KEY POINTS:
New Zealand fashion label World will open this year's Air New Zealand Fashion Week with a showing of its autumn/winter collection for 2009.
Notably absent from the annual event for the last four years, World designer Francis Hooper said he was excited about returning to the local stage
after several years of focusing on promoting the label's collections overseas.
"We're really pleased to have the resources and the time to show at Air New Zealand Fashion Week this year. It provides us with a great opportunity to showcase our international collections back in our home country," he said.
Also showing on the opening morning is top Australian designer Kirrily Johnston.
"We are thrilled as the first Australians ever to participate in Air New Zealand Fashion Week," Johnston said.
"Our label has received quite a lot of attention of late from New Zealand and we are really looking forward to bringing it to some New Zealand stores.
"The week has such a solid reputation and it's very much about Australasia for us at the moment, so the timing is perfect."
Fashion Week's managing director Pieter Stewart said she was pleased with the range of designers represented at this year's event, adding that visitors could "expect to see a stronger representation of popular streetwear labels, plus some exciting new group shows which give the audience a marvellous taste of a variety of labels".
Some of those "street" labels include Doosh, Moneyshot and Crowded Elevator - who will be centrestage on Friday, September 19 as part of the Coco PR group show - and Michael Pattison, Sheryl May and Ooby Ryn who will also show as a group, on Thursday, September 18.
Other New Zealand designers showcasing their labels include Zambesi, Nom*D, Trelise Cooper, Karen Walker, Annah Stretton and Huffer.
Popular designers Cybele, Deborah Sweeney, Sera Lily, Lonely Hearts, Deadly Ponies and Jaeha - all of whom showed at last year's fashion week - will also have a presence on the runway. And Kylee Davis, formerly of Insidious Fix, returns after a three-year hiatus with her new label Stitch Ministry.
A new innovation at this year's Fashion Week will see front-row guests at the Verge Breakthrough show given the opportunity to vote for their favourite designer through the use of a buzzer system.
Contenders for the $10,000 prize - which is awarded to a new talent in the fashion design industry - are Kellie Chapman (Deuchar), Ana Steele (Ana Steele), Theresa Brady (Sable & Minx), Michelle Yvette (Michelle Yvette) and Emma Wallace (Emma).
* Air New Zealand Fashion Week runs from Tuesday, September 16 - Sunday, September 21.
- NZ HERALD STAFF