NZ designers win London spot

By ESTELLE SARNEY

New Zealand fashion could become the next big thing internationally after four Auckland designers send their wares down the catwalk at the exclusive London Fashion Week in February.

Labels Zambesi, Nom D, World and Karen Walker grouped together to beat 70 other submissions for one of three new places in the fashion week schedule.

Most of the 40 to 50 places are reserved for top British designers such as Vivienne Westwood, John Rocha and Alexander McQueen.

A member of the selection panel, Angela Quaintrell, of the Liberty store in London, said this was the first time designers from outside Europe and the United States had been accepted into London Fashion Week, and the first time a country would be represented by a group show.

"New Zealand design is fresh, new and contains nothing derivative," said Angela Quaintrell, who is in Auckland this week on a buying trip organised by Trade New Zealand.

"You differ from the Australians, who can be quite derivative and clubby.

"Your designers are interested in the use of textile, and British customers are very aware of how textile is used and how clothes are cut."

No Australian designers have been selected.

The New Zealanders will be sponsored by Wools of New Zealand, which has created a number of new woollen fabrics for the designers to use, and Trade NZ, whose London-based marketing consultant, Leanne Prichard, lobbied hard for the New Zealanders to be considered.

"The British see our fashion as intelligent and edgy, which suits the UK market," said Leanne Prichard. "We hope this will pave the way for a big future for New Zealand fashion internationally."

Following New Zealand success at the Australian Fashion Week this year, reports on this country's cutting-edge designs appeared on CNN in Britain and America, in Time magazine and in British newspapers.

Designer Karen Walker, who sells her garments in New York and, along with the other three designers in the group, already markets through stores in London, thinks the time is right for New Zealand fashion to take the spotlight internationally.

"Fashion buyers and the media are always looking for something new, and internationally there's a bit of boredom with the big names like Calvin Klein and Donna Karan."

HERALD PICTURE / MARTIN SYKES