New Zealand Fashion Week

What New Zealand Fashion Week does

New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW), branded as "Kahuria" under a gifting-name partnership with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, is Aotearoa's flagship annual fashion platform, founded in 2001 by Dame Pieter Stewart and acquired by Aligroup Ltd (Feroz Ali) in 2021. The company operates a six-day event at Shed 10 on the Auckland waterfront (running 17–22 August 2026 for the 2026 edition), supplemented by the South Island sister event Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival launched in 2025. NZFW is not a technology company; its "platform" is the physical runway, production infrastructure, designer curation, accreditation systems, and media amplification that together aggregate designers, buyers, media, retailers, stylists, sponsors, and consumers into a single annual gathering.

NZFW monetises across six revenue streams: (1) public ticket sales for runway shows and group events; (2) industry delegate registrations; (3) tiered sponsorship and partnership packages (Presenting, Ecosystem, Experience, Foundation, Friends, Charity); (4) VIP and VIP+ corporate experiences priced on application; (5) City & Style travel packages bundled with Hotel Indigo accommodation; and (6) limited-edition merchandise via a partnership with AS Colour. Customer segments span fashion designers (primary), fashion industry professionals (buyers, media, retailers, stylists — primary), fashion-conscious consumers (primary), brand partners and sponsors (primary), media and press (secondary), and fashion students/emerging talent (secondary).

The business is anchored by a tiered partnership ecosystem led by presenting partner Giltrap Group (2025 onwards, replacing the prior presenting structure), with ecosystem partners including THE ICONIC, DHL, Hotel Indigo, Auckland Unlimited (Tātaki), Westfield Newmarket, VIVA, and Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design. Strategic differentiation rests on 25+ years of brand equity, deep designer and education pipelines (Future of Fashion program, Whitecliffe internship, Graduate Collections), cultural legitimacy through the iwi-gifted Kahuria identity, and renewed government co-investment via the 2026 Events Boost Fund — the first government funding in 15 years. Scale signals include 4,600+ public tickets sold at the 2025 event, 5.5 million social media views during event week, and measurable consumer spending uplift across Auckland's CBD.

Name

New Zealand Fashion Week

Legal name

New Zealand Fashion Week

Website

https://nzfashionweek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) is Aotearoa's flagship annual fashion event, operating a six-day Auckland runway showcase plus the Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival. It serves emerging and established NZ designers, fashion industry professionals, consumers, and brand sponsors through tickets, delegate accreditation, sponsorship tiers, VIP experiences, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Events

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAAABAM

Streetwear & Contemporary Apparel Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Apparel, Footwear & Accessories/Apparel Retail (Specialty & Mass)

SECONDARYCRAAABAH

Fast Fashion & Trend-led Apparel Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Apparel, Footwear & Accessories/Apparel Retail (Specialty & Mass)

