New Zealand Fashion Week Announces It Will Postpone This Year’s Event Until 2025

The premiere fashion event reckons with a tough financial climate, joining a string of other high-profile cancellations and postponements already announced this year.

A challenging economic environment and a sense of responsibility to the local fashion industry are two driving factors behind today’s announcement that New Zealand Fashion Week will not go ahead this year.

Speaking to Viva, general manager Yasmin Farry says the decision has been made to maintain the integrity of the industry and the event itself, which would have celebrated its 21st year from August 20-24.

“It was an incredibly tough call to make,” says Farry. “Feroz Ali (owner of New Zealand Fashion Week), the team, and I have been working tirelessly on how we might pivot the event this year, but over the past few weeks, it became apparent just how tough the industry is doing it. We made the final decision on April 30 to postpone this year’s event, with plans to move to a biennial schedule. This means moving Fashion Week from August 2024 to the second half of 2025.”

With several brands announcing their closures earlier this year, the postponement allows retailers and designers to prioritise their core customers, and gives Fashion Week time to consider its future and how it can adapt to the current climate.

“The event only exists in support of our designers, and without a good number able to show on schedule, it would mean an event that wasn’t up to the incredible standard we set last year,” says Farry.

In an official statement to be released later today, Ali also cites the economic downturn and pressures on consumer spending as key contributors to the decision.

“Although we had a strong cohort of committed designers, we didn’t have enough for a robust week-long schedule to make the event viable this year,” Ali says in the statement.

“We have listened to the industry, and carefully considered and taken on board the feedback from designers around the country, who tell us they need dedicated time and space to focus on their core retail business.”

Despite attracting a major presenting partner with global hairstyling brand Shark Beauty in March, the coup (Fashion Week has not had a presenting partner since Air New Zealand dropped its naming rights in 2009) wasn’t enough to help salvage the event.

“We have been so thrilled to work with Shark Beauty as our presenting partner, alongside all our other valued partners, all of which have been very understanding and supportive of our decision this week,” says Farry. “They understand that this has been a very hard one to make and certainly not taken lightly — there have been sleepless nights and many round-table meetings to finally arrive at this point. We are encouraged by Shark Beauty’s support for a biennial approach and we look forward to working with them in 2025.”

Other key partners that were confirmed this year include Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, media partner NZME and Viva, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Millenium Hotels & Resorts, Westfield, Resene, Go Well and Ministry of Social Development.

“The reality is that consumer confidence is at an all-time low and the fashion retail industry has been particularly affected by the reduced consumer spending,” says Vancouver-based Ali, who purchased New Zealand Fashion Week from its previous owner and founder Dame Pieter Stewart in 2021.

Ali, who also owns Whitecliffe College in Auckland, was instrumental in the event’s return to the calendar in 2023 after a four-year hiatus from Covid-related interruptions.

Although last year’s Fashion Week saw several key changes that signalled a desire to transition the event into in-season, consumer-focused activations and programming along with a significant partnership with local iwi Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the announcement today is a wider reflection of how volatile the climate is for our local fashion industry and their businesses.

Leading fashion designer Juliette Hogan, who has been involved with New Zealand Fashion Week since 2007 and shown nine times, returned to the schedule last year after several years away to focus on growing her business.

“Surviving an economic downturn in the fashion industry really demands a mult-ifaceted approach. Fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, including designers, retailers, and industry suppliers: and by coming together, sharing resources, and exchanging ideas, the industry can stimulate innovation and find new avenues for growth.”

“Additionally, changes in regulatory frameworks may be vital to protecting the industry from the negative impacts of fast fashion,” says Hogan, who also serves as chair of Mindul Fashion New Zealand.

“Implementing policies that promote sustainability, ethical production practices, and fair labour standards, and dampen the influx of disposable fashion items that are fast-tracked to landfill can help create a more level playing field for local players in the industry. Policies that prioritise quality over quantity and emphasise the importance of craftsmanship and creativity can help preserve the unique identity of our local fashion industry. Mindful Fashion NZ (MFNZ) is already actively advocating for these changes, working to promote sustainable practices and ethical standards within the industry.”

