Watch NZ Herald Focus: NZ Fashion Week - Inside the party

New Zealand Fashion Week kicked off with designers Madeleine Harman and Jessica Grubiša of Harman Grubiša's opening show last night.

The young designers, who debuted at last year's fashion week, have developed their brand around classic, quality pieces that are built to stand the test of time.

The latest collection, called Rococo, incorporates sharp and contemporary silhouettes with high-shine metallics, full-bodied satins, and a signature brocade woven throughout.

The accompanying gold-lacquered hardware was designed and produced in collaboration with noted New Zealand jeweller, Jasmin Sparrow.

Fashion editor for Viva and Canvas, Dan Ahwa, and Spy editor Ricardo Simich spoke to Laura McGoldrick about what we can expect to see in the week ahead.

For Dan, it's the exciting designs coming through on the catwalk that set New Zealand's fashion week apart from the rest.

"I think we're so isolated from the rest of the world that the talent and creativity that comes through from our designers is really interesting," he says.

Dan believes smart, veratile dressing will be the name of the game at fashion week this year.

"We don't have time to dress up," he says. "It's about clothes that work seamlessly between work and weekend."

Spy editor Ricardo Simich says this year's event is full of fresh ideas.

"The fact that the public can buy tickets to [underwear show] Jockey, thats a lot of fun," he says.

Over the 16 years New Zealand Fashion Week has been running, there are always some unexpected surprises. Ricardo says past events have included a bomb scare, models taking spectacular falls, and even people storming the catwalk.

"The Real Housewives will be coming this year," he says, "so I'm sure they'll stage a catfight!"