Keywords

• Fashion event platform
• Runway show production
• Designer showcase events
• Brand sponsorship activations
• Fashion week merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales to runway shows, group events, and special events for the general public. Individual show tickets, group show tickets, and offsite event tickets available at varying price points.
2. Delegate Registration: Industry delegate registrations sold to fashion professionals, buyers, media, retailers, educators, stylists, creators, and emerging talent. Includes accreditation, venue access, delegate list inclusion, NZFW contact directory access, welcome reception, delegate social hour, and two complimentary show tickets.
3. Sponsorship & Partnership Packages: Tiered brand partnerships across categories: Presenting Partner (Giltrap Group), Ecosystem Partners (THE ICONIC, DHL, Hotel Indigo, Auckland Unlimited, Westfield Newmarket, VIVA, Whitecliffe), Experience Partners, Foundation Partners, Friends of NZFW, and Charity Partner (Breast Cancer Cure). Custom packages for onsite activations, digital activations, designer sponsorship, speaker series sponsorship, content creator projects, and goody bag inclusion.
4. VIP Experiences: Premium VIP ticket packages offering front row seating, VIP lounge access, curated canapés, arrival drinks, and luxury goodie bags. VIP+ corporate packages for groups including bespoke dining, designer meet-and-greets, and backstage access. Priced on application.
5. Travel Packages: Bundled City & Style travel packages combining Hotel Indigo accommodation (2 nights with breakfast), show tickets (THE ICONIC presents The Front Row + VIVA Greatest Hits), and shuttle service. Single: NZD $700 per person; Double: NZD $960 per couple/twin.
6. Merchandise Sales: Limited-edition merchandise sold via the NZFW online store, designed in partnership with AS Colour (official canvas) and illustrated by Lily Paris West. Products include t-shirts ($70), hoodies ($110), caps ($45), and tote bags ($50). NZD pricing with NZ-wide shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW), also known by its Māori name Kahuria, is an annual six-day fashion event held at Shed 10 on the Auckland waterfront that operates as Aotearoa's premier fashion platform. The company produces runway shows and group showcases for emerging and established NZ designers, sells public tickets and VIP experiences to consumers, runs an industry delegate accreditation programme, offers tiered sponsorship and partnership packages to brands, and sells limited-edition merchandise through its online store. It also operates the Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival as a South Island expansion and runs the Future of Fashion emerging designer mentorship programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NZFW Annual Fashion Week (Auckland) A flagship annual six-day fashion event at Shed 10, Auckland Waterfront, presenting runway shows, group showcases, and designer presentations for NZ fashion designers, fashion industry professionals, consumers, and brand partners.
• Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival Regional fashion festival held in Christchurch that celebrates NZ designers, retailers, and creative talent through runway shows, events, and city-wide activations.
• VIP Experiences (VIP Ticket and VIP+ Corporate Packages) Premium ticket packages offering front row seating, VIP lounge access, curated grazing platters and elevated canapés, welcome drinks, and curated NZFW VIP goodie bags. VIP+ corporate packages add premium dining at Auckland restaurants, designer meet-and-greets, and backstage tours, priced on application.
• Delegate Registration (Industry Accreditation) Industry accreditation programme for fashion buyers, media, retailers, educators, stylists, creators, and emerging talent, including venue access, NZFW contact directory access, welcome reception, delegate social hour, priority access to events, and two complimentary show tickets.
• City & Style Travel Packages Bundled travel packages combining 2 nights Hotel Indigo Auckland accommodation with breakfast, Silver show tickets to THE ICONIC presents The Front Row and VIVA Greatest Hits, and complimentary shuttle to Shed 10 venue. Single NZD $700 per person; Double/Twin NZD $960 per couple.
• NZFW Limited-Edition Merchandise Collection Limited-edition apparel and accessories (t-shirts NZD $70, hoodies NZD $110, caps NZD $45, tote bags NZD $50) designed in partnership with AS Colour and available via the NZFW online store with NZ-wide shipping.
• Brand Partnership and Sponsorship Packages Tiered partnership packages across categories: Presenting Partner (Giltrap Group), Ecosystem Partners (THE ICONIC, DHL, Hotel Indigo, Auckland Unlimited, Westfield Newmarket, VIVA, Whitecliffe), Experience, Foundation, Friends of NZFW, and Charity Partner (Breast Cancer Cure). Custom packages for onsite activations, digital activations, designer sponsorship, speaker series sponsorship, content creator projects, and goody bag inclusion.
• Future of Fashion Mentorship Programme Emerging designer mentorship and showcase programme where finalists are selected by an expert panel to present at NZFW, receiving industry mentorship from Giltrap Group and the 'Helping Kiwis Fly: Fashion Edition' powered by Škoda NZ.
• Toi: The Journal NZFW's editorial content platform (Toi journal) publishing features on designers, industry figures, partner stories, and cultural commentary to drive top-of-funnel awareness and engagement with the NZFW brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,600+ public tickets sold and 5.5 million social media views during event week (2025)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/presenting partner, core/ecosystem, minor/ecosystem, core, core/foundation, minor/foundation, minor/experience and regional/strategic.

