood, Yvonne Bennetti, Cybele, Huffer, and last year's star, Jaeha.
Air New Zealand Fashion Week runs from September 16 to 21.