The major cancellation also comes after a string of high-profile events announced they will not be going ahead this year, including the popular Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, music festival Nest Fest, and the annual New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch. All events cited a harsh financial climate and depleted revenue as reasons for their demise.

Speaking with industry and designers at all levels since the start of the year, it’s clear the challenges are a sobering reality for many businesses.

Hogan says the intention to show again this year to mark the brand’s 20th-anniversary milestone was a chance to celebrate all it had achieved with the people who have supported its journey so far. “I completely respect the decision to postpone it. It’s tough out there at the moment, but I feel sad.”

“Fashion Week has always played an integral role in our industry. I love the way a show can enable you to completely immerse your audience in the brand — set design, lighting, styling, music, makeup, etc. Last year’s event was a great week and our show was absolutely one of the best we have done. I really appreciate the way a show pushes me and my team to be more creative, and it is so rewarding when all the hard work comes together with the energy and magic that only a show can really achieve. To be able to showcase your collection in that environment to so many people is a designer’s dream. It’s where all the hard work pays off. It’s about celebration. I am so proud to have been part of the week. Last year’s showcase also brought the industry together at a time when we needed it.”

“Last year was incredible and really put NZFW back on the global stage,” says Farry. “I was so honoured to be at the helm and lead an amazing team of creatives and designers. There were so many highlights and new initiatives introduced. The opening event at Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei marae was a special moment, Kiri Nathan’s breathtaking opening show, the introduction of the Viva Next Gen runway and mentorship programme and Fashion Night, which was my baby, outperformed more than I expected. Then there was the introduction of the digital goody bag, the Live Stream programme and our own NZFW ticket site. We did a lot in 2023 and most of this we will continue to develop and build on for the 2025 event.”

Returning to the Viaduct Events Centre last year after last taking place at the Town Hall in 2019, the closed Wynyard Quarter crossing bridge has also thrown a spanner in the works for businesses and events taking place in the area. As reported by The New Zealand Herald’s editor at large Shayne Currie last month, it would take up to nine months to fix the vital pedestrian, tourism and business link currently stuck in a vertical position. The connection has been closed to the public since January due to several technical faults. “A pause will also allow time for the Wynyard Quarter crossing bridge to be fixed, its continued closure presenting a significant challenge for public attendance and access to the venue,” says Ali.

While the organisation regroups after today’s announcement, the focus will now be on asking the real question of whether New Zealand Fashion Week has a future.

“There is definitely a place for an event of this sort of calibre,” says Hogan. “Our industry needs to be celebrated. The flow-on effects from a show is immense for the wider fashion and textiles industry — our suppliers, cutters and manufacturers all are positively impacted by us being able to showcase our collections.”

“The reasons for participating in New Zealand Fashion Week have definitely evolved for us over time. Initially, it was about gaining exposure to potential buyers and media, and establishing our brand’s presence. While that remains important, nowadays it is a dynamic marketing tool, and vital for helping to drive sales, and an unparalleled opportunity to amplify our brand message. With the expansive reach afforded by media, our social channels, and the captivating event-generated content, Fashion Week can be a truly rewarding investment. In a landscape where maximising returns on marketing initiatives is crucial, I see the embracing of NZFW as a hub of exponential brand opportunities is not just advantageous, but essential for shaping the event’s future.”

For Farry, the chance to pause allows for better planning and how it can look at rescoping events on the programme that have future potential; such as last year’s inaugural Viva Next Gen show, a new addition to the schedule featuring a diverse cohort of designers at various stages of their businesses. Along with a runway presentation that connected them to the industry, the programme also offered mentoring support and a chance to showcase their designs in a retail environment.

“We haven’t had time to fully form this yet as we’ve been fully immersed in planning this year’s event, but we will look at how we might support our Viva Next Gen designers to celebrate and elevate these future fashion designers,” says Farry. “We may also look at holding some industry events or workshops. Everything is up for discussion right now while we focus on developing the biennial programme.”

Dan Ahwa is Viva’s fashion and creative director and a senior premium lifestyle journalist for the New Zealand Herald, specialising in fashion, luxury, arts and culture. He is also an award-winning stylist with more than 17 years of experience, and is a co-author and co-curator of The New Zealand Fashion Museum’s Moana Currents: Dressing Aotearoa Now.

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