• Giltrap Groupflagship/presenting partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Presenting Partner of NZFW. Giltrap Group is an automotive group whose CEO Steve Kenchington supports the Future of Fashion judging panel. The partnership includes the 'Helping Kiwis Fly: Fashion Edition' award powered by Škoda NZ, providing the Future of Fashion winner with $5,000 cash, a 12-month Škoda vehicle sponsorship, and mentorship. 2025 was NZFW's first year under the Giltrap banner.
• THE ICONICcore/ecosystemGTM or Marketing PartnerAustralia and New Zealand's leading fashion and lifestyle platform. Presents 'The Front Row' at NZFW 2026, a customer-first runway experience featuring shoppable runway pieces alongside exclusive looks from AERE and mínima esenciales' upcoming SS27 collection. First announced at Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival 2025.
• Hotel Indigo Aucklandcore/ecosystemGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial accommodation partner for NZFW 2026. Provides hosted Delegate Social Hour each afternoon, venue for partner events (Beyond The Runway speaker series), and exclusive travel packages for NZFW guests. Located near Shed 10 venue and features Bistro Saine restaurant.
• VIVA (NZ Herald)core/ecosystemGTM or Marketing PartnerPresents 'Greatest Hits Vol.1 and Vol.2' — showcasing the best looks from NZFW 2026 runway collections. Extends editorial-media reach of NZFW to VIVA's audience.
• Whitecliffe College of Arts and Designcore/ecosystemStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial education partner of NZFW. Source of NZFW Internship Programme (one placement for Whitecliffe fashion students for NZFW 2026). Fashion school producing graduates showcased in the Graduate Collections runway show (Whitecliffe, Massey University, Otago Polytechnic).
• Tātaki Auckland Unlimitedcore/ecosystemGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment economic development agency backing NZFW as part of Auckland's events and cultural programme. Supports the event's growth and international reach.
• Westfield Newmarketminor/ecosystemGTM or Marketing PartnerRetail partner in the NZFW ecosystem, with shopping destination activations in Auckland.
• DHL Expressminor/ecosystemGTM or Marketing PartnerLogistics partner in the NZFW ecosystem.
• Breast Cancer CurecoreOthersOfficial charity partner of NZFW. Created and organises the 'Fashion For A Cure' multi-designer runway, bringing together NZ's leading designers to raise funds for breast cancer research. Designers include Augustine, Coop, Cooper, Curate, Trelise Cooper, Bendon, Federation, Kathryn Wilson, Knuefermann, Moochi, NOM*d, Repertoire, RUBY, Storm, Superette, TUESDAY LABEL, Untouched World, and Zambesi.
• Ngāti Whātua Ōrākeicore/foundationStrategic or Co-development PartnerMana whenua iwi providing NZFW with the gifted name 'Kahuria' (from 'kahu' meaning garment/cloak and 'kahuria' meaning to adorn). NZFW has partnered with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for ongoing cultural guidance ensuring NZFW is built on tikanga Māori. The name draws inspiration from Te Kahu Tōpuni o Tuperiri.
• Eventbriteminor/foundationChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketing platform partner for selected NZFW events including taylor's Somni show and The Shelter Designer Breakfast.
• Heart of the City (Auckland)minor/foundationGTM or Marketing PartnerAuckland CBD business association supporting NZFW's presence and impact in the city centre.
• 66 Magazine / Giltrap Groupminor/foundationGTM or Marketing PartnerMagazine partnership delivering design features for the 'Helping Kiwis Fly' award winner — minimum two features post-NZFW 2025 and lead-in to NZFW 2026, plus one feature in Giltrap Group Garage EDM during the 12-month sponsorship.
• AS Colourminor/experienceGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial canvas partner for NZFW 2026 merchandise. AS Colour products feature in the limited-edition NZFW merch collection (t-shirts, hoodies, caps, tote bags) designed by Lily Paris West.
• SIXT New Zealand (powered by Giltrap Group)minor/experienceGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial car rental partner for NZFW 2026, offering premium vehicle hire for guests exploring Auckland and regions (Matakana, Piha, etc.) during Fashion Week.
• Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival Partners (The George Hotel, Ōtautahi Christchurch)regional/strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerNZFW's South Island expansion launched in 2025. Partners include The George Hotel (accommodation) and Ōtautahi Christchurch (city branding/economic development). Returns in 2026 with an expanded programme.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tokyo Fashion Week (Japan Fashion Week Organization): Japan's flagship fashion week, comparable to NZFW as an Asia-Pacific runway showcase for emerging and established designers, with sponsor ecosystem and delegate accreditation.
• Milan Fashion Week (Camera Nazionale della Moda): Italy's flagship fashion week, one of the 'Big Four' alongside Paris, London, and New York. Directly comparable runway showcase model with designer application, sponsor ecosystem, and delegate access, though at vastly larger scale than NZFW.
• Paris Fashion Week (Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode): The premier global fashion week operated by France's fashion federation. Directly comparable as a designer runway platform, though at vastly larger scale with global luxury brand participation.
• Vancouver Fashion Week: A bi-annual fashion week held in Vancouver, comparable to NZFW as a smaller-market fashion platform serving emerging and international designers, with runway shows, sponsor activations, and consumer ticketing.
• Copenhagen Fashion Week: Scandinavia's leading fashion week, comparable in scale and ambition to NZFW as a smaller-nation fashion platform with sustainability focus, designer runway showcase, and brand partnerships. Often cited as a model for emerging-market fashion weeks.
• London Fashion Week (British Fashion Council): A premier global fashion week organised by the British Fashion Council. Closely comparable to NZFW as a runway platform for emerging and established designers, with delegate accreditation, brand sponsorships, and public ticketed shows. Significantly larger scale.
• New York Fashion Week (CFDA): US flagship fashion week operated by IMG/CFDA. Directly comparable in format as a twice-yearly designer runway showcase with sponsor ecosystem, delegate accreditation, and consumer ticketing.
• Australian Fashion Week (Afterpay Australian Fashion Week): Australia's flagship fashion week event held annually in Sydney, operated by IMG. Directly comparable as a regional fashion week platform in a neighbouring market, with similar designer runway showcase, sponsor ecosystem, and ticket sales model serving ANZ designers, buyers, media, and consumers.

Emerging players

• Edinburgh Fashion Week / Scottish Fashion Week: A smaller regional fashion week in Scotland with comparable runway showcase, emerging designer focus, and ticketed events. Relevant comparable as a sub-national fashion platform building local designer ecosystems.

Broad incumbents

• IMG (parent of NYFW and AFW): Global events and fashion operator that owns and runs multiple fashion weeks including Australian Fashion Week and previously New York Fashion Week. Comparable as a fashion event operator at scale with similar sponsor, designer, and ticketing models across multiple geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/nzfashionwk
• Facebookfacebook.com/nzfashionweek

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Zealand Fashion Week