Fashion and rugby don't traditionally go hand in hand - but a Tauranga event could change that.
Organisers of the Tauranga fashion extravaganza Tarnished Frocks and Divas are hoping to attract Rugby World Cup visitors to the event next year.
The fashion show will be held at Mills Reef Winery during the
World Cup.
And it was already listed as a "to do" event on the Rugby World Cup website, Tarnished Frocks and Divas trust chairwoman Anne Pankhurst said.
"It's a performing arts exhibition and fashion show with sufficient difference and enough clout to entice overseas visitors to Tauranga's shores," she said.
The event, which was officially launched on Wednesday, will stage five shows in September next year.
Its focus is on retro clothing creatively revamped and reworked into contemporary styles and then modelled by women over 40.
A new addition to the event will be a section showcasing garments from Bay of Plenty designers from Oyl and Repertoire, including "contemporised vintage garments" based on 1970s fashion.
But the core of the event would never change, Ms Pankhurst said.
Tarnished Frocks and Divas was created by a small group of women in memory of a friend who died of cancer. Its aim was to celebrate and showcase women's talents and the passion for life.
The event aims to inspire women to continue to challenge themselves, create new goals and be a positive influence on their families, friends and wider community.
"Tarnished Frocks and Divas has come a long way from the first amazing show in the Cargo Shed and has a long way yet to travel," Ms Pankhurst said.
This year, the event will be held at Mills Reef, which is a naming sponsor.
