Performers from Cirque du Soleil's Totem entertain the crowd at the opening ceremony last night.
Performers from Cirque du Soleil's Totem entertain the crowd at the opening ceremony last night.
New Zealand Fashion Week kicked off with a spectacular performance by members of Cirque du Soleil's Totem show in Auckland last night.
Hundreds turned out for the evening event at the Viaduct Events Centre, where designer Kate Sylvester - who this year celebrated 21 years of her label - officiallyopened the 14th New Zealand Fashion Week.
"We're really excited. It's a great turnout," Sylvester said.
"Twenty-one years for us ... it's astonishing."
Television and fashion industry personality Colin Mathura-Jeffree, who donned a mustard World suit for the evening, said he was looking forward to being awed by some of the local designers this week.
"It's all about New Zealand fashion and ... the new creativity, and the new vibe and the new inspiration," he said.
He expected Dame Trelise Cooper's show to be "phenomenal", and "classics like Zambesi" to be good, but was also excited about seeing some of the new designers on show.
In addition to Sylvester's 21st milestone, New Zealand Fashion Week founder and director Dame Pieter Stewart acknowledged Zambesi, which has been in the business for 35 years, and Vicki Taylor - whose label Taylor Boutique turned 15 this year.
