Fashion Week 2019: Tender Fashion Week moments

The Kate Sylvester show takes over the Town Hall. Photo / Getty Images

Fashion's chilly facade appears to have well and truly melted. New Zealand Fashion Week's 2019 pillars of diversity and sustainability extended beyond the schedule and into the gathered crowds, with a general sense of inclusion, friendliness and fun evident at the shows. From Kate Sylvester's opening Monday night show inspired by her parents' love story, which saw models walk down a runway strewn with handwritten letters wearing her autumn/winter 2020 collection mixed with archival pieces, to Zambesi's sci-fi army of models striding the aisles of Auckland library to a soundtrack of elevator music — there was a feeling of anything goes. For attendees, no longer was it imperative to turn up to a show bedecked in current-season collections, with the front row dressed in a mix of locally made, vintage, wardrobe staples and their favourite designers' threads. Mixed in with familiar fashion faces were designers' friends and mums, many of whom got hugs at the end of the show.

Several tender Fashion Week moments had editors and buyers reflecting on the meaning of design in their lives. Project Runway winner Benjamin Farry's label Benjamin Alexander showcased his deft hand at draping and pleating, but also the heart of the operation when he came out to give his proud mum a hug at the end of the show. Maggie Marilyn designer Maggie Hewitt made a speech before her welcome runway debut in the green surrounds of Morningside's Glasshouse. She stood shoulder to shoulder with her team, past tutors and patternmakers as a way of saying thank you for their support. Diversity wasn't just a buzzword this year. While some designers have always had it central to their ethos, there was a noticeable uptick in casting of models in a range of sizes, ethnicities and ages.

Design by Jeanine Clarkin. Photo / Getty Images

Silver-haired, mature models featured in many shows, a no-brainer in appealing to many of the brands' key demographics. Another positive change was the inclusion of neurodiverse models in this year's fashion week, thanks to All is for All, an agency dedicated to widening the landscape of fashion to include people with disabilities.

This was the week that really put indigenous design at the forefront — the Aho show at Ellen Melville Centre spilled out on to Freyberg Place and showcased the joint efforts of two contrasting designers — Shona Tawhiao and Jeanine Clarkin. Shona is renowned for her modern take on traditional Māori weaving, adding a contemporary edge with her construction. But it was her daywear of denim coats and separates that felt fresh for her. Jeanine's up-cycled wool blankets fashioned into dresses also made an impact. The collection sits in a new era where upcycled brands are finally gaining the recognition they deserve.

Mercedes-Benz Presents Paris Georgia. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Bobby Campbell's show "Whiri Papa" was a beautiful display of Te Ao Māori inspired by the past, present and future of Wahine Māori. His womenswear label Campbell Luke featured a moving performance during the show from a choir singing in te reo, with a haka from the audience prompting international delegates to weep. The Miromoda show also showcased the strength of contemporary Māori fashion design, celebrating a decade on the NZFW schedule. Standouts included Napier-based label Matu by Te Orihau Karaitiana, Motel Bible by Aj Bradley and Mitchell Manuel.

Model features new fashions in the Zambesi show. Photo / Getty Images

And it's not over yet. After all the shows, talent and buzz of Fashion Week, there's still plenty to see and do during NZ Fashion Weekend. Highlights include the Sustainability Show which will show a collection of vintage (a Fashion Week first), K Rd Presents, and an unmissable designer pop-up sale.

For all your up-to-the-minute Fashion Week coverage go to Viva.co.nz/nzfw