Celebrating in style: Fashion show to mark Chinese New Year

Kharl WiRepa and Dr Ho Po Kin (front) with Rotorua Chinese Association staff and Chinese Fashion Show Rotorua participants. Photo / Ben Fraser

A night of fashion and entertainment is fusing Chinese and Māori culture while helping the community to celebrate the Chinese New Year in style.

The Chinese Fashion Show Rotorua is being held on Saturday, February 20 at Holiday Inn.

The event will showcase traditional and contemporary Chinese and indigenous fashion, and will also include Māori fashion designers from Rotorua creating Chinese-inspired looks.

There will also be haka, dragon dancing, Chinese opera, a changing faces performance, lion dance and traditional Chinese art and cuisine.

Rotorua Chinese Association chairman Rob Liu said they had staged a Chinese New Year celebration at the Rotorua Night Market for three years but wanted to do something different and bigger this year.

He said Rotorua was a multicultural tourism city, and that 80 per cent of tourism came from China.

"I want to connect the Māori and Chinese culture together.

"With Covid-19 it's been hard for tourism, so we want to try and get more people to come to Rotorua which will help the tourism and hospitality industry."

Rotorua designer Kharl WiRepa said more than 2000 Chinese were living in Rotorua and this was a great way for us to celebrate an inclusive community.

He said he was looking forward to sharing an exquisite cultural experience with Rotorua and seeing the strengthening of the relationship with Rotorua's Chinese community.

WiRepa said China had injected billions of dollars into the local tourism industry over many years.

"During this Covid-19 pandemic it's an opportunity for us to work together and celebrate special traditions we have."

Tickets are available online at eventbrite.co.nz or from Puawai Jade on Eat Streat.

He said there were great partners in the community supporting this event, including Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua Lakes Council, Rotorua Chinese Association and also the Multicultural Council and Miss Rotorua.

Rob Liu said there was also another part of the Chinese New Year Celebration being held earlier in the day.

A Rotorua Chinese New Year Festival event will also be held on Saturday, February 20, 12 noon to 4pm, at Te Manawa. It will be a fun afternoon of Chinese food, culture, dance, crafts and more at Te Manawa.

The details
• What: The Chinese Fashion Show Rotorua
• When: Saturday, February 20, 6pm to 9pm
• Where: Holiday Inn Rotorua
• Tickets: Online at eventbrite.co.nz or at Puawai Jade on Eat Streat
• There will also be a Chinese New Year Festival event, 12 noon to 4pm at Te Manawa

Chinese New Year 2021
• Chinese New Year 2021 falls on Friday, February 12, 2021
• Celebrations last up to 16 days, but only the first seven days are considered a public holiday
• Chinese New Year marks the transition between zodiac signs: 2021 is the year of the Ox
Source: https://chinesenewyear.net/