Fashion with a conscience

World is one of those showing outfits at the event.

Fashion shows can be curious things. Often exclusive to the media, buyers and celebrities, only the lucky few get a chance to be a part of the glamour and excitement that comes with being one of the first to see what we'll be wearing next season. While Fashion Week has helped in some way to remedy this, come October, local fashion lovers scramble to get tickets to shows by the likes of Zambesi, Trelise Cooper and World, with many having to make do with reading about it in the paper the next day. There are, after all, only so many tickets to go around.

In a public show next week, fashion fans have an opportunity to view the spring/summer 05/06 collections of 13 of New Zealand's leading designers all in the name of charity. Supporting Hebron College's Hope Foundation, labels including World, Trelise Cooper, Zambesi, Nom D, Helen Cherry, Kate Sylvester and Hailwood will each show three outfits from collections unseen on New Zealand catwalks.

The Hope Foundation has been set up to support a group of 30 students from the college who are travelling to Tanzania in July to work with and provide money, shelter, care, education and hope to Aids orphans.

Supporting events like these is really the true meaning of being fashion conscious.

The Hope Foundation fashion event is on June 2 at 7.30pm at the Old Northern Steamship Company. Tickets are $25 available through Ticketek, ph 09 307 5000