Make-A-Wish ambassador and para swimmer Rylee has her fashion dreams come true with a front row seat at this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week
When 16-year-old para-swimmer and Make-A-Wish ambassador Rylee found out she was being invited to New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria as a guest of Porsche, she was
Rylee, who lives in the Waikato region, is Make-A-Wish New Zealand’s first-ever wish teen ambassador, a champion for resilience, creativity, and body positivity. She knows from personal experience the power of fashion to express individuality and strength.
Her journey with Make-A-Wish began last year with a fashion-focused wish: a professional photoshoot that celebrated confidence and body positivity for amputees. This was the result of a life-changing amputation of her arm in 2023 after chemotherapy failed to stop the rare bone cancer affecting her arm, shoulder and clavicle.
Rylee’s wish was for a shopping day out with her best friend and a professional photoshoot. She wanted to reclaim her image and share empowering photos to inspire other young amputees. Stylist Sarah Stuart guided her shopping and photographer Chris Turner captured the final images. Rylee wore everything from a bright pink strapless gown with heels to a cool cream athleisure set with sneakers and shades. The variety let her show different sides of herself, and the experience left her feeling like a star.
That moment also sparked a love of fashion, not just in the fun of dressing up, but in discovering clothes that worked with her amputation and gave her confidence in a new way. Since then, she’s stepped into a leadership role, using her platform to encourage other young people navigating amputation or health challenges.
“I wanted to inspire other amputees with my photoshoot. I got to dress up in things that were accessible to me, and I wanted to put a positive outlook on amputation,” says Rylee. “Hopefully one day I’ll be able to make clothes that are all adaptable.”
Porsche New Zealand and Make-A-Wish teamed up to take Rylee’s journey even further, inviting her to New Zealand Fashion Week, presented by Giltrap Group, at Auckland’s Shed 10 and opening doors to experiences usually reserved for industry insiders. It was a chance to immerse herself in New Zealand Fashion Week’s packed schedule of runway shows, offsite presentations and panels – a true celebration of local fashion and creative communities.
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Advertise with NZME.As a VIP guest of Porsche, Rylee soaked up highlights from the week. She had a front-row seat at the Augustine show, plus a backstage visit with designer Kelly Coe before the runway lights came up.
She joined the audience for The New Guard: Rewriting the Rules of Fashion, a panel presented by Porsche featuring local designers Wynn Crawshaw, Lauren Tapper, Rebe Burgess and Georgia Currie. Celebrated as the ‘next wave’ of fashion designers, they discussed everything from design and business to innovation and sustainability.
“I really enjoyed New Zealand Fashion Week,” reflects Rylee. “Especially the bright and colourful Augustine show. The panel talk was really inspiring and gave me ideas for how to make my fashion wish come true one day.”
Beyond the Fashion Week events, Rylee experienced the creative world of Harris Tapper, whose fashion show was presented by Porsche. Designers Sarah Harris and Lauren Tapper welcomed her into their Auckland studio for a behind-the-scenes look at their process, sharing sketches, fabrics, and insights into how they shape a collection.
Their vision came to life at their intimate debut New Zealand Fashion Week show. Rather than a conventional runway, the label transformed Ponsonby wine bar Blue into a candlelit salon inspired by mid-century couture houses. Models moved between tables glowing with candles, and guests discovered classic Penguin novels on their seats as keepsakes.
It was an evening that captured the blend of craftsmanship, elegance and performance that makes Harris Tapper a natural fit for Porsche. The brand’s bold, thoughtful approach to design mirrors Porsche’s own ethos of precision, ambition, and timeless style. And for Rylee, the collaboration went beyond the show. Sarah and Lauren’s mentoring provided her with practical insights into fashion design and styling, and what the future might hold.
For Porsche, New Zealand Fashion Week was about celebrating design and creativity in all its forms, not just on the road, but in culture and community. Partnering with Make-A-Wish for Rylee’s New Zealand Fashion Week experience gave that vision real impact.
In Rylee, Make-A-Wish saw the ideal ambassador: someone who had turned her wish into a platform for inspiring others, and who continues to give back by encouraging confidence among children with amputations and those on cancer journeys.
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Advertise with NZME.“It’s a real privilege to be a Make-A-Wish ambassador,” says Rylee. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to inspire other kids to put their wishes forward.”
While Porsche has spent more than 75 years making the dreams of sports car enthusiasts come true, its partnership with Make-A-Wish expands that spirit – offering Kiwi kids unique opportunities to grow.
For Rylee, the impact goes beyond the runway. Having swum since she was 13, her next dream is to represent New Zealand as a Paralympic champion, with her sights set on LA 2028.
In the meantime, Fashion Week gave her access, confidence and a platform to show how fashion, body positivity and resilience can reshape the way people see disability and strength.
